“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!