Mathew Grynwald Named 2025 AMA Motorcyclist of the Year
The American Motorcyclist Association has awarded the 2025 AMA Motorcyclist of the Year to Mathew Grynwald, who played a significant role in the efforts to pass an inherent risk law in Texas in 2025.
“Mathew Grynwald’s selfless work to secure inherent risk legislation in Texas has benefitted the sport of motorcycling immeasurably,” says AMA Board Chairman Russ Ehnes. “He was an exceptional choice for 2025 AMA Motorcyclist of the Year.”
Grynwald, a Texas-based attorney and long-time AMA member, was a key player in the passage of HB 5624, which aimed to create a more consistent and predictable liability environment for property owners and off-road riding enthusiasts.
Texas became the second state in 2025, joining Arkansas, to sign motorcycle-focused inherent risk legislation into law.
As the unavailability of insurance has become a prevalent challenge facing the motorcycle competition industry, Grynwald’s pro-bono work pushing inherent risk legislation is a significant step in keeping motorcycling events viable, the AMA says.
Additionally, the AMA honored three other influential motorcyclists with AMA Board of Directors awards. Wiltz Wagner earned the Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award, Raycin Kyler received the Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award, and Tameka Singleton was honored with the Bessie Stringfield Award.
“There were countless individuals and groups that had major impacts on our sport and lifestyle this year, but a select few rose above and beyond the rest with their commitment and dedication to motorcycling and our community,” AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman says. “Mathew, Wiltz, Raycin, and Tameka all have exemplified what it means to be a motorcyclist over the past year, and we are so grateful for their contributions to strengthening our lifestyle as a whole.”
Wagner — an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer — earned the AMA Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award for his lifelong dedication to growing the sport of trials in the U.S. He was instrumental in the return of TrialGP, which held its first round on American soil since 2017 in July in Rhode Island.
During the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, Kyler made history as the first female rider to ever win an Open Class. For her groundbreaking accomplishments, she earned national recognition, appearing on several national TV shows.
