{{Short description|American motorcycle racer (1950–2025)}} {{Infobox person | name = Devin Battley | image = Devin Battley in 2013.jpg | caption = Battley at his motorcycle dealership in 2013 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1950|8|31}} | birth_place = Arlington, Virginia, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|mf=yes|2025|12|03|1950|8|31}} | education = | occupation = {{Flatlist| * Motorcycle racer * Businessman }} | website = {{url|www.Battley.com}} }}
'''Devin Battley''' (August 31, 1950 – December 3, 2025) was an American businessman known for his involvement with motorcycles as a racer and as a dealer. From an early age, Battley enjoyed racing motorcycles and participated in many national championships. He helped to orchestrate Harley-Davidson's interest in Buell motorcycles, and he sold motorcycles to King Hussein of Jordan and Mike Tyson.<ref>Stayin' Safe, Lawrence Grodsky, 2008, {{ISBN|978-1-884313-72-1}}, pages 326–327</ref> In early 2022, Battley announced that he would run for County Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-30 |title=Political newcomer Devin Battley files intent to run for county executive as Green Party candidate |url=https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/politics/political-newcomer-devin-battley-files-intent-to-run-for-county-executive-as-green-party-candidate/ |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=Bethesda Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
==1981–1999: Racing career== From 1981 to 1984, Battley raced in the ''Battle of the Twins'' (later, ''Pro Twins''), part of the AMA Professional Road Racing series, as well as: :58th Laconia Classic, Battle of the Twins, Laconia NH, June 20, 1981, 1st place Stock Production<ref>Cycle News, July 8, 1981, page 64</ref> :AMA Superbike Championship Series: Final Round, Daytona Beach FL, October 3–4, 1981, finished 2nd place Stock Production class but won the championship<ref>Cycle News, Oct. 14, 1981, page 11</ref> :Battle of the Twins, Talladega, Alabama, March 14, 1982, 5th place Expert Modified class<ref>Cycle News, Mar. 24, 1982, page 11</ref> :AMA Superbike Championship Series: Final Round, West Palm Beach FL, October 10, 1982, 2nd place Grand Prix class<ref>Cycle News, Oct. 20 1982, page 13</ref> :AMA Grand national Championship Series: Round 26, Sonoma CA, August 21, 1983, 2nd place Grand Prix class<ref>Cycle News, Aug. 31 1983, page 54</ref> :AMA Superbike Championship Series: Battle of the Twins, Elkhart Lake WI, June 10, 1984, finished 4th overall and 3rd in the Grand Prix class<ref>Cycle News, Jun. 20 1984, page 10</ref> :Finished third in the national point standings in 1984 in the Grand Prix class.<ref name="CycleWorld">Cycle World, November 1987, page 32</ref> On March 1 and 2 in 1999, at the AHRMA Classic Days at Daytona International Speedway, Battley took first place in two races. First, in the eight-lap Formula One class, and then in the Battle of the Twins Open class. He was riding a 1998 Ducati 916.<ref>Cycle News, Mar. 17, 1999</ref>
== 1986–2025: Buell Motorcycles == thumb|Buell dealership certificate issued to RHD In 1986, Battley, through his friendship with Erik Buell, arranged for Rockville Harley-Davidson to become the world's first Buell dealership. Battley still had Buell #001, an RR1000 Battletwin, in his private collection.<ref>''Cycle News'', July 15, 1987, number 27, page 37</ref>
In 1987, Battley smuggled Buell onto a cruise ship for the Harley-Davidson annual dealers' meeting. Battley told Harley-Davidson then-CEO, Vaughn Beals, that Buell could give the company a performance image with no risk to Harley. They set up a table for Buell to speak with dealers and by cruise-end he had deposits and orders for 25 motorcycles. Attendees such as Bill Bartels, Don Tilley, Devin Battley and Frank Ulicki (all ex-racers) went on to become some of Buell's most successful dealers.<ref name="CycleWorld" /><ref>25 Years of Buell, Canfield & Gess, 2008, {{ISBN|978-1-884313-74-5}}, pages 42-44</ref>
== 1994–1996: Sales to King Hussein == In 1994 and 1996, Battley sold a collection of motorcycles to Hussein bin Talal, King Hussein I of Jordan.<ref>Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader "Davenport Show Issue", October 2006, page 33</ref> He traveled to Jordan to deliver and test the motorcycles. While there he rode across country with the King. A well publicized photo shows the King and Queen Noor riding a black, 1994 XLH1200 Harley-Davidson Sportster that Battley sold him.
{{external media |float=right |width = 258px |image1= [https://www.goseewrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/king-hussein-queen-noor-motorcycle.jpeg Image of King Hussein and Queen Noor riding on Harley] <ref> {{cite web |url= https://www.goseewrite.com/2011/08/royal-automobile-museum-king-hussein-jordan/ |title= Royal Automobile Museum: An Homage to King Hussein in Jordan |website =Go See Write |author= Michael Hodson |date= 4 August 2011 |access-date= 27 June 2024 }} </ref> }}
In 1999, Battley was interviewed on ABC's ''Nightline'' with Ted Koppel about his experiences with King Hussein. In the broadcast, the ''Nightline'' commentator says, "''[The King] enjoyed racing cars and motorcycles. There was a Harley dealer in Maryland, near a home the King kept there, that was his chief supplier.''" Battley is then interviewed, saying, "''Anytime, he was liable to jump on one of these motorcycles, go blasting out of the palace grounds, you know, with his bodyguards in the big Mercedes chasing him and, you know, the King riding this motorcycle, he just got on the gas, kept going!''"<ref>Nightline: Hussein of Jordan, ABC Evening News for Friday, Feb 05, 1999</ref>
=== List of motorcycles sold to King Hussein === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Manufacturer ! Year ! Make and model ! Color ! Last of VIN |- | Harley-Davidson | 1996 | FXSTC Softail Custom | Violet | 50657 |- | Harley-Davidson | 1996 | FLSTN Softail Deluxe | Grey/Silver | 50672 |- | Harley-Davidson | 1994 | FLHTCU Electra Glide Ultra Classic with Sidecar | Aqua/Silver | 506662 |- | Harley-Davidson | 1994 | FLHTCU Electra Glide Ultra Classic with Sidecar | Black | 506438 |- | Harley-Davidson | 1994 | XLH1200 Sportster | Black | 214733 |- | Harley-Davidson | 1994 | FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic | Black | 031282 |- | Harley-Davidson | 1994 | FXDL Dyna Low | Aqua/Silver | 312038 |- | Yamaha | 1995 | XV250G | Red | 036210 |- | BMW | 1996 | R1100RTH | Red | 441620 |- |}
In 2004, Queen Noor published a book, ''A Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life'', which featured, on the paperback version, a picture of the king and queen riding on a 1994 Harley-Davidson FLSTC Heritage Softail that Battley sold the king.
== 2008: Chairman of the Maryland Governor's All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Safety Task Force == In 2008, the legislature of Maryland created a task force to define all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and how they should be handled under Maryland law. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/26excom/defunct/html/02atv.html |website=Maryland Government |title=All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Safety Task Force |date=December 2008 |access-date=27 June 2024 |author=<!--Not stated--> }} </ref> Battley was appointed to the committee through his role as president of the Maryland Motorcycle Dealers Association and was elected chairman of the task force. The task force produced a report for the Maryland legislature in December 2008.<ref>[http://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc5300/sc5339/000113/011000/011954/unrestricted/20090843e.pdf Maryland State Archives record of the report of the task force]</ref>
== 1999–2009: Big tree == From 1999 until 2009, Battley owned the Maryland State Champion Polar Lombardy (''populus nigra'') tree.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DEP/Resources/Files/downloads/Trees/2009registerfullcolor.pdf |date=April 2009 |title=Register of Champion Trees |website=MCMD Forestry Board |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111003203/https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DEP/Resources/Files/downloads/Trees/2009registerfullcolor.pdf |archive-date=11 January 2022 }} </ref><ref> {{cite web |url=https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DEP/Resources/Files/downloads/Trees/Register_of_Champions_2003.pdf |title=2003 Register of Champion Trees |date=April 2003 |website=The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111003128/https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DEP/Resources/Files/downloads/Trees/Register_of_Champions_2003.pdf |archive-date=11 January 2022 }} </ref> The tree was over 72 feet in height and measured 132 points.
== Death == Battley died on December 3, 2025, at the age of 75.<ref>[https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/r-i-p-racer-dealer-sponsor-devin-battley/ R.I.P.: Racer, Dealer, Sponsor Devin Battley (Updated)]</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{youTube|1dVKSX0M_Xw| Devin Battley speaks with ''Ride for Peace'' activist Jeffrey Polnaja}} * [http://www.battley.com/ Battley motorcycle dealership]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Battley, Devin}} Category:1950 births Category:2025 deaths Category:American motorcycle racers Category:Harley-Davidson people