NCOM BIKER
NEWSBYTES
Compiled & Edited
by Bill Bish,
National Coalition
of Motorcyclists (NCOM)
CONGRESS TO
CONSIDER BARRING E15 ETHANOL GAS
Legislation has
been introduced in the U.S. Senate to overturn EPA approval of the sale of
E15 gasoline. Calling the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s actions to
allow the 15% ethanol blend “irresponsible” and “unfair to consumers,” U.S.
Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) filed a bill on
Valentine’s Day, February 14th that would reverse EPA waivers allowing E15
to be sold to the public for use in most modern cars and light-duty trucks.
“Whether you drive
a car, truck, boat, or tractor, misfueling with E15 could result in engine
failure, increased emissions, and the voiding of warranty coverage,” Vitter
said in announcing S. 344.
“EPA’s flawed
waivers allowing E15 amount to government bureaucrats issuing short-sighted
regulations that negatively impact families and businesses across the
country,” added Wicker, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works
Committee.
No motorcycles or
ATVs are approved to use E15, and manufacturers warn that its use could
damage engines and void warranties.
In related news,
in an effort to prevent consumers from inadvertently misfueling non-approved
vehicles with E15, the EPA has announced a new requirement for gas stations
that sell E15 to provide a separate E10/E0 pump.
Retailers would be required to
have a label on pumps that dispense multiple fuel blends of E15-and-higher
that reads: "Passenger Vehicles Only. Use in Other Vehicles, Engines and
Equipment May Violate Federal Law," and to post signs that indicate the
location of the dedicated E10-or-lower fuel pump.
MIC OPPOSES MINIMUM NOISE LEVELS
FOR ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES
The Motorcycle Industry Council
announced its opposition to a proposed rule by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) that would require electric motorcycles to
emit a minimum sound to protect pedestrians.
The MIC recently submitted
comments opposing NHTSA’s published Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for FMVSS
No. 141, Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, which
would set minimum sound requirements for hybrid and electric vehicles,
including but not limited to, motorcycles. Pursuant to the Pedestrian Safety
Enhancement Act in 2010, FMVSS No. 141 is designed to ensure that blind,
visually impaired and other pedestrians are able to detect nearby hybrid and
electric vehicles in a range of ambient environments.
In the MIC’s comments, the
motorcycle industry group argued that because of the unique attributes of
motorcycles, NHTSA should not need to require a minimum sound for them. The
MIC says that motorcycle riders are better able to see and avoid pedestrians
because their sight is unobstructed, and motorcyclists are more alert
because of their vulnerability. The MIC also stated that electric
motorcycles are not quiet, so they shouldn’t need to be subject to minimum
sound requirements.
The MIC stated further that
adding a speaker system to electric motorcycles to emit sounds would be an
issue because motorcycles have less space to add such a system, the weight
of the system would have a large effect on the motorcycle’s low-speed
stability, energy consumption of the speaker system would have a greater
impact on a motorcycle’s range and the price of installing the system would
be higher than with automobiles.
NHTSA is seeking comments on
minimum sound requirements through March 15, and details can be found at
www.federalregister.gov.
BIKERS PUSH FOR ANTI-PROFILING
BILL IN ARIZONA
A hearing room filled with
patch-wearing motorcycle club members broke out in cheers on February 6 as
an Arizona Senate public safety committee voted to approve a bill requiring
police to take training highlighting a ban on profiling of motorcyclists by
law enforcement officers.
Senator Judy Burges (R-Sun City)
sponsored the anti-profiling bill to address complaints from motorcycle club
members who say they're frequently stopped by police for no legitimate
reason.
The bill would require the
Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (known as AzPOST) to
include courses emphasizing the prohibition against stopping a biker for
riding or wearing club colors, or questioning or searching them based only
on those factors.
Rick Rodriguez of Glendale, a
member of the ALMA Motorcycle Club, said that harassment of patch-wearing
bikers by police is rampant. "It's not illegal to be an Elk, it's not
illegal to be an Eagle, it's not illegal to be a Shriner, a Knight of
Columbus," he told the Associated Press. "We wear collective marks, we ride
motorcycles, that's what we like to do. I understand the average Joe citizen
doesn't feel our plight. But when they get done with bikers, who are they
going to pick on next?"
Although the measure passed 4-0,
with three Democratic members absent, committee chairman Sen. Chester
Crandell cautioned the jubilant crowd that the bill still has a long way to
go before it becomes law and needs major changes.
TEXAS BIKERS LOBBY FOR CRASH
PREVENTION ACT
Suits and leather jackets rubbed
shoulders in the Capitol’s corridors in Austin, Texas on Monday, January 28,
as the two disparate groups share a concern over education funding; while
the state’s universities lobbied lawmakers over the General Appropriations
bill’s impact on higher education, motorcycle associations are concerned
that funds allocated last session to the Texas Department of Public Safety
are not being used effectively to support road safety and thereby costing
taxpayers.
More money is needed for
motorcycle training and to educate the public about sharing the road with
riders, said Terri Williams, a spokesperson for the Texas Motorcycle Rights
Association (TMRA2) and on behalf of the Texas Confederation of Clubs and
Independents. Texas’ "Share the Road" campaign isn’t long enough, only
lasting the month of May, while states with yearlong programs have fewer
accidents, which saves taxpayers money.
The motorcycle groups are asking
state lawmakers to pass the Motorcycle Crash Prevention Act, a new bill
aimed at lowering the number of motorcycle accidents across Texas by
providing additional funding to expand Texas’ “Share the Road” program -- a
public service campaign intended to make drivers more aware of motorcycles
on the road -- and if the proposed bill becomes law, it would also fund more
training for riders.
OHIO MODIFIES HANDLEBAR HEIGHT
LAW
Ohio has modified its handlebar
height law using language amended into S.B. 114 to change the limit from 15
inches above the lowest point of the saddle to no higher than shoulder
height of the operator when seated in the operator’s seat or saddle.
The bill also changes the
definition of a motorcycle by creating a “cab-enclosed motorcycle”
classification for two- or three-wheeled vehicles having an occupant
compartment top that is either permanent or removable. The bill was signed
into law by Governor John Kasich on December 19, 2012 and changes take
effect March 19, 2013.
CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS UNVEIL
LANE-SHARING RULES
About 87% of California
motorcycle riders reportedly slide between cars on crowded roadways – while
only half of car drivers know it’s legal and 7% admit they’ve tried to block
them – which is why the California Highway Patrol is now providing guidance
to safely maneuver the white lines.
California is the only state in
the country where so-called “lane-splitting” or “lane-sharing” isn’t
illegal, but state authorities have never, until now, told motorcyclists how
to weave between traffic safely.
The new rules, which the CHP
posted on their website after consulting with other state agencies and
motorcycle-rider groups as part of the California Motorcyclist Safety
Program which trains new riders in the state, apply to city streets,
highways and freeways across the Golden State.
"Basically, what we're most
interested in is the speeds," said Sgt. Mark Pope, statewide motorcycle
safety coordinator for the CHP. "You should lane-split no faster than 10 mph
over the speed of traffic around you, and we recommend riders not split at
all if the traffic is faster than 30 mph."
CHP officers have always had the
legal authority to ticket motorcyclists who were driving dangerously fast,
Pope said, but the new rules are designed to provide specifics.
The new written guidelines,
which carry no legal weight, can be found at http://bit.ly/XxIRJb
NEW MOTORCYCLE SALES REV UP
Motorcycle sales in the United
States revved up in 2012, rising a healthy 2.6% over 2011, according to a
report released by the Motorcycle Industry Council. Better yet, the trade
group said, retail activity was up in all four motorcycle "segments" -- the
first time that has happened since 2002 -- with increases in scooter,
dual-purpose, off-road and on-highway motorcycle sales.
Scooter sales rose the most, at
7.7%, with dual-purpose motorcycles following closely at 7.4%. Sales of dirt
bikes rose 2.1%, while those of on-highway bikes, which make up by far the
largest segment in terms of overall numbers, went up the least, at 1.8%.
The numbers were in line with
expectations, as the MIC reported in December that for the first time since
the market softened in 2006 and then crashed in 2008, it anticipated
reporting an increase in sales figures.
Just over 1.1 million
motorcycles were sold in 2006, and fewer than half that many in 2011 with
452,386 total new units sold in the U.S.
JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE EXPORTS TO
U.S. FLATTEN FOLLOWING DRAMATIC RISE
Japanese manufacturers in 2012
exported 166,601 motorcycles to the United States, an increase of 1%
compared to 2011, following a dramatic 87% increase in 2011 after the OEMs
exported only 88,074 motorcycles to the country in 2010.
JAMA reports that exports
worldwide in 2012 decreased 5% to 479,163 after last year’s upturn.
These figures come courtesy of
the searchable database of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.
They pertain to the Big Four: Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha.
USED BIKE MARKET EXPERIENCES
UPTURN
Used motorcycle sales have
heated up, sparking optimism at dealerships where trade-ins have become more
valuable.
As the economy has improved,
even if it's been marginal, more people have decided to go ahead and buy a
motorcycle. And if they can't afford a new bike, it could be a used one.
Used motorcycle prices have
recovered meaningfully since 2008, rising to a level that supports a healthy
demand for new bikes as well, according to a recent survey from Robert W.
Baird & Co.
Used Harley prices were up 7%
from a year ago and remain well above the low points found in the recession,
said Baird analyst Craig Kennison who analyzed motorcycle sales data from
the National Automobile Dealers Association. "If the demand for used
motorcycles picks up, it usually suggests the demand for new bikes will go
up as well," Kennison said.
2013 NCOM
CONVENTION IN RENO
The 28th annual NCOM Convention
will be held Mother’s Day weekend, May 9-12, 2013 at the Silver Legacy
Resort-Casino located at 407 N. Virginia St. in Reno, Nevada.
This annual gathering will draw
bikers’ rights activists from across the country to discuss topics of
concern to all riders, so reserve your room now for the special NCOM rate of
$95 by calling (800) 687-8733.
Registration fees for the NCOM
Convention are $80 including the Silver Spoke Awards Banquet on Saturday
night, or $45 for the Convention only. All motorcyclists are welcome and
encouraged to attend.
Meetings, seminars and group
discussions will focus on legislative efforts and litigation techniques to
benefit our right to ride and Freedom of the Road.
To pre-register, call the
National Coalition of Motorcyclists at (800) 525-5355 or visit
www.ON-A-BIKE.com.
QUOTABLE QUOTE:
"Any man who thinks he can be
happy and prosperous by letting the Government take care of him better take
a closer look at the American Indian!"
Henry Ford (1863-1947) American
industrialist
