Born To Ride News

Members, exhibitors and dealers can text, e-mail, Skype, send letters, and make videos to voice their support from the 2010 Dealernews International Powersports Dealer Expo

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 9, 2010 – The Motorcycle Industry Council says now is the time to push for a Congressional solution to permanently end the ban on youth motorcycles and ATVs in a video call-to-action,  http://bit.ly/aXpkyu. At this year’s Dealernews International Powersports Dealer Expo, the MIC is hosting a variety of multi-media communication tools and activities so that dealers, MIC members, and Expo exhibitors can voice their concerns, show their support, and urge Congress to take action to permanently end the ban on youth vehicles.

“There is tremendous momentum for Congress to amend the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act’s lead content provisions to exclude youth vehicles,” said MIC general counsel Paul Vitrano. “We need our voices to be heard now, and by making all these different multi-media tools available here at Indy, every MIC member, every exhibitor, and every Expo attendee can be part of this massive grassroots effort to finally Stop the Ban.”

The MIC’s multi-media communication offerings at Indy include:

Text – Signage will be posted throughout the Expo encouraging attendees to show their support for the effort to Stop the Ban on youth ATVs and motorcycles with their cell phone by sending the text message “StoptheBan” or “STB” to 30101.  A feature on www.stopthebannow.com allows the public to join the campaign directly from the website by entering their cell phone number. Each person will receive a text response after entering their number and upon replying with “yes” will be placed in the campaign.

Letter – Attendees will be asked to add their signatures to letters urging Congress to amend the CPSIA to exclude youth vehicles. Last year’s campaign generated over 5,000 hand-signed letters at the show.

E-mail – Computers will be available in the MIC Business Center (Booth # 4508) so members, exhibitors and dealers can quickly and easily send an e-mail to their U.S. Representatives and Senators and to the Congressional oversight committees to urge them to Stop the Ban on youth ATVs and motorcycles.  Last year, over 1 million electronic messages were sent to Congress, and they got the attention of Capitol Hill.

Call – A special computer station will be set up in the MIC Business Center (Booth # 4508) with a link to identify appropriate members of Congress, and a Skype account that will enable Expo attendees to call their U.S. Representative and Senators directly from the computer to leave a message.

Video – The MIC is encouraging members, exhibitors and dealers to “Send a Video Message to Congress.”  A camera and filming booth will be set up in the MIC Business Center (Booth # 4508) so that Stop the Ban messages can be created, posted online, and forwarded to Congress. 

Each of these tools also is available on www.stopthebannow.com.

Enthusiasts and other stakeholders should reinforce three key reasons why youth ATVs and motorcycles should be excluded from the CPSIA’s lead content provisions:

            1.         The lead content poses no risk to kids.  Experts estimate that the lead intake from kids’ interaction with metal parts is less than the lead intake from drinking a glass of water.

            2.         The key to keeping youth safe is having them ride the right size vehicle.  Kids are now at risk because the availability of youth ATVs and motorcycles is limited due to the lead ban.

            3.         The lead ban hurts the economy for no good reason when everyone is trying to grow the economy and create jobs. MIC estimates that a complete ban on youth model vehicles would result in about $1 billion in lost economic value in the retail marketplace every year.

The MIC supports the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s request to Congress to give the agency more flexibility to grant exclusions from the lead content limit to address ATVS and motorcycles. The CPSC requested this flexibility in its January 15 report to Congress containing recommendations to improve the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

“MIC calls on Congress to draft legislation as soon as possible to either grant a categorical exemption for these products, as would be provided by H.R. 1587, a pending bill with 56 bi-partisan co-sponsors, or to give the CPSC the flexibility to do so,” Vitrano said.

Visit www.stopthebannow.com for background information, FAQs, and public outreach tools for the Stop The Ban campaign.

The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications and media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, development of data communications standards, and activities surrounding technical and regulatory issues. It is a not-for-profit, national industry association representing manufacturers and distributors of motorcycles, scooters, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts and accessories, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies and consultants. The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office adjacent to Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Visit the MIC at www.mic.org.

Insurance companies overcharged consumers by $11 million

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Motorcyclists who had insurance through three companies in Massachusetts will get refunds from hundreds to thousands of dollars under a settlement agreement between the state and the insurance companies. State Attorney General Martha Coakley announced that her office has entered into settlement agreements with Safety Insurance Company, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and Quincy Mutual Fire Insurance Company to resolve allegations the companies overcharged consumers. The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) is spearheading the effort to ensure that all motorcyclists entitled to refunds get them. “The AGO (Attorney General’s Office) has reached out to the motorcycling community, through the MMA, out of concern that the insurance companies might not be able to identify and locate the riders,” said MMA Chairman Dave Condon. “All riders are encouraged to contact the MMA directly for assistance in expediting your refund.” To qualify for a refund, you must answer “yes” to the following questions: Did you buy motorcycle insurance from the Safety, Liberty or Quincy insurance company? Did your motorcycle insurance policy contain the collision or comprehensive options? Did you buy this optional motorcycle insurance at any time during the years 2002 to the present? If you answered “yes” to all three questions, then you may be due a refund, with 6 percent interest, and are urged to send your contact information to the e-mail address: MyRefund@MassMotorcycle.org. Or, mail the information to MMA, Attn: MA AGO Insurance Settlement, P.O. Box 378, Brimfield, MA 01010. The contact information will be shared only with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office Insurance and Financial Services Division and the named insurance carrier, Condon said. The information should include your name, address (past and present), telephone number, e-mail, and the year, make, model and VIN number of the motorcycle or motorcycles that were insured. Alternately, the AGO has worked with the three insurance companies to establish the following hotlines: Liberty (800) 569-5411, Quincy (800) 899-1116, and Safety (877) 951-6416. Coakley said average refunds are expected to be $300, with some consumers receiving thousands of dollars. Tens of thousands of policies may have been involved. The settlement resolves allegations that the insurance companies overcharged consumers for motorcycle insurance by using incorrect motorcycle values to calculate premiums. The settlements, which return $11.1 million to consumers, stem from an investigation that the AGO began more than a year ago after a consumer filed a complaint with the office’s Insurance and Financial Services Division. “We are pleased that Liberty, Quincy and Safety cooperated with our investigation and worked closely with our office to reach settlements that return the alleged overcharges to affected consumers,” Coakley said. “However, it remains troubling that these overcharges occurred, and these cases certainly underscore the importance of transparency in auto insurance rating. “Both consumers and regulators need to have access to information showing how premiums are to be calculated so that consumers can be protected and are not overcharged,” she said. Auto insurance companies are required to calculate premiums by following the rules in their rating manuals. The settling insurers’ rating manuals required the insurers to use current motorcycle book values to calculate the collision and comprehensive premiums charged to consumers, Coakley said. But rather than using current book values to calculate premiums, the settling insurers calculated premiums for a 1999 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic based on a $20,000 value in each year between 2003 and 2008, she said. In fact, the insured motorcycle’s book value was significantly less than $20,000 in 2003, and by 2008, the motorcycle’s value had depreciated to less than $12,000. Yet, the consumers were still being rated in 2008 as if their motorcycle had a $20,000 book value, Coakley said. About the American Motorcyclist Association Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through its Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations.