With Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) announcing he would begin winding down his full-time racing career at the end of the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship campaign, reactions have been coming thick and fast. Rivals past and present, teammates and even his former team dedicating a press release to him – showing the impact the #65 had in WorldSBK – have all reacted to the news.

REA'S FORMER CREW CHIEF: “His friendship, his attitude to work hard and to push the limits will remain within the KRT family and me personally forever”

Pere Riba, Rea’s right-hand man throughout his success at KRT, said: “It’s been an absolute privilege to share part of the extraordinary path of JR’s career, together with JR and the Kawasaki Racing Team. We have shared extraordinary moments, winning races and Championships. This is now over, but his friendship and his attitude to work hard and to push the limits will remain within the KRT family and me personally forever.”

KAWASAKI MOTORS EUROPE’S VIEW: “Jonathan is the stuff of legend within the Kawasaki family”

Shigemi Tanaka, Managing Director of Kawasaki Motors Europe, stated: “On behalf of Kawasaki Motors Europe, I would like to congratulate Jonathan Rea on what has been a remarkable and record-breaking career. Riding our Ninja machinery, he won six consecutive WorldSBK Championships and was also a core component of KRT accumulating six Manufacturers’ titles. Jonathan is the stuff of legend within the Kawasaki family and it's with great pride we were associated with such a consummate athlete. Like many within Kawasaki and his global fan base, we regard the relationship between Jonathan and Kawasaki as iconic. We wish him and his family every success and happiness in the next phase of their life together and to put on record our deep respect for this great rider.”

REA'S PREVIOUS TEAM MANAGER: “I have had a very honest and sincere relationship with him, built on the deepest mutual respect and the constant search for perfection”

Guim Roda, Rea’s KRT Team Manager and current BbKRT Team Manager, added: “After working for more than eight years with Johnny and achieving six World Championships, I can say that I have had a very honest and sincere relationship with him, built on the deepest mutual respect and the constant search for perfection. He has been one of those people with whom everything in our conversations was aimed at performance. And when that wasn’t the reason, many times we just sat together without saying much, simply with the comfort of knowing that if at any moment we had to pursue a difficult goal, he would be each other’s best companion. It is honest on his part to say that this is a ‘slow down’ rather than a complete farewell, because fire still runs through his veins. I hope that every time he gets on a bike in the future — and he will — he enjoys it to the fullest. I also want to take this opportunity to thank his wife Tarsh for her quiet support in the background. Now Johnny will have to better balance his attention as a father and watch from the sidelines as his children bring out the best of the ‘Reas’ in football!”

RIVALS PAST AND PRESENT REACT: “Legend… the best to ever do it”

Riders from all over the motorcycling world have responded too. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), who was mentored by Rea in the early part of his career before going on to become a two-time World Champion, said: “I will never forget the days we spent in the WorldSBK paddock and the times you helped me. It was a pleasure to compete and battle with you. L E G E N D. Thanks for everything.” Chaz Davies, who Rea battled so fiercely with over several seasons, called him a “prolific pain in the ass” when paying tribute to “the best to ever do it” while Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati), the final part of the Titanic Trio, said: “A pleasure to share the track, battles and podiums with this legend!! CONGRATS for your career! Enjoy your successes & your “new” life.”

In a comment left under Rea’s announcement video, the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team said: “Thank you for everything Johnny, you raised the bar in WorldSBK and everything you achieved is etched in history. It’s been a pleasure for our team to have raced against you. Legend. All the best with your future!

CHAMPIONS COMMENT: “You’re a true inspiration for all the riders around the world”

Not only did the reactions come in from the WorldSBK paddock, but also from MotoGP. Eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez said: “Congrats LEGEND. Amazing career, true inspiration”, while Marc’s brother Alex added: “Legend mate! Pure inspiration” Two-time MotoGP Champion Pecco Bagnaia said: “Sad day, but you’re a true inspiration for all the riders around the world. Thank you and congrats for your amazing career!”

Of course, these are just some of the thousands of comments and posts that have come in since the announcement, from all over the world, paying tribute to the rider who has more titles, wins, podiums, fastest laps than anyone else, and broke virtually every record on the way to becoming a motorcycle racing legend.

Congratulate Rea on his career using #thegREAtest on social media and watch his final four rounds using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now half price!