MRF Alerts

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  • 01/30/2024 4:07 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    2024 has seen no rest on the subjects of Right To Repair, Autonomous Vehicles, availability of E10 or any of the rest of the MRF's priority topics. So far this year, MRF officers have been to visit gatherings in Michigan, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania and the Kansas Lobby Day. If you'd like MRF representatives to visit your state event, contact our office at mrfoffice@mrf.org

  • 10/31/2023 10:10 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    In April 2023, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted to ban the sale of medium and heavy-duty diesel-powered vehicles in the state starting in 2036. As the MRF shared last year, the implications of this move by CARB are enormous. With California being the largest market for vehicles in the country, manufacturers are being forced to make decisions on the products they offer. 

    It now appears that the first domino may have fallen. In a recent memo to dealers, the Ford Motor Company announced the following policy for California, “Beginning January 1, 2024, Ford will not allow or recognize sales or delivery of 2025 Model Year diesel Medium Duty (F-650/F-750) units to customers who register their vehicles in the state.” You read that correctly. That is eleven years in advance of the directive from CARB that Ford is now forbidding its dealers from selling diesel-powered F-650/F-750 in the largest state in the Union. 

    This action by Ford may be the first in what will be a growing list of manufacturers who bend to the will of California regulators. Why can California do this? The Clean Air Act allows California to seek a waiver of the preemption that prohibits states from enacting emission standards for new motor vehicles. 

    We know that officials in California will not stop here. They already have banned the sale of gas-powered golf carts, lawnmowers, chainsaws, and generators. To make matters worse, more than a dozen other states link their emissions laws to California standards. That means that in some cases, 40% of vehicles on the road are subject to California standards regardless of whether the vehicle is registered in California.

    The writing is on the wall. If we want to protect motorcycles and the internal combustion engines that power them, we must act now. 

    Recently the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1435 which would amend the Clean Air Act to prevent a ban on the sale of internal combustion engines (ICE), effectively trumping any state law that outlaws their sale.

    The Senate now needs to act on its version of the bill. If you haven’t already, click here and ask your Senators to support S.2090 - Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act of 2023. It may be the only way to stop the war on ICE that is being waged in the Golden State.

  • 10/30/2023 3:46 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    As early as this week, the House of Representatives Committee on Rules will meet to discuss the annual funding bill for the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). The Rules Committee is the last stop before bills go to the full floor for a vote. It provides all lawmakers the opportunity to submit amendments to a bill for the full House to consider. 

    This year, Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Representative Troy Balderson (R-OH) have submitted an amendment to the USDOT funding bill that states:

    None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) for activities intended to encourage states to adopt legislation, regulations, policies, directives, or guidance to profile motorcycle riders, nor shall such funds be used by States to implement any activity with the primary intent of profiling motorcycle riders.

    How can you help? 

    At this point, ONLY the thirteen (13) members of the Rules Committee have the power to approve the amendment. So, if one of the following thirteen (13) members is your Representative, pick up the phone and call your Representative. Ask them to “Vote yes, in the Rules Committee hearing on the Walberg/Balderson, Amendment #137 to H.R. 4820. Help protect bikers from being unfairly profiled!”

    If you do not know the name of your Congressional Representative,
    click here to find out.

    If you do not know how to contact your Congressional Representative, call the main switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be connected to the correct office.

    Remember ONLY these thirteen (13) members have the power to move this amendment forward. If you can help, pick up the phone and make the call today! 

    Rep. Michael Burgess (R- TX)
    Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)
    Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R - MN)
    Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA)
    Rep. Erin Houchin (R- IN)
    Rep. Nicholas Langworthy (R - NY)
    Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM)
    Rep. Tom Massie (R - KY)
    Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA)
    Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO)
    Rep. Ralph Norman (R - SC)
    Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R- PA)
    Rep. Chip Roy (R - TX)

  • 10/26/2023 9:06 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Tuesday, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) notified Cruise, a self-driving car subsidiary of General Motors, that the DMV is suspending Cruise’s autonomous vehicle deployment and driverless testing permits, effective immediately

    Since June 2022, Cruise has been offering commercial driverless car service, which means no driver behind the wheel. There have been reports of Cruise vehicles clustering at intersections, blocking traffic, and engaging in worrisome interactions with emergency vehicles. 

    In the release, the California DMV said, “The department’s autonomous vehicle regulations provide a framework to facilitate the safe testing and deployment of this technology on California public roads. When there is an unreasonable risk to public safety, the DMV can immediately suspend or revoke permits.”

    The agency cited four reasons for the suspension. 

     – Based upon the performance of the vehicles, the Department determines the manufacturer’s vehicles are not safe for the public’s operation.

    – The manufacturer misrepresented information related to safety of the autonomous technology of its vehicles.

    – Any act or omission of the manufacturer, or one of its agents, employees, contractors, or designees which the department finds makes the conduct of autonomous vehicle testing on public roads by the manufacturer an unreasonable risk to the public.

    – The department shall immediately suspend or revoke the Manufacturer’s Testing Permit or a Manufacturer’s Testing Permit – Driverless Vehicles if a manufacturer is engaging in a practice in such a manner that immediate suspension is required for the safety of persons on a public road.

    This step by the State of California is dramatic for a state positioned at the forefront of deploying this recent technology. In the past week, federal regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into recent incidents involving Cruise vehicles. However, the action by regulators in California is a powerful move to push back against the deployment of these vehicles, which many believe are not yet ready for our nation’s roads.

    The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is committed to collaborating with federal policymakers to ensure the detection of bikers by self-driving technology. The lack of action by officials in Washington, D.C. remains frustrating. However, we are pleased to see regulators in California taking a stand in the face of growing incidents with Cruise vehicles. We will continue to watch other states and hope they will also fill the void left by federal inaction.
  • 09/22/2023 10:09 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
    Just yesterday, BMW directed its North American dealers to stop the sale of all new and used motorcycles. The directive only effects motorcycles using internal combustion engines. BMW electric motorcycles are not impacted by the order. 

    BMW stated that, “This temporary stop sale is not safety related and BMW owners may continue to ride their motorcycles as normal.” The fact that the order is not related to safety and does not impact electric motorcycles has led to much speculation. One possible reason for the move by BMW could be emissions related. The focus on both new and used motorcycles hints that is a long-standing issue BMW is trying to address.

    It’s unclear how this order will impact BMW owners who may face recalls, or other maintenance situations. Regardless of the “temporary” status, being that this information focuses on “internal combustion engines” and offers electric motorcycles as a replacement, it certainly has our attention. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation will track this developing story and update you as the more information becomes available. 

  • 09/21/2023 4:00 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)


    Beginning in Ohio, President Kirk “Hardtail” Willard and Vice-President Jay Jackson attended the Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the American Motorcyclist Association Museum. MRF State Rep Sherry Hill and folks from ABATE of Ohio set up a membership table at the AMA’s Bike Night on Saturday. AMA hosted a Road Captain training that was attended by ABATE of Arizona, ABATE of Indiana, ABATE of Michigan and ABATE of Ohio on Sunday.

    This series of events also allowed facilitation of a meeting between the MRF President and representatives from the Federation Internationale De Motorcylisme (FIM) out of Switzerland and a member of the Board of Directors from the Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations (FEMA) out of Belgium. The topics of concern were End of Life Directives related to motorcycles, European and United Nations activities surrounding internal combustion engines and electric vehicle mandates. We also discussed the issues surrounding motorcycle parts certification and availability of parts. The timing was ideal as it allows this information to be disseminated in real time at the Meeting of the Minds this week in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

    The State Motorcycle Safety Association (SMSA) held their annual Summit in Columbus, Ohio September 13th through 16th. State motorcycle rights organizations from Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, and others were in attendance to learn the latest statistics, trends and issues related to motorcycle safety. MRF Vice President Jay Jackson presented “Promising Practices in Rider Training” as part of an alliance with six other states. The 2024 Summit will be held in Denver, Colorado.

    The week ended with the MRF President and Russell Radke, the MRF Motorcycle Club Representative to the MRF Board, attending the National Council of Clubs meeting in Dayton, Ohio. The highlights were participating in an update of the Motorcycling Profiling Project which has played a very important role in our collective motorcycle anti-profiling successes. We also had an opportunity to share strategic updates on our legislative agenda and provide an update on the concerns we share regarding the future of motorcycling to a crowded room of motorcycle club members.

  • 09/14/2023 4:44 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
    On Thursday, September 14th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1435, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, with a final vote of 222 to 190. H.R. 1435 would amend the Clean Air Act to prevent a ban on the sale of internal combustion engines, effectively trumping any state law that prohibits their sale. 214 Republicans were joined by eight Democrats in favor of the bill, while no Republicans voted against it.

    The Republican majority in the House of Representatives has been pushing back on policies supported by the Biden Administration and Democratic state governments aimed at restricting the sale of internal combustion engines. As Thursday’s near party line vote demonstrates, this has become a highly partisan issue. The focus now turns to the Democrat controlled U.S. Senate. That chamber has a companion bill, S. 2090. That bill, with just 10 Senate cosponsors, faces an uphill battle.

    Nevertheless, the action by the House today demonstrates that some lawmakers have heard the concerns of their constituents regarding the government-sponsored push towards electric vehicles.

    If you haven’t already contacted your two U.S. Senators, click here, and ask them to cosponsor S.2090.

  • 09/12/2023 8:55 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
    “You always reap what you sow; there is no shortcut.” – Stephen Covey

    Thirty-nine years ago, at the first national gathering of motorcyclists’ rights activists in nearly ten years, we met searching for common ground. Metaphorically, the field was a cheap motel in St. Louis, Missouri, and we were not there to plant anything.

    Yet, here we are, thirty-nine years later, and the crops of our labors and what was almost unintentionally sown have produced a cadre of motorcyclists’ rights advocates, one of the most successful years legislatively in motorcyclists’ rights history, and the nation’s foremost advocate for street-riding motorcyclists with full-time representation in Washington, D.C. – The Motorcycle Riders Foundation. There have been no shortcuts.

    The MRF took no shortcuts and faced years of challenges that were met head-on. Year-after-year the MRF took the responsibility of bringing motorcyclists’ rights activists together for refresher courses in grassroots activism at the Annual Meeting of the Minds conference. With your ongoing commitment to motorcyclists’ rights, motorcyclists are reaping what the MRF has sowed.

    That first meeting of the minds was one long general session. There were no smoke breaks—the room was a “smoke if you’ve got ‘em” free-for-all. No workshops or breakout sessions, no legislative agenda, and no commitment to take the first meeting beyond its termination. Little did we know that this group of biker/horticulturists of motorcyclists’ rights activism were cultivating the ground to plant the seeds to protect the future of motorcycling and motorcyclists’ rights. Yet, we do not have the luxury of allowing the common ground we stand upon to lay fallow.

    The MRF listens, makes a difference, and moves forward at the direction of members, SMRO and motorcycle club partners to protect the future of motorcycling. This year’s Meeting of the Minds features sixteen workshops and ten new presenters, plus a host of new topics added to the mix!

    The success of this year’s Bikers Inside the Beltway was a result of what is taught at the Meeting of the Minds. Keeping our members and partner SMROs and motorcycle clubs informed and on point is what makes the Motorcycle Riders Foundation the nation’s leading motorcyclists’ rights advocacy group for on-street motorcyclists.  

    Reaping what we sow -- Bikers Inside the Beltway, Meeting of the Minds – the Motorcycle Riders Foundation –listening, making a difference, and moving forward to protect the future of motorcycling and motorcyclists’ rights!

    The Meeting of the Minds – September 21-24, Red Lion Hotel, 4751 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111. Call 717-939-7841 and mention Motorcycle Riders Foundation 2023 Meeting of the Minds

    Thank you for your support of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. We look forward to seeing you in Harrisburg at the 39th Annual Meeting of the Minds.

    Yours in Freedom,

    Fred

    Fredric Harrell

    MRF Director of Conferences & Events

    PS: A.B.A.T.E. of Pennsylvania asked me to remind you while you’re packing for the trip, put on your old Donna Summer and Bee Gees records, find your disco shoes and Saturday Night Live clothes. They’re hosting a FUN Raiser for the MRFPAC, and it promises to be a disco-mania memory lane hoot!

  • 09/11/2023 4:54 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
    The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has formed a council to review the challenges of independent motorcycle dealers and custom bike builders so they may be addressed by the MRF lobbyists in Washington, DC. “We are pleased to have Bob Kay lead the Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket Council, stated Kirk ”Hardtail” Willard, Bob’s firsthand experience over 5 decades will be invaluable to focusing the efforts of our lobbyists.” The recent focus on internal combustion engines is threatening the future of independent motorcycle dealers and custom bike builders to provide alternative service centers as well as servicing older bikes and customization projects. Bob Kay said, “I am extremely proud of the team we put together to focus lobbyists on our right repair and modify with the input we receive from the Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket Network.” The Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket Council chaired by Bob Kay membership includes Keith Ball from Bikernet, Chris Callen from Cyclesource Magazine, Scott Hakins from S&S, Steve Broyles from Stevenson Cycles, John Jessup from Dream Rides, Jason Hallman from Cycle Stop USA and John O’Brien of Hardcore cycles. 

    Independent motorcycle dealers and custom bike builders wishing to join the Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket Network can contact Bob Kay at IMA19032023@gmail.com. Or go directly to the website at https://mrf.org/join/join-mrf-imac/

    There is also a private Facebook group set up for discussion of these important topics at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2667411906733736/

    And a public Instagram page dedicated to passing IMA news and events. https://www.instagram.com/i.m.a.network/

    You can also support our lobbyists efforts by purchasing a Sustaining Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket Annual Membership at https://mrf.org/join/join-mrf-imac/

    About the Motorcycle Riders Foundation
    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 lifestyle and works in conjunction with its partners to help educate elected officials and policymakers in Washington and beyond.

    Right to Repair – You or the repair shop of your choice should have access to the tools, parts, and technology you need. However, manufacturers want to restrict your ability to service, maintain and repair your bike.

    Right to Modify – The ability to modify and customize your bike is a fight the MRF has won before. In the 1990’s the MRF defeated a proposal that would have limited modification to “color and chrome.” We continue to fight for consumers rights to modify products they buy how they see fit.

    Renewable Fuels The availability of fuel for use in motorcycles is under attack. The MRF fights for the universal availability of approved fuel blends, containing no more than 10% ethanol by volume.

    Internal Combustion Engines – Not only is the fuel we need under attack, but the engines that burn that fuel are being targeted. A push to ban the sale of vehicles with internal combustion engines is happening right now! We believe Americans should have the right to choose what time of engine to buy not have the choice mandated by the government.

    End of Life Directives – In Europe, “end of life directives” require vehicles over a certain age be turned in for destruction. Policy ideas that first appear in Europe have a history of popping up in the United States. The ability to own, collect, work on, and refurbish older motorcycles is a fundamental part of who we are as motorcyclists. The MRF will battle any end-of-life directives in the U.S.

    Protect the Motorcycle Ecosystem– Independent shops and manufacturers are a critical part of the motorcycle ecosystem. They provide choice and competition in the marketplace. The MRF believes that to preserve the lifestyle and culture of motorcycling, independent shops and manufacturers must be protected.

  • 09/11/2023 3:00 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The House of Representatives has scheduled a vote Thursday on H.R. 1435, the “Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act.” H.R. 1435 would amend the Clean Air Act to prevent a ban on the sale of internal combustion engines, effectively trumping any state law that outlaws their sale.

     

    Now is the time to have your voice heard! Let Congress know you support the right to choose the type of engine you buy. Click here to contact your Member of the House of Representatives and ask them to vote for H.R. 1435.

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