Stewardship & Volunteers: Lyon Payne Honored with 2019 AMA Outstanding Off-Road Rider Award
The American Motorcyclist Association has a long tradition of recognizing individuals who protect and advance off-highway motorcycling through its Outstanding Off-Road Rider Award. For 2019, that honor was awarded to longtime OMRA member Lyon Payne.
The AMA Outstanding Off-Road Rider Award recognizes individuals whose contributions go far beyond competition — honoring leadership in trail access, stewardship, volunteerism, and the promotion of responsible off-highway motorcycling. Lyon’s selection places him among a small group of riders nationwide whose impact has shaped the future of the sport.
After retiring as a metal fabricator, Lyon devoted himself almost full-time to trail work in Oregon’s Tillamook State Forest, contributing more than 650 volunteer hours per year. A dirt bike rider since 1970, Lyon combined decades of riding experience with tireless effort to improve and expand trail systems for future generations.
With a chainsaw and grub hoe mounted to his trusted 1991 Kawasaki KDX — known to many as “Kermit” — Lyon helped develop 26 miles of trail, working alongside other volunteers and Oregon Department of Forestry staff. His efforts contributed to the growth of a trail network that now includes over 250 miles of riding opportunities, widely regarded as one of the premier off-highway trail systems in the country.
In typical Lyon fashion, his response to the recognition focused on gratitude rather than personal achievement:
“I am very humbled and can’t say how much I appreciate this award. This is something I do to pay it back to all the others before me who created the trail systems that I’ve ridden and raced on for years. The highlight of my day is hearing a rider say, ‘How fun that trail was,’ and knowing I had a hand in putting it in.”
Lyon Payne’s inclusion in the AMA’s historical list of Outstanding Off-Road Rider Award recipients reflects the lasting impact of his work. His legacy lives on in the trails themselves, the volunteers he inspired, and the riders who continue to benefit from his dedication.
OMRA is proud to honor Lyon’s place in AMA history and grateful for the standard of stewardship he set for off-road riders everywhere.
