2012 March Revenue Of US Motorcycle Dealers Up 20%. The data comes from ADP Lightspeed, an organism maintaining a database of over 1 billion sales records from motorcycle industry dealers. Every night, over 1400 Lightspeed dealers automatically transmit the day’s Parts, Service and Sales information to a collective database held at the Lightspeed offices Salt Lake City. Sales in March 2012 increased 20% over March 2011. An improving economy, warmer than usual winter temperatures are advanced as the 2 main factors for this surge in revenue. Among the 5 regions studied, the Midwest is where revenue increased the most ($39.5%), the Southern region where sales progressed the less (4.2%)
Virginia State. Motorcycles Can Now Ride Side by Side. Governor Bob McDonnell has signed legislation permitting bikers to ride two abreast in a single driving lane in Virginia. Current State law prohibits motorcyclists from doing that with violators bing charged with reckless driving. The new law will take effect July 1, 2012.
Royal Enfield. Customers Must Wait Six To Nine months To Get Their New Bikes. The 119 year-old Anglo-Indian motorcycle manufacturer with a cult following, can’t make their motorcycles fast enough to meet demand. Royal Enfield sold 74,600 motorcycles in 2011, a 40 percent increase, all made at its 57-year-old factory on India’s southeastern coast. The company is currently pushing sales in Europe and North America and is spending $30 million this fiscal year in a push to double capacity and upgrade manufacturing technology.
Interesting News on Virginia allowing motorcycle to ride side by side but would have liked to see the following as well.
Other news should have been Michigan modifying their Mandatory Helmet Law to allow operators to ride with out helmets provided they are over 21, have ridden for 2 years and have $ 200,000 in insurance. I would suggest checking with the state of Michigan for exact details.
FLORIDA FUNDS RIDER SAFETY
“This morning the Governor of the State of Florida signed into law the budget for the next fiscal year,” reported ABATE of Florida State President James “Doc” Reichenbach, adding that “Included in the budget was $250,000 to ABATE of Florida, Inc. for motorcycle safety.”
In the past five years the Florida Legislature has put in the budget $1,250,000 for motorcycle safety to be administered by ABATE. “Congratulations to the members of this great organization,” Doc told the membership.
Information on how this money is being spent can be found in the State of Florida document starting on page 16.
Keep scrolling down to see the full disclosure. http://leg.state.fl.us/data/committees/joint/jcla/meetingpackets/100311.pdf
Can someone please explain to me Why? Look at the cuts that were made and then tell me what possible benefit another 250,000.00$ spent on throw away trinkets advertising ABATE of Florida has to the taxpayers? Or as Doc would point out, the people that pay the increased motorcycle registration fees…
On May 26, 2011, Gov. Rick Scott signed a new $69 billion Florida budget but vetoed a record $615 million after lawmakers previously chopped nearly $4 billion. The plan eliminates about 4,500 state positions, most of them filled. School districts expect to lay off thousands more due to spending cuts. [25] The budget bill, Senate Bill 2000, can be found here. The budget is $4.6 billion smaller than 2006, and spending is down two percent from FY2011.
http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Florida_state_budget#FY2012_State_Budget
The trade offs are not worth the increase in taxes, assessments, fees and ultimately the loss of liberty. It is not surprising to see supposed motorcycle rights organizations as pimps for the government under the guise of “can’t we all just get along?”
You need to pay as much or more attention to this kind of hazard.
Another brilliant piece of legislation.
I moved to Virginia from Minnesota last year. The roads in Virginia are paved from the trails stomped out by farm animals hundreds of years ago. I really don’t want another motorcycle anywhere around me when I am crossing the prairie of South Dakota. To have another motorcycle next to you on most of the roads in Virgina is stupidity.
In 2010 there were 582,740 motorcycles registered in the state of Florida. I do not have the number for 2011 or 2012 yet. Though reports have indicated the numbers have gone out.
Abate of Florida supported a bill to increase the fee by 2.50 over the rate that was already charged for registering a motorcycle in Florida.
I should note there was already a fee in the registration calculation for education and the state has a history of using those funds for other things.
Just so you do not have to go get your calculator $2.50 X 582,740 = $1,156,850.00. That is what would be collected by the State of Florida.
At the beginning of the next session of the legislature they did in fact take that money and used it for other sources. When people complained to Doc Reichenbach the president of ABATE of Florida and their lobbyist he stated in the Abate news letter they were not fighting it because Abate was still getting their $250,000.00.
Myself and others are still asking why Abate got the money in the first place. Can you figure out what we are thinking? No one has done anything to change that and or defend what is going on.
As seen in previous post you can see how Abate has said they spent this money.
I hope this information helps explain what some of us see going on. Your comments are greatly appreciated.
David Monahan,
Sure beats the hell out of riding in the oncoming traffic lane. Beats the hell out of Al Franken, too.
As a former member of ABATE of Florida,I still don’t understand why the state gives them anything. having seen the inner workings of this group up close and now seeing what the money,Florida Tax dollars,are being spent on just fortifies my opinion that this particular “motorcycle rights” group,in Florida at least,is nothing more than an elaborate con.
I’ve never observed Florida ABATE handing out motorcycle safety information anywhere doing Bike Week ,except maybe in their campground at the fairgrounds or doing any advertising about safety.
I guess the old saying,”your tax dollars at work”,rings true in this case.
Keep up the pressure Rogue.
I cannot or have not seen much if anything the $1.25M that ABATE of FL has received except for bumper stickers. None of the great FDOT TV ads airing over the past year that concern motorcycle safety have any mention or sponsorship by ABATE which is where some of the monies should be spent We also should see more ABATE sponsored safety kiosks with the State funding more to the various chapters around the State. Damn thats alot of money!
@ David…
Your an idiot, you may go now…..
what does Virgina have to do with South Dakota? When I was in SD I thought the roads were as good or better then any state I have been in.
Royal Enfield is a perfect Bike to be on display at the Bar in Daytona that Drops them from 50 feet to the ground.
Mike: There are numerous organizations that call them selves Motorcycle Rights Organizations, some are and some are better than others while even more are really Safety Organizations (MSO).
ABATE = A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments was formed by Lou Kimzey of Easyriders motorcycle magazine to fight bad legislation against motorcyclist. From Webster’s Dictionary, Totalitarian – Pertaining to a centralized government in which those in control grant neither recognition nor tolerance to parties of different opinion.
Since the start of ABATE some chapters have changed the wording to other things most of which include the word Education in place of Totalitarian. Some think this was a good move as the government did not like the word Totalitarian, others feel it changed the structure of the organization and showed weakness. There is even speculation it was done so that the organizations could became friendly with legislators and opened the door to receiving money from them in various forms and or grants.
I do believe that motorcycle people involved in rights organizations are also interested in safety BUT the two are very different when you get to the bottom line. In very rare conditions one can ride two horses at the same time so you are either a MRO or a MSO. Make up your mind and then inform the public exactly which is the priority!
The people who monitor this type of thing know what is going on and pretty much who is doing what. Many of the people running or belonging to ABATE also belong to other motorcycle organizations and when someone exposes activities they think are wrong you will often hear “Why Can’t We All Get Along”. Well back to parties of different opinion.
It appears that as more of the questionable activities of some of these organizations come to light in a specific area such as Florida people in other states start to look at their state and or national organizations to see what is going on with them.
The fact is that Doc Reichenbach who is the current president of ABATE of Florida and their lobbyist has been in the past and currently also involved in other organizations, some of which are not happy with the public being informed of what is going on in Florida.
One answer to why can’t we all can’t get along is that there are different opinions on what accepting money from the government makes any organization. Then the question is what did you have to give up to get the money? Did you endorse legislation that made or saved the government large sums of money? The questions go on and on and will continue to go on.
But much like this forum isn’t that what we are supposed to do? By bringing all parts of an issue to open discussion people can and will become informed and then be able to make the right decision for themselves.
Motorcycle dealer sales up 20% in March. I think we can drop the clarification “in this economy” from every piece of good news any time now.
Tim
How Abate said they spent the money is in the link to the State of Florida document.
And like you I have not seen much of anything from ABATE of Florida other than them doing some stickers, yard signs and do dads that advertise Abate
On the other hand I see more bumper stickers about watching for motorcycles from Mother On A Mission. I would like to note she is Not Getting A Grant From The State of Florida.
To all of my Family and Friends,
Just wanted you all to know that I was excited to received the Governor’s Proclamation of May being Motorcycle Awareness Month. The paper copy is in the mail, but this was sent to me and I wanted to share it with all of you.
You all have been there supporting me throughout the years, and I wanted to Thank You All for always being there for me. May 19th will mark 7 years that my son Gene Adam will be gone. There are times when I feel like I can’t do anymore, because funds have dried up, foundation bills are pilling up and life in general for me is a daily struggle, but when you get this kind of recognition from the Governor, it makes you realize you are making a difference.
As of date 410,000 FREE LOOK TWICE-SAVE A LIFE MOTORCYCLES ARE EVERYWHERE bumper stickers have been handed out. I might not be at every function, but I am still here sending out bumper stickers on a monthly basis.
God Bless and Ride Safe
Diane/Mother on a Mission
Now as far as billboards you need to look at who payed for them. I have looked and I have not been able to find one from ABATE of Florida.
With cutting money from schools and teachers as well as other source I just can not understand why the State of Florida continues to give Abate money.
FlaNativ;
We are seeing a increase in people who are saying they are no longer members of ABATE of Florida and others who are not going to renew their membership.
The ABATE of Florida Does Not Speak For Me stickers on the other hand are going like hotcakes.
If anyone disagrees with what Abate of Florida is doing it is suggested you contact your elected officials and send them a message letting them know Abate does Not Speak For You.
This organization contains less than 1% of the motorcyclist in Florida and continues to try and convince people and the legislature they speak for us. This Is Not So and I have contacted my legislators to let them know.
Now even with a membership of less than 1% most of them do not attend meetings or get involved. So this is a Very Small Amount of People.
Question to those still involved in Abate. What have you ever received from the money that Abate has received from the State of Florida?
It seems odd to me that a national MRO would dictated to by an underling of a regulatory agency as to what things would be discussed at a meeting. It seems contrived that the discussion would be about previous topics that both sides agreed upon. MRO would take on another bastardization of Messenger Relaying Orders.
Carlin was right about the pussification of bikers.
Has anyone ever contacted the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce to find out production-stats over the last 30 years from the manufacturing of Harley-Davidson® aftermarket?
Why not?
You know?…. maybe we’d like to see inside the factories of some of the repop giants…. like….like… Eagle® (gastank manufacturer) and (soft) Triangle H® (steering head lock assemblies) and, known throughout the solar system,… Zel® (fenders, various stamped-metal products and god-knows what else).
Where is this segment of M/Ccommerce being represented? Lost in pure greed without a rudder? 🙂
Where’s OUR Harley-Aftermarket Association? What are we….. outlaws? We’re a pretty large group of outlaws then. Where we grew, was each as separate contractors loosely connected by poor copies of the original. Just so you know, if you didn’t.
When is the Florida Abate President going to let the Membership run the Florida Abate?
He is taking the office he holds to new heights of Power that he should not have. He takes the State funds and uses them as HE wants to. The National Abate needs to look into the way he runs this Organization. It dose not sit well with me or many other menbers. I am a life Member and really want my say to be heard and acted on. If he (DOC) thinks he can take me and do what he has tried to do to other people that oppose him, bring it on Doc. We will get you out of office.
Hey Folks,
I see Mike Greenwald referring to the pussification of our biker tribe, and I’m not sure what he means, but maybe in the real world it is best symbolized by what Rogue referred to in the name change from “A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments” to “A ‘Brotherhood’ AIMing Toward Education.” These are two very different formulations of words, and I fear that at least for some state ABATE’s represents a shift from what many of us once saw as admirable about ABATE, the fight for freedom from laws which oppress us, and the civil disobedience that went along with it, now to “AIMing” toward “educating,” and apparently, and apparently that education is about safety, a shift of emphasis one could say is being bought and paid for in Florida by government grants.
There are two problems with our larger economy. One is that our government spends to much, and the other one is that groups seek funds and use funds in wasteful ways. The money that ABATE of Florida gets AIMing for Education on Safety means money from somewhere, either out of our pockets or out of funds for educating our kids for their futures. If your purpose is to educate the riding public to watch out for bikers at intersections, then all you’ve got to do is modify the booklets that car drivers take to obtain their drivers licenses to add a comprehensive section on motorcycle safety, and then add questions to the car drivers exams to make sure they got it. There, I just saved you $1,250,000. Hire some real teachers for our schools. We’ve also just freed up ABATE to return to fighting against totalitarian enactments. Yeah, Florida has 21 and over “freedom,” but that “freedom” was achieved only by shoving it to those under 21. Freedom earned by selling others into oppression isn’t freedom. ABATE of Florida should concentrate on freeing those under 21, and tell the government to keep their money.
Ray Henke
You said a mouthful, Ray. You knew what I was saying.
Zel • Qingxi Industry Park, Yongkang City • Yongkang, Zhejiang 321313
The biggest factory with the heaviest presses. Would be interesting to see the workings from ANY of the new start-ups (India) YouTubes as well. Something. Anything.
John Dean : There is No National Abate.
When there was so much squabbling going on among the different states about who was going to run what and how Lou Kimzey the founder of ABATE gave it up to each state and asked them to try and get along and work towards a common goal of fighting for motorcyclist rights.
So each state that has a ABATE chapter is independent. Some states have good records and others not. Some have changed into what many consider motorcycle safety organizations while still calling themselves rights organizations.
Some accept money from the Government and you can read what ever you want into that.
Besides changing what ABATE stands for some have changed rules and by-laws many times with out the general membership knowing about it.
And of course a Very Sore Subject is How State Officers are elected.
In Florida each chapter regardless of size gets two votes. Members Present at a chapter meeting vote on which person they want for specific positions. I would like to note as you well know the chapter you belong to has a very small amount of members show up. It is usually those who are required to because they hold a position or want to know about when the next party or club run is.
There are two delegates that go to the State Meeting and carry the Vote. Then the residing board members also get a vote. Yes they do vote for themselves. Now what many people feel is that is not right since in most cases their home chapter is voting for them and thus giving that chapter 3 votes as compared to everyone else.
Until ABATE of Florida changes this type of voting many feel it is no different than elections in some of the third world countries.
Many members have attempted to change the by-laws through the years but the state board continues to ignore these requests. It appears they want to continue using board votes to give them an edge in the election.
The closest thing to a National Abate is the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) as many or most Abate chapters belong to MRF. I should note though that the MRF has No Governing powers over these organizations.
There is also NCOM which has numerous Abate chapters But since I do not belong to that organization I prefer not to comment on things I do not have knowledge of.
I can tell you though that Doc Reichenbach is currently listed as Chairman of that organization.
Hopefully members of ABATE of Florida will continue to expose what is going in the state and work to bring changes to the organization.
Granted they represent less than 1% of the motorcyclist in the state but from your letter and that of others we know that many of the membership is not happy with how the organization is being run.
By bringing information to everyone hopefully changes will be made.
“These items include bookmarks, chap stick, coloring books, crayons, eyeglass repair kits, gel pens, leather-look portfolios, motorcycle key chains, motorcycle kickstands, plastic die-cut bags, pocket folders, silicone bracelets, wave jotter pads, and zipper tote first aid kits.”
YeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaa! Look Ma Abate bought our kids christmas present this year!
Regarding Michigans new helmet law modification.
1. A Michigan biker must be 21 years old, have been through a motorcycle riders course or have 2 years of cycle endorsement possession, and must have a $20,000.00 medical benefits rider on each of their motorcycles insurance policy they plan to ride without a helmet on. (Twenty thousand not Two hundred thousand)
2. For all practical purposes the stipulations other than age are unenforceable by law enforcement. Nothing in the law requires any proof of possession of the medical rider or proof of experience or training. None of the requirements aside from age are applicable to out of state riders in order to ride helmet free.
If you have never visited Michigan, come on up. We have some excellent roads and the Upper Peninsula is an untapped Bikers mecca. The scenery cannot be beat, the food is mostly home cooking and excellent, the Indians have casino’s… and the roads are in excellent condition.
Ray
You are on the money with your statement. ABATE of Florida is accepting money that could be better used elsewhere. Myself and others do not see this stopping in the near future nor do we see how the money is being spent to change.
Just because many motorcycle riders are seen riding in Florida without helmets most people assume that the Mandatory Helmet Law was Repealed when in fact that is Not True. Florida has a Mandatory Helmet Law with exceptions to it.
When the law was modified it denied those under 21 the freedom of choice. Since this law has been in affect for some time there has been ample opportunity for Abate and or other motorcycle right organizations to go back and follow up on what they did not do the first time.
Our young men and women go into military service at 18 years of age and put their life on the line for this country and are then denied many of the things the government says you must be 21 to do. This is totally wrong!
I can understand a state passing a Mandatory Motorcycle Helmet Law modification and having some restrictions in it though I personally do not agree with that procedure. If one looks at it as the First Step in making a change and the comes back to correct and or modify a section of it as is done with many laws it is one way to solve the issue.
I do not see that happening in Florida because the current Abate president and lobbyist when testifying before a committee made the statement he Did Not Consider Them Bikers when referring to some motorcyclist doing wheelies. Many of the people in question involved Sport Motorcycles and younger riders.
The other is that some of these younger riders who have attended Abate meetings were treated poorly and talked down to by older Harley riders. The attitude of some of these riders is we got ours screw them young guys.
Well the young guys are coming into their own while the old guys fade away. Many of the younger riders in Florida are Not Joining Abate even though there have been attempts to recruit them. Why would they join a organization that for years has worked against their rights and talked down to and about them?
Thorsblood
Thank you for clarifying the modifications to Michigan’s helmet law.
looks like I need to start planning a trip to Michigan.
Ride Free
Rogue