Michael Byrne
Birth Date: June 10, 1979
Birthplace:  Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
Residence: Newnan, Georgia
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 165 lbs.
Turned Pro: 1997

Although this year marks the first season that Michael Byrne will race for the Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing team, he is no stranger to Suzuki or to Rockstar.  The former Australian Champion raced for the now-defunct Rockstar Suzuki team last year in AMA Toyota Motocross, finishing in eighth-place overall with four top-10 finishes.  Now moving up to the factory team, Byrne is enthusiastic about the upcoming year and his new team. Byrne started riding at age 7 after his older brother bought a dirtbike.  Raised on a farm in Australia, the young Byrne spent many days riding dirtbikes on his family’s property before he started racing.  Once he discovered the competition, he went on to win multiple amateur championships and three Australian titles.  Byrne turned Pro at age 16 in 1997, and came to the United States for six months in 2001 to ride for former Supercross Champion Jeff Emig.  The following year, he moved stateside permanently to race full-time.  This is Byrne’s first year with the Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing team.