While standing in a Sturgis bar full of bikers swigging whiskey and watching half-naked damsels dance seductively across the bartop, I realized that few of these scruffy to upscale riders know there's an entire community of motorcyclists devoted to preserving motorcycle freedoms. That's right. As we bang through life bobbing and weaving between taxes, exes, bosses and bad laws, there's a crew out there who spend every waking moment fighting for our freedoms.
It's amazing. In some dark corners of our world, it's a secret society the average rider isn't aware of. When, in a whiskey-induced depression you thought all was lost, FORR-MO (Freedom of the Road Riders of Missouri) fought for 20 years to allow motorcyclist to ride free of helmet laws. A repeal bill is now on the governor's desk. In California, the most restrictive state in the nation, a woman is trying to pass a motorcycle smog-testing bill. It is being fought ardently by ABATE of California members and the California Motorcycle Dealers Association. All over the state, active riders are writing their California legislators. Motorcycles represent less than 1 percent of all emissions, and testing them is ridiculous.
In Montana, a brother rider, a SEMA member (hot rod aftermarket association), Senator Brueggaman, introduced a bill to allow classic custom motorcycles to be registered without EPA dictates. The U.S. Congress in Washington DC recently declared May as “Motorcycle Safety & Awareness month,” one of the many efforts led by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, a national umbrella group of state motorcycle rights organizations founded by Richard Lester.
“NCOM provides a statewide organization information network, along with a legal and legislative support system, to assist them in their battle for bikers' right back home,” explained NCOM board member Bill Bish. “Through our combined efforts, biker activists have succeeded in mobilizing one of the most effective grass roots movements in the world, having repealed helmet laws on the federal level and in most states (only 20 states now require helmet use for all riders), overturning such archaic anti-motorcycle laws as handlebar height limits, equipment restrictions and lighting issues, as well as addressing parking problems, licensing, training, emissions…you name it.”
There's a crazy bastard in Texas, Sputnik, who has fought motorcycle restrictions with the Texas Motorcycle Rights Association for over 20 years in the Lone Star State, which passed a helmet repeal a decade ago. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is another national organization fighting with over 200,000 state organization members to keep us free, dealing with right to repair bills, insurance discrimination, helmet laws, and reflective vest laws requirements, such as those being passed in the Philippines.
“We have attended hearings on road rage, distracted drivers, high speed chases, poker runs, many alternative vehicles, traffic violations causing a death, two on helmets, noise, many cell phone bills and on and on,” said Kirk Willard, president of the MRF, of issues they are facing in only Maine, where he works with the United Bikers of Maine (UBM). He faces similar issues in Wisconsin, where he partners with ABATE of Wisconsin.
There's more. This writer, Keith “Bandit” Ball, the owner of Bikernet.com, is working with SEMA, the largest aftermarket automotive association in the country, to create a motorcycle council. I would like to create a link between the motorcycle aftermarket industry, motorcycle rights organizations and the hot rod industry. We need all the help we can get. Here's another quote from Kirk Willard regarding impending regulatory issues:
“We are living in a time when all of America is losing rights so fast that it sounds like a kid dragging a stick along a picket fence, clicking off our freedoms. We have dug in so deep that as soon as it warms up and the pipes won't freeze, we might think about running water into the foxhole and creating an Olympic pool. That youngster on the bicycle with the ticking stick will, undoubtedly be forced to wear a goofy looking bicycle helmet, don his teeth protector, elbow pads, knee guards and probably ear protection from the rushing wind. The NHSTA will discover defective equipment on the bicycle and fine the manufacturer. The owner of the tree the stick fell from will be charged with not having a barrier around the tree and allowing a minor to play with a lethal weapon. OSHA will immediately cite him for not posting warning stickers on how to use a stick and failure to provide schooling on the proper handling of said instrument. Plus he will be fined for the size of the watering moat around the tree and the drops of oil from his motorcycle on the driveway.”
Life is nuts, but we have a chance to make a difference every day, to stand up and inject freedom back into our rampant regulatory society. It's easy: Turn on your computer and go to the MRF or NCOM web sites, or the SEMA web site, if you're into hot rods or muscle cars. They will help you find your local group–so join. You will immediately be connected to folks with tremendous hearts, knowledge, political experience and an unrelenting desire for freedom.
Ride Forever,
–Bandit
