Off-Road Legend Passes
S
even-time ISDE gold med-
alist Carle Cranke passed
away, November 14, after battling
cancer.
Cranke was perhaps best
known for his off-road-riding
prowess but was multi-talented
on anything two wheels. The
Northern Californian started off
racing dirt track but eventually
shifted gears to motocross and
then off-road racing, and his
name eventually became synony-
mous with the Penton and KTM
brand in the 1970s, and he had a
major part in their development
as a factory-supported racer. In
all, Cranke competed in 10 ISDT
events in the 1960s and '70s,
earning seven gold medals and
two silver medals.
Riding for Penton led to him
to being offered the job as West
Coast service manager for the
company.
Cranke also spent some time
racing Yamahas late in his career.
He officially retired from profes-
sional racing in 1981. He was in-
ducted into the AMA Motorcycle
Hall of Fame in 2000.
"I grew up in the absolute best
time possible," Cranke told Cycle
News in 2017. "There'll never
be another era like that where
people could just have fun. I also
feel so fortunate to have grown
up and been part of John Penton
and his company." CN
IN
THE
WIND
P36
(Above) Off-road
legend and seven-time
ISDT gold medalist
Carl Cranke lost his
battle to cancer,
November 14.
PHOTO: AMA MOTORCYCLE
HALL OF FAME
