Of all the riders since 500cc/MotoGP started in 1949, these are the handful who rose to the top and held the World Championship multiple times.
| Rider | Country | Titles | Seasons |
| Giacomo Agostini | Italy | 8 | 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975 |
| Valentino Rossi | Italy | 7 | 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009 |
| Marc Marquez | Spain | 6 | 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 |
| Mick Doohan | Australia | 5 | 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 |
| Geoff Duke | United Kingdom | 4 | 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955 |
| John Surtees | United Kingdom | 4 | 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960 |
| Mike Hailwood | United Kingdom | 4 | 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 |
| Eddie Lawson | United States | 4 | 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989 |
| Kenny Roberts | United States | 3 | 1978, 1979, 1980 |
| Wayne Rainey | United States | 3 | 1990, 1991, 1992 |
| Jorge Lorenzo | Spain | 3 | 2010, 2012, 2015 |
| Umberto Masetti | Italy | 2 | 1950, 1952 |
| Phil Read | United Kingdom | 2 | 1973, 1974 |
| Barry Sheene | United Kingdom | 2 | 1976, 1977 |
| Freddie Spencer | United States | 2 | 1983, 1985 |
| Casey Stoner | Australia | 2 | 2007, 2011 |
