The Congressional Management Foundation, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to helping congressional staff foster improved management practices, recognizes the American Motorcyclist Association’s efforts to fight the lead law.

The lead law banned the making, importing, distributing or selling of any product intended for children 12 and under, including kids' dirtbikes and all-terrain vehicles, that contained more than a specified amount of lead in any accessible part that might be ingested.

CMF is excited to introduce a new feature in which we look at successful advocacy campaigns that align with what congressional staff members have told CMF are effective methods for communicating with Congress. It’s always valuable to learn about real-life examples that support the research!

This month, we’re talking with the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) about their legislatively successful and award-winning “Kids Just Want To Ride!” advocacy campaign.

Continue reading “Advocacy Spotlight: ‘I Promise I Will Not Eat My Motorcycle.’”

The AMA could not have accomplished this without you!

When a new U.S. Forest Service (USFS) guide to help land managers maintain off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails was discovered to contain anti-OHV language, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and other OHV organizations quickly sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack demanding answers.

The intent of the guidebook is laudable: to help OHV trail managers develop sustainable trails and protect the environment surrounding the trails.

But the document includes a variety of statements and innuendo that reflect an anti-OHV bias, and cites as a source for information an anti-OHV group. This type of government guide should be fact-based and neutral. It shouldn't include inflammatory, biased language and the recommendations of a group known to oppose OHVs.

The 318-page guide, "A Comprehensive Framework for Off-Highway Vehicle Trail Maintenance," was released in January in book form and was posted on the USFS website. But the document was quickly pulled off the website, apparently following protests from the OHV community about offensive language.

Among other things, the document:

-   States "This framework was developed to help trail managers corral the OHV management dragon. The author hopes it has provided some insight into the nature of OHV trails, and some tools to help keep the beast at bay. Happy herding and happy trails!"
-   States OHV use causes an "increase in frequency and intensity of weather events," and acknowledges gathering information from the Wildlands CPR, which is an anti-OHV group.
-   Cites a Wildlands CPR proposal that no routes or trails should be allowed in "citizen or agency proposed wilderness... and other lands with wilderness character."

The report drew attention from a Washington Examiner columnist. The columnist investigated the anti-access group and discovered its name was originally “Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads.” In 2006, the name changed to Wildlands CPR.

Can you believe a federal agency would cite such a biased anti-access organization for a report about best management practices for OHV use on trails?  

On May 8, the AMA received a response letter from Vilsack, whose department includes the U.S. Forest Service. The secretary states the “Forest Service elected to remove the report… from the agency’s website in order to clarify the context for the reference to Wildlands CPR’s BMPs [best management practices] and how the Forest Service develops and uses its own National BMPs. The Forest Service also had concerns about some of the graphics and the relevancy of some of the information.”  

In other words, the graphic images of dragons may have been over the top.

So I guess we’ll just have to wait and see whether the Forest Service deletes the anti-OHV language and the “best management practices” of a group that believes you shouldn’t be riding on public land.

If the Forest Service deletes the anti-OHV language in the report – after all, it is a report on maintaining OHV trails -- and gets rid of the Wildlands CPR references, then Vilsack and the Forest Service deserve a tip of the helmet for realizing they messed up.

And if they don’t?

Well, instead of asking “What were they thinking” by including anti-OHV language and an anti-OHV group in the report, we’ll be asking “What does this tell us about how the Forest Service really feels about OHVs?”

Let us know what you think. Sound off with a comment below.

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month. States around the nation use this month to educate motorists about recognizing motorcyclists in traffic, as well as encourage motorcyclists to be careful on the road. Check out the American Motorcyclist Association’s webpage that includes numerous proclamations and other information. You can access the page by going to http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/MotorcycleAwareness.aspx.

The AMA has ramped up its 'Vote Like a Motorcyclist' campaign with T-shirts, pins and posters to supplement its 2012 AMA Voter Guide.

The national elections on Nov. 6 will set the tone for the future of motorcycling for many years to come. It's critical for motorcyclists to get out and vote to help protect their freedom to ride.

During this political season it's important to remind fellow riders to think before they vote, and to vote like a motorcyclist. One way to do that is by wearing a 'Vote Like A Motorcyclist' T-shirt while out for a ride, hanging with riding buddies or while picking up parts at a dealership.

It's also a visible reminder to non-riders and candidates that motorcyclists vote.

Gear up with 'Vote Like A Motorcyclist' items at zazzle.com/AmericanMotorcyclist. You can also show your support for the AMA by buying patches, decals and other great items by going to AmericanMotorcyclist.com/shop/gear.

OK, I admit it. I’m a sucker for limited-edition Suzuki GSX-R750s.

The 1986 GSX-R750 Limited Edition was stunning with its white, blue and red paint job. The solo seat and fiberglass tail section were all business. And the dry clutch rattle was music to my ears.

MSRP? $6,499 when the standard model GSX-R750 cost $4,499.

The dry clutch alone was worth the $2,000 premium. But I didn’t have the money to pony up for the limited. I did the next best thing… at least in my mind.

In 1987 I bought a brand-spanking new GSX-R750 and then over the years bought the bits from the Limited Edition that would bolt right on: gas tank, solo seat, GSX-R1100 rotors and brake calipers, aluminum heel guards, etc. But I couldn’t do anything about what made the 1986 Limited so special: the dry clutch.

Then, In 2005, Suzuki came out with a 20^th Anniversary Edition GSX-R750. I was lucky enough to be at a press intro where the bike was unveiled but I don’t remember now what made it so special, except for the retro paint job. I do remember wanting it. Bad.

And I do remember not being able to afford it. MSRP: $9,699.

Now, I am being teased again.

Yoshimura R&D of America recently announced all-new Yoshimura Limited Edition GSX-R600s, 750s and 1000s.

The Yoshimura Limited Edition GSX-R includes a Yoshimura R-77 carbon fiber slip-on, aircraft-grade aluminum CNC-machined hard parts, including a fender eliminator kit, case savers, chassis protectors, axle adjuster blocks, race stand stoppers, steering stem nut, bar ends, engine plug kit and an individually numbered limited edition name badge.

“With its striking custom paint, EPA noise compliant carbon fiber slip-on and the numerous street-legal hard parts included, owning one of these motorcycles not only makes your exquisite taste apparent, it grants you ownership of an extraordinary piece of Yoshimura history,” the company says.

I want one. The 750.

Price? I don’t know. I don’t care.

I think I’m going to try to get this one.

For info on the new bikes, see http://www.yoshimura-rd.com/t-limited_edition_GSXR.aspx

Yesterday, Mr. John Chatterton-Ross, Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme's (FIM) director of public affairs, stopped by the AMA's Washington office. We met to discuss various issues affecting motorcyclists in Europe and the United States. The AMA's relationship with the FIM allows the AMA to better understand what may be on the horizon, so that we can better protect your freedom to ride safely.

The AMA's Rick Podliska, the FIM's John Chatterton and former Sen. Wayne Allard,
who is the AMA's vice president of government relations

As the election season heats up, the AMA is getting ready to launch its 2012 Voter Guide as part of its 'Vote Like A Motorcyclist' campaign. Today, I entered the data for three states and the District of Columbia. For more information about the campaign, go to http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/votelikeamotorcyclist.

Although the event is not a qualifier for the AMA's 2012 U.S. team for the International Six Days Enduro (those are listed here), West Coast enduro racers can experience the qualifier format at the May 19-20 round of the AMA Western Checkpoint Enduro Championship at the Hungry Valley SVRA in Gorman, Calif.

The Two-Day Hungry Valley Quali-Fire will pay double series points, as well as enduro points for AMA District 36 (Northern California) and enduro and desert points for AMA District 37 (Southern California). Medals will be awarded to all participants who complete the two-day format, with the top 10% of riders getting gold, the next 10% getting silver and the rest getting bronze. Saturday- and Sunday-only entries are available. (Click here to download the flier.)

The AMA Western Checkpoint Enduro Championship is a new AMA Featured Series for 2012. A regional series, it's organized by the Western Enduro Promotions Group (WEPG). AMA Districts 36 and 37 (Southern California) and the AMA-chartered Arizona Offroad Motorcycle Racing Association are also behind the series. The events feature all styles of enduro competition, including time-keeping, start control and qualifier format in California, Arizona and Nevada.

So, if you're looking for a great time on your dirtbike in May, consider heading to Hungry Valley. The course should be a blast, and the qualifier format always offers a break from the norm.

Opponents of motorcycling are hard at work trying to take away our freedoms. They want to stop you from riding down streets, on public land or even in your own back yard.

Insurance companies want to jack up your rates and blacklist certain bikes right off the road. Officials want to shut down race tracks.

The fact is, motorcyclists face discrimination and the threats of discriminatory laws every day. Motorcycle-only checkpoints, for example, are happening now.

These attacks on our freedoms must stop.

As the nation’s longest-standing and most respected organization protecting your right to ride and race, the AMA is your toughest advocate for the motorcycling freedoms you deserve. But we need the political clout to fight for your rights, and we gain that political clout by having members.

A lot of members.

The more members we have, the more powerful we are. That’s because our only defense against the many threats to motorcycling is the strength we derive by banding together. Politicians understand strength in numbers.

We proved that recently with a landmark victory, when the AMA and our members played an important role in passing federal legislation that lifted the misguided nationwide ban on the sale of kids’ off-highway vehicles. Without the involvement of everyone in the riding community—from motorcycle and ATV industry officials to very young riders—this victory couldn’t have happened.

Our fight for motorcyclists’ right to ride and race continues every day.

For example, right now the AMA is urging federal transportation officials to end the grant program that gives states money for motorcycle-only checkpoints. These checkpoints single out riders and are discriminatory.

Officials claim they are pulling over riders and subjecting them to roadside inspections to promote safety. But if they really want to promote motorcycling safety, the AMA believes federal officials should be supporting motorcycle crash prevention programs.

We need you to help us fight for the rights of every motorcyclist. We need you to encourage others to join the AMA so that our strong voices are heard from the local village council all the way up to Capitol Hill saying: “Don’t take away our motorcycling freedoms!”

Encourage every rider you meet to join the AMA. Encourage every member of a racing family to join the AMA.

By joining the AMA they will help protect riding and racing. More members means more clout so we can fight important battles for all of us who love riding and racing, and for future generations.

Joining is easy. Just have them call (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) or go to AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Husqvarna is positively ancient. The company traces its roots to a 17th century milling factory that built guns for the Swedish army. While that background may not be extremely relevant to the modern iteration that manufactures motorcycles under the Husqvarna banner, it does lend some legitimacy to claims of historical iconicism.

And perhaps just a little bit of an intangible ability at producing a factory custom.

The brand, now a property of Germany's BMW, may have sprinkled some of that magic history dust on its latest concept, the "Husqvarna Concept Baja." With perhaps the exception of the headlight/number plate/cheese grater mashup (for my personal tastes, a full-on retro approach would have worked much better), the bike just looks right. It captures the era that American motorcyclists associate with Husqvarna: the late 1960s and early 1970s, when Malcolm Smith from "On Any Sunday" was king and everyone wanted to escape on two wheels.

The Baja concept bike certainly is a long way from the musket factories of Jönköping, but not that far removed from the sands of Pismo Beach -- and a time when riding was more about the ride and less about fighting for the right to do it.

Here's the press release...

January 20, 2012 - New York, NY - The distinct retro flair of the golden age of motorcycling is one that only Husqvarna can genuinely embody. The Husky marque is the definitive emblem of an era, and one that continues to symbolize bold innovation, classic design and timeless passion. Husqvarna's distinctive 1970's vibe is revisited in the Concept Baja - where vintage meets technology, and legendary style is redefined.

Vintage allure isn't all this trek-touring design has to offer; performance is what makes the Concept Baja truly exceptional. Ideal for the casual rider as well as the committed enthusiast, The Baja will continue the trek well after the pavement ends.

Husqvarna Concept Baja

• 650cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, four-stroke engine
• Five-speed wide-ratio transmission
• Electronic fuel-injection
• Brembo disc brakes
• Perimeter frame with progressive linkage swingarm

• Wheels: 19-inch front, 17-inch rear with intermediate-knobby tires
• Innovative LED crossbar instrument display

• Approachable seat height and layout suits wide spectrum of riders