I have found that some A.B.A.T.E. members, and most of the general public, don't know very much about the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. Though we regularly release information about our current efforts, let's go back to when it all started.

In 1985, the leaders of all interested State Motorcycle Rights Organizations met for the first time with the goal of catapulting to the national scene. There is power in numbers, and the SMRO leaders wanted the world to know about the effectiveness of State Motor Rights Organizations and their grassroots efforts. And so, the MRF was born.

The founders wanted to make sure the MRF staff was all muscle and no fat--supported not by casual members, but driven by a team of dedicated volunteers, with each volunteer committed to shoulder his or her share of the demands of liberty. These leaders envisioned a team committed to core values, such as respect for bikers' diverse lifestyles and opinions, integrity and conduct, excellence, facing challenges head-on, and, above all, leadership.

 

As far as I see it, the MRF has done almost everything it can to be lean and mean as the founders wanted it.

We have only two paid positions in the MRF, one being our lobbyist in Washington DC, whose position is crucial. Anyone who attended last year ‘s L&L had the opportunity to meet Rocky Fox, our DC lobbyist, and he’s dedicated to the cause.

At the meeting of the minds this year in Harrisburg, you’ll have the opportunity to meet Paulete Korte, who is our office manager in Illinois for the MRF.

As a grassroots organization, the MRF has had great accomplishments since its inception.

On December 23, 2022—six years after it was first introduced—the US House of Representatives passed HR 366, the motorcycle profiling resolution. The resolution promoted increased public awareness on the issue of motorcycle profiling

December 22, 2022 - Representative Susie Lee of Nevada inserted committee report language to the end-of-the-year omnibus government funding bill released by the US Senate, and it passed both chambers of Congress. The report language states the committee is concerned that the national Highway traffic administration may be conducting activities that encourage states to adopt legislation, regulation, or other policies that would unjustly profile motorcycle riders.

December 16, 2022 - Representative Tim Walberg of Michigan and 26 bipartisan members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to the national highway transportation safety administration, NHTSA, regarding three recent fatal crashes between self-driving vehicles and motorcycles.

. December 11, 2018 - The US senate passed without amendments S.Res 154: a resolution promoting awareness of motorcycle profiling, and encouraging collaboration and communication with the motorcycle community and law-enforcement officials to prevent instances of profiling.

2015 - FAST ACT passes the US Congress and moved to the president's desk

2014 - MRF helps New York City avoid EPA stamp laws

2014 - Rep Wahlburger's amendment passes, retaining the NHTSA band

2013 - MRF testifies before the EPA

2012 - National transportation safety board drops motorcycles from the top 10 list

2012 - Establishment of the MRF motorcycle club committee to formally recognize the support of motorcycle clubs and the confederations

2012 - Established MRF Industry Council, giving aftermarket manufacturers the opportunity to be more involved with the biker's rights movement

2011 - MRF meets with US DOT secretary Lahood to discuss backing off of the NHTSA-funded motorcycle-only checkpoints and encouraged her to reinstate the motorcycle advisory Council

2011 - Former state senator and MRF Assistant to motorcycle safety Bob Letourneau testifies before the highways and transit subcommittee stressing the importance of motorcycle safety programs

.2009 - Conceived and implemented the MRF Awareness and Education organization

2009 - Participated in the DC motorcycle caucus 2009, and met with the RNC for the first time in the MRF history

2009 - Held the first National motorcycle lobby day event, Bikers Inside the Beltway

2009 - Actively engaged in debate with the CPSC on the youth bike ban, which was eventually returned.

2007 - MRF works with Congress against the NTSV push for a national helmet law

2006 - MRF is a key player in creating the National Motorcycle Advisory Council

2006 - MRF ushers 44 states into the federal motorcycle safety program, obtaining grants totaling $6 million per year for state motorcycle safety programs

2005 - MRF was instrumental in defeating senator Lautenburg’s national helmet law amendment

2004 - MRF releases a public announcement for the Lehman for highway motorcycles

2001 - Health insurance discrimination rules changed

2000 - MRF and New England motorcycles came together to stop the helmet law

1998 - MRF and SMROs persuade Congress to include that says lobby ban and prohibition of motorcycle ban on federally funded roads and transportation funding bill

1995 - MRF @RSM Morrows partners succeed in repealing the federal helmet law blackmail against the states

1991 - MRF was instrumental in removing all references to motorcycles from the DeDoncini Outlaw Gang Bill

1987 - the MRF, working with grassroots activists, stopped legislation that would ban the sale of “superbikes”

This is some of what the MRF’s been doing for all motorcyclists in this country, and I can’t stress enough the importance of supporting the MRF's efforts and protecting your own rights, by becoming a member. With your support, we can make an even larger impact.