Peter Starr 1942-2023
AMD was saddened to hear of the passing of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Peter Starr - motorcycle racer, author, TV producer and filmmaker, whose work includes dozens of productions about motorcycles and motorcycling. Starr passed away on July 3 at the age of 80.
Born on Nov 2, 1942, in Coventry, England, Starr began riding motorcycles at a young age, later raced Nortons, Ariels and Triumphs, and then turned that passion into a four-year job with Triumph in the early 1960s.
Starr moved to the United States in the mid-1960s working as a DJ and later in record production before returning to his love of motorcycles as a filmmaker. His first film, titled 'Bad Rock', was funded by Hodaka and Penzoil, and was distributed across the United States. Later, his film 'Take it to the Limit' would become his most famous creation, starring riders at the top of their sport and a string of hit songs on its soundtrack.
Along with his films, Starr also directed over 50 television specials on motorcycling and motorsports. It was Starr who had the first film camera mounted on a motorcycle, and later did the first live broadcast from a motorcycle in competition for ABC's Wide World of Sports in 1985 at the AMA National on the Du Quoin Magic Mile.
In recent years, Starr became a global ambassador for motorcycling, and was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2017.
"Peter was a fixture in the motorcycling community for decades," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "He was a man who always strove to highlight our sport to both enthusiasts and non-riders, and was also incredibly supportive of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and its mission. His energy and positive outlook on the sport we all love will be missed."
Starr battled cancer for many years. Despite his diagnosis, he lived a full and vibrant life and remained tirelessly active in motorcycling: "When I was diagnosed with cancer in 2004, I spent a lot of time thinking about dealing with aging, and I concluded that it required living a purposeful life.
"For me, motorcycles were always a theme," he continued. "The concept for me became looking forward, and creating something with motorcycling that was very important to me. Being a rider gives you something to always look forward to."