By In the roaring world of motorsports, where precision meets adrenaline and every second can rewrite history, a quiet revolution has been taking place — led by a young man named Jiayi Lyu. Just a few years ago, Jiayi was like any other college student in California, pursuing an academic degree while harboring a quiet obsession with motorcycles. Today, he stands as the first Chinese rider to place in the top three of the AFM (American Federation of Motorcyclists), one of the most respected racing organizations in the U.S.
His journey didn’t begin with sponsorships, fancy gear, or any institutional support. It began in solitude, grit, and sacrifice.
In 2020, Jiayi Lyu attended his first track day at Thunderhill Raceway. At the time, he was overweight and entirely inexperienced in racing. Most would have treated it as a weekend thrill. But for Jiayi, it was the beginning of a mission. He began training rigorously and committed to transforming not only his riding skills but his entire lifestyle. He lost 40 pounds through disciplined dieting and daily workouts — a transformation not just of the body, but of spirit.
By 2021, Jiayi earned his AFM license and entered the novice 1000cc class — the most demanding category in club-level racing. Competing on a Yamaha R1, a superbike known for its sheer power and technical challenge, Jiayi made an immediate impact. That year, he became the first Chinese rider to place on the AFM podium. The headlines didn’t notice. But the competitors did.
Despite his growing talent, Jiayi kept his racing life under wraps, not even telling his parents. He feared they would worry or disapprove. In their eyes, he was just a student — not a rising star in American motorsport. While others raced with full-time teams and external funding, Jiayi juggled graduate school, content creation, and self-funded race weekends. He filmed his own training, posted educational content, and slowly built an audience on Douyin (China’s version of TikTok) and Instagram. His videos — raw, passionate, and technically insightful — began attracting followers and brands alike.
By 2022, Jiayi had garnered sponsorships from Insta360, AMSOIL, Pirelli Tires, and San Jose BMW. But it was in 2023 that he truly broke through. Racing in a full AFM season, he entered 19 races and finished the year ranked:
2nd in Clubman Heavyweight
3rd in Open Superbike Novice
3rd in Open Stock Novice
3rd in Open Prix Novice
It was a monumental season. Jiayi didn’t just show up — he dominated. He became the first Chinese racer in AFM’s 69-year history to win a championship and place in multiple categories in a single season.
In 2024, he graduated into the Expert class — the pinnacle of amateur road racing. Competing at this elite level, he once again defied expectations and placed 3rd overall in the Open Prix Expert category. Alongside personal success, he led his self-founded team, Flying Asian Racing, to win the 24-hour Shasta Supermoto endurance race — battling against 70 riders in brutal rain for 18 hours straight.
But Jiayi’s story goes beyond medals and rankings — it’s about redefining what’s possible and breaking the mold. In a sport where Asian representation is still vanishingly rare, especially in the U.S., Jiayi has created a lane of his own. He is no longer just a racer — he’s a mentor, content creator, and brand ambassador. In 2024 and 2025, he teamed up with BMW China to promote the M1000XR, created viral product showcases for REV’IT!, and helped develop and test professional-grade motorcycle gear with Gansoul and Vesper Racing.
His total video views have now surpassed 100 million, with 160,000 followers on Douyin and tens of thousands more across global platforms. But more than views, Jiayi’s impact lies in visibility — showing young Asian riders that the racetrack isn’t off-limits to them.
Looking back, Jiayi recalls something quietly powerful: “I didn’t start this to become famous. I started because I couldn’t imagine life without racing. I had to prove, if only to myself, that I could belong out there.”
Now, he’s not just part of the grid. He’s reshaping it.
And as the tires keep gripping, the laps keep counting, and the future keeps accelerating — one thing is certain: Jiayi Lyu isn’t done climbing.
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