Robin rode his first event at age 13 on a BSA Bantam at Ocean Beach (Hawkes Bay) then raced scrambles. He joined the Napier Motor Racing Cub in 1955 then played at speedway at Meanee before trying his hand at sidecars and road racing. He moved to Tokoroa and founded the South Waikato Motorcycle Club in 1967 and also joined the Hamilton Motorcycle Club.
He became a Steward for the NZ Auto Cycle Union in 1968 and ran trail rides for 21 years in Kinleith Forest, raising funds for the South Waikato Club’s motocross track and grounds. Robert become more involved in road racing but had a career-ending crash in 1978 in the Marlboro Series, which propelled him into the administration side of the sport.
Robin instigated Thunder Cross, an event for 4-stroke motocross, which is now the NZMX national series, and then Supercross, developing the rules for both disciplines which now form part of the Manual of Motorcycle Sport. He became an FIM Steward for 10 years in the 1980s & ’90s and has been a Senior Steward for many years.
Robin was made a Life Member of MNZ in 2010