Hall of Famer Wayne Galvin was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts and graduated from Attleboro High School. While in high school Wayne competed in gymnastics, which is another sport where balance is paramount.
Growing up, Wayne was fortunate that in his neighborhood he had a number of friends who had dirt bikes. Wayne started his career on bikes at age 15 by pretending to ride his friend’s bikes when they weren’t riding them. This led to actually riding them in the numerous riding areas in his hometown.
In 1972 Wayne rode his first trials event after watching a local event as a spectator. As he walked the lines in the sections, he realized in his mind that he was cleaning all the sections. He was fascinated and hooked by it. In the fall of 1972, he rode the Meriden Motorcycle Club’s Scottish Trials event, the first of 50 years of trials competition. In 1973, he started competing full time in New England Trials Association (NETA) events. Wayne started in the Novice class and finished the year 2 points short of promotion to Expert. He was promoted to Expert early in the 1974 season and competed as an Expert through 2002. He was also ranked Number 2 in New England for a period in the 1970’s and 1980’s. As recently as 2021, Wayne was the Number 1 Super Senior Expert rider in NETA and the Number 2 Senior Intermediate rider in Pennsylvania’s District 6 Trials series.
In 1974, Wayne started competing on the National trials circuit, which he rode continuously through 1988. He took a break until 2000, when he started competing in the National Senior divisions through the year 2008. In 1979 and 1981, Wayne was ranked as the number 9 and 8 rider, respectively, in the United States. In 1981, Wayne competed in the 1981 World Round at Watkins Glen, NY. Wayne also competed in and placed third in the first Daytona Stadium Trials event in 1980 and also competed in the second and third Daytona Stadium Trials event. He was impressed by the amount of spectators and the coverage of the event. If you are able to get a copy of Bernie Schreiber’s book Observed Trials, you will be treated to a couple of photos of Wayne tackling some incredible man made obstacles at the Daytona event on pages 161 and 162.
As significant as Wayne’s accomplishments on a trials bike are, they are only a portion of his contribution to the sport. In the early 1980’s, Wayne was the President of NETA. While president, Wayne arranged for a NETA trials demonstration at the Boston Bike Expo and Trade Shows in the early 1980’s.
As a member of King Philip Trail Riders (KPTR), Wayne was the Trials Master for all KPTR events from 1979 through 2019. Wayne was also the Trials Master for KPTR’s National event in 1980.
During the 2009 through 2013 seasons, Wayne didn’t limit his competition to trials, he also competed in the New England Trail Riders Association’s (NETRA) Enduro and Hare Scrambles series. Some of Wayne’s most satisfying moments in trials have been setting up events that were tough and challenging for Champ riders, such as, Gary Bourque, Dan Allen, Don Sweet, Ron Commo and Geoff Arron as well as being enjoyable for the rest of us. Wayne is also generous with his time in helping all members of the trials community, one example is helping Sportsman rider Jeff Laney at a Rhode Island Trials Club event. Jeff was suffering from a virus and early on during his fourth loop, didn’t think he could continue. Wayne saw him and asked him what was wrong. After he heard Jeff’s explanation, Wayne gave him the encouragement to continue, and rode with him for the rest of the loop as Jeff finished the event. Wayne was inducted into the NETA Hall of Fame in 2017
Wayne you are one of a kind! I once had a goal of finishing an event before you did. I don’t think I ever will attain that lofty goal. Ride on pal!
George Truesdale