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Nov 16
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Legislature passes “autocycle” bill, creates new fee for three-wheelers

By General Posts

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The state Assembly has signed off on a bill that would define autocycles in state law and establish registration fees for the vehicles.

Autocycles are three-wheeled vehicles that can seat one or two people.

The Republican-authored bill would define an autocycle as a vehicle with three wheels in contact with the ground, seating that doesn’t require straddling and a steering wheel. The bill would establish a $45 annual registration fee and allow anyone with a regular driver’s license to operate one.

The Assembly approved the bill unanimously Tuesday. The Senate passed the measure in October. The measure goes next to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who can sign it into law or veto it.

The governor’s spokeswoman, Melissa Baldauff, didn’t immediately respond to an email asking if Evers supports the bill.

Jul 20
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Electric scooters: threat to motorcyling or innocent fun?

By General Posts

No license, no registration, no insurance, no helmet: all you need to rent and ride an electric scooter is an app on your phone. FEMA’s Wim Taal looks into why this could be a threat to motorcyclists.

Especially in larger cities, a growing number of people are using personal light electric vehicles (PLEVs), to move on the streets, such as ‘e-scooters’ or ‘trottinettes’ and other devices such as Segways, monowheels and powered skateboards.

Most of these vehicles are not currently subject to any form of registration, or any other regulation such as type approval, driver training and licensing and third party insurance. It is not up to FEMA to lay out a set of rules for these vehicles, but we are concerned that these type of vehicles could be categorized as powered two-wheelers. That could mean that victims of road accidents with these vehicles end up in motorcycle accident statistics, possibly causing stricter (safety) rules for motorcyclists.

The fact that more and more cities are planning parking bans on sidewalks for personal light electric vehicles, can also mean stricter parking rules for motorcycles. Other than most bicycle rental schemes, the rental scooters do not need to be put in docking stations. Typically the vehicles are left all over sidewalks, left behind by the user that reached his destination.

‘If victims of accidents with e-scooters end up in motorcycle accident statistics, stricter (safety) rules for motorcyclists can follow. A parking ban on sidewalks for e-scooters can also mean stricter parking rules for motorcycles’.

A number of companies have flooded cities with electric scooters that can be rented using an app on your phone. In Paris for example, over 20,000 of these two-wheelers have been introduced. From an article in the Guardian: “Broken scooters end up in some of the city’s famed gardens or are even tossed over bridges into the Seine, and the city’s pavements have become something of a battleground between riders and pedestrians. Mayor Anne Hidalgo says electric scooters have fallen into a legal grey zone and after repeated complaints and a spate of injuries and near misses, the mayor and police want to limit speeds to 20km/h in most areas and 8km/h in areas with heavy foot traffic, and prohibit parking anywhere but designated spaces. Hidalgo also plans to limit the number of scooters. Paris already imposes €135 fines for riding on the pavement and €35 fines for blocking the pavement while parked.”

In Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, police are seeing growing numbers of riders of rental scooters that use them to get home after a night on the town, whilst intoxicated by alcohol or drugs. These users face fines of up to £240.

FEMA’s considerations

Collision and injury data relating to these vehicles must be collated separately from that relating to motorcycles, mopeds or bicycles. This is a major concern for us as we do not want to have the collision data for motorcycles skewed by the inclusion of two- or three-wheeled powered vehicles which are not subject to the same regulations.

We propose to create a separate category L0 (L-zero) for PLEVs to distinguish them from bicycles, electric assisted bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles and other L-category vehicles.

Apr 12
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Letter sent to NHTSA Seeking Clarification on the Definition of a Motorcycle

By General Posts

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation would like to thank Congressman Michael Burgess (TX) and Congressman Tim Walberg (MI) for a letter they sent this week to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) seeking clarification regarding the definition of a motorcycle. In addition to Congressman Burgess and Congressman Wahlberg, the following U.S. Representatives joined their colleagues in signing the letter: Congressman Troy Balderson (OH), Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO), Congressman Collin Peterson (MN), Congressman Steve Stivers (OH) and Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA). The current definition is decades old and so broad that new vehicles on our roadways, with numerous carlike features, are defined as motorcycles.

“As you know, NHTSA has long defined a motorcycle as a ‘motor vehicle with motive power having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground.’ While this was a clear characterization for many years, the recent emergence of a new class of vehicle that has attributes of both automobiles and motorcycles has created confusion,” the members wrote. “We respectfully request a response that describes whether NHTSA believes the current federal definition of a motorcycle is appropriate and if not, what NHTSA is doing to address this issue.”

The ambiguity of the classification of these new vehicles as either motorcycles or autocycles has created a patchwork of rules and regulations at the state level for licensing, registration and insurance. The MRF believes that a review of this definition is needed and would help provide clarity to states when making decisions on how to appropriately regulate them. We thank these seven members of Congress for seeking clarification from NHTSA on this issue of importance to motorcyclists.

President of the MRF, Kirk “Hardtail” Willard, stated “For three years our members have asked us to tackle the federal definition of a motorcycle. This letter is the first step in helping us understand the current thought process of NHTSA and hopefully opens up a dialogue on the topic. We thank this bipartisan group of Congressmen for their leadership on this issue.”

Link to the Letter:
https://burgess.house.gov/uploadedfiles/04112019_burgess__walberg_letter_to_nhtsa.pdf

Mar 07
Love0

Women on Trikes: “Wild and Crazy” True Stories

By General Posts

With International Women’s Day on 8th March, we would like to showcase two stories from Women on Trikes series. Read how Susan and Nerolie got into triking and why they are living the dream with Trikes.

https://www.touroztrikes.com.au

https://www.rewaco.com

Susan – “Wild and crazy and it felt a little bit rebellious”

A surprise and spontaneous ride to high school on the back of a friends new Trike while living in a small country town in New Zealand, was the very moment I knew I wanted one. It was love at first ride, I was hooked.

At the time I was not old enough to have a car licence, but I will never forget how it felt to be on the back of the Trike. It was cool and it was different, lots of people had two-wheeler bikes, but this chopped up, backyard, custom made Trike was the real deal, it was wild and crazy and felt a little bit rebellious.

I moved back to Australia a few years later, and I never really saw many trikes. Every so often I would look around to buy one, but they were hard to find and never quite what I was looking for.

Most trikes were motorbike conversions but I wanted a long-raked style trike with a low centre of gravity but also one that would not spend more time in the garage being pulled apart and repaired. I’m not a mechanic, I just wanted to ride.

Life got in the way of my dream – kids, family, work all took priority for many years, and a trike was not something I could afford and it was not practical. How would I fit a baby seat to a trike?

In my early forties, the internet had made looking for a trike a lot easier, but they were still hard to find. I was prepared to travel to America to find a trike and bring it back to Australia, as there seemed to be a much bigger selection of trikes overseas than there were in Australia.

I finally came across the custom-made German Rewaco Trikes and could not believe my luck when I discovered they had a dealer in Australia.

I collected my trike around Valentine’s Day and it is still the love of my life. Since owning my trike and racking up nearly 50,000Ks I have met people from all walks of life, been involved in charity and fundraising events which give me a great amount of satisfaction but most of all I just love the wild, crazy rebellious feeling of cruising around Australia.

People young and old still stop and stare, and most fuel stops involve a conversation with a stranger asking what sort of motor it has. I still giggle at the reactions I get and the shocked whisper of “oh and it’s a girl riding it”.

Kids stare out the back window of their parent’s car waving at me, and I always wonder if one of them will grow up remembering the first time they saw my trike cruising down the highway and want one when they are older.

Nerolie fell in love with a Trike too

“Geez, that’s bright green, not sure about the colour. Then the green seemed to grow on us and now I absolutely love Kermmi!”

Growing up on a farm allowed me to ride motorbikes all the time…this sadly all changed once I moved into a town. Years went by and at the age of 38, I decided life is too short and went and got a motorbike licence. Read more…

I started with a Yamaha 650 Vstar. Due to an injury, I struggled to ride it or even get it out of the garage.

My partner Brendon and I had heard about trikes. We decided to look into buying one as this would enable me to still enjoy riding and it was something we could both still do together.

April 2016, we headed off to Bendigo to have a look at TOUROZ Trikes and maybe have a test ride to see if we liked them.

Col had a green and black demo RF1 LT sitting there.

First thoughts were: Geez, that is a bright green, unsure if I like that colour.

After some chatting with Col the green seemed to grow on us. Well the test ride did not happen, we said stuff it, you only live once!

We came home with that beautiful green machine nearly 3 years ago, and I haven’t looked back…

I absolutely love Kermmi. I feel so great riding, and the freedom you feel with no pain! I would not change it for the world.

Mar 07
Love0

Texas Man Charged with Unlawful Carry Solely for Being a Bandido

By General Posts

The MPP has heavily reported on the recent trend of individuals being arrested for possession of handguns merely for membership in a motorcycle club. This includes individuals with no criminal records and License To Carry holder’s. The MPP has even issued a travel warning to motorcyclists traveling through Texas.

One such case against a member of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club (Ashley Becker) in Lubbock, TX continues with a refiling of charges for Unlawful Carry for mere membership in the club, which authorities label a criminal street gang.

Law enforcement and prosecutors should dismiss all such cases in the name of justice because they rely on an unconstitutional application of statute which ignores the basic principle of personal guilt.

Texas Penal Code 46.02, the statute prohibiting gang members from carrying weapons, is being misapplied to individuals simply for being members of motorcycle clubs. Take Ashley Becker, who was originally charged with Unlawful Carry and suspicion of possessing a controlled substance in Lubbock, Texas in 2018. The weapon wasn’t illegal, and no crime was committed. He was arrested under 46.02 for being a Bandido in possession of an otherwise legal weapon. The alleged controlled substance, after being tested multiple times, turned out to be inconclusive.

While prosecutors make no admission that they misapplied statute 46.02, they filed a motion to dismiss. The motion reads, “The interest of justice cannot be served through further proceedings in this matter.”

Although the 2018 indictment was dismissed without prejudice, on February 9, 2019 charges were refilled against Becker on the Unlawful Carry charges. The affidavit identifies Becker’s membership in the Bandidos as the only probable cause for arrest.

Authorities persist despite absurd, unconstitutional interpretation of law.

Despite the fact that their interpretation of statute is unconstitutional and in violation of established state and federal rules of evidence, law enforcement and prosecutors persist in wasting public resources targeting individuals like Becker for participating in Constitutionally protected expression and association. This absurd interpretation of 46.02 would mean that carrying a weapon is unlawful for any individual that is a member of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, with no other evidence, even with a License to Carry.

“If this seems outrageous, your instincts are correct. The MPP, after conducting cursory research on 46.02, has identified precedent, Ex Parte Flores 483 SW 3d 632 (2015), that clearly articulates how law enforcement is currently misinterpreting and misapplying Texas statute in violation of the basic rules of evidence and the US Constitution.”

“Law Enforcement and prosecutors should immediately cease and desist misapplying Texas statute. Applying Texas Penal Code 46.02 to members of clubs with no criminal records, and even LTC’s, would chill 1st Amendment Association and ignore the doctrine of personal guilt, “a cornerstone of American Jurisprudence.”

In the name of justice, prosecutors in Lubbock should again file a motion to dismiss all charges against Becker, this time with prejudice. Furthermore, prosecutors and law enforcement in El Paso, Dallas, and across the state of Texas should follow suite.

http://www.motorcycleprofilingproject.com

After motorcycle clubs, who’s next?
Everyone should ask themselves, “After motorcycle clubs, who’s next?” Every large identifiable group has individuals that have committed crimes. Should your civil liberties be taken based on the actions of other individuals you associate with even if you had no involvement in criminal activity?

The blatant attempt to disarm the entire community regardless of an individual’s personal involvement in criminal activity will not stop with motorcycle clubs if authorities are successful. Every American should be deeply concerned about this assault on basic civil liberties. Unpopular speech, including unpopular association, is the most important speech to protect. Or so long has held the Supreme Court.

Oct 14
Love0

Threesome Report: Make Some Room, Trike Riders Don’t Ride Alone

By General Posts

TRIKE NEWS Adventures on a Ural, Autocycle madness, 2019 Freewheeler, Deals, Offers, Discounts.

Tracy Getty, a World War 2 historian shares the chair, lighting up sparks of love with a Ural sidecar motorcycle. Tracy and her ride named “Wildcat” bring joy to people who never knew what three-wheels and a smile could do.

We bring you a basic background on the craziness of Autocycles and how it is affecting motorcycle industry, riders, insurance and legislation. While there are companies that want a motorcycle classification to avoid car crash testing expenses, there are others who want true innovation and a new understanding of where Autocycles stand in State and Federal law – and it is all really unsteady despite having more than two-wheels.

Harley-Davidson Freewheeler has a 2019 model that rocks. You can own a Ural or a Slinghsot for incredible deals on 2018 models. If you are an actual Trike lover with custom trike business or a custom trike, you would want to know what the financial and legal implications (pronounced as complications) are going to be.

READ IT AT Trikes.Bikernet.com NOW