MRF Alerts

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released the “Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2019,” where the preliminary numbers show that motorcycle fatalities decreased 1% from 2018 to 2019. The early estimated from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) shows that 36,120 people died on our nation’s roadways in 2019. Overall, this represents a 1.2% decrease from 2018, while Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) increased by 0.9% during this time. Fatalities decreased in most major traffic safety categories: Drivers (down 3%), Passengers (down 4%), Motorcyclists (down 1%), Pedestrians (down 2%), and Pedalcyclists (down 3%). You can download NHTSA’s full Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2019 here.

“Safety is our top priority so this report that traffic fatalities appear to have decreased again for the third year is great news,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao. The U.S. DOT and NHTSA remain committed to reducing motor vehicle fatalities. In February 2020, NHTSA released over $562 million in grants for highway safety programs that were appropriated through the current Highway Authorization, known as the FAST ACT, to the Offices of Highway Safety in all fifty states and U.S. territories.

“We know that most of the 36,560 roadway fatalities in 2018 related to behavioral issues such as speeding, alcohol and drug-impaired driving, distraction, motorcycle safety, and seat belt usage. The grants we’re announcing today will help our partners in state and local law enforcement and other transportation officials enforce their highway laws and educate the public so that our roads will be safer for everyone,” said NHTSA Acting Administrator James Owens. In the fiscal year 2020, NHTSA awarded $4.2 million in motorcycle safety grants to 43 states and one territory. You can see the full break down of what your state was awarded here.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is continuing to engage with Congress about the priorities of motorcyclists for the next Highway authorization. The FAST Act is set to expire in 146 days, and as of today, neither chamber of Congress has drafted legislation for the next five-year authorization. If you want to review any of our legislative priorities, you can read our 2020 legislative Agenda here (https://www.mrf.org/legislative-tools/).

Washington, D.C. — In order to reduce motorcycle crashes and save more lives, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) wants to remind all road users that May is Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists accounted for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2018, while motorcycles make up just 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States.

In 2018, 4,985 motorcyclists were killed in motor vehicle crashes, which is a 4.7 percent decrease from 2017. The majority of these were not single-vehicle crashes but instead involved other vehicles on the road. More than 88,000 motorcyclists were injured in motor vehicle crashes.

MRF President Kirk “Hardtail” Willard had this to say, "Motorcyclists must learn through training and experience the best way to stay safe on a motorcycle. Avid motorcyclists are cognizant of the skills required to avoid crashing and will practice and train accordingly. And even though we hone keen awareness skills, riding safe also demands that others we share the road with remain constantly aware of motorcyclists, this is aided by constant messaging by our motorcyclists rights organizations and various governmental and public service agencies. May is traditionally the month many riders are hitting the road after winter and other vehicle drivers must pay attention, hence the importance of May is Motorcycle Awareness month."

With thousands of deaths each year, motorcyclists are overrepresented in crashes and fatalities.

“Even the smallest momentary lapse in awareness by a motorist can result in the death of an unseen motorcyclist. Misunderstanding, misjudging, or overlooking a motorcycle can cost someone their life,” said MRF Director of Motorcycle Safety Jay Jackson. “We hope that shedding light on the issue during the month of May will help both motorists and motorcyclists begin to understand the driving behaviors that can help keep all of us safe.”

On average most motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes collided with another motor vehicle. Because they have a smaller profile and have greater maneuverability than cars and trucks, motorcycles can be difficult to see or spot on the roadway, and motorists have difficulty judging their distance and speed.

Motorists making left turns at intersections are one of the most common causes of motorcycle crashes, due to motorists’ difficulty judging the distance and speed of motorcycles.

A motorcyclist’s “braking” is not always obvious to motorists. Motorcycles decelerate faster than vehicles, so motorcyclists will often downshift instead of applying the brake, especially when driving around a curve. This means the brake lights will not be engaged to signal motorists of deceleration or an upcoming stop.

Drivers -- please follow these safety tips to be more aware of motorcycles and to help keep all on our roadways safe:

Slow down, assess your surroundings, and don’t rush when crossing intersections, entering the road from a parking lot or driveway, or turning left. Always give yourself enough time to thoroughly check for motorcyclists.

When turning left, ensure there is enough time and space for the motorcyclist to clear the roadway before you initiate the left turn.

Don’t follow motorcyclists too closely and allow sufficient braking cushion between your vehicle and the motorcycle in front of you to give your vehicle enough room to come to a complete stop without a collision. Remember, a motorcyclist’s brake lights might not always be engaged when a motorcycle decelerates.

Always double-check your blind spots when changing lanes or starting to enter or exiting the roadways. Adjust your rear- and side-view mirrors and use them properly.

Remember: May is Motorcyclist Safety and Awareness Month - Motorcyclists and Motorists Can Work Together to Save Lives.

After careful consideration, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) Board of Directors has decided to cancel the 11th Annual Michael “Boz” Kerr Bikers Inside the Beltway lobby day that was scheduled for May 19, 2020. We want to take a moment to thank our event sponsor Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys, our SMRO partners, members, and all of our event attendees for their continued support of our mission on Capitol Hill. While we may not be able to advocate our legislative priorities face-to-face on May 19th, we will be reaching out to you on how you can continue to engage with your elected representatives on the issues that are important to us.

We want to assure you that we are still hard at work advocating on your behalf, and we hope that you can continue to answer our Calls to Action in the coming weeks. While the whole country faces major changes, we are working to adapt as an organization to continue to serve you. Let’s take this time to make sure we in the motorcyclists’ rights movement can continue to be effective in navigating our new political landscape and how we conduct our business. Every organization is currently faced with the cancellation of events, and the loss of fundraising opportunities. The MRF greatly appreciates your financial support and the fact that you entrust us to be good stewards of your investment in freedom. We strongly encourage you to contribute to your state motorcyclists’ rights organizations as well.

At this time, we have decided that we will not be ordering any event t-shirts for this year’s event. If you have already pre-ordered a shirt, please reach out to the office at mrfoffice@mrf.org or (202) 546-0983 if you wish for us to issue a refund.

If you need to cancel your hotel reservations, you may do so by contacting the hotel where you booked your accommodations. The hotel may reach out to you directly with cancelation information. You need to confirm that your hotel reservation is canceled 24-hours before the start of your booking to ensure that you are not charged for your stay.

• Clarion Inn Falls Church-Arlington – (703) 532-9000
• Governors House Inn - (703) 532-8900

We are disappointed that we will not be together on May 19th to fill the halls of Congress with bikers as we have done over the past ten years. However, we encourage you to join us and your fellow freedom fighters in Indianapolis on September 24-27th for the 36th Annual Meeting of the Minds Conference hosted by A.B.A.T.E. of Indiana. You can register for the conference and find more information by visiting www.mrf.org/events.

We are disappointed that we will not be together on May 19th to fill the halls of Congress with bikers as we have done over the past ten years. However, we encourage you to join us and your fellow freedom fighters in Indianapolis on September 24-27th for the 36th Annual Meeting of the Minds Conference hosted by A.B.A.T.E. of Indiana. You can register for the conference and find more information by visiting www.mrf.org/events.

Last week, the Idaho House of Representatives joined their Senate colleagues by passing S. 1292, the motorcyclist profiling bill in the state. When the governor signs the bill, Idaho will officially become the 4th state in the nation with a law on the books regarding motorcyclist profiling.

The MRF wants to congratulate not only the riders in Idaho but the tireless advocates who have fought this battle for several years. After a razor-thin defeat in previous legislative years, the folks in Idaho never gave up and were rewarded with this monumental victory.

We would like to note that Idaho’s success demonstrates that this is a nonpartisan issue. Two states that are usually thought of as “Blue States” (Washington and Maryland) and two states traditionally thought of as “Red States” (Louisiana and Idaho) are now on the record on the topic.

Congratulations again on a hard-fought and well-deserved victory!

Click here to read a news story about the victory in Idaho.

You can read the Idaho profiling legislation here.

Momentum for Infrastructure Bills?

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), sending the massive stimulus legislation to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The $2 trillion coronavirus response bill is the third aid package from Congress is meant to keep businesses and individuals afloat during an unprecedented freeze on the majority of American life. For a variety of reasons, we believe there will likely be more stimulus legislation in the future, and infrastructure investment may be a central component of additional efforts to recover the economy and get people back to work.

Without a doubt, proposals for including sizable infrastructure spending in coronavirus response/economic stimulus bills will receive bipartisan support. There is a strong economic and fiscal basis for stimulus spending on roads, bridges, transit, etc. Infrastructure spending has a high multiplier effect, adding indirect economic value beyond the immediate investment in construction companies and related contractors or materials suppliers. A dollar spent on infrastructure can go further than many other forms of stimulus. State and local governments are also already facing declining revenues due to quarantines, diminished economic activity, and new public health expenditures. Many state constitutions prevent deficit spending, so absent new taxes – an unlikely scenario – they will be stymied in making new investments in stimulus-type programs, such as infrastructure, and may even have to curtail current road-building budgets.

Beyond the scope of infrastructure investment, funding will likely be front-loaded, rather than a typical year-over-year spread. The stimulus of 2009 focused on ‘shovel ready’ projects, which resulted in lots of repaving and maintenance versus large new projects, a similar focus on near-term efforts to quickly create jobs is foreseeable.

We at the MRF will continue to advocate for the priorities of motorcyclists in an infrastructure bill. We will also rely on you to help push your elected officials into remembering motorcyclists when passing these massive legislative packages.

Motorcycle Community Rallies to aid in COVID-19 Relief Around the World

As the COVID-19 National Emergency dominates your daily newsfeed, I wanted to take a moment to share a couple of positive stories of the motorcycle community stepping up to aid in relief efforts. The first story comes out of NYC were a group of riders started Masks for Docs to help get personal protection equipment (PPE) in the hands of our healthcare workers facing a critical supply shortage. You can read the full news story featured in Vice News here. The second article highlights motorcycle manufacturers and a tire manufacturer donating PPE’s, medical supplies, and ventilators to aid in the critical supply shortage. The story also features a few groups in other countries, helping those in quarantine by delivery prescriptions and meals to the elderly in their community. You can read more about those efforts by clicking here.

As schools around the country have shuttered, MRF Vice President Jay Jackson has been volunteering in his own local community in Indiana to hand out bagged meals for students. You can read that story here.

Bikers are some of the best people that I know. The D.C. team is hunkered down and working from home as Congress is closed to the public through March 31st. We will continue to review the massive legislation passed this week and plan to share more of the details with you next week.

As Congressional leaders seek to implement massive legislative initiatives in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, numerous policy changes are being considered. Some of these initiatives are unrelated to the underlying situation and are being put forward by both political parties.

One legislative proposal put forward by the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R.6379 - Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act, would ban lobbying by corporations that accept Federal aid in any stimulus legislation. You can read the legislative proposal in Section 407, CONDITIONS ON FEDERAL AID TO CORPORATIONS. We at the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) believe that one of the most important rights guaranteed in the First Amendment is the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The MRF prides itself on actively petitioning the government on motorcycle related issues and the curtailing of that right, even if not aimed at our organization, is troublesome. We understand that these are trying times, but any infringement on our fundamental Constitutional Rights is not the answer.

“While the MRF continues to monitor the ever-changing legislative initiatives out of both chambers, I want to let you know that we are still busy being a ‘watchdog’ on Capitol Hill,” stated MRF President Kirk “Hardtail” Willard. “I want to reassure you that we will continue to navigate and execute our political mission with our long-standing ‘Total Vigilance’ in the coming days and weeks.”

We will continue to monitor the legislation as it moves through Congress and keep you updated as it pertains to anything motorcycle related or the operations of the MRF.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is continually monitoring the ever-changing situation with the outbreak of COVID-19 around the country. First and foremost, we care about everyone’s safety, and are closely monitoring the situation and guidance from the Federal Government and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), to ensure we are giving you the most up-to-date information possible. Earlier today, the leadership of the MRF hosted a phone call to discuss the potential impacts of our lobby day, “Bikers Inside the Beltway,” which is slated to be held on Tuesday, May 19th in Washington, D.C. We have determined that we will proceed with lobbying on Capitol Hill as scheduled as we do not have any information that we will be prohibited from doing so at this time.

What we know right now?

As we reported in our “Riding Free from D.C.” weekly update, Congress decided to suspend any public access on Capitol Hill starting on March 12 through April 1, 2020. Over the weekend, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a recommendation that for the next 8 weeks, events with 50 people or more cancel or postpone in-person events. Bikers Inside the Beltway would be outside of that window of the CDC recommendation. If anything changes in Federal Guidance in the coming weeks, we will continue to update you with that information as we receive it.

Making Travel Arrangements

Last week, we received communication from our event host hotels, Clarion Inn and Governor’s House Inn, to ensure us that they are working hard to ensure our event is successful. If you have already booked a room directly through the hotel, they have a standard 24-hour notice cancellation policy. If you booked through a third-party travel vendor, we advise you to review your bookings policy if you need to modify your travel plans. While most attendees ride to D.C., we understand that some of our members need to fly to D.C. for the event. If you haven’t booked your travel, we strongly encourage you to book options with built-in flexibility like free cancellation, changes or consider travel insurance if it’s offered.

BITB 2020 deadline to register online, order an event t-shirt and book your hotel room at the group rate is Monday, April 27th. If we feel that we might have to postpone the event, we will decide by that date to give everyone adequate notice to alter their travel plans. For more information or to register for the event, please visit https://mrf.org/events/

Making Moves on Motorcyclist Advisory Council Reauthorization Act

The MRF and our moto lobby friends are continuing to drive cosponsors to our bipartisan and bicameral MAC Reauthorization legislation. We are pleased that eight new cosponsors jumped on this week to stand with the motorcyclists around the country. H.R. 5234 added six new cosponsors and five new states this week, bringing the total to 20. While the Senate companion bill, S. 3249, picked up two more cosponsors and added one new state. It's worth noting that Wisconsin is the first state to secure both of their Senators on S. 3249.

H.R. 5234 Cosponsors

Original Cosponsors: Rep. Gallagher [R-WI-8], Rep. Pappas [D-NH-1], Rep. Rouda [D-CA-48] & Rep. Balderson [R-OH-12]

Rep. Davids [D-KS-3], Rep. Brownley [D-CA-26], Rep. Gibbs [R-OH-7], Rep. Grothman [R-WI-6], Rep. Lowenthal [D-CA-47], Rep. Rouzer [R-NC-7], Rep. Carbajal [D-CA-24], Rep. Sensenbrenner [R-WI-5], Rep. Huffman [D-CA-2], Rep. Young [R-AK-At Large]

New this week: Rep. Walberg [R-MI-7], Rep. Kind [D-WI-3], Rep. Burgess [R-TX-26], Rep. Bost [R-IL-12], Rep. Craig [D-MN-2], Rep. Lamborn [R-CO-5]

S. 3249 Cosponsors

Original Cosponsors: Sen. Johnson [R-WI] and Sen. Peters [D-MI]

Sen. Boozman [R-AR]

New this week: Sen. Shaheen [D-NH], Sen. Baldwin [D-WI]

I want to take a moment to share some preliminary results about the two MAC Calls to Action that we have been circulating. To date, 1,900 emails have been sent through our CQ Engage software to ask your elected officials to support this legislation. On the House side, Wisconsin leads the pack with the most letters sent, followed by Illinois and Texas. In the Senate, South Dakota is in the lead, followed by a tie between New York and Wisconsin. We appreciate everyone who has taken a few moments to contact their legislators on this issue, and we are more successful in meetings when they know that they have heard from you, their constituents on an issue. If you have not done so, you can use the links below. After you are done, be sure to share them with your SMRO friends or on social media.

MAC Call to Action Links

Ask your Senators to cosponsor S. 3249 here.

Ask your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 5234 here.

FAST Act Expires in 208 Days – Will there be a new Highway Bill in 2020?

Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act was signed into law in 2015 provides long-term funding for surface transportation infrastructure planning and investment is set to expire at the end of September 2020. The FAST Act authorized $305 billion over fiscal years 2016 through 2020 for highway, highway and motor vehicle safety, public transportation, motor carrier safety, hazardous materials safety, rail, and research, technology, and statistics programs. Traditionally, the Highway Authorization tends to be one of the few things on Capitol Hill that is not a partisan issue. However, the feeling in D.C. that since 2020 is a Presidential election year that this Congress may kick the can down the road and pass an extension this year instead of passing a new law.

Regulatory News: Ethanol Consumer Education Stakeholders meet with EPA

Last Friday afternoon, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation joined the National Marine Manufacturers, BoatUS, Marine Retailers Association, Briggs and Stratton, Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, American Motorcyclist Association, and the Motorcycle Industry Council for a meeting at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to discuss our concerns about inadequate E15 warning labels and lack of consumer education to prevent misfuelling at the pump.

The invitation to the EPA is a clear signal that the Administration is poised to take some future regulatory action surrounding bringing E15 to market. As you may remember, President Trump granted the EPA authority to allow the sale of E15 year-round. However, the EPA will need to address some current federal regulations surrounding fuel storage requirements and misfuelling mitigation plans. After sitting down with Anne Idsal, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) at the EPA, our consumer education stakeholders group is preparing for the EPA to open a potential rulemaking in the coming months that will allow us to address our concerns about the current E15 label.

During the last Congress, we threw our support behind Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act along with our consumer groups that are forbidden by federal law from using fuel with higher than 10% ethanol (E10). Understanding that higher blends of ethanol are not going anywhere, we joined forces to push consumer education and proper labeling about the dangers of misfuelling at the pump. Early last year, H.R. 1024 was introduced and has been slow to gain Congressional support. We support this legislation because it allows consumers to be educated on higher blends on ethanol to make their own choice about what t

A recent Harris Poll conducted by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) found consumers remain confused about the multiple fuel product offerings at the pump. The study, which has been conducted annually for seven years, shows a lack of education, inadequate labeling and dangerous marketing tactics around new fuel products, such as higher ethanol-blended gasoline unleaded 88, are likely causing consumers to misfuel.

The study found that nearly two in five Americans (37 percent, up from 33 percent in 2019, 31 percent in 2017 and 2016, and 30 percent in 2015) mistakenly believe that higher ethanol blends of gasoline are safe to use for any gasoline-powered lawn equipment or other small engine products, such as boats or snowmobiles. For more details on their results, you can read there press release from this poll by clicking here.

State News: A.B.A.T.E. of Iowa comes to Capitol Hill – Arizona & Louisiana State Legislation Calls to Action

This week, the MRF had the pleasure of accompanying five members of A.B.A.T.E. of IA as they pounded the halls of Congress, letting their elected officials know what issues are important to the riders in their state. Over a few days, the team from Iowa was able to hit their whole Congressional delegation and even meet with some of their Representatives and Senators face to face. Below, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) met with the A.B.A.T.E. of Iowa during their visit to D.C.

The MRF has been offering SMROs the option of utilizing our CQ software for their state legislative initiatives. Over the last year, a dozen states have decided to use the software to monitor legislation and to contact their politicians on the state level. As a lot of state legislative sessions have ended for the year, we have two states that have active Calls to Action in circulation for the riders in their state.

Attention Riders from Arizona & Louisiana

Arizona has a CTA for their Motorcycle Safety Fund. If you live in Arizona, you can click this link.

ABATE of Louisiana has four separate Calls to Action out for the riders in their state. The legislative session in Baton Rouge opens next week, and the motorcycle rights advocates are already letting the politicians know the issues they care about.

SB 52/HB 316, Vulnerable All Road Users Act (combined with HB 316)

HB 310, "Dead Red" Bill

HB 146, ABATE "Share the Road” License Plate

SB 50, Hands Free Electronic Devic

Motorcyclist Advisory Council Reauthorization Act Introduced in the Senate

 

Yesterday, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced S. 3249, the Motorcyclist Advisory Council Reauthorization Act. The bipartisan legislation aims to define the membership seats of the Motorcyclist Advisory Council (MAC), ensure more national motorcycle organizations are represented and authorizes the council for six years. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) would like to thank the U.S. Senate for joining their colleagues in the House of Representatives for continuing to support the issues that are important to the motorcyclists of this country. The legislation is the companion bill to H.R. 5234 introduced in late November in the House of Representatives by Reps. Mike Gallagher (WI-R), Chris Pappas (NH-D), Harley Rouda (CA-D), and Troy Balderson (OH-R). “It is critical that motorcyclists be considered in infrastructure planning,” said MRF Vice President Jay Jackson. “The Motorcyclist Advisory Council provides this forum. The MRF is excited to have the opportunity to present to the MAC, the issues of concern from riders across the country.” This legislation clarifies the membership of the MAC which now will include five highway engineering experts from state or local governments, one state or local traffic safety engineer who is a motorcyclist, one roadway safety data expert on crash testing and analysis, and one representative from each of the following groups: a national association of state transportation officials, a national motorcyclist foundation, a national motorcyclist association, a national motorcycle manufacturing association, and a national safety organization. “Wisconsin has a rich history with motorcycles and we know it’s crucial to get input from the motorcycle community about how to keep roads safe and enjoyable for all,” said Sen. Johnson. “Government needs to be responsive, efficient and effective. Making sure motorcyclists have a voice and a seat at the table is beneficial for everyone.” The MAC will advise the Secretary of Transportation, the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration on transportation issues of concern to motorcyclists, including barrier design; road design, construction, and maintenance practices; and the architecture and implementation of intelligent transportation system technologies. “There’s no better way to see all that Michigan has to offer than by riding a motorcycle,” said Senator Peters., co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Motorcycle Caucus. “As a motorcycle owner and rider, I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to better give riders and manufacturers a voice on decisions impacting them.”

Nominees Wanted for the 2020 Motorcycle Riders Foundation Hall of Fame The Motorcycle Riders Foundation Hall of Fame (MRFHOF) was introduced at the Meeting of the Minds in Denver, Colorado. This institution was created to recognize individuals that have worked through the MRF to positively impact motorcycling. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is proud to announce that the nomination process for the next class of inductees into the MRFHOF is now open. The nomination form and a timeline are posted on the MRF website at:  https://mrf.org/mrf-hall-of-fame/ Nomination applications are due to the Hall of Fame Committee by March 1st, 2020 – please send completed forms to dawn@mrf.org Past Motorcycle Riders Foundation Hall of Fame inductees are: Keith "Bandit"  Ball, Karen Bolin, Mark Buckner, Vince Consiglio, Wayne Curtin, Michael "Balls" Farabaugh, “Still” Ray Fitzgerald, Richard Gray, Fredric Harrell, Teresa Hepker, Bob Illingworth, Nathan "Buck"  Kittredge, Simon Milward, Ed Netterberg, JoAnne Packard, Sherman Packard, Lee Richardson, Rodney Roberts, Jerry "JT" Thomas, Todd Vandermyde, Paul Vestal, Penny Walker, Ed Youngblood.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation would like to congratulate Mark Buckner, past president, longtime leader and MRF Freedom Fighter Hall of Fame member on his induction into the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) Motorcycle Hall of Fame. On Friday December 6th, during the 2019 AMA Legends & Champions Weekend.

 

Mark Buckner began his leadership in motorcyclists' rights advocacy in the late 1980s as the state coordinator for ABATE of Colorado. In 1992, Buckner joined the Motorcycle Riders Foundation board of directors, becoming MRF president and chairman two years later. During his tenure, the MRF implemented strategic planning processes which led to the organization's financial stability and significant growth.

 

 

Buckner continues to have a profound influence in the motorcyclists' rights community, giving seminars throughout the United States on strategic planning, organizational design and member effectiveness. Over the past 25 years, he has delivered more than 100 presentations around the country at state, regional, and national rights conferences. In addition, Buckner has been a leader in promoting global harmonization of motorcyclists' rights organizations in the United States and has fostered working relationships within the European motorcyclists' rights community—bonds that remains strong to this day.

 

 

Rob Rasor, former AMA President introduced Mark to the attendees while Rick Gray past MRF VP and AMA Chairman of the Board accepted on Mark's behalf; several current and former MRF Board members were in attendance. Other inductees were Kurt Caselli, Ron Lechien, Wiltz Wagner and Dale Walksler. Kirk “Hardtail” Willard, MRF Chairman of the Board had this to say, “We couldn't be more pleased to see Mark recognized by yet another motorcyclist Hall of Fame,  without question the MRF has maintained our ability to deliver on our mission and vision due to Mark's timely leadership and unique skill-set.  I suspect many SMRO's around the country could say the same.” Congratulations Mark! A well-deserved honor for many years as a Motorcycling Rights Freedom Fighter.