Posted October 9, 2006

The 2006 inductees in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the representatives of those who could not be present.

Nine greats inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame

By Bill Kresnak

One man told a tale of his mother chopping up his motorcycle with an axe. Another studied at Princeton as a young man and was headed to Wall Street but took a detour to a motorcycle magazine. A third often battled with legend Roger DeCoster on the motocross track, and many times won.

These three men — Wally Dallenbach, Sr., Cook Neilson and Heikki Mikkola — were among the nine motorcycling greats inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in a dinner ceremony October 7 in Pickerington, Ohio.

"The Motorcycle Hall of Fame honors those individuals whose passion and accomplishments have taken our sport and our industry to a higher level," Museum Executive Director Mark Mederski told the more than 400 people who gathered for the induction ceremony and banquet.

"Once a year, we gather to celebrate the latest class of inductees and remember why we love motorcycling," Mederski said. "The bikes are what get us down the road or around the track, but I am extremely proud to work for this organization, in conjunction with the AMA, that proudly presents this event that's about our great people."

Among those inducted into the Hall of Fame was former roadracer Doug Chandler (left), who is one of only four riders to ever accomplish what is known as the "Grand Slam" by winning races in five different disciplines: the half-mile, mile, TT, short-track and road racing. Only four racers have accomplished that feat: Dick Mann, Kenny Roberts, Bubba Shobert and Chandler.

But AMA Pro Racing public relations man Larry Lawrence, in introducing Chandler to the crowd, noted that Chandler has also won a Supermoto race, so instead of just winning the Grand Slam, he is the only one who won what Lawrence jokingly suggested was the "Super Slam."

Chandler was humbled by all the attention.

"All my life racing bikes, I never dwelled on what I've done in the past. I always look forward," Chandler said in his acceptance speech.

"Just having my name on the wall among those others… it really feels good, and it's a great honor."

Wally Dallenbach, Sr. (right), a well-known open-wheel race car driver and chief steward of the CART series for many years, as well as founder of the Colorado 500 charity trail ride, said in his acceptance speech that when he was 14 he wanted to be a flat-track racer.

"My mom said, 'Over my dead body will you race motorcycles,' " Dallenbach said.

He had a 1939 Indian and when his mother went shopping one day he took it for a ride. Dallenbach said he made sure he got home before his mother did so she wouldn't know he was riding it. But the motor was hot and crackling, so she knew.

"She took a fire axe and chopped it up," Dallenbach said. "It took me until I was 15 to fix it."

Cook Neilson (left), a former Cycle magazine editor and a winner of the Daytona Superbike race who now lives in Vermont, was touched that so many of his friends from Vermont showed up for his induction, as well as other friends, new and old, from around the country.

"This room holds everyone I love, and everyone who loves me," Neilson said.

Cal Rayborn, Gary Nixon, and Kenny Roberts are among his heroes, and are members of the Hall of Fame. Neilson said it is a great honor for his name to be in the same building.

Racer X Illustrated Editor Davey Coombs had the honor of introducing Finnish motocross great Heikki Mikkola, who battled Roger DeCoster on the world motocross stage from 1971 to 1978. When DeCoster didn't win the title, then Mikkola did.

"Roger DeCoster might have been the man, but Mikkola had the man's number," Coombs said.

Mikkola couldn't attend the evening's ceremonies because "Heikki became a reindeer farmer and it's the height of the reindeer season," Coombs said.

Denis Manning, just back from the Bonneville Salt Flats, where he watched flat-track champ Chris Carr set a new world land speed record for motorcycles in his No. 7 streamliner, was humbled by his induction. He noted that when he looked at the list of names of motorcycling greats already in the hall of Fame, there were about 50 people there who have helped him during his career.

Mike Wilson (right), a former flat-track racer who helped numerous other racers over the years and who has done much to promote motorcycling, noted he started racing in 1940. His wife, Margaret, who also has been inducted in the Hall of Fame, has always come first in his life, he said, and motorcycling second. Both are well known for their active roles in motorcycling and their support of the Museum's mission of preserving motorcycling's heritage.

Roger "Sodie" Soderstrom, another inductee, couldn't be present because of ill health. He turned 89 on October 4. But he sent a message through friends saying he was honored and thrilled to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Another inductee into the Hall of Fame was Herbert "Burt" Munro, whose story became known to thousands this year because of the release of the movie, "The World's Fastest Indian," which was based on his life-long pursuit of speed.

John Munro and his sister, June, were on hand from New Zealand to represent their late father, who set land-speed records on his home-built Indian Scout.

John called his father “a very determined character,” and at one point joked in solemn tones: “Our father, who may or may not be…”

Also inducted was Alfred Rich Child, a Harley-Davidson sales representative in Africa and Japan during Harley's early years.

Several current members of the Hall of Fame attended the 2006 Induction Ceremony. Above: Ed Fisher, Joe Bolger, Margaret Wilson, John Tibben, Linda "Jo" Giovannoni, Craig Vetter, Bobby Hill, Chris Carr, John Penton, Dal Smilie, Bill Werner, Gavin Trippe, Ed Youngblood, Bill Baird, Bob McClean, Jack Penton, and Dick Klamfoth.

© 2006, Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum