Top 10 MotoGP riders of all time

#9 Kenny Roberts Sr.

He is only one of four riders in the history of the American Motorcyclist Association to have won the AMA Grand slam

Kenny Roberts Sr, an American former Motorcycle road racer and team owner. He became the first American a MotoGP world championship in 1978.

Roberts Sr. is also a two-time winner of A.M.A Grand National Championship. He is only one of four riders in the history of the American Motorcyclist Association to have won the AMA Grand slam.

He is known for his world championships as well as an advocate for increased safety standards in racing. He had made a proposal to create a rival Motorcycle championship in 1979 which broke the Federation Internationale de Motorcyclisme hegemony. This move led to improved safety procedures and a new era in professional sport. He was named as a legend by FIM in the year 2000.

Yamaha USA offered to send Roberts to race in the world championship along with Kel Caruthers. He secured the backing of the Goodyear tire company.

Few people thought that Roberts would win the championship as they thought that it will take him at least one year to get acclimatized to the conditions of Europe. Roberts did not start well in the 1978 season but he recovered amazingly well to win the championship.

After his Grand Prix career ended in 1983, he briefly engaged in Auto racing before starting a team of his own in 1984.

His team included two of the greatest drivers of MotoGP, Wayne Rainey, and Alan Carter. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of fame in 1990.