Bruce Ogilvie (motorcycle racer)
Encyclopedia
Bruce Ogilvie was an American off road
motorcycle racer. He was a top American Motorcyclist Association
District 37 desert racer
, winner of multiple Baja 500
and Baja 1000
races, and a long-time manager of American Honda
’s off-road race team. Ogilvie was posthumously inducted into the AMA
Motorcycle Hall of Fame
in 2010.
, to Donald (Don) and Charlene Ogilvie, Bruce Ogilvie’s amateur career led him to become one of the greatest desert racers ever to spring from AMA District 37 in Southern California.
Ogilvie worked since 1984 for American Honda. He served in many capacities over the years, including being in charge of Honda's off-road activities with motorcycle and ATV racing. Ogilvie was the lead developer of Honda CRF off-road race motorcycles. Prior to his death, he was the Senior Test Evaluator for Honda’s Product Evaluation department.
Off-road racing
Off-road racing is a format of racing where various classes of specially modified vehicles compete in races through off-road environments.-North America:...
motorcycle racer. He was a top American Motorcyclist Association
American Motorcyclist Association
The American Motorcyclist Association is an American not-for-profit organization of more than 300,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights...
District 37 desert racer
Desert racing
Desert racing is the act of racing through the desert in a 2 or 4 wheeled off-road vehicle. Races, which generally consist of two or more loops around a course covering up to 40 miles, can take the form of Hare and Hound or Hare scramble style events, and are often laid out over a long and harsh...
, winner of multiple Baja 500
Baja 500
SCORE Baja 500 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in early June. The Baja 500 is part of a series of races that include the Baja 1000, San Felipe 250 and Primm 300. The event includes various types of vehicle classes such as small and large bore motorcycles,...
and Baja 1000
Baja 1000
SCORE Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in November. The Baja 1000 is part of the SCORE Championship Desert Racing Series that include the Baja 500, San Felipe 250 and the new San Felipe Challenge of Champions in place of the Primm 300 which had...
races, and a long-time manager of American Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
’s off-road race team. Ogilvie was posthumously inducted into the AMA
American Motorcyclist Association
The American Motorcyclist Association is an American not-for-profit organization of more than 300,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights...
Motorcycle Hall of Fame
Motorcycle Hall of Fame
The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is an offshoot of the American Motorcyclist Association that recognizes individuals who have contributed to motorcycle sport, motorcycle construction and motorcycling in general. It displays motorcycles and riding gear and memoribilia. The museum is located in...
in 2010.
Background
Born April 4, 1953 in Riverside, CaliforniaRiverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, to Donald (Don) and Charlene Ogilvie, Bruce Ogilvie’s amateur career led him to become one of the greatest desert racers ever to spring from AMA District 37 in Southern California.
Racing career
His Baja victories span over four decades. The first was a Baja 500 win in 1975, with another win in the 1000 later that year. Ogilvie was the only man in history to win the Baja 1000 overall in four different decades, and he posted his last overall win in 2003 at the age of 51. He died on April 13, 2009 after a two-year battle with cancer.Ogilvie worked since 1984 for American Honda. He served in many capacities over the years, including being in charge of Honda's off-road activities with motorcycle and ATV racing. Ogilvie was the lead developer of Honda CRF off-road race motorcycles. Prior to his death, he was the Senior Test Evaluator for Honda’s Product Evaluation department.