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Honda Remembers Ray Blank, Former Motorcycle Division Senior Vice President

American Honda said Blank served the company for nearly three decades before retiring in 2012 and helped shape the powersports industry.

News June 25, 2026

By Daniel Pruitt

American Honda said it is mourning the death of Ray Blank, the former senior vice president of its Motorcycle Division, who the company said died earlier this week.

In a statement dated June 25, 2026, from Alpharetta, Georgia, the company said Blank served Honda for nearly 30 years before his retirement in 2012, holding multiple leadership roles during a period of growth for the motorcycle business.

According to Honda, a New Jersey native, Blank joined American Honda's Torrance, California, campus in a technical role with the Automobile Division in 1983 before moving to the Motorcycle Division a few years later, initially overseeing areas including press relations and product development. The company said he went on to become vice president of powersports. Before joining Honda, the company said, Blank studied at GMI Engineering and Management Institute in Flint, Michigan, and began his career at Volkswagen/Porsche/Audi.

Honda said Blank coined the company's "Performance First" tagline and championed new-product development, including the Valkyrie Rune. The company said he was instrumental in supporting Nicky Hayden's Honda career in AMA Superbike and MotoGP, which Honda said culminated in Hayden's 2006 premier-class World Championship, and that he played a key role in bringing AMA Supercross and Motocross champion Ricky Carmichael to Honda.

The company said Blank sat on the American Motorcyclist Association's Board of Directors for 17 years, served on the AMA Pro Racing Board, and served the Motorcycle Industry Council for more than 25 years, including two years on its Board of Directors.

"Honda is indebted to Ray for his visionary leadership during a very important era for the company," said Bill Savino, Director and Powersports Division Lead at American Honda, in the statement. "His influence extended far beyond Honda, helping shape the direction of the entire powersports industry, and he oversaw many projects whose impacts are still felt today. Ray approached his work as a calling, and he had the confidence to commit to daring projects, and time and time again, he was proven right. Our thoughts are with his family and friends."

Honda said Blank is survived by his sons Cody, Erik and Justin.