In the beginning:
Back in June of 1971, a new and exciting motorcycle publication was introduced – EASYRIDERS – a motorcycle magazine for the entertainment of adult bikers. This came into existence by the hard work of Lou Kimzey, the Editor, along with the owner of Paisano Publications. Along with Lou were Mil (Hog Expert) Blair, Editor-at-Large, and Joe Teresi, senior Editor. Joe was the one who came up with the needed funding to get things running smoothly. He was owner of D&D Distributor, later known as Jammer.
In Issue No. 3, October 1971, EASYRIDERS started a non-profit organization just for bikers. It was called NCCA (National Custom Cycle Association). At the time, dues were $3 for a one-year membership. One must keep in mind that back in 1971, no other motorcycle magazine except Roger Hall’s “Road Rider” was even giving an inch of space to anti-bike legislation. Yet Lou Kimzey saw fit to take on the extra burden of starting a motorcycle rights organization.
In early 1972, Keith Ball arrived on the scene at EASYRIDERS. He became Associate Editor of EASYRIDERS and Director of ABATE. Through the work of Keith and the guidance of Lou, ABATE started area coordinators in different states to help organize bikers so that they could better represent ABATE on the local level. This also helped form a better line of communication. From this mushroomed a sophisticated network of state and county chapters.
It should be noted that the little funds that ABATE had in the early days went to hiring an engineering firm to determine whether a raked front end or an extended front end was safe. This resulted in two lengthy documented reports, complete with engineering drawings that established proof that they were safe. This allowed bikers to fight “unsafe vehicle” tickets in court with scientific facts – not just opinions. EASYRIDERS, on behalf of ABATE, also picked up the tab on a test case concerning an extended front end being unsafe. From 1971 to 1974, most of ABATE’s efforts went into fighting such laws. Had it not been for the efforts of ABATE – EASYRIDERS in the early 1970’s, choppers would have been outlawed.
In March 1977, ABATE, through the help of the staff at EASYRIDERS, held a State Coordinators meeting in Daytona, Florida. It was decided as a matter of policy that ABATE, nationwide, as a lobbying organization, would discourage back patches on cut-offs. This was decided as necessary in order not to be misjudged as a “club”, either by outlaw groups. police, or Joe Citizen. At this meeting it was also decided that it was about time ABATE got organized, with a charter, bylaws, etc. Nominations were held, and five State Coordinators were elected as a steering committee to take ideas from all the members and chapters, and boil the results down to a charter and bylaws. Fuzzy Davy from ABATE of Virginia was elected spokesman of the steering committee along with Donna Oaks of ABATE of Kansas, Russell “Padre” Davis from ABATE of Pennsylvania, Wanda Hummell from ABATE of Indiana, John “Rogue” Herlihy from ABATE of Connecticut. A meeting was set up for Labor Day at the second national ABATE get-together in Lake Perry, Kansas. This gave the new steering committee seven months to get everything together.
At the Kansas meeting, Lou Kimzey could not make it because of a sudden illness. In his place he sent Keith Ball, Joe Teresi, Pat Coughlin, a union organizer, and Ron Roliff, business agent of the MMA (Modified Motorcycle Association). A hall was rented by EASYRIDERS so that a professional meeting could be conducted. At the meeting a proposal for a new national organization was presented by the people from EASYRIDERS. In this proposal was a five member board of directors. A problem arose when it was learned that none of the board would be made up of any of the state coordinators or any ABATE people, but would be composed of people from California, led by Ron Roliff of the MMA. This intimidated a lot of hard working ABATE people. Also, none of the recommendations of the ABATE steering committee were considered.
After a lot of in-fighting, the state coordinators were asked to send what they thought should be changed and to submit their ideas to Lou Kimzey. Lou had sent around a letter explaining that he was sorry that he had missed the meeting in Kansas and that he was scheduling a meeting in Sacramento in October 1977. Lou paid the air fares of the steering committee members (5), put them up in a hotel, and then attempted to explain how and why things had gotten out of hand. Unfortunately, ABATE people who had not been invited to this meeting provoked uncalled for attacks against Lou and EASYRIDERS. Lou had tolerated a lot of mud slinging concerning forming a national organization; thus he stated to the people attending the meeting that he and EASYRIDERS were relinquishing the organization to the people attending the meeting in Sacramento.
ABATE formed five regions in the country, each region having about 10 states. Each region has a Regional Coordinator who coordinates information between the state ABATE organizations. Each ABATE state organization is now independent and on its own. Because of all the hassles of trying to form a national organization, the trusts and funds needed, the probability of another attempt at forming a national organization is most unlikely. In the meantime, ABATE people all over the country are taking care of business as always, and no matter what happened, they will be there taking care of business.
On the spur of the moment and out of total frustration, Warren Bennett, Kemp O’Connell, and George Vigars organized their own Motorcyclist Rights Protest. It was thought up on a Tuesday and conducted five days later on a Saturday. One hundred flyers were designed and circulated to the local bike shops. We then went directly to the news media with our story. The local newspapers gave us a real good shot. Channel 10 TV talked us into bringing some bikers down to the State Capitol the Friday before the protest for an interview. Six bikers appeared on their choppers to give a first-hand analogy of the concerns of the motorcyclists rights. At this point in time there was a lot of talk about outlawing choppers, extended front-ends, springers, and raking, along with any alteration to the frame.
A month later, Warren Bennett made a trip to California. He brought with him the black and white photos of the protest along with the newspaper clippings. After some detective work, he was able to track down the office of Easyriders Magazine, where he met Keith Ball, its Associate Editor and also Director of ABATE at the time. The articles were presented, thinking that we were the first ones outside of California to this kind of thing. Keith presented him with a new issue, which was not out yet. In it was a four- or five- page story about the Connecticut Motorcycle Association holding rallies every month, with thousands of bikers attending.
In Keith Ball’s office hung a poster about 8″ x 3′, stating “Helmet Laws Suck, ABATE of Illinois”. Warren asked Keith if ABATE had chapters around the country. He replied that some concerned biker groups were allowed to use the name of ABATE. After asking, in reference to New York, he said, as long as it’s for the cause, go ahead and DO IT.
ABATE of New York was about the fifth state organization in ABATE. Ahead of New York were ABATE of Illinois, ABATE of Michigan, ABATE of Indiana, and ABATE of Kansas, which changed its name from the Dave Moze Memorial Foundation. ABATE of New York got ABATE of Virginia going under the leadership of Fuzzy Davy. From this group other chapters were to follow. After Warren came back from California, George Vigars and he started ABATE of New York. George was elected State Coordinator, a job he was to hold for over two years.
In the early days of ABATE of New York, there were many, many hassles. To this day a lot of people still don’t know how ABATE survived the havoc. The paper work alone was enough to drive someone crazy. In the first two years of ABATE of New York, the headquarters moved eight times. We had a post office box from the beginning, thus keeping ABATE somewhat stabilized. Among some of the hassles were: lost membership records, funds stolen, and membership meetings, which were being held in local bars, turning into yelling matches and fights. At this time we decided that we’d better get organized.
With the clubhouse, ABATE grew so fast that it literally split ABATE apart at the seams. ABATE did not have any type of organizational structure, nor professional leadership. The bar and money was handled with little or no accountability to any one person. Everyone thought that the clubhouse would just run by itself with little or no responsibility on anyone’s shoulders. In a little less than three months, the whole thing folded.
Although money was being ripped off to some extent, and beer sales were unaccountable, along with some drugs being used inside of the clubhouse, the biggest problem that the ABATE clubhouse faced was with a local outlaw club. This club, at the time, did not understand ABATE, nor did the members of ABATE understand this club. Animosity developed between the two groups. The end resulted in Hondas being kicked over as the club members decided to antagonize their opposition and by ripping off a Superglide that was parked in front of the clubhouse. This bike was later recovered at the outlaws garage down the street from ABATE. This club (the Breed M/C) seemed to get their kicks playing head games with members of ABATE, who were not interested in any hassle.
Because of the bad mismanagement and a lack of any strong leadership, ABATE closed down the clubhouse. After paying off the bills we were left just about broke. Members who were involved with this project ripped up their membership cards and tore off their patches. All the many problems were piled on ABATE, making it responsible for everybody’s shortcomings. ABATE of New York ceased to exist.
After about four or five months, the ones who were concerned about legislation decided to make ABATE into a mail order organization. No contact would be made with the members, other than a monthly newsletter. ABATE still had some volunteers to lobby on its behalf at the capitol, although their unflagging zeal and morale was low. Out of the 300-plus members who belonged to the Albany area, a group of about10 emerged to carry the load. It was again decided that we needed a place to work out of. A small office was located at 1969-A Hamburg Street in Schenectedy (about 10 miles away) which rented for only $80 a month. This was in July of 1976. This office was funded by donations of $10 each and was set up as a private group of bikers willing to further the cause of ABATE. There was a desk, chair, refrigerator, and later, a pool table.
It didn’t take long for the word to get out that ABATE had another clubhouse. To stop any misunderstandings, this group started their own motorcycle club, calling itself “Friends of the Road Motorcycle Club”, dedicated to the preservation of ABATE.
By having a clubhouse atmosphere (beer, food, music, and pool table) it didn’t take a lot of talking to get people to stop by and lend a hand to ABATE. When it came time to put together the newsletter, there was always plenty of help and volunteers. ABATE of New York would not have made it through the next two years if it were not for this clubhouse. Many hours of work and organization developed from this new lease in life.
….As we go marching on. Shortly after the first clubhouse was closed, a group of ABATE members from the Gilboa area (35 miles away) started an ABATE chapter. At the time, we were spending every last nickel on the helmet law repeal. This chapter sent us all their membership dues, which at the time, was $5 per year per member. This chapter lasted about six months, ran out of money, ran out of leadership, and ran out of hope.
ABATE of Syracuse started to grow in members and dollars (about $600 in their treasury in three months time). Officers from the Albany area would travel back and forth, attending their meetings, giving advice from time to time from the standpoint of their experience. ABATE of Syracuse did all of their own paperwork, along with sending out their own newsletters, membership cards, etc.; things really started to look up for a change.
ABATE of Syracuse sponsored their own helmet law protest, of which people from the Utica area attended. (Utica is about 40 miles east of Syracuse). These people were excited by what they saw; they wanted to start a chapter also. Officers from ABATE of Syracuse went to Utica a week or so later to help them set up their own chapter of ABATE. Paul Antonik, a member of ABATE of Utica, moved to Buffalo to go to college. There he helped local bikers start ABATE of Buffalo.
And on it went, chapter after chapter forming, reaching out and influencing area bikers and politicians. A chapter needs good leadership and volunteer help from its members to be successful, as well as keeping its members informed or educated through regular meetings and newsletters. Chapters that have failed on one or more of these points have folded: ABATE of Queens, ABATE of Yonkers, ABATE of Ulster County, and ABATE of Binghamton. Some chapters never got off the ground such as ABATE of Westchester and ABATE of Auburn. However, the local chapters gave and give ABATE the backbone it needed and needs, along with the ability to deal with legislators on a more personal basis.
The biggest problem that ABATE of New York has was overcome when we developed a statewide newsletter, thus informing all the members of what other chapters were up to in other parts of the state. This has increased competition between the chapters to outdo one another on different projects.
ABATE of New York, Inc., has had many years experience to iron out its problems and to move ahead. If we have learned anything, it’s that you can’t do it alone. A lot of people doing a lot of work is always much better than a few people doing a lot of work. How did we accomplish all of this? We formed chapters, independent chapters without any strings attached. We made them their own bosses whether they liked it or not. The chapters had power over their own destination and the responsibility that goes along with it. If a local chapter goes down the tubes, they have no one to blame but themselves. They can’t come running back to the State Office nor anyone else; they are what they are. It’s up to the local members to vote in or out of office, members they feel are best qualified; although qualifications have little to do with spirit and hard work, which is what they will need if they want satisfaction and success down the road with ABATE.
ABATE of New York and its officers can only offer YOU our experience, which we hope will last you a lifetime. Although being a volunteer has it’s drawbacks, it also has its benefits. The Brotherhood probably has the greatest percentage of righteous people you’ll ever come in contact with.
One last note: The first thing they teach you in the Marine Corps boot camp is – THERE’S NO SUCH WORD AS CAN’T!
Good luck,
ABATE of New York, Inc.
(1981)
