Born To Ride News

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) praised U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) for standing up against a proposal that would have indirectly forced states to pass mandatory helmet laws.

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) was poised to introduce the proposal on Dec. 14 during a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on S. 1449 — the Motor Vehicle and Highway Safety Improvement Act of 2011. His proposal was an amendment to S. 1449, but he decided against offering it in the committee.

In a statement for the record, Ayotte noted that the amendment would take away the right of the people in a state to decide whether to have a mandatory helmet law “by indirectly forcing all states to pass mandatory universal helmet laws in order to receive funding for motorcycle safety.

“States without mandatory universal helmet laws — such as New Hampshire — would be subject to stricter eligibility criteria, and would be forced to use 50 percent of their grant funds to promote helmet use,” she said.

“This amendment violates the original intent of the motorcyclist safety grant program, which has traditionally focused on encouraging states to fund motorcycle safety awareness, education and training,” she said. “This amendment would divert funds away from awareness and education and, instead, use them to place federal pressure on states to enact mandatory universal helmet laws.”

Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations, thanked Ayotte for her statement, noting the AMA also opposed the Lautenberg amendment.

“Federal efforts should focus on preventing crashes rather than mandating what gear riders should wear,” Allard said.

Besides opposing the Lautenberg amendment, the AMA has been working on Capitol Hill to try to ensure that motorcycle-only checkpoints don’t proliferate around the nation, and working to ensure that motorcyclists’ concerns about possible engine damage are considered before federal officials approve the use of higher ethanol-gasoline blends for motorcycles.

“We need the help of all riders,” Allard said. “More AMA members means more political clout, from the statehouse to the White House. We urge motorcyclists to join the AMA to help protect motorcycling now and in the future.”

To join, go to http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/join.

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 support of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

WASHINGTON (AP) — States should ban all driver use of cell phones and other portable electronic devices, except in emergencies, the National Transportation Board said Tuesday.

The recommendation, unanimously agreed to by the five-member board, applies to both hands-free and hand-held phones and significantly exceeds any existing state laws restricting texting and cellphone use behind the wheel.

The board made the recommendation in connection with a deadly highway pileup in Missouri last year. The board said the initial collision in the accident near Gray Summit, Mo., was caused by the inattention of a 19 year-old-pickup driver who sent or received 11 texts in the 11 minutes immediately before the crash.

The pickup, traveling at 55 mph, collided into the back of a tractor truck that had slowed for highway construction. The pickup was rear-ended by a school bus that overrode the smaller vehicle. A second school bus rammed into the back of the first bus.

The pickup driver and a 15-year-old student on one of the school buses were killed. Thirty-eight other people were injured in the Aug. 5, 2010, accident near Gray Summit, Mo.

About 50 students, mostly members of a high school band from St. James, Mo., were on the buses heading to the Six Flags St. Louis amusement park.

The accident is a “big red flag for all drivers,” NTSB chairman Deborah Hersman said at a meeting to determine the cause of the accident and make safety recommendations.

It’s not possible to know from cell phone records if the driver was typing, reaching for the phone or reading a text at the time of the crash, but it’s clear he was manually, cognitively and visually distracted, she said.

“Driving was not his only priority,” Hersman said. “No call, no text, no update is worth a human life.”

The board is expected to recommend new restrictions on driver use of electronic devices behind the wheel. While the NTSB doesn’t have the power to impose restrictions, it’s recommendations carry significant weight with federal regulators and congressional and state lawmakers.

Missouri had a law banning drivers under 21 years old from texting while driving at the time of the crash, but wasn’t aggressively enforcing the ban, board member Robert Sumwalt said.

“Without the enforcement, the laws don’t mean a whole lot,” he said.

Investigators are seeing texting, cell phone calls and other distracting behavior by operators in accidents across all modes of transportation with increasing frequency. It has become routine for investigators to immediately request the preservation of cell phone and texting records when they launch an investigation.

In the last few years the board has investigated a commuter rail accident that killed 25 people in California in which the train engineer was texting; a fatal marine accident in Philadelphia in which a tugboat pilot was talking on his cellphone and using a laptop; and a Northwest Airlines flight that flew more than 100 miles past its destination because both pilots were working on their laptops.

The board has previously recommended bans on texting and cell phone use by commercial truck and bus drivers and beginning drivers, but it has stopped short of calling for a ban on the use of the devices by adults behind the wheel of passenger cars.

The problem of texting while driving is getting worse despite a rush by states to ban the practice, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said last week. In November, Pennsylvania became the 35th state to forbid texting while driving.

About two out of 10 American drivers overall — and half of drivers between 21 and 24 — say they’ve thumbed messages or emailed from the driver’s seat, according to a survey of more than 6,000 drivers by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

And what’s more, many drivers don’t think it’s dangerous when they do it — only when others do, the survey found.

At any given moment last year on America’s streets and highways, nearly 1 in every 100 car drivers was texting, emailing, surfing the Web or otherwise using a handheld electronic device, the safety administration said. And those activities spiked 50 percent over the previous year.

The agency takes an annual snapshot of drivers’ behavior behind the wheel by staking out intersections to count people using cellphones and other devices, as well as other distracting behavior.

Driver distraction wasn’t the only significant safety problem uncovered by NTSB’s investigation of the Missouri accident. Investigators said they believe the pickup driver was suffering from fatigue that may have eroded his judgment at the time of the accident. He had an average of about five and a half hours of sleep a night in the days leading up to the accident and had had fewer than five hours of sleep the night before the accident, they said.

The pickup driver had no history of accidents or traffic violations, investigators said.

Investigators also found significant problems with the brakes of both school buses involved in the accident. A third school bus sent to a hospital after the accident to pick up students crashed in the hospital parking lot when that bus’ brakes failed.

However, the brake problems didn’t cause or contribute to the severity of the accident, investigators said.

Another issue involved the difficulty passengers had exiting the first school bus after the accident. The bus’ front and rear bus doors were unusable after the accident — the front door because the front bus was on top of the tractor truck cab and too high off the ground, and the rear door because the front of the bus had intruded five feet into the rear of the first bus.

Passengers had to exit through an emergency window, but the raised latch on the window kept catching on clothing as students tried to escape, investigators said. Exiting was further slowed because the window design required one person to hold the window up in order for a second person to crawl through, they said.

It was critical for passengers to exit as quickly as possible because a large amount of fuel puddled underneath the bus was a serious fire hazard, investigators said.

“It could have been a much worse situation if there was a fire,” Donald Karol, the NTSB’s highway safety director, said.

 Republished directly from http://news.yahoo.com/ntsb-recommends-ban-driver-cell-phone-172412513.html

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — A U.S. Senate committee has approved two amendments to a traffic safety bill that would continue a ban on a U.S. traffic safety agency lobbying state and local officials, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports.

On Dec. 14, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved S. 1449 — the Motor Vehicle and Highway Safety Improvement Act of 2011 — including two amendments offered by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). The DeMint amendments deleted language in the bill that would have allowed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to lobby state and local officials.

The committee didn’t take up a proposed amendment that was to be offered by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) that would have drastically altered the existing motorcyclist safety grant program by indirectly pressuring states to pass mandatory helmet laws.

The measure now goes to the Senate floor for a vote. It’s unknown when that may take place.

“This is good news for motorcyclists nationwide because it means that federal officials won’t be trying to influence local decisions when it comes to motorcycle safety and motorcycle safety-related programs,” said Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations.

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 support of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

On Wednesday, December 14, the Senate Commerce, Science, &Transportation Committee will mark-up the “Motor Vehicle and Highway Safety Improvement Act of 2011,” (S. 1449). The measure covers the safety aspects of the next national transportation program, including the acceptable activities of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). S. 1449 contains three areas of critical concern to motorcyclists.

The first is Lautenberg Amendment #1 filed on the morning of Monday, December 12. Senator Frank Lautenberg’s (D-NJ) amendment would drastically alter the motorcyclist safety grant program, indirectly force states to pass mandatory universal helmet laws, and direct the use of federal tax dollars to only promote the use of helmets.

More specifically, the amendment alters the current motorcyclist safety grant program (a.k.a. Section 2010 funds) by loosening the requirements to receive funds for states with mandatory universal helmet laws in place. A mandatory universal helmet law requires any rider and passenger on a motorcycle to be wearing a helmet at all times, regardless of age. The AMA believes that adults should have the right to voluntarily decide when to wear a helmet.

States that currently do not have universal helmet laws would see their qualification criteria become stricter in order to receive safety grants.

Additionally, states without mandatory universal helmet laws would be required to spend 50% of their grant funds on the promotion of helmet use. The remaining 50% could be spent on rider training, helmet promotion, enforcement programs to reduce impaired riding, linking motorcycle data together electronically in states, implementation of graduating licensing systems for riders, and speeding and reckless riding enforcement programs.

The revised use of funds is contradictory to the spirit in which motorcyclists fought for the safety grant program during the last federal transportation initiative. In 2005, the motorcycling community came together to create the motorcyclist safety grant program to encourage states to fund motorcycle safety awareness, education, and training programs. The allowable uses of funds included public service announcements, motorist awareness campaigns, and the improved delivery of rider training.

Lautenberg Amendment #1 would provide zero funding for awareness and education programs.

The second threat to motorcyclists is a clause that would lift the ban on NHTSA being able to use federal tax dollars to lobby states to pass mandatory helmet laws. The provision was included in the national transportation program beginning in 1998 and was re-affirmed in 2005. The AMA believes that the decision on helmet laws is the right of each individual states and the federal government should not be allowed to apply unfair pressure to influence a state’s choice on that issue.

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) has introduced one amendment to strike the clause lifting the ban on NHTSA lobbying efforts. Additionally, DeMint has offered an amendment that would further address lobbying efforts by the federal government. Both DeMint Amendments #1 and #18 should pass in order to bar the federal government from using individual tax-payer dollars to control the state law-making process.

Thirdly, S. 1449 seeks to alter the definition of “motor vehicle equipment” to specifically call-out motorcycle helmets. This is a tactic used to quietly suggest states spend federal funding related to any type of motor vehicle equipment on motorcycle helmets. Senator DeMint has also offered DeMint Amendment #2 to strike the reference to motorcycle helmets in this definition.

If one of your Senators is on the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, then that Senator can help address these issues immediately. Due to the short amount of time available, the best way to contact your Senator is to call. Click on the “Call Now” option, enter your zip code and receive all the information you need, including pre-written talking points to deliver to your Senator on the Committee.

Call your Senator on the Committee now and tell them to: 1) Vote “No” on Lautenberg Amendment #1 to S. 1449 that would change the motorcyclist safety grant program; 2) Support the DeMint Amendments #1 & #18 to S. 1449 that would address lobbying by the federal government; 3) Strike “motorcycle helmet” from the definition of “motor vehicle equipment.”

Call now; there is no time to waste

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) announced today its AMA Motorcyclist of the Year: AMA member and motorcycle activist Nancy Sabater. Awarded annually, the AMA Motorcyclist of the Year designation recognizes the person or persons who had the most profound impact on the world of motorcycling in the previous 12 months.

Sabater, a motorcyclist from Charlotte Hall, Md., earned the distinction for her grassroots advocacy in 2011 to save youth motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) from a misguided federal law that would have banned their sale on Jan. 1, 2012. The victory over the “lead law” was sealed when President Obama signed legislation overturning the ban on Aug. 12, 2011, ending a three-year battle to save youth riding for future generations.

“A number of partners had a hand in our victory over this misguided law — the motorcycle industry, race promoters, parts distributors and others,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “But it’s Nancy and those like her — the individual enthusiasts — who truly put the rubber to the road, gave our cause a face in the crowd and brought this victory home. They were the most influential motorcyclists of 2011, and AMA member and grassroots activist Nancy Sabater is the AMA Motorcyclist of the Year for her stellar work on behalf of families and kids.”

The issue arose in 2009 shortly after Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008. The law followed reports that inexpensive imported children’s toys were testing high for lead content, which presents serious exposure risks for children.

However, the CPSIA was written with such sweeping language that it banned the making, importing, distributing or selling of any product intended for children 12 and under that contained more than a trace amount of lead. This ensnared kids’ dirtbikes and ATVs because trace levels of lead can be found in parts such as brake calipers and battery terminals. It did not matter that those parts were extremely unlikely to end up in kids’ mouths.

Fixing the lead law hinged on the support of thousands of individual motorcyclists, such as Sabater, who was involved in numerous efforts to generate support to repeal the law. For Sabater, these included two initiatives that preceded the fix itself: the AMA Family Capitol Hill Climb on May 26, 2011 — which brought families together on Capitol Hill to lobby their lawmakers — and a number of videos Sabater produced of well-known racers and motocross industry personalities speaking out against the lead law.

“This victory is something that demonstrates the fruits of our labors,” Sabater said. “Something really happened here. We effected change. We showed these kids that if you want something hard enough and you work hard enough, that you can get results. Who knows what battles we’ll fight next, in D.C., for the AMA, for the rights of motorcyclists? This was a victory on many levels.”

The full story of the lead law victory and Sabater’s involvement is detailed in the January 2012 issue of American Motorcyclist.

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 support of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Nowhere is the passion and dedication of women motorcyclists more apparent than at an AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference. The popular event returns July 26-29, 2012, this time in Carson City, Nev. — one of the West’s premier motorcycling destinations.

The AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference focuses on educating, encouraging, inspiring and mentoring women in the lifestyle and sport of motorcycling. Early registration of $125 is available now exclusively for AMA members at  http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=vw9ldxbab&oeidk=a07e5b2rc65a3dc83f3. After April 30, 2012, registration will increase to $175 for AMA members and be available to non-AMA members for $235.

“Regardless of bike brand, riding preference or background, women motorcyclists are bound together by their common passion for life on two and three wheels,” said AMA Marketing Manager Tigra Tsujikawa. “The AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference provides all of us the opportunity to connect with, and learn from, other women riders. Through seminars, activities, training classes and organized rides, we’ll work together to gain knowledge and skills to better navigate where the road or trail leads next.”

Carson City Mayor Pro Tem Shelly Aldean said the conference is a welcome addition to her city’s 2012 calendar of events.

“Carson City is delighted to be hosting the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference in July 2012,” she said. “We look forward to accommodating the attendees participation in the conference. We hope that during their visit, conference goers will spend some time exploring what Carson City has to offer and, as a result of our hospitality, will feel like honorary members of our community when it’s finally time to say goodbye.”

Previous AMA International Women & Motorcycling conferences have been held in Keystone, Colo.; Athens, Ga.; Buckhannon, W.Va.; Athens, Ohio; and Westerville, Ohio. They featured targeted attractions for women motorcyclists such as seminars, workshops, speeches, product and motorcycle displays and demonstrations, recreational riding and networking.

“I am personally looking forward to this special gathering of the women’s motorcycling community, a community that has increased significantly in recent years,” Tsujikawa said. “The 2009 event was an unforgettable experience, and the 2012 conference will offer even more camaraderie and fun.”

Tsujikawa added that men are encouraged to attend the conference as well.

“Motorcyclists are known for their welcoming attitudes, and the AMA International Women and Motorcycling Conference is no exception,” she said. “Women are encouraged to register their spouses, partners and friends, who can attend all activities. And for those just along for the ride, even if they aren’t participating in the conference, there are ample entertainment opportunities in Carson City, on and off a motorcycle.”

The sixth AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference will be held in Carson City, Nev., on July 26-29, 2012. Event and lodging information is available at www.womenandmotorcycling.com.

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 support of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) welcomed a full house of AMA champions and their families, friends and fans to the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa in Las Vegas, Nev., on Sunday, Nov. 20, for the AMA Visa Card from Capital One Racing Championship Banquet. The banquet celebrated racers’ championship seasons and awarded a number of special awards that acknowledge the standout performances of top competitors.

Speaking at the banquet, Stan Simpson, the chairman of the AMA’s Board of Directors, thanked all AMA racers for their contribution to making motorcycle racing the exciting sport it has become.

“On behalf of the board of directors of the American Motorcyclist Association, our AMA staff, and each and every AMA member, I congratulate all of you for your successful seasons,” Simpson said, addressing the crowd. “Your skill and determination have earned you a place among this elite group of champions and taken you to the top of amateur racing. The AMA has its roots in amateur motorcycle racing. But not only are you our past, you also represent the future of motorcycling. You are the backbone of the AMA.”

Hundreds of top competitors, in disciplines ranging from land-speed racing to motocross to woods racing and everything in between, received their national championship trophies and No. 1 plates at the banquet. Special awards included AMA Athlete of the Year honors.

The AMA’s highest competitive honor, the AMA Athlete of the Year, has evolved for 2011. The award now includes two categories of outstanding AMA racers. One award recognizes an athlete who stands atop an AMA National Championship Series, and another honors one of the amateur racers who has proven his mettle at an AMA Grand Championship event.

The AMA National Championship Athlete of the Year award was won by Russell Bobbitt, the overall champion of the 2011 AMA Racing Rekluse National Enduro Championship Series, presented by Moose Racing. Bobbitt won four rounds of the 10-round series. Notably, the FMF/KTM rider overcame a mid-season injury to battle back in the highly competitive series and ultimately dominate the final round in a must-win scenario to capture the title over his teammate and defending National Enduro Champion Charlie Mullins.

“I really didn’t think I was going to get this at all,” Bobbitt said. “I’m kind of blown away right now. With all the other nominees — Kurt Caselli, Taddy (Blazusiak), Charlie (Mullins) and (Pat) Smage — all those guys are really good. So many of them are on KTMs, and I just think it’s amazing what everyone’s accomplished. It was a great year for me. I’m really excited about this, but I want to congratulate all the other riders for their stellar years. I’m looking forward to next year. I know we have a great team behind us.”

Daniel Bromley won the AMA Grand Championship Athlete of the Year Award. The Pennsylvania dirt-tracker has earned 36 AMA amateur national championships in his career. In 2011, his last season as an amateur, Bromley won the AMA Dirt Track Horizon Award; the 250cc Modified Two-Stroke, 250cc DTX Grand Championships; the 250cc DTX Short-Track, 250cc DTX TT, 250cc Modified Two-Stroke Short-Track, 250cc Modified Two-Stroke TT, and 251cc-500cc DTX TT National Championships. He also competed in the AMA Racing Winter Dirt Track Championship Series where he won the 250cc DTX championship.

“I’m pretty speechless. It’s a pretty big honor,” said Bromley, who competes on KTM motorcycles with his older brother, Joseph. “Having a brother to race and compete with is really helpful because he’s out there helping me on the track, and I’m helping him. His lines are usually better than mine, so that helps. Having someone there supporting you on the track and off the track is really important. My goals for 2012 are to hit Daytona and most of the short-track and TTs. I want to make the (AMA Pro Racing) Pro Single mains because that’s where it begins.”

The AMA ATV Athlete of the Year Award was won by the most dominant rider in the history of XC2 Pro-Am class competition in the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series: Yamaha rider Walker Fowler. Fowler, of Rogers, Ohio, won every round of the off-road racing series against the fastest ATV riders in the country.

“It was just a crazy year for sure — a dream season,” Fowler said. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it again. It’s every racer’s dream to be able to do something that no one else can. But there are a lot more goals in front of me that are the same thing, and that’s what keeps us racers going. I just want to thank the AMA for giving us all these series to compete in and letting us go out and do what we do.”

The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series also delivered the AMA Female Rider of the Year: KTM’s Maria Forsberg, from Brier, Wash. Forsberg had a phenomenal year in the GNCC series, where she won 11 of 13 races in the Women’s class.

AMA Veteran/Senior Rider of the Year was Tim Shephard. Shephard, of Sugar Grove, Ohio, was the AMA Senior Off-Road Vintage Grand Champion at the AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships.

Austin Lee, the Super Mini National Champion from the AMA Racing East Hare Scrambles Championship Series, was the AMA Racing Youth Rider of the Year. Lee, from Bedford, Ind., won three rounds of the 10-round series.

The AMA Sportsman of the Year was presented to Claudia Danielewicz of Oxford, Mich. Danielewicz has been instrumental in advancing racing opportunities for women in AMA-sanctioned off-road competition.

“Claudia Danielewicz has been an AMA member and racer for more than 10 years, and she has helped change the face of female competition in off-road racing forever,” said AMA Director of Racing Joe Bromley. “Claudia has been instrumental in helping to get more female riders active in AMA Racing. She has helped promoters align class structures so that we have a girls youth class, as well as a ranking system to move them up through the women’s classes. She is the 2011 AMA Sportsman of the Year.”

Other special awards included:

AMA Racing Media Award
Shan Moore, off-road photographer and reporter

Motocross Organizer of the Year
Feld Motor Sports, AMA Arenacross

Off-Road Organizer of the Year
Source Interlink Media, GEICO AMA EnduroCross Championship

Track Racing Organizer of the Year
Steve Nace Racing, Dirt Track

ATV Organizer of the Year
Racer Productions, Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series

Recreational Road Riding Organizer of the Year
Sound Rider, Sportbike, Dual-Sport, Touring, Scooter Rallies

Recreational Off-Road Organizer of the Year
Dirty Dabbers, Great Adventure Dual Sport

Club of the Year
Cheaha Trail Riders

AMA Legends & Champions Weekend
The AMA Legends & Champions Weekend was a three-day celebration of motorcycling’s greats held at Las Vegas’ Red Rock Nov. 18-20. In addition to the AMA Visa Card Racing Championship Banquet, the celebration included the AMA Visa Card Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by KTM, and the annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Dave Mungenast Memorial Concours d’Elegance bike show, which featured some of the country’s most-stunning original and immaculately restored classic motorcycles.

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 support of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Technical Riding Jacket from the Military Archival Collection

MILWAUKEE (Nov. 2011) – The new men’s Cotton Canvas Functional Jacket (P/N 97270-12VM, starting at $250) from the Harley-Davidson^® MotorClothes^® Military Archival Collection matches technical riding features with authentic military style. Its 100 percent cotton canvas construction is complemented by a polyester/spandex lining. A removable, quilted warmth vest is made from polyester/cotton and features a camo print. Vents at the pre-curved sleeves and back are matched with body armor pockets, adjustable snap sleeves and waist tabs, plus five spacious pockets. Military-inspired cues include snap epaulettes on the shoulders, rivet accents around the pockets and a combination of patches and embroidered graphics. Available in S – 3XL sizes.

The Cotton Canvas Functional Jacket is among 20 unique items from the Military Archival Collection, and is available now at most Harley-Davidson dealerships.

For additional information on Harley-Davidson MotorClothes Apparel and Collectibles, see your local Harley-Davidson dealer or visit harley-davidson.com. To find a dealer near you, call 1.800.LUV.2RIDE in the U.S. or Canada.

Classic Military Style with Modern Features

MILWAUKEE (Nov. 2011) – Wrapped in Harley-Davidson-embroidered canvas, the new men’s Canvas-Covered Half Helmet (P/N 97271-12VM, $150) from the Harley-Davidson^® MotorClothes^® line invokes a classic image of military gear.
It features a lightweight fiberglass shell with a removable inner liner and visor and weighs just 1-lb. 15-oz. Meets DOT requirements and is available in XS – 2XL sizes.

The Canvas-Covered Half Helmet is among 20 unique items from the Military Archival Collection, and is available now at most Harley-Davidson dealerships.

For additional information on Harley-Davidson MotorClothes Apparel and Collectibles, see your local Harley-Davidson dealer or visit harley-davidson.com.
To find a dealer near you, call 1.800.LUV.2RIDE in the U.S. or Canada.

Ten years after the state repealed a law requiring all motorcycle riders to wear helmets, the head gear is making a comeback, thanks largely to the Florida Department of Transportation.

FDOT wisely sees a huge safety issue in bikers wearing helmets. The department has focused on several safety campaigns trying to make motorists more aware of bikers, and now it wants to use those same educational tools to get bikers to wear their helmets.

Numbers tracked by the department show a noticeable uptick in helmet use among South Florida bikers, particularly in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Last year, 55 percent of the surveyed bikers in Broward said they used their helmets, up from 49 percent eight years ago. In Palm Beach County, the figure was 47 percent, an increase of three percentage points from 2002.

The survey results are a welcome change and a far cry from 2000, when riding helmetless was portrayed as an American right. Personal freedom, not actuarial sense, carried the day when state lawmakers passed a bill signed into law by then-Gov. Jeb Bush that gave motorcycle enthusiasts 21 and older who carried at least $10,000 in personal injury insurance the right to ride bareheaded.

Still, head injuries remain the second-most common injuries requiring hospitalization for bikers, with 29 percent of Florida’s motorcycle crash deaths attributed to traumatic brain injuries. While the personal injury coverage requirement helps, the median hospital charge is five times the state’s minimum $10,000 mandate. Worse, almost half — 49 percent — of those biker emergency room visits and hospital stays in 2009 weren’t covered by insurance, a cost shift that fell to other Floridians (many of whom don’t own motorcycles), either in the form of higher taxes or increased insurance premiums.

Credit state officials for staging a turnaround. Lawmakers approved a 2008 law that requires all bikers to take training courses before receiving a motorcycle endorsement on their driver’s licenses. FDOT’s decision to raise awareness of motorcycle safety among other motorists was also a smart approach in dealing with a much larger issue.

The good news is biker fatalities in the Sunshine State have dropped, although Florida remains one of the worst states when it comes to motorcycle crash deaths. As more motorcycle enthusiasts embrace the idea of wearing helmets, the hope is that the Legislature will entertain the idea of restoring the universal helmet law.

Retrieved Wednesday, November 17; from http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-11-16/news/fl-helmets-editorials-dl-20111116_1_biker-fatalities-biker-helmets-universal-helmet-law