COLUMBUS, Ohio — American Motorcyclist Association Director of Operations Steve Austin is a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast and says he is currently working on his 78th bike over three decades-plus of riding.

What You Need To Know

  • Central Ohio's AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame pays tribute to legendary bikes and the riders who made them famous

  • The Hall's director is a 30-year biking enthusiast who says he's living out his dream job

  • Hundreds of contemporary and historical figures are honored in the AMA Hall of Fame

His military service brought him to Columbus and after years of visiting the AMA Hall of Fame, last year his dream job became reality.

“I wrote a letter to the AMA and said, if there's ever a job going as a facility manager or operations director, I'd love to have it and then 10 years later the job came up. I applied for it and got it,” Austin said.

Inside the museum are a treasure trove of memorabilia from Evel Knievel to the Terminator and the riders from Ohio and the bikes that made them famous.

“John Penton, he had this brand, Penton motorcycles. He's a Hall of Famer, and so is Jack, which is his son. Very, very successful racers. Very well known in the motorcycle industry. This Harley Davidson XR715 ridden by Steve Morehead. He's also known as the Findlay Flyer because he's from Findlay, Ohio,” Austin said. 

The AMA Hall of Fame is a popular roadside stop over the years for tourists.

“Probably about 50-percent of our visitors have been driving past here or see the sign, always wanted to come in. I'm glad that you visited, come back again,” Austin said. 

Austin remains hopeful the AMA will be able to host the 2021 Hall of Fame induction on site later this year. 

For those who share the passion he does about bikes, racing and the sport's history, Austin says:

“There are machines that are linked to movies, Hall of Famers themselves. They're all very famous. Just get yourself on the bikes and ride. A lot of our members are actually youngsters cause they need to be a member to race. So our members can be from 7 years old upwards."

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is located just off Interstate 70 in Pickerington. 

The museum is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

For more information, click here to visit the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame website.