For John “Turk” Michel, the motorcycle industry was his livelihood for 33 years. In 2018, motorcycling became his cause. Michel has volunteered to become the AMA State Chapter coordinator for Ohio.

Michel is one of the first 10 state coordinators who have been selected by the AMA to help organize and promote AMA-related recreational and advocacy activities.

Michel has been an AMA member for more than 20 years and has more than three decades of work experience in the motorcycle industry with Honda. He started working at Honda’s now-closed Marysville, Ohio, motorcycle plant in 1982 and retired from Honda as an engineering project leader in 2015.

He got his first taste of motorcycling early in life, swinging a leg over a friend’s mini bike in a barnyard at age 8. However, Michel would have to wait about seven years to get a bike of his own.

“My parents didn’t prioritize [their] budget toward getting me [a motorcycle],” he said.

Michel’s first motorcycle allowed him to enjoy several types of riding.

“I got my first bike, a 1974 Honda CB360T, in 1975 when I was 15 and a half and was old enough to get my permit,” he said. “I [used the bike] to haul myself to sports practices, go to the local pool, trail ride and do yard tricks.”

Currently, Michel enjoys riding on asphalt, as well as dirt.

“[I ride] mostly on-road and prefer twisty roads,” he said. “However, I want to do more trail riding now that I have grandkids.”

Michel joined the AMA for competition purposes, but later rejoined to support the broader mission of the AMA.

“I first joined in 1984, so I could ride in an AMA-sanctioned hare scramble,” he said. “I rejoined in 1998 and have 20 years in toward my goal of earning a life membership.”

Michel became an AMA EAGLES volunteer after he retired.

“I had concerns about the future of motorcycling. I decided to volunteer to do what I could to help,” he said.

Michel supports the motorcycling lifestyle in other ways.

“I became an Ohio Department of Public Safety certified instructor, so I could help teach people how to ride more safely,” he said.

Michel plans to apply his experience working in Honda’s motorcycle division as he steps into his new role.

“I’ve been fortunate to have been a part of a lot of organizational development, problem solving, performance improvement and regulatory requirements work in my former roles at Honda,” he said. “So now I will do my best to use that experience to make this new [responsibility] an effective one for my fellow AMA members.”

State Chapter coordinators support AMA recreational riding activity on a grassroots level in their states. Much of their work involves promoting the fun of motorcycling, in both organized events as well as individually.

Michel’s first order of business will be getting to know the Ohio AMA members and clubs. He also will focus on common problems facing motorcyclists.