Current Class and Voting
Thank you for your vote. Results will be announced soon after voting ends, and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held in Pickerington, Ohio.
This year’s ceremony will headline Hall of Fame Days happening at the AMA campus, October 23, 2025.
Hall of Fame Eligibility
Eligible voters include:
- Past Hall of Fame inductees
- AMA and AMHF Boards of Directors
- Members of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Category Selection Committees
- AMA Life Members
Please review the biographical information below and vote for:
- Up to three candidates in the Competition Category
- Up to two candidates in the Non-Competition Category
- One candidate for the Well-Qualified Category
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Voting for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2025 is open
Hall of Fame 2025 Nominees
Competition
Bill Ballance- Off-Road
Widely regarded as one of the greatest cross-country ATV racers of all time, Bill Ballance’s outstanding racing career is one for the history books. During his outstanding run, Ballance claimed nine GNCC ATV XC1 championships, all in row, from 2000 to 2008, breaking a record set by AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Barry Hawk. In addition to his championship-winning pedigree, Ballance secured 67 national event wins, making him one of the most accomplished ATV racers ever.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest cross-country ATV racers of all time, Bill Ballance’s outstanding racing career is one for the history books.
During his career, Ballance claimed nine GNCC ATV XC1 championships, all in row, from 2000 to 2008. In addition to his championship-winning pedigree, Ballance secured 67 national event wins, making him one of the most accomplished ATV racers in history.
Ballance’s stretch of brilliance began in 2000, in which he won seven of 14 races to secure the first championship of his career. That win mark jumped to nine the following year — the most of his career in a single season — to claim another title in 2001.
In 2002, Ballance competed on borrowed equipment for part of the season after his race trailer was stolen following the season opener. Despite that, Ballance surged to seven race wins and his third ATV championship.
After picking up another championship in 2003, Ballance earned the support of Yamaha to pilot its YFZ450R ATV in competition in 2004 — and, again, Ballance won the championship with ease.
Despite suffering a compression fracture with just four rounds remaining in the 2005 GNCC season, Ballance gutted out another title by landing on the podium three times across those final four races.
In 2006, Ballance faced his toughest competition, as Honda rider Chris Borich battled with the six-time defending champion for the class crown. But Ballance again prevailed, matching AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Barry Hawk’s record of seven consecutive GNCC ATV championships.
With Hawk’s record on the line in 2007, Ballance shook off the added pressure, securing his record-breaking eighth-straight championship with a wire-to-wire victory in the final round of the season.
Ballance added one more championship for good measure in 2008, completing his illustrious career with nine GNCC ATV titles and as one of the most dominant competitors the sport has ever seen.
Colin Edwards- Road Racing
Colin Edwards, aka the “Texas Tornado,” is an American road racing icon celebrated for his technical prowess and versatility. After dominating the club and WERA ranks, he turned pro in 1992 and captured that year’s AMA 250cc Grand Prix Championship. He went on to win the 2000 and 2002 World Superbike titles for Honda, notching a total of 31 victories in WSBK. Edwards also triumphed three times at the Suzuka 8-Hour Endurance Race, and garnered 12 podium finishes in MotoGP. Retiring from racing in 2014, he now runs the Texas Tornado Boot camp.
Born in Houston in 1974, Colin Edwards II, aka the “Texas Tornado,” posted an incredible career in international motorcycle racing. After dominating the amateur ranks, he turned professional in 1992, and at 18 years old immediately put the road racing world on notice by winning the AMA 250cc Grand Prix National Championship. This precocious start propelled him into the AMA Superbike series, where he ended the 1994 season as the hottest rider on the grid, winning at Mid-Ohio and taking wins in three of the final four rounds.
This led to a factory ride in the World Superbike Championship (WSBK), though it took him some time to establish himself as a force there. Riding for Honda, he showcased exceptional talent and consistency, earning him his first World Superbike Championship title in 2000. His aggressive yet smooth riding style and intuitive understanding of motorcycle dynamics made him a fan favorite, and he rewarded his supporters and Honda team with a second WSBK championship crown in 2002, setting the all-time single-season record for most points scored (552) — a record that still stands today.
In 2003, Edwards transitioned to the MotoGP World Championship, and over the next 12 seasons consistently challenged the top riders, piloting machines for various manufacturers including Aprilia, Honda and Yamaha. Although he never captured a MotoGP title (his best championship finish was fourth, in 2005), Edwards notched an impressive tally of 12 podium finishes. Further cementing his legacy and ability to compete at the highest levels, he also tallied three Suzuka 8-Hour Endurance Race victories — in 1996, 2001 and 2002.
Edwards is also known for his dedication to nurturing the next generation of riders, and following his retirement from professional racing in 2014, he channeled his passion and expertise into establishing the Texas Tornado Boot Camp, offering riders of all levels intensive training in motorcycle riding techniques.
Jerry Griffith- Dirt Track
Jerry Griffith created the motorcycles that powered American Honda’s massive success in American flat track racing during the 1980s. His final design — the legendary Honda RS750 — claimed five AMA Grand National Championships, and 81 AMA Grand National victories, from 1983 to 1998. As the late American Honda flat track team manager and AMA Hall of Famer Gene Romero said, “Jerry Griffith was the Honda dirt track program, period.” If Griffith had not been hired by American Honda, it is very likely that the legendary RS750 would never have been born.
Jerry Griffith created the motorcycles that powered American Honda’s success in American flat track racing in the 1980s. His final design — the legendary Honda RS750 — claimed five AMA Grand National Championships, and 81 AMA Grand National victories, from 1983 to 1998.
Griffith’s journey with American Honda began in 1979, when Dennis McKay hired him to, among other things, make the CX500 street bike into a competitive dirt tracker. The CX500 — a 500cc water-cooled longitudinal V-twin with shaft drive and 50 horsepower — was physically manipulated into the NS750, a water-cooled 750cc inline V-twin with chain drive and 90 horsepower. In its fourth season of effort the machine claimed the Louisville Half-Mile with Scott Pearson in the saddle.
Honda introduced the RS750 in 1983, but Jerry needed to overcome several engineering challenges before the engine would claim its first Grand National victory…which occurred in July of that year at the Du Quoin Mile, with AMA Hall of Famer Hank Scott at the controls. In 1984, American Honda began selling RS750 engines to privateers while its factory riders Ricky Graham and Bubba Shobert claimed the 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 Grand National Championships.
American Honda ended its factory dirt track effort after the 1988 season, but Graham would capture one last historic championship for the RS750 as a privateer in 1993 — claiming an astonishing 12 National wins on the season, including six in a row. Privateers would continue racing the RS750 successfully, until Rich King scored the 81st and final National win at the 1998 Joliet Half-Mile.
The late AMA Hall of Famer Gene Romero, American Honda’s Flat Track Manager, said this about Griffith: “Jerry Griffith was the Honda dirt track program, period.”
If Griffith had not been hired by American Honda, it is very likely the NS750 and RS750 would never have been born.
Billy Hamill- Specialty Competition
Nicknamed “The Bullet,” Billy Hamill began racing junior speedway in 1983, and turned professional in 1986. Just 10 years after turning pro, Hamill became the fourth American to claim the FIM Speedway World Championship with his win in 1996. Two years later, Hamill raced alongside AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Greg Hancock to win the 1998 World Speedway Team Cup Championship for the U.S. In 1999, Hamill claimed the AMA Speedway National Championship, which he went on to win five times. During this impressive run, Hamill also collected four U.S. National Speedway titles. Hamill was named the 2012 AMA Sportsman of the Year.
Speedway racing took Billy Hamill all over the world, and his journeys resulted in a massive amount of trophies and acclaim.
Nicknamed “The Bullet,” Hamill began racing junior speedway in 1983, and turned professional in 1986. Just 10 years after turning pro, Hamill became the fourth American to claim the FIM Speedway World Championship, in 1996. That same year he also won the Swedish Grand Prix and Danish Grand Prix. In his world championship defense in 1997, Hamill was runner-up for the title. He finished second for the title again in 2000.
Two years after his world title, Hamill raced alongside AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Greg Hancock to win the 1998 World Speedway Team Cup Championship for the United States.
In 1999, Hamill claimed the AMA Speedway National Championship, which he went on to win five times.
During this impressive run racing AMA Speedway, Hamill collected a quartet of U.S. National Speedway titles (2002, 2007, 2012, 2013).
Claiming both the AMA Speedway National Championship and U.S. National Speedway Championship in 2012, Hamill was named the 2012 AMA Sportsman of the Year.
Hamill’s final racing accolade came in 2015, when he won the California State Speedway Championship.
He has remained involved in speedway by serving as a coach and mentor to young riders. Additionally, Hamill develops parts and accessories for speedway racing through his company Billy Hamill Racing.
Joe Kopp- Dirt Track
Joe Kopp reached the pinnacle of Flat Track competition by winning the 2000 AMA Grand National Championship. He also dominated the AMA Supertracker National Championship, taking home the 1999 and 2000 titles. His impressive record in AMA Grand National events includes 21 career wins, placing him 17th among the all-time greats, and 81 career Grand National podium finishes, ninth all-time. Kopp is also one of 15 riders to complete the prestigious Dirt Track Grand Slam, winning at least one race in each of the four dirt track disciplines: Short Track, TT, Half-Mile and Mile.
Joe Kopp reached the pinnacle of Flat Track by winning the 2000 AMA Grand National Championship. He also dominated the AMA Supertracker National Championship, taking home the 1999 and 2000 titles. Kopp claimed multiple AMA Hot Shoe Championships as well, in 1999, 2000 and 2004.
His consistent success is underscored by his impressive record in AMA Grand National events. Between 1997 and 2010, Kopp notched 21 career wins, placing him among the all-time greats, at 17th on the list. He also recorded 81 career Grand National podium finishes, ninth all-time.
Kopp was the 15th rider to complete the prestigious Dirt Track Grand Slam, winning at least one race in each of the four dirt track disciplines: Short Track, TT, Half-Mile and Mile. His sustained excellence is evident in his 15 consecutive seasons finishing in the top 10 in Grand National points (1996-2010). He narrowly missed the championship title on four occasions, finishing runner-up in 2004, 2008, 2009, and 2010.
Kopp also secured Ducati’s only AMA Grand National dirt track victory at the Prescott Valley Mile in 2010. That year marked his last full-time season, where he led the championship standings until a mechanical issue in the second-to-last race cost him the title. Showing his enduring talent, Kopp achieved his final Grand National podium with a second-place finish at the Las Vegas season finale in 2015, several years after stepping away from full-time racing.
Throughout his career, Kopp raced for four manufacturers: KTM (1999-2004), Harley-Davidson (2008-2009), Triumph (2014), and Indian (2016). His passion for the sport continues even after hanging up his steel shoe. He successfully wrenched and mentored James Rispoli to the American Flat Track Production Twins championship in 2020 and has coached and mentored his son Kody to three consecutive AFT Singles championships in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Carl Patrick- Dirt Track
Carl Patrick stands out as one of the most accomplished engine builders and chassis tuners in the history of AMA Grand National racing. From 1974 to 2010, Patrick’s engines powered riders to an impressive 20 AMA Grand National Championship victories. After competing as an AMA expert in the late ’60s and early ’70s, Patrick moved to engine building and chassis tuning for successful riders such as AMA Hall of Famer Hank Scott and, later, Joe Kopp.
Carl Patrick stands out as one of the most accomplished engine builders in the history of AMA Grand National racing. From 1974 to 2010, Patrick’s engines powered riders to an impressive 20 AMA Grand National victories.
Similar to many in his field, Patrick competed as an AMA Expert in California dirt track races from 1968 to 1973 before moving to Ohio in 1974. That same year marked his first National win as an engine builder when AMA Hall of Famer Hank Scott rode one of Patrick’s Harley-Davidson XR750s to victory at the Syracuse Mile.
A notable achievement came in 1978 when Patrick built the engine Scott used to record the first-ever 100-mph qualifying lap at the Du Quoin Mile. In 1980, the pair set a new world qualifying lap record of 102 mph at the Indianapolis Mile.
While missing the 1980 championship by a single point, Scott credits his successful 1980 season to Patrick. “Carl’s camshafts were really special,” said Scott. “He was a wizard getting his cam guys to build exactly what he wanted. I won 13 Grand National races with Carl’s cams in my XR750s. And as an ex-racer, Patrick understood what we riders were saying. He was real savvy on suspension, swingarm pivot points, and offset triple clamps that he’d made himself; he was real smart at just about everything.”
Joe Kopp relied on Patrick’s knowledge and powerful engines to claim the AMA Grand National Championship in 2000. Kopp remembered, “Carl has a lot of combinations for different track conditions, some that he’d used decades earlier. Often, he’d say, ‘This combination worked at Louisville with Gary Scott,’ and 40 years later, it worked great with me. Carl was the guy who made my dream of winning the No. 1 plate a reality.”
Chad Reed- Motocross & Supercross
Australian-born Chad Reed left a significant mark on the AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross scenes for nearly two decades beginning in the early 2000s. Focusing on the U.S. scene starting in 2002, Reed began racking up wins, and by retirement had tallied 61 AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross victories on the way to capturing AMA 125SX East (’02), AMA Supercross (’04 and ’08) and 450 Pro Motocross championships. In 2009, Reed was awarded AMA Athlete of the Year honors, and holds the record for most AMA Supercross Main Event starts (265) and podium finishes (132). In 2011, Reed was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, an honor awarded to Australians who have demonstrated exceptional achievement.
Australian-born Chad Reed left a significant mark on the AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross scenes in the U.S. for nearly two decades, beginning in the early 2000s.
While he debuted stateside as a 16-year-old in the 125cc West race at the AMA Supercross San Diego round in 1999, Reed exploded onto the scene in 2002 when he won the first six 125cc East SX rounds en route to the season title.
Two years later, Reed’s dominance hit a fever pitch when he won 10 races and podiumed in all 16 rounds to add the 2004 AMA Supercross 250cc premier-class crown to his resumé.
In the years that followed, Reed tallied three top-three finishes in AMA Supercross, and in 2008, he returned to the mountaintop with the 450cc SX title. During the season, Reed collected nine victories.
Having ridden Yamahas during the first decade of his career, Reed switched to the Rockstar Energy Makita Suzuki team for the 2009 season. It was in that season that Reed snagged the first 450cc Pro Motocross race win of his career, and rode that momentum to a total of five victories and 481 points — good enough to take home the 2009 AMA Pro Motocross 450cc championship.
Reed won AMA Athlete of the Year honors that year, as well.
Reed continued racing throughout the 2010s, with his final AMA victory coming at the Atlanta 1 round of the 2015 450cc SX season.
Reed finished his career as the record holder for most AMA Supercross main event starts (265) and podium finishes (132). Throughout his career, Reed tallied 61 AMA professional wins. Along with his four stateside titles, Reed also won four Australian Supercross Championships.
In 2011, as a member of Team Australia, Reed won the first MX1/MX2 moto in the Motocross of Nations in France, and was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, an honor given to Australians who have demonstrated exceptional achievement.
Non-Competition
Dana Bell- Leadership & Rights
A decade after joining the motorcycling community, Dana Bell worked her way to being a nationally ranked enduro competitor. From 1992 to 1999, Bell shifted her focus to rights issues, and worked as the Western States Representative for the AMA’s Government Relations Department. She also worked as a state partner for the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC). For her role as a key voice for motorcyclists’ rights, the AMA Board of Directors presented Bell with the AMA Motorcycling Advocate Award, an honor recognizing those who have led the fight for the rights of motorcyclists. Bell was just the third person to receive the award.
Dana Bell began riding motorcycles in 1975 because of a friend’s suggestion, and she spent the following decades in the service of motorcycling.
A decade after her entrance into the sport, Bell worked her way to being a nationally ranked enduro competitor. At the same time, Bell served as an AMA District 37 volunteer, and helped organize the LA-Barstow to Vegas Dual-Sport event.
From 1992–1999, Bell shifted her focus to rights issues, and worked as the Western States Representative for the AMA’s Government Relations Department. During this period, she also worked as a state partner for National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC). Bell stepped up as project coordinator for NOHVCC in ’99, and began focusing on helping riders create state associations — which at the time only existed in three states.
Following this focus, Bell worked on OHV Management Workshops to help teach land managers how to work more effectively, and provide riders with quality recreational experiences.
In the theme of enhancing the rider experience, Bell played an important role in the Adventure Trail program, which has helped educate young riders.
For her role as one of the key voices for motorcyclists’ rights, the AMA Board of Directors presented Bell with the AMA Motorcycling Advocate Award, an honor created to recognize those who have been leaders in fighting for the rights of motorcyclists. Bell was just the third person to receive the award.
She retired from NOHVCC in 2008 and said, “I hope to be able to do more volunteer work, and actually get to ride my little Honda XR250L.”
Chris Carter- Ambassadors & Industry
Chris Carter is the founder and president of Motion Pro Inc., a company on the leading edge of specialty-tool design with 30-some patents to its credit. Over the years, Carter has also served as an ambassador of the sport and industry, with Motion Pro holding more than 100 annual sponsorships of racers, teams, organizations, and events. Carter and Motion Pro also support many charitable and non-profit organizations, including motorcycle trail preservation and ensuring that access is available to all. Carter is also a motorcycle historian and published author, and earned an International Six Day Trials gold medal for the U.S. in Austria in 1976.
Before he was busy revolutionizing the motorcycle tool industry as the founder and president of Motion Pro Inc., Chris Carter’s life on two wheels began with a Schwinn Sting Ray bicycle and a paper route that funded his first motorcycle, a 1965 Honda Scrambler.
Carter replaced the paper route job with work as a “gunk brush” at a local dealership, A&A Motors, which at the time saw future AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers Kenny Roberts and Mark Brelsford launch their careers.
Carter dabbled in local off-road and motocross events, raced the Trans-AMA Series, and was hired as a test rider for Yamaha’s off-road development program. Carter’s racing career culminated with a gold medal at the 1976 International Six Day Trials (ISDT) event in Austria.
Working as the West Coast Sales Manager for Rocky Cycle, Carter was approached in 1984 by a Taiwan-based cable company asking if he would be interested in representing its brand in the U.S. Carter seized the opportunity and suggested that he become their exclusive distributor, a proposition they agreed to. This agreement was the start of Motion Pro.
Cables were a problem for most dealers at the time, so Carter redesigned the entire cable business model by simplifying the packaging and identification of his products for distributors and dealers to inventory and use correctly. This included color coding; red for Honda, green for Kawasaki, etc. This innovative approach and extensive range of special tools and supplies led to more than 40 years of business success for Motion Pro, which today holds 30-plus patents.
Over the years, Carter has served as an ambassador of the sport and industry, with Motion Pro holding more than 100 annual sponsorships of racers, teams, organizations and events. Carter and Motion Pro also support many charitable and non-profit organizations, including motorcycle trail preservation and ensuring that access is available to all. Carter is also a motorcycle historian and published author.
Selvaraj Narayana- Ambassadors & Industry
As a man who wore many hats throughout his long career in the motorcycle industry, Selvaraj Narayana — affectionately known as Sel — is one of the motorcycling world’s most accomplished and recognizable figures. After establishing himself as a key figure at Germany’s Maico firm, especially in its racing department, Narayana joined KTM in the early 1990s and helped develop the Austrian company’s rise to prominence in AMA Supercross and grow the brand into a worldwide powerhouse. Narayana is currently an executive director and he longest-tenured executive management team member at KTM. For his efforts within the motorcycle industry, Narayana was awarded the AMA’s prestigious Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
As a man who wore many hats throughout his long career in the motorcycle industry, Selvaraj Narayana — affectionately known as Sel — is one of the motorcycling world’s most accomplished and recognizable figures.
Growing up in India, Narayana got his start by working on his brother’s motorcycle, gaining a lifelong love for mechanics and motorcycles. After completing his education at the Industrial Training Institute, Narayana began his working life within the motorcycle industry.
Narayana moved to Germany soon after finishing his studies to begin an apprenticeship with Maico motorcycles. Through his hard work there, Narayana was recognized by the brand’s Racing and Research Development Department, thus beginning his career in racing.
From there, Narayana became one of the most notable mechanics for the Maico team. In 1972, Narayana joined Hans Maisch in the Trans-AMA series, making his first appearance in the United States. After that trip, Narayana was elevated to Maico’s American Racing and Technical Department General Manager.
After his years at Maico, Narayana transitioned to KTM, where he spearheaded the brand’s AMA Supercross efforts in 1991, and became the first Red Bull KTM Supercross team manager.
He played an instrumental role in producing KTM’s famed SX line of motorcycles, which would become some of the most competitive bikes on the AMA Supercross circuit.
During that time, Narayana helped establish the KTM Junior SX Challenge, which was key in spreading the good word about motorcycling to a younger generation, and helping develop several AMA Supercross greats — such as AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ryan Dungey.
In 2010, Narayana transitioned into a global role within KTM, and passed along AMA Supercross duties to famed team manager and AMA Hall of Famer Roger DeCoster.
Narayana is currently an executive director, as well as the longest-tenured executive management team member at KTM USA.
For his efforts within the motorcycle industry, Narayana was awarded the AMA’s Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
Donald Rich- Design & Engineering
Donald Rich is an innovator in the Harley-Davidson world, an aftermarket specialist who has made a lasting impact on the brand’s presence since his entry into the industry in the early 1970s, when he repaired engines out of a small California shop. Just seven years later, Rich opened his own facility, where he designed and sold Harley parts and accessories, and eventually his signature Thunderheader exhaust system, which for Harley-Davidson motorcycles is renowned for its sound and performance.
Donald Rich is an innovator in the world of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and over the years has made a lasting impact on the Motor Company brand and its presence in the performance and custom segments of the industry.
Getting his start in the motorcycle industry in 1973, when he worked on repairing engines out of a small shop in California, Rich opened his own facility just seven years later, where he designed, built and sold Harley-Davidson parts and accessories, including his signature Thunderheader exhaust system.
Rich then established Rich Engineering Co., which helped produce designs for patents for replacement products and custom accessories for the aftermarket. While Rich Engineering Co. created blueprints for more than 2,000 products, the Thunderheader, which he would design and begin selling in 1989 and eventually patent in 1992, accounted for 75 percent of the brand’s revenue by 1994.
Sales of the exhaust system reached more than $4.3 million in 1994, and remained a popular fixture for Harley owners with a bent toward aftermarket exhaust systems and strip and street performance.
The Thunderheader was a unique product of its time, as it was used by the Harley-Davidson factory on its XR750 racing models. In fact, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Scott Parker — who claimed nine AMA Grand National Championships and 94 Grand National Championship race wins — raced a Harley racer equipped with a Thunderheader exhaust.
As the inventor of the Thunderheader and his work on aftermarket designs and patents for the Harley-Davidson V-twin aftermarket, Rich has left his mark on the V-twin motorcycle world.
John Taylor- Design & Engineering
As the eastern states’ Bultaco and Ossa distributor (Cemoto), creator of the Full Bore accessory line, an ISDT competitor and founder of Yankee Motors, which produced the rare and unique Yankee 500Z motorcycle, John Taylor achieved quite a lot in the motorcycle industry beginning in the 1960s. His formation of Yankee Motors and the production of the twin-cylinder two-stroke 500Z in the early 1970s is perhaps his biggest calling card. And while the primarily off-road machine was overbuilt and too heavy to be an effective dirt bike, the 500Z remains quite memorable and is absolutely collectible.
Throughout the 1960s and ’70s, John Taylor — producer of the famed Yankee 500Z motorcycle — developed a legacy that is felt by the motorcycling community half a century later
While his first job was in sales for an international machine tool company, Taylor founded Cemoto East Importing Company Inc. in 1962, which imported Bultacos to the Eastern United States. Eventually, Taylor quit his day job to focus on Cemoto East full time.
In 1963, Taylor further entrenched himself in the world of motorcycling by developing the Full Bore accessory line, famous for products ranging from lubricants to riding gear.
On the racing front, Taylor helped promote future AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Joe Bolger as both a rider and fabricator. Taylor even enjoyed his own slice of racing glory when he claimed a Bronze Medal at the 1964 International Six Day Trial in East Germany. Taylor would sponsor several ISDT teams throughout his career.
Following a 1966 meeting in which Cemoto East took over the importation of Ossa motorcycles in the U.S., Taylor founded Yankee Motors. By 1968, the company had a prototype of the two-cylinder Yankee 500Z, but it would take until the early ’70s for it to finally be released. Taylor and Yankee Motors manufactured an estimated 765 units in Taylor’s hometown of Schenectady, N.Y.
Taylor’s goal for the 500Z, according to the late AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Tom White, was to build an “American-made dirt bike that would be ISDT-ready…a machine that would be ‘everything to everybody’…a twin with lots of low-end that was built solidly enough for hours of no-sweat riding.”
The bike ended up being a little too solid, however, with all the weight making it less-than-ideal for off-road use, and fewer than a thousand were built. Still, the Z remains a memorable effort.
After enjoying a turn of the century which included several Ossa and Yankee reunions and celebrations, Taylor passed away in 2017.
Well-Qualified
Michael Czysz- Design & Engineering
Architect and amateur roadracer Michael Czysz launched himself into motorcycling prominence when he designed and built a MotoGP racebike featuring a unique V-4 engine, though it was his electric-bike racing exploits at the Isle of Man that cemented his legacy as a pioneer in motorcycle design and engineering. Czysz machines won all the 2010-2013 Isle of Man electric races, and his EV innovations live on today through licensing agreements.
Michael Czysz was a successful architect, businessman and amateur motorcycle road racer without any technical engineering background when he decided to build an American-made road racing motorcycle – in his mind the finest ever built.
It incorporated a unique, longitudinally arrayed, narrow-angle (15-degree) V-4 tucked into a similarly unique chassis, one that pushed the boundaries of what was then well-established racebike orthodoxy. While MotoGP’s ultra-high level of competition and changing rules ultimately caused Czysz to abandon that effort, his energies were then focused on electric-powered motorcycles and, more specifically, the TTXGP/Moto Zero class at Isle of Man starting in 2009.
After designing most aspects of his e-racer’s chassis and electrical systems himself, Czysz’s e-bikes would go on to win at the Isle of Man four years in a row, from 2010 to 2013, with renowned riders such as Brit Michael Rutter and American Mark Miller in the saddle. Czysz and his e-machines evolved each year, and in 2012 and 2013 began a rivalry with Mugen Honda that remains legend today.
Despite a well-funded Mugen Honda team consisting of 20-plus people and IOM specialist John McGuiness aboard, the MotoCzysz team triumphed.
“It was beautiful,” Czysz told Motorcycle.com. “All of a sudden, this [TT Zero] is the most technically advanced bikes at the IoM. Both Mugen and MotoCzysz were scrapping our bikes every year and coming back with ground-breaking technology. And we were just a team of five people. Unbelievable.”
Sadly, Czysz died far too young in 2016 of a rare cancer at age 52, in some ways like his contemporary designer influence John Britten. Still, some of his charging and electric-power delivery inventions have wide-ranging applications for other electric vehicles today through licensing agreements after his death.
Eraldo Feracci- Road Racing
Born in 1938, Eraldo Ferracci spent decades going fast and building record-setting machinery. Ferracci founded Team Fast by Ferracci Ducati, which not only roared to two FIM World Superbike Championships (1991, 1992, with AMA Hall of Famer Doug Polen aboard) and two AMA Superbike Championships (1993 Polen, 1994 Troy Corser), it put Ducati back on the international racing map at the highest levels. Ferracci is a member of the FIM World Superbike Hall of Fame, as well as a founding member of Ducati North America Hall of Fame.
Bursting on the scene in Italy in the 1960s, multi-time Italian National Champion racer and mechanic Eraldo Ferracci brought his talents to the United States in 1967.
While he modernized a Benelli motorcycle plant near his home in Philadelphia, Ferracci’s nights were spent transforming his home into a workshop that produced unmatched racing machines and high-performance parts.
With a clear knack for generating speed, Ferracci set multiple drag racing records during the ’70s and ’80s, and also helped many road racers who brought their machines to him, his expertise providing the power to allow many of those bikes find success on race day. The high demand for his speed work led Ferracci to found Fast by Ferracci Inc. in 1980.
In 1988, Ducati approached Ferracci with the idea to create the first American-based Ducati factory race team. Team Fast by Ferracci Ducati quickly found success on the American and world stages, winning two FIM World Superbike Championships with AMA Hall of Famer Doug Polen (1991, 1992) and two AMA Superbike Championships, with Polen in 1993 and Troy Corser in 1994. The team’s efforts helped establish Ducati as a leading performance player in North America.
In 2000, Ferracci spearheaded factory-supported Team Fast by Ferracci Husqvarna, which became the first non-Japanese manufacturer team to win an AMA 125cc Pro Motocross race. With Ferracci at the helm, the Husqvarna Supermoto team was invited to participate in the X Games on two occasions.
Along with his drag racing records, Ferracci held multiple FIM World Superbike and AMA Superbike records, some of which have stood the test of time. Ferracci is a member of the FIM World Superbike Hall of Fame as well as a founding member of Ducati North America Hall of Fame.
Richard Gross- Dirt Track
Richard Gross was a master tuner for the Indian Wrecking Crew that dominated dirt track racing in the 1950s. Gross-tuned bikes won 20 national championship races in the late 1940s and 1950s, six of those in 1952. He developed a camshaft that provided a lobe for each valve, increasing power, and was a pioneer in using aluminum components to lighten bikes by as much as 45 pounds.
Richard Gross’ love of motorcycles arose when he bought a used Indian Scout 45 at the age of 16 in 1930. He started racing flat track at county fairs in the late 1930s on half-mile tracks. After a break during WWII, Gross picked up racing again, but set aside his on-track activities in 1950 when his wife was expecting the couple’s third child.
The decision led to Gross’ move from racing to tuning bikes, a change that eventually earned him the nickname “The Wizard of Tune.” His training as a machinist led him to work on Indian racing bikes, and enabled him to make parts for out-of-production engines.
Partnering with Indian racer Bobby Hill in 1950, Gross started tuning Indian’s Model 648 engines for what would become the Indian Wrecking Crew. With Bill Tuman and Ernie Beckman riding, the Crew dominated the national circuit in the early 1950s.
From 1948 through 1954, Hill won 12 national championship races; Tuman won five national championship races from 1950 through 1953; and Beckman won three national championship races.
While Gross’ tuning abilities played a major role in those victories, he also was replacing steel with aluminum wherever he could, making the Indians lighter and faster. His camshaft designs helped produce more power, as well. Gross also developed special tuning for Hill, who chose from three custom configurations depending on the track length and conditions.
Gross continued to tune Indian racers into 1954, but also worked on Harley-Davidsons. In 1953, he tuned the Norton Manx racers that Hill and Tuman used to win the Dodge City, Kan., 200-mile race on the two-mile oval.
The 1952 season was Gross’ best, as his crew won six nationals. Gross passed away on March 29, 1987.
Charles Umbenhauer- Leadership & Rights
Charles Umbenhauer has devoted more than 30 years of his life to motorcyclist advocacy in the state of Pennsylvania, working with ABATE and the AMA to safeguard funding for rider education, ensure voluntary adult helmet use, reduce tolls for motorcycles and secure motorcycle parking at state-owned facilities. He is also the recipient of the 2015 AMA Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award.
For more than 30 years, Charles Umbenhauer served in Pennsylvania as state legislative coordinator, and then a lobbyist for the highly successful state motorcyclists’ rights group ABATE — the Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education.
A well-respected lobbyist who began his fight for motorcyclists’ rights in 1980, Umbenhauer spearheaded many victories for motorcyclists in Pennsylvania, including safeguarding funding for rider education, ensuring voluntary adult helmet use, reducing tolls for motorcycles and securing motorcycle parking at state-owned facilities.
He also was involved in getting Pennsylvania laws passed that increased penalties for careless driving offenses when others are killed or seriously injured; allowed blue dot illumination, standard-bulb running lights, and light emitting diode (LED) pods and strips to be added to motorcycles; and allowed for vanity, veteran and collectible plates for motorcycles, in addition to a handicapped sticker.
Umbenhauer founded BikePAC, a political action committee for motorcyclists that became a model for other state motorcyclists’ rights organizations’ PACs. He also successfully defeated a proposed law that would have placed an age limit on motorcycle passengers.
Umbenhauer was also instrumental in organizing the annual Rights Rally held every May at the Pennsylvania state capitol.
Umbenhauer’s awards include the 2015 AMA Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of advocacy on behalf of motorcyclists; the first AMA Motorcycling Advocate Award in 2004; induction into the Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum; recognition in 2002 by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation for his extraordinary effort to improve funding for the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program; and the 1998 Ron Roloff Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists.
Umbenhauer has influenced hundreds, if not thousands, of motorcyclists to get involved in the political system and understand how government functions, and how to talk with elected officials about issues that concern them.
Ryan Young- Specialty Competition
With a record-breaking six consecutive AMA/NATC Championships from 1988 to 1993, Ryan Young left an indelible stamp on the trials world. Young won the top class for the first time at age 21, and his success earned him a spot on eight consecutive USA Trial des Nations teams. Beyond competition, Young impacted the sport through his company Ryan Young Products, and by utilizing his knowledge to educate those learning the sport.
From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, Ryan Young dominated the AMA/NATC Championship scene to the tune of six consecutive AMA/NATC Championships.
Young, who began competing at 8 years old, found his footing in his teenage years when he won his first Pennsylvania state championship at age 16.
The following year, Young and his father Jerry became the first father-son combination to win championships in the same season, as Young won the AMA/NATC Sportsman class, while his father won the AMA/NATC Senior 35 class.
Taking the leap to the top class of the AMA/NATC nationals, Young excelled early on with a second-place finish in just his second year of competition. Young also finished second in both the Canadian Championship and U.S. Bicycle Trials Championship.
In 1988, 21-year-old Young claimed his first of a record-breaking six consecutive titles in the top class of the AMA/NATC Championship. He also earned spots on eight consecutive USA Trial des Nations teams.
In 1995, Young began his business career when he formed Ryan Young Products, which imported trials-related items into the U.S.
Young tallied his 50th national victory at age 29, and then retired from AMA/NATC competition after 13 years of involvement.
Retirement brought about a heightened focus on business, and Young was able to secure a position for his company as the sole importer for Sherco Trials motorcycles.
Additionally, Young has continued to impact the sport of trials by organizing youth events at each round of the AMA/NATC Nationals, producing and distributing a series of advanced training videos, and focusing on training through his Ryan Young Trials Schools, offered throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Hall of Fame Class of 2024
Competition
Kevin Windham – Motocross & Supercross
Kevin Windham’s 19-year AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross career is one for the history books.
During his long, illustrious career, Windham raced to 47 total AMA Pro wins and collected the third-most starts (325), third-most points (9,070) and the seventh-most podiums (130). While Windham saw success domestically, he thrived in international competition — winning the 1999 FIM United States Grand Prix and 2005 Motocross of Nations as a member of the American team.
Windham retired from AMA Pro Racing in 2013, marking the end of a dominant career in the AMA and international circuits.
As an ironman in his own right, Kevin Windham’s 19-year AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross career is one for the history books.
After turning professional in 1994, Windham raced to 47 total AMA Pro wins — including 18 Premier class AMA 250/450SX victories. Combining AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross, Windham has the third-most starts (325), third-most points (9,070) and the seventh-most podiums (130). Windham also captured 14 125SX wins, including a pair of victories in East/West Shootouts.
Throughout his long, illustrious career, Windham was a consistent presence in AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross title chases. The Centerville, Miss., native raced his way to five second-place finishes in AMA Pro Motocross (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006) and finished runner-up in AMA Supercross three times (2004, 2008 and 2010). Windham also registered a pair of third-place results in AMA Pro Motocross (2000 and 2004).
The most defining moment of Windham’s racing career came at the 1999 FIM United States Grand Prix at Budd’s Creek, Md. After four-time FIM World Champion Stefan Everts declared Europeans the best motocross riders in the world, and labeled American racers as “cowards,” Windham made the Belgian rider eat his words. Aboard his Honda, Windham dominated the field to cruise to the overall victory and secure a massive win for American racers.
Windham also represented the United States at the 2005 Motocross of Nations, in which the Americans raced to a first-place finish — edging out France and Belgium for the win.
Windham retired from AMA Pro Racing in 2013, returning to the track briefly in 2018 as part of the Puerto Rican Motocross of Nations team, marking the end of a terrific career.
Mike Lafferty – Off Road
Mike Lafferty was bitten by the enduro racing bug in 1982 when he was 7 years old, and he turned this passion into one of the most successful off-road careers ever. Racing throughout the 1980s, Lafferty broke through when he won back-to-back East Coast Enduro Association championships as a teenager in 1993 and 1994.
Lafferty hit a launching point in 1997, when he claimed his first AMA National Enduro Championship. In total he tallied 71 wins — second all-time — and eight titles, which leaves him tied for the most all-time, while racing national enduros. Lafferty also raced AMA Grand National Cross Country and was a member of four U.S. ISDE teams.
Mike Lafferty was bitten by the enduro racing bug in 1982 when he was 7 years old, and he turned this passion into one of the most successful off-road careers ever.
Racing throughout the ’80s, Lafferty broke through when he won back-to-back East Coast Enduro Association championships as a teenager in 1993 and 1994. With growing success, Lafferty became a full-time member of the Factory KTM Off-Road Team.
Lafferty hit a launching point in 1997, when he claimed his first AMA National Enduro Championship. This sparked a stretch from 1997–2007 in which Lafferty would claim a total of 71 wins and eight titles racing national enduros. His 71 wins put him second all-time. Lafferty’s eight titles has him tied for the most all-time.
For his 14 Alligator Enduro Daytona Bike Week wins, Lafferty earned the nickname “Mr. Alligator.”
During his successful enduro stretch, Lafferty also raced AMA Grand National Cross Country, collecting a pair of wins and 21 podiums in his career.
On the world stage, Lafferty was a member of the 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2003 U.S. ISDE teams.
Following two decades as a factory rider for KTM and Husqvarna, Lafferty settled into his current role as the U.S. National KTM Ride Orange manager. In this role, he oversees all U.S. market off-road, street and ADV demos, the annual U.S. KTM Rider Rally, and the KTM Junior Supercross challenge events.
Mat Mladin – Road Racing
In a 10-year span from 1999 to 2009 that continues to defy belief in hindsight, Mat Mladin notched seven AMA Superbike titles and won 82 AMA Superbike nationals in the process — each of those numbers more than anyone in history.
Mladin also won the legendary Daytona 200 three times during that period, achievements that have him tied for third all-time behind AMA Hall of Famers and multi-time D200 winners Scott Russell (5) and Miguel Duhamel (4). In 1999, he won his first of seven AMA Superbike titles — achievements that would make him, according to MotoAmerica, “the most dominant rider in the history of the AMA Superbike Championship.”
Among a long list of AMA Superbike road racing champions, with names such as Pridmore, Cooley, Lawson, Rainey, Merkel, Shobert, Chandler, Duhamel, Hayden, Spies, Hayes, Beaubier, Gagne and others, one name stands above the rest.
And that name is Australian Mat Mladin.
In what some call the most significant “decade of domination” in road racing history, from 1999 to 2009, Mat Mladin notched seven AMA Superbike titles and won 82 AMA Superbike nationals in the process — each of those numbers more than anyone in history.
Mladin also won the legendary Daytona 200 three times during that period, achievements that have him tied for third all-time behind AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers and multi-time Daytona 200 winners Scott Russell (5) and Miguel Duhamel (4).
Mladin began riding and racing motorcycles at an early age, winning a motocross title in 1981 and going on to win the Australian Superbike Championship in 1992. That led to a brief stint with Cagiva in the 1993 500cc World Championship.
Three years later he moved to the U.S., starting out with Yoshimura Suzuki before moving to the Fast by Ferracci Ducati squad in ’97, a season in which he’d win four races. He reunited with Yoshimura Suzuki in 1998, and in 1999 won his first of seven AMA Superbike titles — achievements that would make him, according to MotoAmerica, “the most dominant rider in the history of the AMA Superbike Championship.”
Mladin announced his retirement during his championship-winning 2009 season. “I didn’t retire because I wasn’t quick enough,” he said later in a Cycle News interview. “I retired because I’d had enough. I will miss riding the motorcycle…and the competition.”
Non-Competition
Debbie Matthews – Ambassadors & Industry
Debbie Matthews has spent her life contributing to motorcycling, and has done so by serving in — and excelling in — almost every role the sport has to offer to increase opportunities for women riders. Known for her smooth and effortless racing style, Matthews set the record for longest consecutive pro and amateur career in women’s motocross when she raced for 27 years.
In 1996, she co-founded the Women’s Motocross League, and Matthews further worked on behalf of women riders when she met with AMA Congress and drove the change to give women “A” Rider classification for the first time in history. Recognizing Matthews’ work promoting women’s motocross, announcer Erv Braun described her as the “Godmother of Women’s MX.”
Debbie Matthews has spent her life contributing to motorcycling, and has done so by serving in — and excelling in — almost every role the sport has to offer to increase opportunities for women riders.
Known for her smooth and effortless racing style, Matthews set the record for longest consecutive pro and amateur career in women’s motocross, when she raced for 27 years. During her career, she set an additional record for placing in the top 15 of the national rankings for women’s professional motocross every year from 1977–1997.
Amidst her racing career, Matthews was recruited by the U.S. Women’s Motocross Team to serve as their promotion/race director in 1994. That same year, she worked with Danny Thompson to create “Stadiumcross” for women. In 1996, she continued her impact by co-founding the Women’s Motocross League (WML).
Continuing down the path of innovation, Matthews worked with the AMA and several groups to create the first women’s professional outdoor national motocross series championship — which would run in conjunction with the men’s series — in 1997.
Matthews also worked on behalf of women riders when she met with AMA Congress and drove the change to give women “A” Rider classification for the first time in history.
When Matthews retired from the WML in 1999, she dedicated herself to the promotion, marketing and teaching of women’s motocross. Recognizing Matthews’ work promoting women’s motocross, announcer Erv Braun described her as the “Godmother of Women’s MX.”
In 2012, Matthews was awarded the Lifetime Appreciation Award for her commitment as a women’s advocate, and in 2021 was inducted into the Hot Shoe Hall of Fame.
In 2014, Matthews founded the Professional Organization of Women’s Racing (POWR), which generated the largest Women’s Pro Purse & Bonus program in the history of women’s motocross.
Rob Rasor – Leadership & Rights
For decades, Rob Rasor was instrumental in carrying out the AMA’s mission to promote motorcycling and protect the motorcycle lifestyle.
Hired in 1973 as part of the AMA’s Government Relations Department, Rasor helped ward off a federal “superbike” ban, helmet requirements and bike bans in several states and cities, and aided in the fight to ban healthcare discrimination against motorcyclists. Rasor was also a champion for off-road riding, and assisted in the AMA’s efforts to accommodate off-road riders on public lands.
Rasor’s efforts extended beyond the United States, and he was awarded the FIM Nicolas Rodi Del Valle Gold Medal in 2019.
With decades of experience at the American Motorcyclist Association, Rob Rasor played a key role in shaping the AMA — particularly on the government relations front — into what it is today.
During his time with the AMA, Rasor served as a legislative analyst, Vice President of Government Relations, and President, and played an instrumental role in several major legislative wins for motorcyclists.
First hired by the AMA in 1973 to work as part of its new Government Relations Department, Rasor was a key figure in the fight to protect the future of motorcycling. Under his leadership, the AMA navigated several legislative battles, including the fight to stop the federal government from banning “superbikes,” preventing bike bans and helmet requirements in several cities and states, and the mission to ban healthcare discrimination against motorcyclists.
Rasor was also instrumental in helping public land managers accommodate off-road motorcycling after the signing of Executive Order 11644 and the passage of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, each of which aimed to control the use of OHVs on public lands.
In addition to his work with the AMA, Rasor maintained close ties with the Féderation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) for 45 years, where he served as an FIM Vice President and President of the Commission for Mobility, Transport, Road Safety, Industry and Public Affairs. For efforts internationally, Rasor was awarded the Nicolas Rodi Del Valle Gold Medal, which is the highest honor in the FIM.