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DMThe name Dennis Mahan should be strikingly familiar
to anyone involved on the American motorcycling cir- cuit from the 1960s through
nahaM sinneD the 1980s and beyond. Mahan is one of the most
highly respected figures in the industry as he’s built his reputation through many years of experience as a mechanic, master tuner, rider manager, and mentor. After retiring as a powers- ports employee of K&N after almost three decades, he’s recently been called back to the races and attends select
events in a working capacity.
His skills were sharpened on the dirt track oval throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s and that’s where his true passion lies, but Mahan has also been successful in motocross, road racing, and landspeed competition
as well. He played a pivotal role in Yamaha’s Factory Racing team in the late 1960’s, including the development of the DT1. Mahan’s career continued throughout the 1970s as he worked with Bombardier on everything from snowmobiles to dirt bikes, eventually linking up with Kawasaki in the late 1970s. That’s when he helped to men- tor a young Southern California kid by the name of Wayne Rainey whom he still keeps in contact with to this day. We had the pleasure to chat with the 78 year old Mahan as he enjoyed a cigar poolside on a relaxing trout fish- ing retreat in the Sierras, resting up before he’s off to the next race...
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