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Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame wreath

2011 Inductee

Ron Bishop
RACER

Ron Bishop

Ron is a special kind of Off-Road racer whose consistent winning record is eclipsed by his dedication to the sport and by his passion for bettering the sport and improving its safety. With an incredible record of having been the only motorcycle racer to have entered in every Baja 1000 since the race’s inception in 1967, Ron also recognized the need for better lighting for the motorcycles that were competing against the larger 4 wheeled vehicles with their monster lighting systems.

As early as 1970, Ron was beginning to tinker with the halogen lighting systems that were being used by the race trucks of the era, and by 1972 he had engineered a system to adopt the technology for use on racing motorcycles.

Throughout his racing career, Ron has always been ready to help new racers understand how to prep and maintain their bikes and how to prepare man and machine to finish and win a race. Many younger riders who have been mentored by this exceptional racer have gone on to become champions in their own right. Besides racing in Baja, Ron also competed and earned medals in the International Six Day Trials qualifiers and was recognized by the American Motorcyclist Association as an inductee to their Hall of Fame. Ron is truly one of those all around racers who exemplify the qualities that entitle his picture to hang on the wall alongside those of the previously inducted members of the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Ron passed away in 2014 at the age of 71.

CLASS OF 2011