Dick Burleson

Richard Burleson (born in 1948) is an American former motorcycle enduro racer. He is considered one of the top competitors in AMA history, winning a record eight consecutive Enduro National Championships. His domination of the national enduro series earned him the nickname King Richard.

Born in Johnson City, Tennessee, Burleson began his competitive career riding in motocross events in the late 1960s. He joined the professional ranks in 1970 entering the 1970 Trans-AMA motocross series which featured visiting European riders who dominated the sport at the time. Burleson finished fourth overall and was the highest placed American rider, garnering the title of motocross national champion in the days before the AMA had a dedicated national championship series.^[1]

Burleson also began competing in enduro events and found that he enjoyed that form of competition. He would go on to win a record setting eight consecutive enduro national championships as well as earning eight consecutive gold medals representing the United States in the International Six Day Trials.

After retiring from racing in 1982, Burleson remained active in the sport, starting a mail order motorcycle accessory business and helped design a line of off road riding apparel. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.

Personal life

Dick is married to Jill Burleson and they reside in Traverse City, Michigan. They have two children, a son Jon-Erik and daughter Lindsay Kate. Jon-Erik is currently president of KTM North America and was appointed to that position in 2005.^[2]

External links

• Motorcycle Hall of Fame article on Dick Burleson.
• Northern Express Weekly article on the life of Dick Burleson.
• American Motorcyclist, January 1976, Vol. 30, No. 1, ISSN 0277-9358

Footnotes