Long-time motorcycle safety author to join AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame this December at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to
announce another member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2009: David
Hough, acclaimed author of several well-known books on riding techniques. Hough
will be among the motorcycling heroes honored at the 2009 induction ceremony at
the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas this Dec. 5.

"For many new motorcyclists, before they take a training course or even buy a motorcycle,
they are introduced to proper riding through the books and columns of David Hough,"
said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "His comprehensive approach to proper riding
technique has pointed many motorcyclists -- novice and veteran alike -- down the
 right path, and has helped riders learn the skills they need to be safer on the
 road."

Don Rosene, chairman of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Committee, added:
"Since the first motorcycle was produced for commercial sale, there's been a need
for someone to teach the owner how to ride. David Hough's articles on how to ride
motorcycles safely have been honored by special awards from the Motorcycle Safety
Foundation. His books should be a mandatory read for every motorcyclist, from novice
to expert."

Hough is a long-time motorcycle journalist who turned 25 years of experience commuting
through city traffic into articles about riding skills and crash avoidance. He is
best known for his series, "Proficient Motorcycling," in Motorcycle Consumer News,
which has been honored with awards by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. His books
include Street Strategies: A Survival Guide for Motorcyclists, Proficient Motorcycling:
The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well, and More Proficient Motorcycling: Mastering the
Ride.

"By the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame giving me this honor, it's good for me and I
 appreciate this recognition, but it's bigger than that," Hough said. "It's honoring
all the people who write and teach about motorcycle skills and safety, as well as
the dealers in the sport who make safety awareness an integral part of selling a
 motorcycle."

Hough said that one of his main messages is that managing risks is critical regardless
of how or where your ride.

"Teaching this idea of safety has been my mission for years. Very few journalists
write about riding skills. They write about machines," Hough said. "The secret to
riding quickly is don't crash, because crashing ruins your time. It doesn't matter
if you want to go out for a putt-putt joy ride or go fast on the racetrack. I think
it would be great if all motorcycle organizations, associations and publications
 would have riding skill seminars and columns on how to manage the risks of riding
and how to become a more skillful rider."
Hough is the sixth member announced for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of
 2009. He joins off-road racer Randy Hawkins, suspension pioneer Gilles Vaillancourt,
off-highway rights activist Mona Ehnes, and industry entrepreneurs and technological
trailblazers Geoff and Bob Fox.

Hough, and the other members of the class of 2009, will officially be inducted into
the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame this Dec. 5 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
 Impressive even by Las Vegas standards, with an 84-foot guitar marking the entrance
and all the glitz and memorabilia that fans have come to expect at Hard Rock Café
locations around the world, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has been recently renovated
with new rooms, a new convention space and a new concert venue. Ticket information
will be announced shortly on the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum website at MotorcycleMuseum.org  

Located on the park-like campus of the AMA in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA Motorcycle
Hall of Fame Museum honors individuals who have made lasting contributions to protecting
and promoting the motorcycle lifestyle. Its members include those who have excelled
in racing, road- and off-road riding, pushed the envelope in motorcycle design,
engineering and safety, and championed the rights of riders in both the halls of
 government and the court of public opinion.

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Committee includes 11 members in addition
to the chairman. There are 10 committees, each representing a different aspect of
motorcycling. Five represent various racing disciplines, and five represent non-racing
interests.

More information about the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame can be found at MotorcycleMuseum.org