Dane Leimbach (sad news)

bruceb

bruceb

PR Addict
While slumming over at Vitalmx.com's forum, I saw a post that made me go to the Penton Owners Groups forum where I read the news that follows (posted by Jack Penton):

As many of you know Dane Leimbach was diagnosed some time ago with Aphasia and has been steadily losing the ability to talk and comprehend written communication. For those of you that see Dane at the monthly POG meetings you have noticed that he has also been losing weight.

Very recently the doctors have retested Dane and it is with great sadness that we have been told that the original diagnosis was incorrect and that Dane has ALS / Lou Gehrig's disease. The symptoms we have seen progressing over the last year are not confined to Aphasia as originally thought but are sadly the progression of ALS which has no known cure.

Dane has touched so many lives in a very positive way and the POG and it's members are testiment to that.

For those of you who don't know Dane he is the nephew of John Penton and cousin to the Penton boys, father and grandfather. Dane has worked, raced and lived motorcycling from his youth. He has raced the biggest races in the world and helped design the motorcycles we ride and the parts that go on them. You may not know Dane but there is a good chance you have been touched by his contribution to motorcycling.

We love Dane and he is a good man please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,

Jack Penton
 
I became reacquainted with Dane thru this forum after reading one of his posts (TGTech). I remember sending him a pm, asking if he was "the" Dane Leimbach. As a youngster, I remember watching in awe as Dane would fly thru the woods on a Penton 100/125. He was without a doubt the best I had ever seen (and his numerous gold and silver ISDE medals attest to that).
Fast forward 25 years and I always looked forward to visiting with Dane and discussing 40 plus years of motocross and off road racing.

bruce

ps If you can find the time say a prayer for Dane, he deserves it.
 
Yes, this is very sad news. Amherst Meadowlarks is planning an event for Dane, I will post the information when ready.
 
For those of you that have Facebook go to the top of the page and there is a search site. Type in Steak Fry Benefit for Dane Leimbach. I will let the president of Amherst Meadowlarks come on here and let you know what else is planned for that day.
 
Dane has truly been a gift to motorcycling over the years, so many people have been part of Dane's legacy that don't even know it. He's been a Team Green Technician at Loretta Lynn's since the very beginning and worked on many of the motorcycles that have come through their pits over the years. He's the guy behind PVL / Penton Imports Ignitions that so many of the vintage racers have come to trust to help make their old bikes run right, including a one off Husky 510TX ignition that he made for me in a few days so that I could race the AMA Vintage day's a few summer's back. He was at the forefront of American Off Road Racing and what we now know as the GNCC series racing the off road side of world against the very best in the world and doing quite well as a long time TEAM USA member of our ISDE (International Six Days Enduro) and did what many can only dream of by winning gold medals in that event numerous times.

I've been fortunate to know Dane for my entire life thanks to my father being a member of Amherst Meadowlarks since the early 70's and Dane always took care to make sure I was doing fine at Loretta Lynn's whenever he saw me there. He spent the time to give me some helpful tips and insider information and even acted as my mechanic one moto when my mechanic didn't show up on time. Always there to lend a helping hand with his vast knowledge to anyone who needed it and one of the true ambassadors of our sport. We can only hope that others will fill in to Dane's spot with as much enthusiasm and helpfulness in the future.

Say a prayer for Dane, he definately deserves it, I will keep him and his family in my prayers and hope for the best.
 
Very sad news!
without getting to much into the details, his daughter came to the last meadowlarks meeting and explained that the doctors are saying 4-6 months and that he wants to live the rest out just as normal as he has lived his whole life. He has been denied SS and is lacking health insurance. We are having a steak fry at Meadowlarks Sat Aug 6th to raise money to help with some of his health costs. Also all proceeds from the Meadowlarks poker run will be donated to the same cause. We will post more details as soon as we get the tickets made and the details worked out.

Please pray for him and his family!
 
Very sad. A close friend of mine passed from ALS Feb 12th, 2010.....His progressed very quickly. It was hard to watch as someone that was very active and healthy went from there to a motorized wheel chair and could not speak or feed himself a little over 8 months later.

I will say a prayer. It is a cruel disease.....the mind is all there, and the body just does not work.
 
I saw dane close to every weekend when lined up next to his son Paul from the time I was 6 until about 18. Always so friendly and had so much knowledge in motorsports. This is so sad. My last supermini I had Dane built. Was the best running mini I ever threw a leg over. I just hope the doctors, nurses and everyone involved in his care are able to keep him comfortable in the wake of this terrible disease. God bless you Dane.
 
FireDan is the date of August 6th set in stone? Many riders and industry folk will be at Loretta Lynns that weekend.
 
His daughters set the date not the club. One of his daughters is only available on this date. I will try and find out what can be done.
 
firedan said:
His daughters set the date not the club. One of his daughters is only available on this date. I will try and find out what can be done.
Click to expand...

It can't be during Loretta's...for as involved as he was with Loretta's at the Kawasaki tent every year...it just can't be! So many more would turnout for this after LL is set and done.
 
Sorry guys, the tickets are already printed and being sold. There's not much that can be done at this point. We didnt realize that it was the week of Lorettas until after the date was already set.
 
So very sad to read this.
Dane is a wonderful ambassador of the sport from his early ISDTE days all the way through his Team Green tenure. Any time I was a far distance from home and saw Dane in the pits, I immediately felt a calm knowing that he was in attendance and keeping a watchful eye on things.
Please give us information on the Steak Fry and any other way we may help…..
Wishing Dane all the best...
 
At our last meeting we talked about having an open practice the day of the steak fry. Now that Pit brought to our attention that's the weekend of Lorettas, I think we should have the open practice benefit ride day at a different time. This way people who can't make the steak fry can come to the practice. All proceeds to benefit Dane. We will talk about this at the next meeting and let you know.
 
Very sad to hear. I was a member of Meadowlarks in the mid '90's. I swear that Dane was the only sane person there most of the time. I wish him the best. --Tony C.
 
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