Taiwanese rider Pan Yi-wei, who secured the third place in the 2023 AFM 350 Superstock and the second place in the 2024 AFM 350 Superbike, at the age of 24, races in various motorcycle championships in the United States. Adorned in a racing suit featuring the flag of Taiwan, Pan Yi-wei aspires to step onto a larger international stage one day and represent Taiwan.
Currently, Pan Yi-wei is fully committed to preparing for the 2025-2026 MotoAmerica American Motorcycle Championship season. He aims to bring back his knowledge to Taiwan and nurture more young talents in the racing world. Due to the influence of the Chinese Communist government, Taiwanese athletes often find it challenging to display their national flag in many sporting events. Pan Yi-wei hopes to proudly wave the flag of Taiwan in international motorcycle races, bringing glory to his homeland.
Despite strict upbringing since childhood, Pan Yi-wei possesses a heart that yearns for adventure and pushing limits. At the age of 20, after obtaining a motorcycle license, he delved headfirst into the world of racing. Even after coming to the United States for studies, he never gave up on his determination to participate in motorcycle events. Currently, motorcycle sports in Taiwan remain a relatively niche field, lacking in training resources and competitive opportunities compared to European and American regions. In the U.S., Pan Yi-wei has more chances and resources to realize his racing dreams.
Pan Yi-wei is currently majoring in Computer Animation at the Gnomon School in Los Angeles. He has noticed the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology posing potential challenges to the CGI industry, signaling a period of transformation within the sector. In the face of this trend, Pan Yi-wei believes that “Human Endeavor,” encompassing genuine competition, is the most challenging aspect for AI to replace. He firmly believes that in the realm of human limit challenges, artificial intelligence cannot substitute for human efforts. This belief further fuels Pan Yi-wei’s determination to progress on his racing journey.
Despite the heavy academic workload, Pan Yi-wei dedicates at least three days per week, with six hours each day, to practice riding. Under this high-intensity training regimen, he averages up to two hundred laps per day. Upon arriving in the U.S., constrained by economic conditions, he could only utilize late-night parking lots for independent training. Despite facing challenges like harassment from vagrants and unclean environments under these difficult conditions, Pan Yi-wei occasionally encounters encouragement from the homeless. One homeless man even told him that if he had possessed the same perseverance before, maintaining a passion for racing or other endeavors, he would have avoided alcoholism and being homeless.
Pan Yi-wei mentions that the threshold for motorcycle racing is not high, with the price of entry-level motorcycles ranging from $2,000 to $6,000. While it might not be a small sum for many young people, in comparison to other expenses, this cost is not unattainable. In 2021, Pan Yi-wei coincidentally met MotoGP rider Maverick Viñales in Texas and exchanged contact information on Instagram.
After watching Pan Yi-wei’s training videos, Viñales voluntarily offered racing guidance and invited him to Spain for training. During his training camp in Spain, Pan Yi-wei met Canadian-Chinese motorcycle racing champion Rodney Fee, who introduced technician Martin Conway to him.
Conway has nurtured well-known American riders like Nicky Hayden and Joe Roberts, and has also assisted in constructing MotoGP tracks in Shanghai. With Conway’s meticulous guidance, Pan Yi-wei significantly enhanced his riding skills and racing knowledge.
Conway mentioned that motorcycle racing is not widespread in Taiwan, and he greatly admires Pan Yi-wei’s courage to challenge himself. He is pleased to have the opportunity to assist him in realizing his dream of becoming a world champion “as a Taiwanese.” Pan Yi-wei’s outstanding performance reminds Conway of Fee during his youth, and he hopes to collaborate with Pan Yi-wei as he did with Fee in Shanghai to strive for building the first FIM-qualified MotoGP circuit in Taiwan.
During his training in Spain, Pan Yi-wei suffered a tibia fracture due to an accident. However, he endured the pain and returned to the track after just five days, persisting in daily practice sessions lasting three to four hours, despite his injury not being fully healed. His hard work has brought him more opportunities. Fueled by his passion for racing, Pan Yi-wei relentlessly practices day by day to hone his fundamental skills. Although he doesn’t utilize top-of-the-line equipment, Pan Yi-wei seizes every moment, hoping to become a top motorcycle rider.
Pan Yi-wei races on various major tracks on the American West Coast, continuously strengthening his physical stamina and skills through repeated practices. In order to deliver the best performance at the start line, he even practices starts and turns with a 65cc two-stroke miniature racing bike. Pan Yi-wei frequently exchanges insights with Conway, discussing details such as suspension and braking settings. He believes that apart from hard work, a bit of luck is also required in international competitions. Introducing Taiwan’s motorcycle parts brands to the international stage is a mission he eagerly embraces.
In 2023, Pan Yi-wei participated in the American AFM regional races, clinching third place in the 350cc category. The year 2024 proved to be a bountiful season for him as he achieved commendable results at the Buttonwillow and Thunderhill circuits, including third place in the first round of the 350 Superbike category, third place in the third round of the 350 Superstock and Superbike categories, and second place in the Superstock and Superbike categories in the fourth round. He looks forward to further successes, lifting the champion’s trophy and proudly displaying the flag of Taiwan at major racing venues worldwide.