Chris Pfeiffer Passes
C
hris Pfeiffer, the man largely
credited for bringing street
bike stunt riding into the main-
stream, has passed away after
taking his own life following a
long battle with depression.
Pfeiffer, 51, is famous for his as-
sociation with BMW Motorrad and
with Red Bull, the German travel-
ing the globe and bringing his
inimitable flair to stunt shows and
opening up a side of the industry
that was, until his arrival, largely
conducted in the shadows.
Pfeiffer was an accomplished
racer, having raced off-road and
motocross as a junior before later
racing and winning the Erzberg
Rodeo four times in 1996, 1997,
2000 and 2004.
But his real talent lay in his
ability to bend a street motor-
cycle to his will, his stunt shows
capturing the hearts and minds
of fans globally. He is also
credited for being one of—if
not the—first factory-supported
stunt riders with his ties to BMW
Motorrad. He is certainly the first
stunt rider who had a machine
named after him when BMW re-
leased the F 800 R Chris Pfeiffer
in 2009.
Pfeiffer's popularity was never
more evident than in the United
States, as he would regularly
attend MotoGP and WorldSBK
events to entertain the crowd
during race intermissions, often
with the young man who credits
him for inspiring his own riding
style, fellow Red Bull athlete,
Aaron Colton.
Pfeiffer retired from com-
petitive stunt riding in 2015
after taking four World Freestyle
Championships but in recent
years suffered from extreme de-
pression which culminated in him
taking his own life.
He will be buried on March
26 at 9:30 am in Trauchgau,
Germany, and his family has
given permission for anyone who
wishes to attend to do so and say
their final goodbye.
If you or anyone you know are
struggling with depression or
suicidal thoughts in the United
States, the National Suicide
Prevention Hotline is a 24-hour
service dedicated to helping you
in your time of need.
CN
IN
THE
WIND
P38
Chris Pfeiffer
was the first real
factory rider
of the stunting
scene.
