by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com In September of 2019, Harley-Davidson announced an ambitious plan to have 1 million more riders on the road by the year 2027. That would be 4 million people riding Harley motorcycles, up from the 3 million recorded three years ago, in 2017. To do that, the company announced a range of new bikes being prepared for the future, including the now obviously not that successful electric LiveWire. But having new bikes that can be ridden means of course nothing if people do not know how to ride them. The company already has a training program it calls Riding Academy New Rider Course, but that doesn’t allow for personalized sessions. That’s why a new program was announced on June 30, dedicated to beginners who need a personal trainer. Called Learn to Ride, the program is now open and availble to access at Harley dealers and allows for personal coaching sessions with trainers, either individually or as a group of up to four people. Each session lasts 90 minutes, and free rides are being given on a Harley-Davidson Street 500 motorcycle, specially equipped for beginners, on a practice course. “For riders that always wanted to learn but couldn’t fit a multi-day course into their schedule or prefer to learn in private session, this program is what they have been waiting for,” the Milwaukee bike maker said in a statement when announcing the program. “Sessions can be scheduled 1-on-1 or as a private party with up to 4 participants. This program is a great option for spouses, friends, and individuals to finally learn and fulfill their dreams of riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.” If you plan to become a Harley rider, or just plan on using these guys as tools into learning the tricks of the trade and then move on to something else, you can head over to this link and get more info.

Today the full House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, INVEST in America Act (Moving Forward Act), also known as the highway bill. The bill is over 2,000 pages and includes five beneficial provisions for motorcyclists.

At every step along the way, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF), our State Motorcyclist Rights Organizations (SMRO) partners, and individual members have fought for the inclusion of these policy changes. The original bill included an increase in motorcycle safety funding; however, this was the only specific mention of motorcycles or motorcyclists. During the Transportation Committee markup of the bill, protections related to profiling, autonomous vehicles and the Motorcyclist Advisory Council were added via amendment. Finally, during the final vote on the House floor, an additional amendment was added that helps collect data on motorcycle profiling.

With the passage of this bill in the House of Representatives, focus will now turn to the Senate. The Senate will likely roll out its own version of a “highway bill” in the coming weeks. The House and Senate will then have to negotiate and compromise to develop a bill that can pass both chambers and be signed into law. Remember, the current legislation expires on September 30, 2020, so Congress must act to ensure important transportation programs are funded.

After the final vote, MRF President Kirk “Hardtail” Willard stated, “I am pleased that in this massive 2,300 page piece of legislation passed today, the rights and freedoms of motorcyclists were not ignored. Let’s now take the same enthusiasm and passion that won us these victories to the Senate. Our work is not done, we must remain vigilant in the defense of these hard fought priorities.”

We at the MRF will fight to ensure that these hard-fought victories in the House of Representatives are included in the Senate’s bill. Thank you to everyone who reached out to their Representative over the past few months. These victories for motorcyclists would be impossible without the grassroots efforts of our members. Let’s celebrate our successes and get to work on making sure the Senate follows suit.

Below is a brief recap of the five provisions that the House of Representatives has now passed and included in this major piece of legislation:

Profiling: An amendment by Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-R) during the committee process changes federal law to prevent state and local governments from using funds from the Department of Transportation to “profile and stop motorcycle operators or motorcycle passengers using as a factor the clothing or mode of transportation of such operators or passengers.”

A second amendment by Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-R) and Congressman Michael Burgess (TX-R) added the term “mode of transportation” to a newly created grant program for racial and ethnic profiling. The program allows states to use federal money to collect data on traffic stops. Originally the only information that states were required to record was the driver’s racial and ethnic makeup. With this added language, states will be required to collect the “mode of transportation” of the person being stopped as well. Motorcyclists will now be able to review state data on traffic stops and determine if motorcyclists are stopped disproportionally by law enforcement. This amendment was a joint effort by the Co-Chairmen of the House Motorcycle Caucus and was added just hours before the final bill was passed.

Motorcyclist Advisory Council: Congressman Mike Gallagher (WI-R) used the committee amendment process to re-establish the Motorcyclist Advisory Council (MAC) and make needed changes. The MAC has existed for over a decade and allows federal policymakers, state highway officials, and motorcyclists to discuss the unique demands of riding a motorcycle and how roads, bridges, and other infrastructure can be built to better account for motorcyclists’ needs.

Congressman Gallagher’s addition to the bill creates dedicated seats at the table for motorcyclists’ rights groups and manufacturers. It also requires a report every two years to be made to the Secretary of Transportation and Congress.

Autonomous Vehicles: During the committee process, Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-R) won protections for motorcyclists in the rollout of autonomous vehicle technology. The bill now includes specific language requiring that when the Department of Transportation conducts safety studies on autonomous vehicles, motorcycles must be considered as unique roadway users. Additionally, a newly formed working group on autonomous vehicles must include a motorcyclist safety group as part of its membership. As with the MAC, motorcyclists need a seat at the table when our safety and freedoms are being debated.

Motorcyclist Safety Funds: The bill, as first introduced, would increase the 405 safety funds made available to states for motorcyclist safety by $1,473,285 for the next fiscal year with increases through 2025. This is an increase in the program of roughly 34% over current funding levels. Under this bill, the total amount available to states in the next fiscal year would be $5,761,785.

www.MRF.org

5-BALL LEATHERS’ FLAT OUT VEST

Hey everyone,

Earlier today, we put out a Call to Action (CTA) asking our members to engage with their representative in the House of Representatives to ask them to “Vote Yes” on H.R. 2 when it comes to the floor later this week. We have just been informed that H.R. 2 will be voted on tomorrow, July 1^st, instead of on Thursday, July 2^nd. The window to have our voices heard is short this week, and the sooner they hear from us, the better. I noticed that some organizations have already shared our CTA by emailing your members directly and/or sharing our post on Facebook. We appreciate your efforts to help us reach more people when we are pushing a legislative issue here in D.C.

 

If you have not already, would you consider sharing our post of Facebook or sending it via email to your members directly?

 

You can copy and paste our updated message below:

On Wednesday, July 1st, the full House of Representatives will take a final vote on H.R. 2 INVEST in America Act, also known as the “Highway Bill.” This 2,000 plus page bill includes three important protections for motorcyclists, they are:

 

Sec 3011: The Stop Motorcycle Check Point Funding, which helps protect motorcyclists from profiling by law enforcement because of their mode of transportation or clothing.

Sec. 3012: Motorcyclist Advisory Council would be reestablished, allowing motorcyclists a seat at the table when discussing federal infrastructure programs.

Section 5304: Study on Safe Interactions Between Automated Vehicles and Road Users ensures that motorcycles are included in any safety study on autonomous vehicles and that motorcyclists are involved in government working groups on these autonomous vehicle studies.

Please take 2 minutes to reach out to your lawmaker and ask them to vote YES on H.R. 2. If this bill passes, the Senate will then be “on the clock” to pass a version of their Highway bill before the September 30^th deadline.

Direct link to CTA: https://cqrcengage.com/mrf/app/write-a-letter?6&engagementId=508503

 

Facebook page if you want to share: https://www.facebook.com/bikers.rights/posts/3807986115912422

 

 

–Tiffany

Director of Government Relations

Motorcycle Riders Foundation

Cell: (202) 725-5471

www.mrf.org.

 

 

Direct link to CTA: https://cqrcengage.com/mrf/app/write-a-letter?6&engagementId=508503

 

Facebook page if you want to share: https://www.facebook.com/bikers.rights/posts/3807986115912422

 

Eric Herrmann’s Can’t Get Enough of the Desert and the Tarantula Gang

By Bandit, with illustrations by Eric Herrmann

Eric Herrmann wrote, illustrated and published a book about riding in Arizona. It’s called Ride the Arizona Backroads and it’s a guidebook for bikers who want to ride hot, flat, desert, rattlesnake invested roads of Arizona.

I started to read it immediately, and if you plan to blast into Arizona, you might want to read the first nine pages, quick. They immediately give you the life-saving do’s and don’ts around desert riding.

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by Sabrina Giacomini from https://www.rideapart.com

Only a few weeks ago, The Motor Company announced it would scale back production and scrap the ambitious “More Roads to Harley” expansion plan to replace it with a new, far more conservative strategy. One of the new strategy’s main focus is to reorganize the new models’ launch schedule and potentially ax some ongoing projects that don’t fit the company’s usual scope.

What that means is that models like the Pan America and the Bronx have been pushed back to 2021 while some, less-advanced projects have been indefinitely put on the backburner. The line was seemingly drawn at the upcoming, unnamed “high-performance custom model” that pretty much looks like a beefy XR1200 flat-tracker. All the other anticipated and/or patented models such as the café racer will likely have to wait—if they come at all.

There’s one model we weren’t sure about, however, and that’s Harley’s new tool of seduction for the Asian market—the HD350 Project. Considering H-D teamed up with Chinese giant Qianjiang to develop the small-displacement bike, it was easy to assume that production would move forward as planned but we had yet to see any proof of it. Now, there apparently is, and here’s what we know.

Our colleagues at Cycle World were first to report on the story, quoting “leaked Chinese documents” as their source of information. According to them, said leaked documents detail an all-new 353cc motorcycle, the QJ350-13. Who is QJ? It’s Qianjiang’s recently-launched brand of high-end-ish motorcycles based on Benelli’s designs. You see where this is going.

The QJ350-13 is expected to be the elevated version of the soon-to-be-updated Benelli 302S—the very bike the HD350 should be based on. According to Cycle World, the documents suggest that both the QJ350 and the 302S—supposedly renamed 352S—will use a new 353cc parallel-twin engine rated at 36 horsepower. This could mean that the new mill will also underline the HD350, a confirmation that the bike will be a 350 and not a 338 as certain documents and sources suggested earlier in the development process.

This understandably revived the baby Harley storyline. The trail had gone cold since January, 2020. At the time, a leaked Benelli launch timeline scheduled the “HD338” to launch in June. With July just around the corner, we can safely assume that the timeline has changed, what with the pandemic and Harley’s rocky state of affairs.

It’s hard to say whether these “leaked documents” are a factual marker of Harley’s intention to stick with its plan and slap its badge on the HD350. After all, Qianjiang and Benelli aren’t facing the same hurdles as Harley (as far as we know) so the two brands moving-ahead with a new 350 model doesn’t mean their American partner will follow (depending on the nature of the agreement, of course). That being said, a successful launch on the Asian market could result in a much-needed stimulus for the brand so maybe Harley will stick to its Asian offense plan after all.

With the QJ350-13’s designs recently patented, we should probably keep an eye out for a little Black and Orange bike.

Eric Herrmann wrote, illustrated and published a book about riding in Arizona. It’s called Ride the Arizona Backroads and it’s a guidebook for bikers who want to ride hot, flat, desert, rattlesnake invested roads of Arizona.

I started to read it immediately, and if you plan to blast into Arizona, you might want to read the first nine pages, quick. They immediately give you serious life-saving do’s and don’ts around desert riding. A broke down biker without a jug of cool aqua could easily die on a 115 degree day by himself in sinking sand. 

Several times I attempted to move to Arizona for open roads and wild adventures along the Mexican border. Arizona is still a frontier for the brave and rugged, who can carve out a way of life surrounded by blistering sand and cactus. Eric has lived in Cave Creek for a couple of decades and ridden dirt trails with his kids and every backroad with brothers numerous times. He knows Arizona, the road surfaces, the cops, the rest stops, bars and how far to the next gas stop.

Then, with his cool black and white line-drawing maps and illustrations he takes us on individual backroad rides. You will roll through 11 distinctive rides with complete descriptions and recommendations. “Beware of Toy Haulers on Carefree Hwy 74,” Eric wrote. “They camp in the desert and often make left turns into nowhere. Do not blow past several cars behind a toy hauler, as he may be slowing for a left.”

About Yarnell he wrote, “Somebody once told me Yarnell is made up of gays, greys and strays. Don’t know about that, but it’s a diamond in the rough as far as I’m concerned. Cool old buildings, good climate, beautiful country. I could check out and live there.”

Once he reaches his Patagonia Putt, his southern ride, he describes each destination in rider detail, including Patagonia, Nogales, Mexico, Tombstone, Bisbee, Davis Monthan AFB, Mount Lemmon, and Sedona.

Each description includes a difficulty rating with detailed skulls, miles, time, elevation and temperature swings. He documents warnings about cops, and where to watch for flash floods and sand drifts.

Just as he sold out ten books at little Mexican Anita’s Cocina in Wickenburg, Arizona, the state locked down all the bars and restaurants once more. He’s heading to Sturgis 2020 to get outta Dodge for awhile, or should I say Douglas. Just remember, if you get stranded in the desert, rattlesnake tastes just like fried chicken. As my pappy use to say, “You’ll be a long time starving if that’s all you have to eat.”

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