Return of the Combo king

In the early to mid-2000s, Newcastle’s Dayne Kinnaird was the freestyle motocross rider that all aspiring Australian riders looked up to. His ability to link a number of tricks into one jump saw him quickly rise in notoriety and shatter the glass ceilings for all of the following Australian riders chasing international glory.

But the cost of success was almost too great. After the 2003 Winter X Games, where he became the first international rider to medal with a silver in MotoX Best Trick, Dayne’s life spiraled out of control.

After a messy divorce, injuries, a life-threatening addiction to pain meds and suffering severe depression, Kinnaird returned to Australia in 2008 and completely shut out his illustrious career, focusing instead at becoming an electrician. Any attempt by anyone to speak with him about dirtbikes was met with stony silence, an angry glare and a turned back.

But earlier this year, a rider wearing his signature Zoo York basketball singlet over his riding gear suddenly turned up at the Freestyle Kings Tour stop at Newcastle. Inexplicably, Dayne Kinnaird, the bloke who’d disappeared off the face of the earth, was back riding freestyle, and with a huge smile on his face.

What caused this turnaround, and why, after 16 years, has he returned?

THE RISE

At an early age Dayne showed plenty of promise as a motocross racer, including a three-year stint with Honda’s Junior Racing Team but Dayne’s passion was always freestyle motocross, much