Photo Credit: J.N. Roberts Archive

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Aug. 25, 2026) — The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame mourns the passing of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer James Nelson “J.N.” Roberts and extends its condolences to his friends and family. He was 84 years old.

Roberts was a dominant desert racer during the 1960s and 1970s, capturing a quartet of Barstow-to-Vegas victories, in addition to a win in the motorcycle division of the 1967 Mexican 1000 alongside fellow AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Malcolm Smith. Roberts also competed for Team USA in the FIM International Six Days Trial in 1971 and 1972.

In addition to his racing success, Roberts appeared in On Any Sunday, the 1971 film that inspired generations of motorcyclists, and Dust to Glory in 2005.

Roberts’ racing career didn’t begin until he was 22 years old, when he first competed in a desert race at the Moose Run at Holiday Hills. From there, a legend was born. At one point during his illustrious racing career, he amassed 27 consecutive victories in desert racing.

Not only did Roberts excel in competition, but he was also an accomplished stuntman, appearing in several noteworthy films, including The Mechanic and The Stone Killer, among others.

For his impact on the motorcycling community, Roberts was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2009.