Motorcycle rider Barrier Sylvain - Motorcycle sport

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Sylvain Barrier, born on October 20, 1988, in Oyonnax (Ain), is a French motorcycle racer and two-time FIM Superstock 1000 World Champion (2012 and 2013). After an international career in WorldSBK and British Superbike, he founded SB Coaching, a motorcycle track coaching program that combines physical training, riding technique, and personalized support.

Unconventional Upbringing and Early Career

Sylvain Barrier grew up in a family environment far removed from the world of motorcycle racing. His parents, who ran a restaurant, seized an opportunity and moved to Mauritius, where they opened a leisure complex featuring a go-kart track, an ATV area, a restaurant, and a nightclub.

It was around the age of 14 that he discovered motorcycling through a friend. It was love at first ride. He convinced his father to let him compete, despite his father’s initial skepticism.

At age 15, he competed in a 50cc endurance race featuring riders from Mauritius, South Africa, and Réunion. His performance caught the attention of Victor Kennaugh, who put him in touch with the federation. He then moved to South Africa for a year and a half, where he won in the 50cc class and took his first laps in the 500cc 4-stroke class.

Upon returning to France at age 16, he moved to Paris to stay with friends who managed a go-kart track. They introduced him to Pierrot Lerat Vanstaen, who in 2005 offered him the opportunity to race in the 1000cc class in Promosport with the Plein Gaz association. He then met William Costes (BMC), Pierre Chapuis, and Martial Garcia (MG Compétition), with whom he prepared two Promosport 1000cc motorcycles.

In 2006, he joined the Dark Dog Academy and began his international career in Superstock 600 with the Bikers’Days-Yamaha-Moto 1 team, marking the true launch of his global career.

International Racing Career

Sylvain Barrier gradually established himself in the FIM Superstock 1000 Championship, finishing 5th in 2010 with two podium finishes, then 4th in 2011 with one victory and four podium finishes as part of the BMW Motorrad Italia team.

In 2012, he won his first FIM Superstock 1000 World Championship title, becoming the first French rider to claim the title. He confirmed his dominance in spectacular fashion in 2013: 7 pole positions, 7 podium finishes, and 5 wins, clinching the championship at Magny-Cours even before the final round. His team rewarded him with his first opportunities to compete in the World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK).

He joined the WorldSBK grid in 2014 with BMW Motorrad Italia on an S1000RR in the EVO class, but his season was severely disrupted by two successive injuries—a fracture sustained in a car accident, followed by a broken foot at Laguna Seca—which prevented him from fully competing for the EVO title despite his recognized potential.

In 2016, he joined the Pedercini Racing team in WorldSBK on a Kawasaki ZX-10R, before moving to British Superbike, notably in 2019 with a Ducati Panigale V4 R and six starts in WorldSBK. He signed with the Brixx Performance team for 2020, marking his return to WorldSBK.

A Look at His Career

Sylvain Barrier readily acknowledges that his career at the top level has been marked by ups and downs, including injuries, difficulties with certain team structures, and moments of doubt. He specifically cites the relationship of trust he built with James Toseland—a Superbike World Champion—who told him he considered his natural riding talent to be rare. This comment remains one of the most memorable moments of his career.

He expresses the conviction that, with coaching tailored to managing emotions and a more structured support system, he could have reached the MotoGP level. This realization was the direct catalyst for the creation of SB Coaching.

SB Coaching — Guidance and Support

Drawing on his experience as a professional rider, Sylvain Barrier founded SB Coaching with the goal of offering comprehensive support for riders—going far beyond traditional technical coaching. His philosophy is based on the idea that barriers to performance are not solely technical, but also mental, emotional, and physical.

A typical day with SB Coaching begins at 7 a.m. with a warm-up and strength-training session, continues on the track with sessions supervised via intercom and on-board video debriefs, and concludes with stretching. This end-to-end support, which he himself describes as “SB20-style coaching,” sets him apart from traditional track day offerings.

He operates at a growing number of French and European racetracks, in collaboration with several track day organizers and riding schools. The company is gradually expanding through technical partnerships with recognized players in the motorcycle world—equipment manufacturers, tuners, and track mechanics.

His coaching philosophy sums up his mindset: “Life throws enough obstacles our way—why limit yourself? ”

Achievements (selection)

• FIM Superstock 1000 World Champion — 2012 (BMW Motorrad Italia)
• FIM Superstock 1000 World Champion — 2013 (BMW Motorrad Italia) · 7 pole positions, 5 wins
• European Superstock 600 Champion — 2007
• WorldSBK appearances: 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020
• British Superbike — multiple seasons (2017–2019) · Ducati Panigale V4 R

Sylvain Barrier’s Racing Career

• 2022: SBCoaching: Riding school for professional and amateur riders throughout Europe.
  Michelin Brand Ambassador
  Instructor rider at BMC since 2005.
• 2021 FIM EWC Team ERC Ducati
• 2020 WSBK Brixx Performance, 22nd
  FIM EWC Team ERC Ducati
• 2019 WSBK Smith Racing
  BSB Smith Racing
  Michelin Official Test Rider – MotoGP Tire Development
• 2018 BSB Smith Racing
  Michelin Official Test Rider – MotoGP Tire Development
• 2017 MotoAmerica Team Scheibe
  Michelin Official Test Rider – MotoGP Tire Development
• 2016 WSBK Team Pedercini 32nd
  Michelin Official Test Rider – MotoGP Tire Development
• 2015 WSBK Team Guandalini 25th
  Superstock1000 Team Guandalini 15th
  Michelin Official Test Rider – MotoGP Tire Development
• 2014 WSBK Evo Category BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike Team 4th
  24 Hours of Le Mans, BMW Penz13.com Team, 1st (Open)
  Michelin Official Test Rider – MotoGP Tire Development
• 2013 WSBK BMW Motorrad Goldbet SBK Team 31st
  Superstock 1000 Champion
  Official Michelin Test Rider – MotoGP Tire Development
• 2012 Superstock 1000 BMW Factory Rider Champion
  Michelin Official Test Rider – MotoGP Tire Development
• 2011 Superstock 1000 BMW Factory Rider, 4th
• 2010 Superstock 1000 Private Team 6th
• 2009 Superstock 1000 Private Team – 5th
• 2008 Superstock 1000 (Private Team) – 16th
• 2007 Superstock 1000 Private Team, 6th
• 2006 Superstock 600 Dark Dog Academy 19th
• 2005 Promosport Association Plein Gaz