Two Time Canadian Superbike Champ Francis Martin Leads Roadrace nominees
The Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame will stage their 19th annual Banquet and Induction ceremony in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Saturday, October 24, and the Hall have confirmed the outstanding individuals that will be recognized at the gala event next fall.
Leading the list from a CSBK point of view is Francis Martin, twice the number one plate holder as Canadian Superbike Champ. Martin rose to fame in the 1990’s as a Suzuki and Kawasaki privateer, joining the works supported Brooklin Cycle Honda squad in 1998. From there, Martin replaced the retiring champ Don Munroe on the factory Canadian Kawasaki Motors squad, earning the overall championship in his first full Superbike season – 1999.
2000 was the season when Honda returned with their legendary RC-51 twin with Jordan Szoke and Steve Crevier, and Martin battled the duo before a testing crash at Mosport International injured his leg and ended his season early. Martin then moved to Scott Miller’s (Hall of Fame, class of 2023) FAST Company Suzuki team and earned the Open Sport Bike title – a class that would eventually morph into a revised Superbike class.
Martin was part of the Diablo Suzuki super team in 2005, earning another overall title for Suzuki and the revamped GSX-R1000 before moving to the Blackfoot squad with his number one plate. Martin also rode for BMW in Supersport and then with the new R1000RR in 2010, and as recently as 2023 rode a Suzuki for long time tuner and business partner Patrice Goyette at the front of Supersport at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
![Preseason test at the Rider Development Track at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2001 with the Fast Company team (GSX-R1000s for Open Sport Bike and the Pro Superbike) including tuner Jamie Bruins (left), builder Scott Miller (center), Suzuki Canada’s Nathan Naslund, and pilot Francis Martin, sitting on the GSX-R1000 Superbike. [Photo: Colin Fraser]](/media/sigplus/preview/1f4bb88dca8780683e8d0bf072d0aaa0.jpeg)
![Francis Martin (23) in 2023 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park leading Nathan Playford (94), David MacKay (82), and Matt Simpson (91). Martin made the one-off appearance at CTMP on a Suzuki GSX-R600 prepared by business partner and tuner Patrice Goyette. [Photo: Rob O'Brien]](/media/sigplus/preview/5a483f68d94603e31a3a1b37a0104919.jpeg)
![Robert Genereux on the chrome-framed Honda RS125 built by his father, awaiting Pro 250 Grand Prix damp practice at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant in July 1978. Genereux was a force in both CMA and upstart War Lie Racing events in the late 1970's. [Photo: Colin Fraser]](/media/sigplus/preview/41d28f1f565ba635b93ce477677e3695.jpeg)
![Robert Genereux retired from roadracing just before the rise of the Superbike class but did try Wally Batchelor’s Grand Prix Cycle-backed Kawasaki KZ1000 Mk II at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant in the summer of 1979, pictured entering the final Namerow Corner. [Photo: Colin Fraser]](/media/sigplus/preview/8b7965e044d6ff14331f1357e85db185.jpeg)
![At the Centennial-celebrating Canadian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Mosport Park in the fall of 1967, Dave Munroe heads onto the front straight aboard his Yamaha TD1B two-stroke twin production racer. [Image courtesy David Munroe]](/media/sigplus/preview/6c52563cbb5caa36840c7c9bc20066f8.jpeg)
![The crew from the Atlantic Motorcycle Competition Riders Association prepare behind the old pit boxes at 'old Mosport' in the late 1960's, a big change from their typical stomping ground of Atlantic Motorsport Park, Nova Scotia. Munroe and the late Jack Canfield are credited with finding and developing the A.M.P. property and facility. [Image courtesy David Munroe]](/media/sigplus/preview/830c7af6d22a685b8c4f1713c6236e11.jpeg)
![At the Flat Track Canada National at Georgian Downs in the fall of 2023, Dominic Beaulac un-retired to win riding a borrowed C and J framed Rotax 600 built by Scott Sehl. For much of his incredible career, Beaulac raced with the support of Canadian roadrace star Pascal Picotte (Hall of Fame class of 2017), including using a highly collectible XR750 vee-twin acquired by Picotte when he competed for the Harley factory aboard a VR1000 road racer in the late 2000s. [Photo: Colin Fraser]](/media/sigplus/preview/32691482b74aa4a5e8f38de4f5c20a82.jpeg)
Another Quebec roadrace ace receiving honours in Trois-Rivieres this fall is Robert Genereux, a star in the late 1970’s and winner of the CMA number one plate in 1978. Genereux was also a major player in the Sanir, Quebec based “Team Canada” War Lie Racing programs.
Genereux was a top competitor in 125cc and 250cc Grand Prix classes for pure race bikes, machinery prepared by his father in their St Cesaire Shop. However, Genereux retired at the peak of his form in 1980 and missed the surge in pavement competition that occurred in the early 1980’s.
Also included in the list of 2026 Inductees:
- Flat Track star Dominic Beaulac, the winner of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National round at fabled Lima, Ohio, in 2006
- Jean-Guy and Roger Bibeau, star 1960’s racers and founders of Quebec’s renowned Moto Vanier Dealership
- Marco Dube, Manufacturer representative and former star racer, including a decade competing in the AMA including Supercross, and winning multiple Canadian titles in the 1990’s and 2000’s
- Marcel Fournier, 31-time National Ice Racing Champion and famous for his custom tires built for motorcycle ice racing
- Serge Gregoire, Shop owner in Joliette and top Moto Cross racer (with brother Gaby) in the late 1970’s and 1980’s, factory Yamaha Canada racer 1985, retiring after the 1986 Montreal Super Cross
- Jean-Marc Houde, a star flat tracker in the 1960’s based in Quebec City, the fifth member of his family to compete on two-wheels. Houde earned the White Trophy as the top points score in Canada from the CMA in 1963
- Dave Munroe was a top east coast racer and one of the founders and developers of Atlantic Motorsport Park in Nova Scotia, as well as a former owner of Pro Cycle in Halifax and the father of roadrace legend Don Munroe, (Hall of Fame class of 2006).
- Roger Rouillard, a top ice racer in the early 1960’s with a BSA, winner of the Quebec Senior Title, also roadracing a Norton twin to top Canadian status at Mosport International.
Other’s recognized include the Bar and Hedy Hodgson Award (the Hall’s original patrons) for Journalist, racer and bike builder Costa Mouzouris and the Ambassador Award to former racer, announcer, and executive Daniel “Chico” Chicoine.
The Honda supported 19th Hall event takes place on Saturday afternoon and evening, October 24, at Complexe Laviolette in Trois Rivieres, the host city a legendary location in Quebec motorsports.
