04/12/2025 20:07
Motorcycle racer, dealer, and sponsor Devin Battley died December 3rd after an illness. He was 75 years old. Over the years, Battley raced in AMA Pro, WERA and CCS events. Besides racing, Battley owned and operated Battley Cycles in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The shop sold Harley-Davidson and BMW motorcycles for 30 years before Battley sold it in 2018. One of Battley's claims to fame was taking Erik Buell with him on a 1987 Harley-Davidson dealer-incentive cruise. On the cruise ship, Battley convinced Harley-Davidson executives to commit to ordering enough motorcycles to make it possible for Erik Buell to launch the Buell Motorcycle Company. Among others, Battley sponsored young Ukrainian racer Nick Kalinin in Red Bull Rookies Cup; Supersport300, a support class running with the Superbike World Championship; and other events. Battley was a frequent visitor to Ukraine, owned property there, and sponsored several Ukrainians who legally immigrated to the United States. He even adopted a family of three--parents and a young