AMA Hall of Fame donor gives to preserve motorcycling heritage

AMA Life Member Robert Kimm began riding motorcycles in the early 1950s and, after graduating from high school, worked at the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, shop of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Mike Wilson.

Today, Kimm regularly donates to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame to help preserve America’s rich motorcycling history. The 85-year-old from Phoenix began making donations in 1990 to the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, which supports the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

Kimm credits friends and neighbors for creating an early interest in riding, and his mother allowed him to buy a motorcycle when he turned 16. She permitted the purchase on one condition: If he started showing off with the bike, he’d lose it.

Since then, Kimm has owned about 20 motorcycles and racked up approximately 300,000 miles of riding experience, including one trip where he and his wife, Nancy, visited all of the lower 48 states during a four-month span.

In 2006, Kimm made an introductory speech at Wilson’s induction into the Hall of Fame.
Margaret Wilson persuaded Kimm to make his first donation to the Hall of Fame. He believes it is important to have an institution that preserves the stories of American motorcycling.

Kimm has visited the Hall of Fame twice and was impressed with the exhibits.

His donations, like those made by others, help the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame continue its work of making America’s motorcycling history available for generations to come.