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Original Article:
New Vision for AMA

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[seruzawa]

Well, somethings gotta happen before the stands at AMA Superbike become more like ghost towns.

 

[Kenneth_Moore]

Not one word about being advocates for the motorcyclist with the government, the insurance industry, the various media, etc. Was that not once a role of the AMA? Did they not represent the motorcycling community, albeit poorly, in the past (e.g. the infamous 1% comment)? If the AMA has forgone that role, than who will take it? Clearly, it's badly needed, perhaps now more than ever.

 

[The_AirHawk]

So, what? - they visitin' an Optometrist or somethin'?

Frickin' need to.

I keep hearin' about this "New Vision" crap coming from them every few years, yet they're still blind as Hell.

 

[Kevin_Duke]

Not one word about being advocates for the motorcyclist with the government, the insurance industry, the various media, etc. Was that not once a role of the AMA? Did they not represent the motorcycling community, albeit poorly, in the past (e.g. the infamous 1% comment)? If the AMA has forgone that role, than who will take it? Clearly, it's badly needed, perhaps now more than ever.

This recent AMA thing concerns only the AMA's racing arm, which has been heavily criticized for years. By most accounts, the main AMA arm has been doing a decent job defending the rights of motorcyclists. And by turning over control and promotion of racing, the AMA can now focus on the "Right, Riding" part of their slogan. I see this as a positive move.

 

[Kenneth_Moore]

Good News!

This recent AMA thing concerns only the AMA's racing arm, which has been heavily criticized for years. By most accounts, the main AMA arm has been doing a decent job defending the rights of motorcyclists. And by turning over control and promotion of racing, the AMA can now focus on the "Right, Riding" part of their slogan. I see this as a positive move.

I'm probably overly alarmed, but I've been concerned about what appears to me to be an anti-motorcycle media blitz here of late. It would come as no surprise to me if we saw limits on bike horsepower to weight ratios and/or top speed limiters in the near future. And, I expect there will be a "National Helmet Law" coming out in the near future.

Good for AMA if they're doing the lobbying and representative actions motorcycling needs.

 

[seruzawa]

A media blitz....

I'm probably overly alarmed, but I've been concerned about what appears to me to be an anti-motorcycle media blitz here of late. It would come as no surprise to me if we saw limits on bike horsepower to weight ratios and/or top speed limiters in the near future. And, I expect there will be a "National Helmet Law" coming out in the near future.

Good for AMA if they're doing the lobbying and representative actions motorcycling needs.

... always precedes a legislative and regulatory initiative. The press, for all their pretense at being objective, is the running dogs for the govt bureaucrats, and as we see here, repeats whatever govt officials say without inspection. I've been warning about this for years and gotten derision for my efforts. I'm going to hate saying "I told you so" but the current situation is a result of the people who could have had an effect, like Burns and other editors, laughing at the idea that motorcycles would be seriously regulated. It's past time the current crop of magazine editors, of whom 90% are mere running dogs for the manufacturers, were scragged and replaced with some new blood who understand the workings of media and govt instead of merely singing the praises of the industry and agreeing with our enemies about safety issues.

With an election year coming up the motorcycle safety issue is just tailor made for opportunist politicians looking for an issue. We're still a minority and the average Joe dislikes us and won't lift a finger in our behalf.

 

[Kenneth_Moore]

First, right on about the press. It's the same pack of bootlickers who sold us down the Iraqi river instead of challenging the crap coming out of the government back when it might have helped.

Second, while I have no idea what motorcycle media editors and writers are really like, I have to wonder if they are oblivious to what's going on out there. In the past 10 years or so I have only seen ONE activist type of action in a magazine. That was when American Iron Magazine was rallying the readership to comment on and try to minimize the impact of the new EPA regulations that would disallow ANY modifications to factory exhausts. A very narrow area of concern, to say the least.

 

[55028]

Journalism like that is long dead....

First, right on about the press. It's the same pack of bootlickers who sold us down the Iraqi river instead of challenging the crap coming out of the government back when it might have helped.

Second, while I have no idea what motorcycle media editors and writers are really like, I have to wonder if they are oblivious to what's going on out there. In the past 10 years or so I have only seen ONE activist type of action in a magazine. That was when American Iron Magazine was rallying the readership to comment on and try to minimize the impact of the new EPA regulations that would disallow ANY modifications to factory exhausts. A very narrow area of concern, to say the least.

The "boot lickers" job is to sell advertising time. Even ol' boy Rush copped to that in his interview on NPR. Wow did I use those two in the same sentence? Every ilk has it's news station that tells it what it wants to hear. This works well for the advertisers, no risk on the demographics, their all neatly packaged

 

[Kevin_Duke]

...The press, for all their pretense at being objective, is the running dogs for the govt bureaucrats, and as we see here, repeats whatever govt officials say without inspection. I'm going to hate saying "I told you so" but the current situation is a result of the people who could have had an effect, like Burns and other editors, laughing at the idea that motorcycles would be seriously regulated. It's past time the current crop of magazine editors, of whom 90% are mere running dogs for the manufacturers, were scragged and replaced with some new blood who understand the workings of media and govt instead of merely singing the praises of the industry and agreeing with our enemies about safety issues..

WTF is this all about? Since you're obviously an expert on the media and government relations, I'm surprised you don't have a dossier on me and my stance on these issues. If you did, you'd know that I too have been warning about gov't regulations, horsepower restrictions, and the stripping of our rights to use public roads and to buy the bikes we choose.

But do you want to blame the AMA for not defending the 120-dB exhaust pipes on seemingly every third Harley and for the sportbike squids who do 100-mph wheelies down the freeway? Or, instead, it seems as if you think it's all the fault of journalists.

All I said was that the AMA's biggest problem has been its Pro Racing arm, and they are now finally doing things to make it better. If you had close contacts in the industry, you'd actually be hearing these things instead of constructing your own reality.

I'd be fired if I were to cast groundless accusations at people who really do care about the industry and who think about it during 90% of our waking hours.

 

[longride]

I figure I'll throw in my .02 here. I find that most of the guys bytching about the AMA don't even belong to the orginization, and don't do a thing besides complain about the way the AMA does business. And please save the " I don't like their stand on (insert bullshyt reason here) so I won't join". I'd say step up to the plate and DO SOMETHING THEN! Make it the kind of organization that you would be proud of.

I was in a similar position as a Firefighter Union officer for 10 years, and it was the same situation. The biggest complainers that the "the Union don't do nothin' for me" never showed up to any meetings, didn't vote, and never lifted a finger to help any cause, but somehow ALWAYS had a complaint about EVERYTHING. Meanwhile, the guys who did the job with zero pay for it and busted their asses to keep everything rolling including negotiating contracts on their own time, never really complained about anything except THE APATHY OF OUR MEMBERSHIP. They just worked to make it better.

You want the AMA to be better? First try joining. Then maybe help out to make it better in some way other than complaining. Apathy will kill us off, or severely restrict us one day. I'm sure the AMA would love to have twice as many ACTIVE members with all that entails. I would be the last to say that the AMA is perfect. Far from it, but if it's a bad, ineffective, organization, it is because WE as motorcyclists make it so. When someone would tell me "Our Union sucks" I would say "You are the Union". The AMA is a reflection of US. We are the AMA. If you don't like what you see in them, take a good look in the mirror.

 

[pplassm]

Bravo, Longride!

Out of the millions of motorcyclists in the US, there are only about 260,000 AMA members at this time. Compare this to membership of other organizations. When it comes right down to brass tacks, the AMA just doesn't have the membership to command any legitimacy.

We should be ashamed of ourselves.

I figure I'll throw in my .02 here. I find that most of the guys bytching about the AMA don't even belong to the orginization, and don't do a thing besides complain about the way the AMA does business. And please save the " I don't like their stand on (insert bullshyt reason here) so I won't join". I'd say step up to the plate and DO SOMETHING THEN! Make it the kind of organization that you would be proud of.

I was in a similar position as a Firefighter Union officer for 10 years, and it was the same situation. The biggest complainers that the "the Union don't do nothin' for me" never showed up to any meetings, didn't vote, and never lifted a finger to help any cause, but somehow ALWAYS had a complaint about EVERYTHING. Meanwhile, the guys who did the job with zero pay for it and busted their asses to keep everything rolling including negotiating contracts on their own time, never really complained about anything except THE APATHY OF OUR MEMBERSHIP. They just worked to make it better.

You want the AMA to be better? First try joining. Then maybe help out to make it better in some way other than complaining. Apathy will kill us off, or severely restrict us one day. I'm sure the AMA would love to have twice as many ACTIVE members with all that entails. I would be the last to say that the AMA is perfect. Far from it, but if it's a bad, ineffective, organization, it is because WE as motorcyclists make it so. When someone would tell me "Our Union sucks" I would say "You are the Union". The AMA is a reflection of US. We are the AMA. If you don't like what you see in them, take a good look in the mirror.

 

[Kenneth_Moore]

"I find that most of the guys bytching about the AMA don't even belong to the orginization, and don't do a thing besides complain about the way the AMA does business."

Master, I am...dishonored. Guess I'd better join so I can get back to bytching. Maybe I can even attend a meeting and get tazered and stuff!

 

[longride]

"I find that most of the guys bytching about the AMA don't even belong to the orginization, and don't do a thing besides complain about the way the AMA does business."

Master, I am...dishonored. Guess I'd better join so I can get back to bytching. Maybe I can even attend a meeting and get tazered and stuff!

You should be a member. You may not like the game, but not playing is worse. Like it or not, the AMA is the de facto motorcycle organization of the land. Join ya bum!

 

[Kenneth_Moore]

You are so right!

You should be a member. You may not like the game, but not playing is worse. Like it or not, the AMA is the de facto motorcycle organization of the land. Join ya bum!

I'm on it, Chief. Payday tomorrow, I'm sending in my dues. Guess they have a website and stuff, I'll Google it later today.

 

[pushrod]

KM,

Make sure you go to the correct site! (American Motorcyclist Association)

The Doctors (y'know, the "other" AMA) would love your money, but the Motorcyclists are the cause celebre.

I'm just trying to help. 'Cause you Southern Floridians have a history of difficulty with "multiple choice" and all

 

[Kenneth_Moore]

Tech Support

KM,

Make sure you go to the correct site! (American Motorcyclist Association)

I'm just trying to help. 'Cause you Southern Floridians have a history of difficulty with "multiple choice" and all

Hey, maybe you can tell me where the damn "ANY" key is. I'm stuck on the website cause I have to press it before my registration is complete.

 

[longride]

Go Brother!

 

[sarnali2]

Now that we have Ken "Hanging Chad" Moore onboard the rest of you can step up. The AMA is about the only game in town for us that's taken seriously, 500 Brothers Against Totalitarian Enactments bytching about helmets aren't going to get the job done in D.C. where it counts.


As a further incentive, "Join the AMA or We Shoot The Dog"

 

[Kenneth_Moore]

I just want everyone to know that joining the AMA will make that "special part" of a man's body bigger, and your partner will love you for doing it.