In 1980 I was District Sales Manager for US Suzuki Motor Corporation selling motorcycles to dealers in Southern Ohio. One day I received a phone call from the MSF asking if Suzuki would provide motorcycles for their first training which was to train the instructors. Checking with Suzuki Corporate, they were not interested, especially in the number of bikes requested. I got back with the bad news to the MSF. I then asked the them if they had contacted Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki corporate to get the units? Sadly they replied that all the manufacturers had turned them down flat.
Understanding how important training was for motorcycle safety, I approached one my large Dealers, ASK motorsports in Lancaster, Ohio with the need. After some lengthy discussions, the owner, Paul Ackers, graciously provided what I previously thought would be impossible--he ordered the bikes from Suzuki and then delivered over 20 TS125’s for the class!
Here I am pictured on the far left with Paul to my right, and officials from both the MSF and the State of Ohio. Over the years I have been pleased to know that I had a small part in getting this immensely important program up and running in Ohio.