Harden named grand marshal of AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days
The American Motorcyclist Association welcomes AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Scot Harden as grand marshal for 2018 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring Royal Enfield, July 6-8 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, America’s grandest celebration of vintage motorcycling, showcases the fun, excitement and freedom of riding bikes of all brands and eras by riders of all ages. For 2018, the event will highlight adventure motorcycling and the extreme feats men and women achieve on two wheels.
“It’s an honor being named grand marshal for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days,” Harden said. “I look forward to seeing many old friends and fellow racers at the event. This year’s celebration and focus on the adventure side of motorcycling is especially close to my heart.
“Motorcycles, simply put, are the best ‘escape’ vehicles ever made. The sense of exploration and discovery motorcycling offers is second to none,” Harden said.
Among the greatest tests of rider and machine are multi-day, long-distance rally races such as Baja and Dakar, where Harden excelled.
“I look forward to sharing some of my two-wheeled adventures from Dakar, Baja and literally from 40 years of racing all over the world with my fellow enthusiasts,” Harden added. “I also look forward to sharing my Plus 1 Rider message designed to inspire current enthusiasts to bring new riders to the sport. Thanks to the AMA for providing such a great venue to bring all of us together.”
Harden is a longtime advocate of spreading motorcycling to new generations, and he recently created the Plus 1 Rider initiative, introduced in the January 2018 issue of American Motorcyclist, the journal of the AMA. The Plus 1 Rider initiative encourages motorcyclists to invite their non-riding friends and family into the sport and lifestyle of motorcycling.
As part of his grand marshal responsibilities at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring Royal Enfield, Harden will talk about his career and the future of motorcycling, sign autographs, lead the Lap for History and meet and greet attendees. Harden’s presentation will be at 1:45 p.m. on Friday in the seminar tent in the Old Bike Barn Crossroads in the infield.
From 1971 until his final professional race in 2007 — at the age of 51 — Harden mastered a wide range of off-road disciplines, from riding on the U.S. Trophy Team at the International Six Days Enduro to competing in Dakar.
He also has compiled an impressive resume of motorcycle industry executive management positions and is well known as a brand builder, team manager, sales professional and product planner with such companies as Husqvarna, KTM, BMW and Zero Motorcycles.
Harden, who was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2008, also is owner of Harden Offroad, a business consulting practice specializing in the power sports and electric vehicle industries.
AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring Royal Enfield, includes national championship vintage racing in several disciplines; bike shows; seminars; vendors; live music at the Old Bike Barn Crossroads; exhibition racing; demo rides; the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days Swap Meet, brought to you by Federal Motorcycle Transport; and more.
AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days tickets are on sale now. To buy your tickets, visit Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course online at www.midohio.com or by call (419) 884-4000. Children 12 and younger get in free with a ticketed adult. Free parking is also available on site.
Proceeds from AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days benefit the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, which is located on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio. The mission of the Hall of Fame is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling’s legends and heroes. For more information, call (614) 856-2222, or visit the Hall of Fame’s website at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.
