Bobby Hill was born in small town (pop. 811) in West Virginia back in 1922.
When turned 16, he purchased his first bike, a Harley-Davidson WLD 45, brand new off the showroom floor for $327. He joined the Roamers motorcycle club in Wheeling, West Virginia and caught the racing bug.
Hill started as a novice in 1940 and quickly began moving up the ladder. Like many racers of the time, Hill’s promising racing career was put on hold during World War II. As a top novice and amateur rider in the early 1940s, he was about to turn pro when the war began.
After the war, Hill nearly won his first Pro race, the 1947 Daytona 200. Riding an Indian, he gradually worked his way through the field and was leading when he crashed with about 50 miles to go.
After coming so close to winning his very first national, Bobby had to wait nearly a year and a half before finally getting his first win in Atlanta in1948, and even then he had to share the victory. He and Billy Huber crossed the line in a dead heat and both were declared winner, the only time that’s happened in AMA racing history.
Hill became AMA National Champion in 1951 and 1952 by virtue of his victories on the Springfield Mile. He won a total of 12 AMA nationals during his professional racing career spanning the years 1947 to 1959. Bobby was always known as one of the most friendly riders of his era and was voted the AMA’s Most Popular Rider in 1951.
Hill finally earned a victory in the Daytona 200 on his eighth attempt in 1954 riding a BSA. That victory earned Hill the honour of winning the first ever AMA Grand National Series race.
During his career, Hill raced professionally on Harley-Davidsons, Indians, BSAs and Nortons. After retiring from racing in 1959 he stayed in the sport as an engine builder, building Harleys for several well-known racers.
Motorcycles and longevity don’t always go together but Bobby was 100 years old when he finally hung up his boots.
