Chun Mei

Chun Mei Liu is a Taiwanese motorcycle racer who made history as the oldest rider on the inaugural WorldWCR grid in 2024, representing her country on the international stage after years of racing against men across Asia.

EARLY YEARS

Born on October 25, 1981, in New Taipei City, Taiwan, Chun Mei didn’t grow up dreaming of racing motorcycles. As a kid, she played basketball, tennis, and badminton—typical sports for a girl growing up in Taiwan. But at seventeen, everything changed when she swung her leg over a Yamaha Cygnus scooter for the first time.

“I first started riding when I was 17 years old and the Yamaha Cygnus was my first bike,” she recalls. “I immediately felt excited and thought about being able to ride long distances.” That rush of freedom, the wind in her face, the hum of the engine—it wasn’t just fun. It was a calling. The girl who’d spent years chasing balls on courts suddenly found herself chasing horizons on two wheels.

Taiwan wasn’t exactly a hotbed for motorcycle racing. With limited race tracks and minimal infrastructure for the sport, getting into racing wasn’t as simple as signing up for a local karting league. But that first ride planted a seed that would grow into something far bigger than long-distance weekend trips.

OTHER INTERESTS

Outside of racing, Chun Mei’s world pretty much revolves around motorcycles—which, let’s be honest, is exactly how she likes it. She loves all kinds of bikes, not just the ones she races. And here’s where she stands apart from a lot of racers: she’s a trained motorcycle mechanic and technician. She doesn’t just ride her machines; she understands them, tears them apart, puts them back together, and makes them sing.

For cross-training, she rides motocross, though she’s refreshingly honest about her skill level. “I ride motocross for training but I’ve never ridden dirtbikes competitively because there is no organised motocross racing in Taiwan,” she says. “I don’t think I’ll ever really race motocross competitively because I just don’t have the level.” It’s the kind of no-BS self-assessment that defines her approach to everything—realistic, grounded, but never apologetic about what she does do well.

EARLY SUCCESS

From that first Yamaha Cygnus, Chun Mei’s progression was methodical. She moved through 50cc and 125cc bikes, learning the fundamentals, honing her skills. Eventually, she stepped up to a Yamaha R3 and then a Kawasaki 250cc. But riding for fun and riding to win are two different animals, and by 2019, she was ready to find out what she could do when the flag dropped.

Between 2019 and 2023, she competed in the Asia Road Racing Championship, racing in China and Japan—and here’s the kicker—against men. Not in a separate women’s class. Against the guys. It was trial by fire, and she held her own. In 2021, she entered the Taiwan Motorcycle Road Race Championship, and in 2022, the Taiwan Superbike Series, where she enjoyed what can only be described as “great success,” even if specific podium results remain frustratingly vague in the historical record.

What’s undeniable is that she became a name in Taiwanese racing. In a country where motorcycle racing was barely a blip on the sports radar, Chun Mei was out there making people pay attention. Many fans in Taiwan learned about racing through her. She wasn’t just competing; she was building a sport from the ground up in a place where it barely existed.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2019–2023: Competed in Asia Road Racing Championship in China and Japan, racing against male competitors.
• 2021: Enjoyed great success in the Taiwan Motorcycle Road Race Championship.
• 2022: Achieved notable results in the Taiwan Superbike Series.
• 2024: Became the oldest rider on the inaugural WorldWCR grid, representing Taiwan with WT Racing Team Taiwan on a Yamaha YZF-R7, consistently battling for top-ten finishes.
• 2025: Competing in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship with WT Team Taiwan.

INSPIRATIONS

When it comes to heroes, Chun Mei keeps it simple and picks one of the most thrilling riders of the modern era: Marc Márquez. “It’s amazing how Marquez is still one of the best in the world,” she says, clearly in awe of his ability to remain at the top despite the brutal physical toll of MotoGP. It’s a fitting choice for someone who herself has carved out a career through sheer grit and determination in environments that weren’t always welcoming.

REPUTATION

In Taiwan, Chun Mei isn’t just a racer—she’s a pioneer. She’s the one who showed people what motorcycle racing could be, who proved that you could take it seriously even in a country without the infrastructure. Most Taiwanese racing fans learned about the sport through her. That’s not an exaggeration; that’s her legacy.

Her willingness to race against men in the Asia Road Racing Championship earned her respect across the region. She didn’t demand special treatment or a separate playing field. She just showed up, suited up, and got on with it. When WorldWCR launched its inaugural season in 2024, she was there, representing Taiwan on the world stage. At 42, she was the oldest rider on the grid—a fact that could have been a footnote but instead became part of her story. Age wasn’t a limitation; it was proof of longevity, commitment, and passion that doesn’t fade.

Media coverage of her has been overwhelmingly positive, focusing on her experience, her barrier-breaking presence in WorldWCR, and what she represents for Taiwan. She’s become an inspirational figure for young riders in Taiwan and beyond, showing that you don’t need to start at six years old in a go-kart to make it. You just need the fire in your belly and the willingness to do the work.

And she does the work. Literally. Being a trained mechanic means she’s not just handing her bike off to a crew and walking away. She understands what’s happening under the fairings, can diagnose problems, can tweak settings. That kind of technical knowledge earns respect in any paddock.

“Compared to other sports, motorcycle racing is the only one I can be truly focused in and concentrate on,” she’s said. “This has always been my passion and something that’s in my blood.” You can hear it in her words—this isn’t a job or a hobby. It’s who she is.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of 2025, Chun Mei is continuing her journey in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship with WT Team Taiwan. While specific goals and future plans haven’t been publicly detailed, her participation in the championship shows she’s not done yet. At an age when many racers have long since hung up their leathers, she’s still out there, still fighting for every position, still representing Taiwan on the world stage. If her career has taught us anything, it’s that she’ll keep going as long as the passion burns—and judging by everything she’s said and done, that flame isn’t going out anytime soon.

References:

WorldSBK.com – HER STORY meet Chun Mei Liu
Sports247.my – Her story: Meet Chun Mei Liu
WorldSBK.com – Chun Mei Liu Rider Profile
WorldRacingNews.co.uk – WorldWCR Meet Chun Mei Liu
Wikipedia – 2025 FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship
GPOne.com – SBK, Chun Mei Liu Interview