BIO: Derek Keyes (Owner)

I was immersed in the motorcycle industry from a young age. My father owned a service shop and salvage yard, and he was a passionate road racer, clinching multiple national championships in AHRMA. Remarkably, he continues to race even at the age of 74.

I began my own racing journey in motocross at just 5 years old and progressed to the Loretta Lynn Amateur Nationals before making the switch to road racing at 20. I experienced considerable success, securing a WERA National endurance championship and achieving multiple podium finishes in F-USA Thunderbike, alongside top 10 results in AMA Pro FX and Supersport. During this time, I was building my own race bikes and learning the ropes, often gaining insight through challenging experiences.

In 2006, I joined Kawasaki as a full-time development test rider for their entire production street bike lineup. The following year, I became a test rider for the Factory Kawasaki Superbike team, contributing to the development of the ZX10s used by Jamie Hacking and Roger Hayden.

In 2011, I received an invitation to join the Kawasaki Japan R&D race team at the Suzuka 8 Hour, where I raced for three consecutive years, finishing 16th in 2013 on a nearly stock ZX10.

By 2014, I began constructing race bikes for professional racers. In 2017, I played a key role in helping Andrew Lee achieve his first Moto America podium, and I continued to support him in winning the Moto America Stock 1000 championship in both 2018 and 2019.

In 2020, I was brought on board to assist Richie Escalante, and together, we secured the Moto America Supersport championship. After taking a brief hiatus from Moto America between 2021 and 2023, I joined Tytler's Cycle Racing as a crew chief for Stefano Mesa in Supersport in 2024.

I am still actively involved with Kawasaki in the Tech Services department, where I assist with street bike development. Additionally, I am now expanding my reach by providing race support through my business.