Ed Youngblood, former AMA president, passes at 80
The American Motorcyclist Association recently shared its condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Ed Youngblood, former AMA president, who passed away on March 10, 2024.
Youngblood was born on September 28, 1943, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and bought his first bike — a 165cc Harley-Davidson — when he was 14 years old. After graduating from college with a master’s degree, he went to work with AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers Chuck and Sharon Clayton as an editor of Cycle News East.
In 1970, Youngblood joined the AMA staff as managing editor of AMA News, which later was replaced by American Motorcyclist. In 1978, he headed the AMA’s government relations department.
Youngblood was appointed AMA executive director in 1981 and led the organization until 1999. As executive director, Youngblood focused on improving member communication, growing the AMA’s government relations efforts and building stronger ties to the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme. For 25 years Youngblood was a delegate to the FIM and eventually became the deputy president, the second-highest rank in the organization.
Youngblood also helped establish the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. He was instrumental in forming the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation in the early 1980s to raise funds for the Hall of Fame Museum. The American Motorcycle Heritage Museum was opened in 1990 within the AMA’s old headquarters in Westerville, Ohio.
During Youngblood’s tenure, the AMA’s headquarters was relocated to Pickerington, Ohio, which remains the AMA’s home today. The American Motorcycle Heritage Museum followed the AMA to Pickerington, assuming a new name: The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum.
Youngblood resigned from the AMA to focus on his interests in history and writing in 1999 and was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame later that year.
