AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Norm McDonald Passes Away

PICKERINGTON, OH – September 26, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) –  The American Motorcyclist Association offers its sincere condolences to the family and friends of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Norm McDonald, who passed away on Sept. 25 at 93 years old.

McDonald’s impact on motorcycling was vast, as he enjoyed success as a racer, tuner and businessman within the industry.

Despite growing up with a love for speed, McDonald’s parents would not allow him to own a motorcycle — so he filled that void with hot rods and drag racing until he finally purchased a bike when he turned 17. After a brief stint in the Navy from 1952-’55, McDonald’s love for motorcycling only grew, and he purchased his second bike and began his racing career shortly after.

In 1957, McDonald, along with fellow AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ken Johnson, opened K&N Motorcycles in Loma Linda, Calif., as a service shop, with Johnson working during the days and McDonald working at night. The shop would also help springboard the future of another Hall of Famer, Malcolm Smith, who started working there at 17 years old.

Eight years after opening K&N Motorcycles, McDonald and Johnson formed K&N Engineering, where they developed handlebars, fenders, fork braces and the revolutionary K&N Air Filter, which was used across virtually every form of motorcycle racing.

During this time, McDonald sponsored a wide range of racers, including his sons Phil and Sam, grandson Tyler, and son-in-law Ted Boody, among others.

McDonald relocated to Tulsa, Okla., in 1971, and split the K&N business with Johnson, focusing solely on the dealership side of things. Soon after, McDonald opened dealerships in Tulsa and Wichita, Kan.

McDonald was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2013.

Watch McDonald share his motorcycling story.

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. Besides offering members money-saving discounts on products and services, the AMA also publishes American Motorcyclist, a recently revitalized and monthly full-color magazine (and digital version of same) that covers current events and motorcycle history with brilliant photography and compelling writing. American Motorcyclist is also North America’s largest-circulation magazine. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Source: American Motorcyclist Association

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