AMA News And Notes

January 2006

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The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is hosting a Washington, D.C., seminar for motorcyclists who want to learn how to influence governmental decisions, whether in Congress or at their own local councils.
The seminar, to be held February 25-28 at the Phoenix Park Hotel in Washington, DC, allows participants to meet and learn from the AMA's Washington staff as well as other political experts. Besides learning about state and federal issues facing motorcyclists today, participants will get tips on building relationships with government agency officials and on lobbying elected officials. The instructors will also prepare participants to meet face-to-face with members of their own congressional delegations.
For more information, contact Sharon Smolinka at (614) 856-1900, ext. 1252 or by e-mail at ssmolinka@ama-cycle.org. You can register by printing the form on www.AMADirectlink.com and mailing it to the AMA, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147.

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AMA Board of Directors Chairman Rick Gray was elected mayor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on November 8. Gray, a defense attorney, defeated the incumbent mayor by winning 59 percent of the vote in the two-way race.
AMA President Robert Rasor congratulated Gray on his victory and said he expects Gray will remain on the AMA Board of Directors through the remainder of his term, which ends February 2007. Gray's term as chairman ends February 2006. Gray has represented the northeast region on the AMA Board of Directors since 1995.

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Toronto, Canada riders can now park their motorcycles and scooters in the city for free. Despite the new ruling some parking enforcement officers kept ticketing the vehicles for not paying at meters after city council approved the exemption in early November 2005.
Council was swayed by arguments that motorized two-wheelers are easier on the environment and help reduce gridlock. Councillor Case Ootes introduced the motion, which passed without opposition.
The city is also looking at letting scooters park on sidewalks and creating special areas for them to park, changes that could leave Toronto looking more like a European city.

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Brittan’s new traffic law proposal of ‘causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving’ should come with tougher penalties – according to rider’s rights organization the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF). The BMF says there should be a minimum sentence of 10 years - not the suggested 5 years.
Motorcyclists in particular suffer from driver carelessness where a ‘Sorry mate I didn’t see you’ excuse has often become an acceptable reason for a car-bike collision, even if the motorcyclist has been seriously injured or killed. (MCN.com)

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A national coalition of special interests recently said the US Forest Service’s new off-road vehicle regulations fail to adequately address urgent threats and pressed the agency to halt the continued creation and use of many off-highway vehicle routes in America’s forests.
While welcoming the Forest Service’s recognition of the serious problem, the Natural Trails and Waters Coalition said threats from these unplanned routes made by ATVs, off-highway motorcycles, jeeps and other off-road vehicles would not be controlled under the new regulations. They continue to claim that such routes damage wildlife habitat, create conflicts with other forest users, and facilitate trespass onto adjacent lands.
The coalition urged the Forest Service and its local forest managers to adopt measures which would require stricter guidelines to allow for trails, adhere strictly to the Presidential Executive Orders 11644 and 11989 requiring that “[off-road vehicle] areas and trails shall be located to minimize damage” and “conflicts,” designate more trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding, dedicate funds for increased enforcement, and require that “collaboration” to designate routes for “quiet recreationists” and other stakeholders.
The Natural Trails and Waters Coalition proclaims themselves to protect and restore all public lands and waters from the damage caused by dirt bikes, jet skis and all other off-road vehicles. The Coalition has a membership of 125 conservation, quiet recreation, and sportsmen organizations from across the country and can be found at www.naturaltrails.org.

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Nevada’s newest set of off-highway vehicle (OHV) rules will take effect on January 1, 2006 in an attempt by dealers to stop residents from going out of state to buy the vehicles and avoid the state's sales and use tax.
A representative of the Nevada Off-Highway Vehicle Enthusiasts says more than $38 million is lost in sales to Nevada dealers every year by buyers who get a better price in other states. And that translates into a loss of $2 million to $3 million in tax revenue. A person who buys an all-terrain vehicle, off-highway motorcycle, dune buggy, or snowmobile from out of state doesn't have to register with the state Department of Motor Vehicles. So there's no way to require the buyers to pay the use tax.
As part of the ruling OHV dealers can now issue certificates of operation and stickers. But there's no penalty for an owner of an off-highway vehicle, dirt bike or snowmobile to acquire one for free.
The new law says that a Nevada dealer must issue a certificate of operation and a sticker when it sells a new vehicle. Those who bought their vehicle out of Nevada can receive a certificate if the purchase was made before Jan. 1. Those who buy an off-road vehicle out of state after Jan. 1 can request a certificate but must show evidence that the sales and use tax has been paid in Nevada. But there's no enforcement if the off-road vehicles don't have a certificate and a sticker attached to the unit. And there's no penalty for failing to have the certificate or sticker.
There are also many exceptions to the law. A vehicle registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles doesn't need a sticker. Neither does a motor vehicle designed primarily for use in water. The new law also prohibits off-road vehicles from traveling on interstate highways, on paved highways for more than two miles with the exception of cities with a population of more than 100,000, these vehicles can be used if the local government designates the route for use. This allows local governments to designate sections of a highway for operation, but the operator must have a valid driver's license.

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Wisconsin has new legislation which requires all ATV’s not registered in the Badger State to obtain and display a nonresident ATV trail pass in addition to your home state registration. This trail pass must be permanently attached and visible near the forward half of the ATV and costs $18.00. All out of state machines must meet the Wisconsin definition of an ATV in order to legally operate in the state. For more information contact Lynn Yelk, Department of Natural Resources, Customer Service and Licensing Department at 608-267-7246 or at www.atv.wisconsin.gov.

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Australian young motorcyclists will have restrictions placed on the power of their bikes under a five-year motorcycle safety plan released in early November 2005.
Under the Motorcycling Road Safety Strategy 2005-2010, a power-to-weight ratio would apply to motorcyclists with L or P (beginner) plates. The plan has been introduced in response to figures showing motorcyclists are 30 times more likely to be killed on Southern Australia roads than other road users.
The new Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme would ensure novice motorcyclists were restricted to riding bikes with an engine capacity of up to 660 millilitres, with a power-to-weight ratio of 150 kilowatts/tonne. Previously, novice riders were limited to machines with a capacity of 250 millilitres or less, with no restrictions on acceleration.
The plan - developed with the SA Road Safety Advisory Council's Motorcycle Task Force - makes 21 other recommendations, including: expanding the use of high-skid resistant water-based pavement markings on roads, upgrading roadside rest areas to be more amenable for motorcyclists, and implementing an improved training model to complement the licensing system for motorcycle riders.

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San Bernardino County, CA officials presented a draft ordinance before the County Planning Commission in November before moving on to the County Board of Supervisors before year's end. The ordinance could limit OHV riding to no closer than 200 feet of an occupied structure, establish fines of $200 to $1,000 and up to 90 days in jail, and requires OHV riders to have written permission when riding on private property. The draft ordinance also prohibits excessive noise, dust and fumes.

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Scottsdale, AZ City Council recently toughened restrictions on motorized scooters rejecting an outright ban on the vehicles as an overreaction to resident complaints. Under the new regulations, scooter riders must operate the vehicles between 8 am and 8 pm and wear a motorcycle helmet while doing so. Riders are also required to install a taillight on the vehicles, which are similar to skateboards but with a motor and steering device attached. In the past two years, four Arizona cities, including Phoenix and Fountain Hills, have banned the scooters from their streets. Dozens of residents have pushed Scottsdale officials to do likewise. Many complained about the machines’ noise.

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Five US Congressmen, all from North Carolina, introduced legislation in November that could cost North Carolina more than $800 million in highway money each year if the state doesn't tighten its requirements to issue a driver's license.
The proposal would penalize six states that accept Taxpayer Identification Numbers to issue driver's permits. The ID numbers are issued by the Internal Revenue Service to taxpayers who do not have Social Security numbers. Critics say that the numbers are too easily duplicated and used by illegal immigrants to get state-issued driver's licenses.
In addition to North Carolina, Utah, New Mexico, West Virginia, Kentucky and Illinois accept the taxpayer number as identification to get a driver's license. Supporters of the bill say that it is necessary for homeland security.
US Representatives Patrick McHenry (R-10th), Virginia Foxx (R-5th), Walter Jones (R-3rd), and Charles Taylor, R-11th join Sue Myrick, R-9th in asking for this legislation.
Opponents of the bill say that it duplicates the Real ID Act. The bill, which President Bush signed in May, mandates universal requirements for all states to follow when issuing driver's licenses. The procedures must be in place by May 2008. The bill, which was sent to a House committee for review, will likely not come up for consideration until 2006.

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Myrtle Beach, SC Mayor Mark McBride lost his bid for a third term as Mayor to political newcomer, John Rhodes. McBride lost by 576 votes. Mayor McBride's reckless comments made last month in which he revealed his desire to "nudge" bikers, presumably with his car, for wearing t-shirts that McBride deemed offensive set off a firestorm of Anti-McBride activity within the motorcyclists’ community in Horry County and beyond. These comments were made at a candidate forum sponsored by ABATE of South Carolina and repeated later in other public venues.
Cynthia Powell lost her bid for Myrtle Beach Town Council. Her campaign centered on her desire to eliminate the two motorcycle rallies held in May each year in Myrtle Beach. Powell's brazen disdain for motorcycles and their riders fueled her desire to prohibit approximately five hundred thousand motorcyclists from assembling in Myrtle Beach during the month of May.

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The Redding Dirt Riders Motorcycle Club of Redding, CA has donated two concrete picnic tables to the Bureau of Land Management for installation at the Copely Mountain Off Highway Vehicle Staging Area, part of the Chappie-Shasta OHV area near Redding.
The staging area, 15 minutes from Redding off Iron Mountain Road, offers access to more than 200 miles of trails and roads for four-wheel-drive vehicles, off-highway motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles. The terrain and trails provide riding challenges for novice to expert riders.
The OHV area is managed jointly by the BLM, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, the US Bureau of Reclamation and the Shasta County Sheriff's Department.

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S&S Cycles of LaCrosse, WI is now advertising their new Stainless Performance Oval (SPO) mufflers for motorcycles nationwide. The SPO mufflers are advertised as being half as loud as other performance pipes to reduce unwanted noise without compromising power and performance. The “Keep ‘Em Quite” campaign is in line with the findings of the Motorcycle Sound Working Group’s publication Sound Advice. Sound Advice can be found at www.AMA-cycle.org/legisltn/soundbook.pdf and S&S Cycles is on the web at www.sscycle.org.

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AMA Government Relations News & Notes is a monthly service compiled and edited by the AMA Government Relations Staff to keep motorcyclists informed of happenings around the world. We welcome your news & views. Please submit all material to Terry Lee Cook, Grassroots Manager, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147; fax 614-856-1920 or e-mail to tcook@ama-cycle.org.

Copyright 2005-2006, American Motorcyclist Association

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