NORRA founder and Hall of Fame member Ed Pearlman presented Dave Ekins with the coveted number 1 motorcycle plate, to commemorate the historic 1,000 mile motorcycle run down the Baja Peninsula.
Dave and his brother Bud grew up riding motorcycles in the hills above Los Angeles. During his teenage years, Dave was more interested in cars than motorcycles. “It was easier to date a girl in a car,” he explained.
Once he turned his focus back to two wheels, it wasn’t long before Dave was becoming well known, like his brother Bud. In 1954, he won his class at the Catalina Grand Prix, establishing himself as one of the leading riders on the West Coast. One of Dave’s proudest accomplishments is winning gold in the International Six Day Trial, one of the longest running and most prestigious motorcycle events in the world. Dave competed in five ISDTs over the years.
Another one of Dave’s many accomplishments is being the first motorcycle rider ever sponsored by American Honda. In 1961, he was among the first group of Honda representatives to travel to Japan. In 1988, Dave was honored at the 50 years American Honda event in New York.
Harley Davidson came calling, asking Dave to design their 100cc HD Baja motorcycle. The HD team that Dave put together included Hall of Fame inductee Larry Roeseler. Dave, Larry and their team dominated AMA District 37 competition and made their way into Baja racing history.
In 1967, Dave began a 10 year career as a motorcycle magazine editor, when he accepted a position with Cycle Magazine. Dave also worked at Modern Cycle, launching Dirt Rider, one of the first off-road motorcycle magazines, and later working at Motorcyclist magazine.
Dave is also an innovator. In the 1970s, he developed the first kidney belt to feature a Velcro-fastener. In another business venture, Dave founded Sunline, a motorcycle aftermarket parts company.
The Ekins brothers, Dave and Bud, are both members of the AMA Hall of Fame, and now Dave will join Bud as a member of the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame.
