Ted Hodgdon (1902–1984) was a motorcycle journalist, corporate publicist, motorcycle distribution executive, and antique motorcycle enthusiast. He was an executive in various positions for
American Motorcyclist Association
The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is an American nonprofit organization of more than 200,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights. Its mission statement is "to promo ...
, and was one of the founders, and later president, of the
Antique Motorcycle Club of America
The Antique Motorcycle Club of America (AMCA) was founded in 1954 in New England and is now one of the largest organizations of antique motorcycle enthusiasts in the world, with membership of over 12,000 in the United States, Australia, Canada, ...
.
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Early life
Hodgdon was born 1902 in Berlin, New Hampshire
Berlin ( ) is a city along the Androscoggin River in Coös County in northern New Hampshire, United States. It is the northernmost city in New Hampshire. The population was 9,425 at the 2020 census, down from 10,051 at the 2010 census.
It ...
. His family moved to Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...
, where Hodgdon began riding motorcycles and flying aircraft.[
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Career
Upon graduating from college in 1926, Hodgdon was hired by Springfield motorcycle manufacturer Indian as a marketing and technical writer whose dutied included editing the corporate newsletter ''Indian News'', designing advertisements, and writing owner's manuals. He was promoted to advertising manager in 1929, and continued in that position until 1934.[ He was described in an introduction to a 1932 ''Motor Mechanics'' article as "one of the leading authorities on motorcycle hill-climbing and racing".][
Hodgdon wrote an instruction manual for the United States Army titled ''How To Ride Rough Terrain'', which the United States Army used in World War Two.][
In 1954, Hodgdon was appointed president of BSA Inc., the United States subsidiary of British motorcycle manufacturer BSA.][ Earlier that year, he was one of the four men who founded the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, and was initially the club's vice-president.][
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Retirement and death
Hodgdon retired in 1968,[ but continued to write about antique motorcycles.][
Hodgdon died in 1984. He was inducted to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.][
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Bibliography
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodgdon, Ted
1902 births
1984 deaths
Motorcycling writers