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NCOM Biker Newsbytes for May 2023

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Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish Industry & Legislative Motorcycle News from USA and the world IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK — “COMING TOGETHER” WELCOMED AT NCOM CONVENTION AORA WOULD EXPAND MOTORIZED RECREATION MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY “FLAT” AS SALES SLIP MIC ADDS POPULAR “ADVENTURE BIKE” MARKET SEGMENT NHTSA REPORTS RISE IN MOTORCYCLIST FATALITIES WHO PROMOTES HELMET USAGE WORLDWIDE ENHANCED DRIVERS LICENSES AVAILABLE IN OHIO MOTORCYCLE TRAINING GRADUATES EXEMPTED FROM SKILLS TEST IN KENTUCKY BIG-FOUR TO CONDUCT JOINT RESEARCH ON HYDROGEN MOTORCYCLES Click Here to Read the NCOM news on Bikernet.com * * * * * * * * Click & know more about Bikernet’s Free Weekly Newsletter

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MRF Update: Paving the Way & Rolling Toward Washington, D.C.

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BIKERS INSIDE THE BELTWAY ! THE VOICE OF BIKERS IN WASHINGTON ! The groundwork to pave the metaphorical roads to Washington D.C. and Capitol Hill took time and commitments from freedom loving motorcyclists from throughout the country. Individual attendance to Bikers Inside the Beltway, less than a month away, makes a difference in accomplishing our legislative goals. Yes, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation is rolling toward Washington. Yes, since 2009 the MRF has hosted Bikers Inside the Beltway, a grassroots tradition orchestrated by SMROs that began with just as much determination but without a name in 1989. The MRF has brought over a thousand motorcyclists to Washington to meet with their members of Congress with the sole mission of promoting a legislative agenda that continues to successfully become law on behalf of all street riding motorcyclists. Those visits are effective. Members of Congress know that it is not easy for constituents to make the trip to Washington, D.C. And when constituents from a well-known organization such as the Motorcycle Riders Foundation venture to Washington to meet with their congressional delegation, members of Congress tend to listen. Your personal visit to Congress does make a difference. Co-sponsors on legislation the MRF supported rose over 20 percent during Bikers Inside the Beltway in 2021. Numbers make a difference. Currently, there almost ninety co-sponsors on H. Res 366 – an anti-profiling resolution. By joining other freedom loving motorcyclists, you can help increase those co-sponsors so that those numbers make an even greater difference. The MRF’s legislative agenda – beyond the three items listed below — recommended and approved by SMRO leaders at the 2021 Meeting of the Minds, is not all-inclusive. News items during the past two weeks have repeatedly demonstrated why the following items are at the top of the MRF’s legislative agenda

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At Largest Market: Two-wheeler sales crash to 10-year-low in FY22

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Two-wheeler sales crash to 10-year-low in FY22; motorcycles fall below 9 mn India is the largest manufacturer of two-wheelers and also the largest market for it. (China being second) One of the primary reasons for this downfall is the spiraling cost of fuel prices. by John from https://www.newswwc.com/ New Delhi: Rural distress impacted the Indian two-wheeler segment, one of the largest in the world, in a big way that their sales in 2021-22 fell sharply, for the first time in ten years, to 13,466,000 units, as per the latest data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). It was in 2011-2012 that the two-wheeler sales were close to this number at 13,409,00. ( India’s Financial Year is calculated as from 01-April-2021 to 31-March-2022 ) Throughout the year, demand for motorcycles and scooters was impacted by rural distress and higher ownership cost amidst soaring fuel prices. Sales of two-wheelers, particularly motorcycles failed to gather momentum even during the festive months, leaving the companies burdened with a pile of unsold stocks. As a result, the overall sales of motorcycles fell below the 9-lakh mark for the first time since 2016-2017, SIAM report said. One of the primary reasons for this downfall is the spiraling cost of fuel prices. Barring two months, petrol prices escalated in almost all months of FY22, sometimes even thrice a month that severely impacted the demand of entry-level motorcycles which is the primary choice of the budget-conscious low-income consumers. New motorcycle sales are directly correlated with fuel prices, as 62% of the country’s fuel sales are consumed by the two-wheeler segment. According to market experts, spike in auto fuel prices has triggered the rate of deferment majorly among the consumers of below 125cc two-wheelers that hold about 80% of the total market. Besides, shortage of semiconductors and

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Electric Cars Can Kiss My Ass

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Eclectic article on Electrifying Changes in Our Lives by the Wicked Bitch Here it from the lady who has driven everywhere and tweaked the vehicle to get anywhere. ‘Charge’ up your courage and decide the road for your own fate. “My dad bragged that I could tell a Ford from a Chevy by the time I learned to walk.. and when i did learn to walk, I left tiny handprints in the dust of an old yellow Volkswagen bug in the corner of the shop.” CLICK HERE To Read this “Heart to Kickin’ Butt” article on Bikernet.com Join the Cantina if you aim to Ride Free Forever!!! Sign up by Clicking Here.

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MRF Update: Transportation Funding Unlocked

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This week the House and Senate are tackling a self-imposed deadline to pass funding legislation before government departments and agencies run out of money. To avoid a government shutdown, a large omnibus spending bill is being voted on that will fund government operations through the end of September. Importantly for transportation related projects and programs, the omnibus bill unlocks billions of dollars in funding that Washington red tape has delayed. Lawmakers and transportation officials have been warning for months that full implementation of the $1.5 trillion infrastructure law, which was enacted in November, isn’t possible because government funding is constrained at 2021 levels. So, while the money is actually in the accounts and ready to be spent, transportation agencies are locked out of using a large percentage of the money until this second piece of legislation is enacted. Only in Washington, D.C. does it take two bills, five months apart, to achieve your policy objectives! Lawmakers Focus on Tesla Recently Tesla has come under criticism for its Autopilot and Full-Self Driving (FSD) features, which critics say give the impression to drivers that the vehicles are capable of hands-off operation. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened two investigations into Tesla’s autopilot system and the automaker has launched nearly a dozen recalls in the U.S. Many of those recalls are related to over-the-air updates which allows Tesla to tweak and change its software remotely. Last month, Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a letter to Tesla seeking answers to a series of questions regarding its technology. Included in the letter were questions regarding safety programming, issues related to phantom braking and driver monitoring capabilities. Tesla responded to the letter last week saying in part, “Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD Capability features enhance the ability of our

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National Roadway Safety Strategy Announced

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Thursday afternoon, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced a new national road safety campaign. The plan, known as the “National Roadway Safety Strategy,” comes in response to increased year over year fatalities on our nation’s roadways. In 2020, an estimated 38,680 people died as a result of a motor vehicle crash. Of those, approximately 9% were motorcyclists’ fatalities. What is most alarming about the increase in fatalities, is that the total number of miles traveled on our roads decreased during the pandemic. Americans traveled 13.2% less miles in 2020 than we did in 2019, but we saw a 7.2% increase in deaths. The preliminary numbers for the first 6 months of 2021 are also troublesome. From January through the end of June 2021 an estimated 20,160 people died in crashes. That is the largest number of projected deaths in that time frame since 2006. To combat this trend the plan outlines five key objectives: Safer People: Encourage safe, responsible behavior by people who use our roads and create conditions that prioritize their ability to reach their destination unharmed. Safer Roads: Design roadway environments to mitigate human mistakes and account for injury tolerances, to encourage safer behaviors, and to facilitate safe travel by the most users. Safer Vehicles: Expand the availability of vehicle systems and features that help to prevent crashes and minimize the impact of crashes on both occupants and non-occupants. Safer Speeds: Promote safer speeds in all roadway environments through a combination of thoughtful, context-appropriate roadway design, targeted education, and outreach campaigns, and enforcement. Post-Crash Care: Enhance the survivability of crashes through expedient access to emergency medical care, while creating a safe working environment for vital first responders and preventing secondary crashes through robust traffic incident management practices. The recently passed infrastructure bill has components and funding to

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Political Agendas on Electrical Vehicles Charge Up Emotions

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by Colby Martin from SEMA Action Network (SAN) at https://www.semasan.com GROUNDING THE “EV” BUZZ Political Agendas Surrounding Automobiles Charge Up Strong Emotions The impending arrival of electric cars and trucks has caused quite a stir. Sure, everyone shares the well-intentioned notion of a healthier environment. But constant announcements about the potential phasing out of new gas-powered vehicles have enthusiasts worried about the future of the hobby. Thanks in part to a 24-hour news-cycle, the automotive-minded are forced to ponder this great unknown with greater frequency. With the topic weighing heavier on many minds, the question arises: what’s to become of the tailpipe—and when? Clearly there are crossed wires needing to be untangled. Acronym Soup First, we must understand the common lingo used in automotive discussions. The gasoline-sipping internal combustion engine (ICE) has long been the motivator of choice. However, the low- and zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) categories have emerged and made significant improvements in recent years. There are several different models of these cars and trucks such as electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrids, and those running on hydrogen fuel-cells. With such competition, it may seem like traditional rides could have a tougher existence in a yet-uncertain future of alternative powerplants. Government Directives The latest update in the automotive world came from the nation’s top office: the Biden Administration. President Joe Biden signed the “Executive Order on Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks” in August. In short, the measure calls for 50% of all sales of new cars and light trucks in the US be ZEV by the year 2030. “It is the policy of my Administration to advance these objectives in order to improve our economy and public health, boost energy security, secure consumer savings, advance environmental justice, and address the climate crisis,” said President Biden. Biden’s action was

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Proposed California Fee Increases Threatens Motorcycle Industry

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September 17, 2020 For Immediate Release “Proposed California Fee Increases Threatens Motorcycle Industry” Empowered by changes to state law, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has begun the process of increasing certification fees for original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket manufacturers. The CARB certification is required to sell motorcycles and parts in the state of California and has ripple effects throughout the nation. The stated goal of the increases is to help offset the cost to California for enforcement and operations of its clean air policies. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is concerned that grossly inflated certification fees will further hamper the aftermarket parts industry’s ability to remain viable. In these trying economic times, increasing fees on the manufacturing industry will no doubt have wide ranging effects. MRF President Kirk “Hardtail” Willard stated, “Putting additional financial strain on aftermarket parts manufacturers will without question impact the average consumer. Motorcycle shops, dealers, manufacturers and distributors are all key components of the motorcycle ecosystem. Anything that impacts the motorcycle industry eventually impacts the motorcycle consumer. The state of California should not destroy the motorcycle industry in an attempt to balance its budget.”

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