Don Rickman Named Guest of Honor at AHRMA Road America Vintage Motorcycle Classic and Steamboat Springs events. Courtesy of the AHRMA Legend group Donald Rickman, the younger of the Rickman brothers will be AHRMA’s guest of honor at both its Road America Vintage Motorcycle Classic, June 11-13, 2010 and Steamboat Springs events. The Rickmans are famous around the world for the exquisite Metisse motocross and road race machines they produced in the second half of the 20th century. Many examples are raced each weekend in AHRMA events. Great innovators, the Rickmans were pioneers in such areas as fiberglass, disc brakes, oil in frames, eight valve Triumph engine conversions and much more. Beyond this while form followed function their machines have glorious classical lines. Don was born in 1935, two years after brother Derek, he always had the capacity to get the best out of the Rickman Metisse motocross machines. His riding skill particularly on grass surfaces was spectacular. Among his many racing accomplishments he won the Motocross des Nations on two occasions and was a member of British winning teams seven times. Perhaps his most famous victory came in 1966 when he won the British 500 Grand Prix from Jeff Smith by 1.5 seconds at Farleigh Castle. The Rickmans had a strong connection to Bultaco for a time and in fact Don won the non-championship 1960 250 Spanish G.P. at Barcelona on a Bultaco engined Rickman prototype. Much to the delight of Senor Bulto! But Don’s real claim to fame lies in his partnership with his brother in producing quality motorcycles. Never in to mass production their machines were always distinguished by fine craftsmanship. They built road race machines for the Kirby team among others and their bikes were graced by the likes of Bill Ivy, John Hartle, Alan Barnett, Percy Tait, etc. Even Agostini bought one of their café race machines for his own use. The motocross Metisse series motorcycles were so sought after that by 1964 when the Motocross des Nations was run at Hawkstone Park in England 24 of them were in the program. Mostly these were used by foreign teams but the brothers used two of them to good effect helping the British team to win the coveted trophy yet again. If you have a chance to greet Don at either of the AHRMA venues, recognize that you will be standing in the presence of motorcycle history with a man who is likeable and modest. About the AHRMA Road America Vintage Motorcycle Classic This event proves to be one of the biggest vintage motorcycle meets in the US in 2010. The fastest vintage motorcycles in America are all revved up and ready to meet the challenges of the newly designed Cross Country, Trials and Motocross courses. Road Racers, both vintage and modern, are ready to test their stamina on the historic and challenging 4-mile road course. But we haven’t stopped there, included in this fun filled weekend will be a swap meet, moving bike show and motorcycle club corrals. For more information on the Road America Vintage Motorcycle Classic www.ahrma.org, www.RoadAmerica.com or www.classicswapmeets.com . About AHRMA If you are crazy about old competition motorcycles””whether roadracers, flat trackers, motocrossers, trials iron or woods bikes””then you have certainly come to the right place. That’s what the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association is all about, Fun on Old Wheels. AHRMA is a celebration of the competition motorcycles of yesterday, as well as the legendary riders who made history aboard these machines. Where possible, AHRMA rounds out this historic experience by recreating the types of race courses these machines were used on. In particular, motocross tracks and observed trials sections both have changed dramatically since these motorcycles were new, but AHRMA steps back to the way it was “back then.” We make sure racing takes place in an environment that is safe, fair and friendly. A not-for-profit organization of approximately 4,700 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage-racing group in North America and quite possibly the biggest in the world. Our roots extend back to efforts to organize vintage road racing during the late 1970s in the Northeast. In the early ’80s, other groups began emerging around the nation, adding scrambles, observed trials, dirt track and concours events to the competition options available for vintage riders. For additional information visit our website: ~http://www.ahrma.org~