Carter, Chris
Name/Title
Carter, ChrisDescription
Before he was busy revolutionizing the motorcycle tool industry as the founder and president of Motion Pro Inc., Chris Carter’s life on two wheels began with a Schwinn Sting Ray bicycle and a paper route that funded his first motorcycle, a 1965 Honda Scrambler. Carter replaced the paper route job with work as a “gunk brush” at a local dealership, A&A Motors, which at the time saw future AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers Kenny Roberts and Mark Brelsford launch their careers. Carter dabbled in local off-road and motocross events, raced the Trans-AMA Series, and was hired as a test rider for Yamaha’s off-road development program. Carter’s racing career culminated with a gold medal at the 1976 International Six Day Trials (ISDT) event in Austria. Working as the West Coast Sales Manager for Rocky Cycle, Carter was approached in 1984 by a Taiwan-based cable company asking if he would be interested in representing its brand in the U.S. Carter seized the opportunity and suggested that he become their exclusive distributor, a proposition they agreed to. This agreement was the start of Motion Pro. Cables were a problem for most dealers at the time, so Carter redesigned the entire cable business model by simplifying the packaging and identification of his products for distributors and dealers to inventory and use correctly. This included color coding; red for Honda, green for Kawasaki, etc. This innovative approach and extensive range of special tools and supplies led to more than 40 years of business success for Motion Pro, which today holds 30-plus patents. Over the years, Carter has served as an ambassador of the sport and industry, with Motion Pro holding more than 100 annual sponsorships of racers, teams, organizations and events. Carter and Motion Pro also support many charitable and non-profit organizations, including motorcycle trail preservation and ensuring that access is available to all. Carter is also a motorcycle historian and published author.Category
Class of 2025