Kenny Roberts

Quick Facts

Full Name	Kenny Roberts
Occupation	Motorcycle Racer
Date Of Birth	Dec 31, 1951(1951-12-31)
Age	73
Birthplace	California
Country	United States
Birth City	California
Horoscope	Capricorn

Kenny Roberts Biography

Kenny Roberts is one of the most popular and richest Motorcycle Racer who was born on December 31, 1951 in California, California, United States. Champion motorcycle racer. In 1978, he became the first American to win the Grand Prix.

He and Nicky Hayden were both prominent figures on the motorcycle racing circuit.

Roberts showed a natural talent for dirt track racing and began winning local races. In 1968, his race results drew the attention of a local Suzuki dealer Bud Aksland, who offered to sponsor Roberts aboard a Suzuki motorcycle. He made the decision to drop out of high school before his senior year to pursue a career in motorcycle racing. Roberts was allowed to compete professionally when he turned 18, and on the day after his eighteenth birthday, he entered his first professional race at San Francisco’s Cow Palace, finishing in fourth place.

The motorcycle technology of the late 1970s featured engines with power in excess of what the frames and tires of the day could accommodate. Roberts’ riding style, bred on the dirt tracks of America, revolutionized road racing. Prior to his arrival in Europe, riders focused on attaining high entry speeds into corners, leaving braking until the last possible moment then, carving graceful arcs through the corners with both wheels in line. Roberts did just the opposite, braking early then, quickly applying the throttle which resulted in the rear tire breaking traction and spinning. The resulting tire spin caused the motorcycle to buck and shake as it continually lost then regained traction, creating a brutal, violent riding style that no one had ever seen before on the racetracks of Europe. His riding style was reminiscent of dirt track riding, where sliding the rear tire to one side is used as a method to steer the motorcycle around a corner. Because of his early application of the throttle, he was able to attain top speed faster than his competitors.

His son, Kenny Roberts, Jr., won the 2000 500 cc World Championship.

Kenny Roberts Net Worth

Kenny Roberts is one of the richest Motorcycle Racer from United States. According to our analysis, Wikipedia, Forbes & Business Insider, Kenny Roberts 's net worth $10 Million. (Last Update: December 11, 2023)

He won the A.M.A. Grand National Championship and completed the coveted Grand Slam, winning every Grand National event.

He pioneered many changes in the A.M.A., among them increased safety, a new dirt track riding style, and new engine designs.

Kenneth Leroy Roberts (born December 31, 1951 in Modesto, California) is an American former professional motorcycle racer and racing team owner. In 1978, he became the first American to win a Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship. He was also a two-time winner of the A.M.A. Grand National Championship. Roberts is one of only four riders in American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) racing history to win the AMA Grand Slam, representing Grand National wins at a mile, half-mile, short-track, TT Steeplechase and road race events.

Height, Weight & Body Measurements

Kenny Roberts height Not available right now. Kenny weight Not Known & body measurements will update soon.

Who is Kenny Roberts Dating?

According to our records, Kenny Roberts married to Tanya Falan Welk- Roberts. As of December 1, 2023, Kenny Roberts’s is not dating anyone.

Relationships Record : We have no records of past relationships for Kenny Roberts. You may help us to build the dating records for Kenny Roberts!

Roberts continued his road racing successes in 1975, winning three out of four races in the 1975 Transatlantic Match races. After having won the national championship in 1974, Roberts faced an increasingly difficult battle in dirt track races, as Harley-Davidson continued to improve their XR-750 dirt tracker while Yamaha struggled to maintain the pace. Roberts made up for his bike’s lack of power with an almost fearless, determined riding style. He battled Harley-Davidson factory rider Gary Scott throughout the 1975 season but mechanical breakdowns hampered his title defense. He had been leading the Daytona 200 when mechanical problems yielded the victory to his Yamaha teammate Gene Romero. At the Ascot TT, Roberts battled from 17th place to take the lead before a broken sprocket ended his race. Roberts’ fearless riding style was highlighted at the Indy Mile Grand National. In a desperate effort to keep Scott within reach in the points chase, Yamaha wedged a Yamaha TZ750 two-stroke road racing engine inside a dirt track frame. On a bike that was considered unrideable due to its excessive horsepower, Roberts came from behind on the two-stroke, and overtook the factory Harley-Davidson duo of Corky Keener and Jay Springsteen on the last lap for one of the most famous wins in American dirt track racing history. Afterward, Roberts was famously quoted as saying, “They don’t pay me enough to ride that thing”. Despite accomplishing another Grand Slam, this time in only one season, Roberts lost his crown, finishing second to Gary Scott in the 1975 national championship.

Facts & Trivia

Kenny Ranked on the list of most popular Motorcycle Racer. Also ranked in the elit list of famous people born in United States. Kenny Roberts celebrates birthday on December 31 of every year.

Although Roberts won the 250 cc Grand Prix, Sheene claimed the victory in the 500 cc Venezuelan Grand Prix while Roberts’ Yamaha suffered a mechanical failure on the starting line. In the second round at the Spanish Grand Prix, Roberts was leading the race by eight seconds when his throttle stuck, forcing him to settle for second place behind fellow American Pat Hennen. Roberts then won his first-ever 500 cc Grand Prix with a win in Austria, quickly followed by two more victories in France and Italy, along with two second-place finishes in the Netherlands and Belgium. At the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix, Roberts crashed during practice for the 250 cc race, sustaining a concussion and a thumb injury. Shaken up by the accident, he could do no better than seventh place in the 500 cc race. Sheene had come down with a debilitating virus at the Venezuelan round, but a string of podium finishes and a victory at the Swedish Grand Prix combined with Roberts’ failure to score any points in the Finnish Grand Prix, allowed him to close the points gap.

Top Facts about Kenny Roberts

1. Kenny Roberts is a retired American motorcycle racer.
2. He won three consecutive 500cc Grand Prix World Championships.
3. Roberts was the first American to win the 500cc title.
4. He won a total of 24 Grand Prix races in his career.
5. Roberts was known for his aggressive riding style and dirt track background.
6. He was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1990.
7. Roberts also had success as a team owner and manager.
8. He mentored future champions like Wayne Rainey and Eddie Lawson.
9. Roberts’ son, Kenny Jr., also became a successful motorcycle racer.
10. In retirement, he has been involved in various business ventures and philanthropy efforts.

Is Joe Roberts Kenny Roberts Jr son?

Roberts Jr. is a 8-time Premier Class race winner. He joins his father Kenny Roberts as the only father-son duo to have won 500cc World Championships. Roberts was inducted into the F.I.M. MotoGP Hall of Fame in 2017.

What is Kenny Roberts Jr doing now?

Junior is comfortably retired today , and has been for years. He has a California house, a house in the mountains and some other places to park his motorhome. His life is a picture of stability: he and his wife Rochelle have been together for 20 years, and they have two children.

When did Kenny Roberts retire?

Roberts announced that the 1983 season would be his final year in Grand Prix competition.

How old is Kenny Roberts?

70 years (December 31, 1951)

Is Kenny Roberts still married?

Kenny Roberts was born on December 31, 1951 in Modesto, California, USA. He is known for Surfside 6 (1960), The Aquanauts (1960) and Bless Me, Ultima (2012). He has been married to Tanya Welk since 1980. They have two children.