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MRF Visits Waymo: Latest In Robo-Taxis

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Last week, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) attended an event in Washington, D.C., hosted by Waymo, a self-driving car company. Titled “Every Mile Together: Waymo Safety Forum and Discussion,” this event included a panel discussion with executives for Waymo, the National Safety Council and the Governors Highway Safety Association. Waymo is a subsidiary of Google and is best known for its “robo-taxis.” These vehicles allow riders to hail a car and travel to a destination without a driver. Operating without a driver falls under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) definition of “Level 4” automation. That NHTSA classification means, “When engaged, the system is fully responsible for driving tasks. A human driver is not needed to operate the vehicle.” An important takeaway from the event was that Waymo agrees with the MRF that current advertisements and the lack of transparency involving this modern technology are unacceptable. Other companies are operating vehicles with Level 2 autonomy. Misleading advertising means consumers are unaware of what tasks that automation level can perform. The Level 2 automation definition states: “Driver is fully responsible for driving the vehicle while the system provides continuous assistance with either acceleration/braking and steering.” The MRF is committed to fighting for the safety of bikers and will collaborate with allies on issues we agree upon. We thank the officials at Waymo for the invitation and for including us in these discussions. As a reminder, Waymo is operating in Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles, with plans to start in Austin, Texas. These vehicles are on the road now and their presence is growing. Waymo will soon begin testing in other locations, so, as always, remain vigilant. Join The MRF — visit http://mrf.org/

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Call To Action! S. 3094 (CARS Act)

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Call To Action — U.S. Senate Bill S. 3094 Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final rule on tailpipe emissions. The plan calls for greenhouse gas emissions limits for the 2027 through 2032 model years for passenger vehicles. The original plan would have required 67% of new light-duty car and truck sales to be electric by 2032. After pushback from numerous groups, hybrids became included in the calculations and targets were slightly lowered. Nevertheless, over 50% of cars for sale in less than a decade, will need to be electric. Last year the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act with bipartisan support. The vote was 221-197. The bill prevents the EPA from enacting these rules, thereby protecting the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE). Unfortunately, the Senate refuses to act. Only 37 U.S Senators are currently supporting the companion bill, S. 3094. If you care about preserving the Internal Combustion Engine, now is the time to act. Tell your Senators to push back against the mandate for electric vehicles. Click the Call To Action button below! Add your voice to those that want to defend our lifestyle. There is speculation that new bills will be introduced to protect the Internal Combustion Engine but we must keep up the pressure! If bikers do not stand up now, will they hear us later? !!Call To Action!! Join The MRF — The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) provides leadership at the federal level for states’ motorcyclists’ rights organizations as well as motorcycle clubs and individual riders. The MRF is chiefly concerned with issues at the national and international levels that impact the freedom and safety of American street motorcyclists. The MRF is committed to being a national advocate for the advancement of motorcycling and its associated

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House Motorcycle Caucus Leadership

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New Leadership For House Motorcycle Caucus This week, the House Motorcycle Caucus announced changes to its leadership team. Congressman Michael Burgess of Texas, who will retire at the end of the year, has stepped down as co-chair of the caucus. Congressman Burgess helped found the caucus in 2009 and has been a tireless champion for bikers. He was the 2018 MRF Legislative Champion of the Year and we wish him well on his retirement! The current co-chair, Congressman Tim Walberg of Michigan, revealed that Congressman Troy Balderson of Ohio and Congressman Donald Norcross of New Jersey will join him as the new co-chairs. Mr. Balderson and Mr. Norcross are longtime members of the House Motorcycle Caucus and strong supporters of biker priorities. The House Motorcycle Caucus has always been a bipartisan group, so we are pleased to see Representative Norcross, a Democrat, join two Republicans as a co-chair. Additionally, the caucus named Freshman Congressman Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin as vice chair. Mr. Van Orden is an avid motorcyclist who made a point to ride his motorcycle to the Capitol for his first day in office! Thank you to all those who will lead and are members of the House Motorcycle Caucus. Remember, this organization and its sister group, the Senate Motorcycle Caucus, exist to educate, legislate and publicize the priorities of bikers on Capitol Hill. Below is a current list of House Motorcycle Caucus members as of Thursday, February 15th, 2024. Don Bacon (R-NE) Troy Balderson (R-OH) Jim Banks (R-IN) Mike Bost (R-IL) Angie Craig (D-MN) Rick Crawford (R-AR) John Curtis (R-UT) Tom Emmer (R-MN) Paul Gosar (R-AZ) Glenn Grothman (R-WI) Andy Harris (R-MD) Dusty Johnson (R-SD) Anne Kuster (D-NH) Doug Lamborn (R-CO) Tracy Mann (R-KS) Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) Donald Norcross (D-NJ) Scott Perry (R-PA) Bill Posey (R-FL) Adam

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The Tall Tales of the Climate Crisis

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by Daniel W. Nebert For the past 35 years, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us that emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, predominantly carbon dioxide (CO2), are causing dangerous global warming. This myth is blindly accepted — even by many of my science colleagues who know virtually nothing about climate. As a scientist, my purpose here is to help expose this fairy tale. From his seminal work while prisoner of war during WWI, Serbian mathematician Milutin Milankovitch explained how climate is influenced by variations in the Earth’s asymmetric orbit, axial tilt, and rotational wobble — each going through cycles lasting as long as 120,000 years. Click here to read this article on Bikernet.com * * * *

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Nominations for MRF Hall of Fame Class of 2024

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Nominees Wanted – Class of 2024 MRF Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Motorcycle Riders Foundation Hall of Fame The Motorcycle Riders Foundation Hall of Fame (MRFHOF) was introduced at the Meeting of the Minds in Denver, Colorado. This institution was created to recognize individuals who have worked through the MRF to positively impact motorcycling. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is proud to announce that the nomination process for the next class of inductees into the MRFHOF is now open. The nomination form and a timeline are posted on the MRF website at: Click for Nomination Form MRFHOF Website: https://mrf.org/mrf-hall-of-fame/ Nomination applications are due to the Hall of Fame Committee by March 1st, 2024 – please send completed forms to communications@mrf.org Past Motorcycle Riders Foundation Hall of Fame inductees are: Keith “Bandit” Ball, Mark Buckner, Wayne Curtin, Michael “Balls” Farabaugh, “Still” Ray Fitzgerald, Richard Gray, Bob Illingworth, Nathan “Buck” Kittredge, Ed Netterberg, Sherman Packard, Todd Vandermyde, Paul Vestal, Penny Walker, Ed Youngblood, Vince Consiglio, Fredric Harrell, Rodney Roberts, Simon Milward, JoAnne Packard, Karen Bolin, Lee Richardson, Jerry “JT” Thomas, Teresa Hepker, Dick “Slider” Gilmore, Charles Umbenhauer, Wanda Hummel-Shultz, “Biker” Jim Rhoades, Lee Ryan, Marc Falsetti, Gary Klinker, Charlie Williams, Dave Dwyer, “Radio” Bob Letourneau, “Farmer” John Eggers, Michael “Boz” Kerr, Butch Brown, Deb Butitta, Jim Dahling, Carol Downs, Jay Jackson, Gary Sellers, Kirk “Hardtail” Willard, Jim “Legs” Korte and Mary K. Donnay. JOIN MRF: https://mrf.org/

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Drag Specialties demands waiver signatures

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Hey, this is major important. Drag Specialties is making it mandatory to sign a waiver before you can buy any performance parts from any shop. This is why you need to be on the alert. There is only one organization with the balls to fight back, the MRF and the new IMA with Bob Kay, Kirk Willard and myself. We won’t go down without a fight. Join the MRF and the IMA Visit https://mrf.org/ Visit https://mrf.org/join/join-mrf-imac/ * * *

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Fliers for Freedom

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Hey, I was inspired by Becky Zarling, an MRF Assistant rep and a hardworking member of ABATE of Wisconsin. She pronounced in her newsletter that members of ABATE would attend every motorcycle event in Wisconsin, meet bikers and hand out fliers regarding legislation, MRF efforts and ABATE of Wisconsin activities. I was moved and motivated. I asked Becky if I could create an important MRF flier about the biggest threat to our lifestyle. Could she add it to her leaflets and make it available to riders all over her state? She said yes, but there were some guidelines she must follow. First the flier had to be motorcycle centric and secondly, and of course, the wording must be approved by the MRF Board. There you have it. So, I’m here to present my original version and the version edited by the CO2 Coalition. I hope one or the other is approved and we can move forward. Chris Callen, the boss of Cycle Source Magazine volunteered to handle the art layout. We will make these available to anyone who wants them free of charge. Bikernet.com is also sponsoring this effort. Keith R. Ball Bikernet.com WHAT’S THE BIGGEST THREAT TO MOTORCYCLING AND OUR LIFESTYLE? CLIMATE DOOMSDAY Harley CEO Jochen Zeitz tells us that after 120 years of being famous for its big gas-powered models, electrification is the logical next step. –Jalopnik SO, WHAT’S THE REAL DEAL, THE TRUE SCIENCE? CARBON DIOXIDE CO2 IS NOT A POLLUTANT More carbon dioxide will help everyone including future generations. CO2 is the essential food for land-based plants. The Earth’s biosphere has experienced a relative CO2 famine for millions of years, but the recent increase in CO2 levels with the use of Fossil Fuels has had a measurable, positive effect on plant life. FUTURE CO2 INCREASES WILL

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California’s Attack on the Internal Combustion Engine

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This week, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a hearing on proposed emission standards from the State of California. The plan submitted by California would end the sale of new cars and light-duty vehicles with internal combustion engines by 2035. In response to the California CARB plan, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) submitted comments to the EPA. We know this attack on internal combustion engines will eventually include motorcycles and we must respond. The MRF is fighting to preserve the bikes we love, as well as the local shops and dealers that support the internal combustion engine. It is time to fight back! Click to read MRF comments submitted to EPA hearing: MRF Comments to EPA To Join the MRF visit https://mrf.org * * * *

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