While Dennis worked for K&N, he took part in many powersports related trade shows and events | Dennis Mahan, the renowned motorcycle tuner and former powersports employee for K&N, has been inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. The award is the pinnacle of recognition in the motorcycle world and denotes a lifetime of achievement in the sport. The cast of famous riders for whom Mahan was a master performance tuner reads like a “who’s who” among racing champions. Motorcycles tuned by Mahan have won championships and set records in dirt track, road race, motocross, and land-speed over the decades of his illustrious career. He cut his racing teeth in the pits of the dirt oval where he tuned flat track bikes. AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Gary Nixon rode a Mahan-tuned BSA Gold Star to his first professional victory in 1961. Starting in the late 1960s, Mahan was the mechanical mastermind behind Yamaha’s factory team efforts in dirt track, road race, motocross, and snowmobiling. Former Yamaha factory racer and current Simi Valley Mayor Pro-Tem, Keith Mashburn found out firsthand about Mahan’s fair but firm command of the Yamaha racing team. “I met Dennis early in 1968 when Yamaha decided to sponsor me in my novice year in flat track,” Mashburn said, “The day I met Dennis I went down to Yamaha, saw the bike he had built and met him at the same time. I looked at the bike and was very happy with what I saw. I did tell Dennis that I wanted a pillion pad added to the rear fender of the bike. Dennis advised me that ‘whoever’ rides this bike won’t be using a pillion pad. I thought ‘crap,’ I’m the contracted rider and he will do what I ask for. It was a very short conversation and quickly I learned I would be following his directions.” Mashburn was a quick study and found how beneficial Mahan’s mentorship would be. “The first race night at Ascot, I realized I didn’t have just a builder/tuner, I had a coach that was going to make me a success if I would listen. Dennis and I won more races in 1968 than anyone could have imagined.” 
Mahan was a force behind Keith Mashburn's racing success | Mahan’s reputation and success continued to expand in the 1970s. In a true trifecta of speed and dominance, Mahan’s bikes swept the 1974 AMA 250cc National Motocross Championship piloted by AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers Gary Jones, Marty Tripes, and Jimmy Ellis. In 1977, Mahan migrated to Kawasaki Motors USA. In his new position, he was integral to the professional growth and development of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame legend Wayne Rainey. Mahan also built factory Kawasaki dirt-trackers for future AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Eddie Lawson. His influence continued into the 1980s with his work in the development of the KZ1000 Eddie Lawson Replica street bike. Mahan’s legacy of achieving success with so many iconic racers is legendary, and it did not happen by mere chance. In a Hog Radio interview, Mahan made it clear that a personal connection and trust is vital to the tuner/racer relationship. “You are not going to be a winner with just a rider or a winner with just a tuner. The tuner and the rider have to be close…off and on the racetrack.” He continued that many of those relationships are ongoing in his life. “I was with Wayne Rainey,” Mahan said, “Wayne and I are still friends today. He and I talk on the computer. I still go to races that Wayne is involved in. If you don’t have that personal contact, that personal friendship, generally that team is not going to be successful.” 
The beautiful 1979 KX250 Mahan built for Wayne Rainey | Speaking of powerful relationships, Mahan’s masterful fingerprints are all over the development of many K&N performance products. His nearly three decades of work with K&N includes such notable accomplishments as the development of the RK-series intake systems as well as powersports oil filters. Mahan made it clear that his corporate relationships have been nearly as important to him as those that he developed with racers. He said at the Hall of Fame podium, “I’ve been fortunate in my 58 years of motorcycling to work with some really great companies. Without their support, I wouldn’t be here today. This is the culmination of a great career, and I can’t thank everyone enough.”K&N is honored to have been a part of Dennis Mahan’s life work. Congratulations Dennis on your AMA Hall of Fame induction. We can think of no one more worthy. Thank you for your invaluable contributions to K&N, and to motorcycling as a whole. |
