The GUNNY'S SACK

November 2002

I gotta tell ya folks, if ya didn't get to the NCOM (National Coalition of Motorcyclists) Regional Meeting in Portland, OR on November 2nd, ya missed out on not only a great time but a great experience with talking to and hearing some very knowledgeable freedom fighters from around the country.

The meeting was at the DoubleTree Inn at Jantzen Beach right on the Columbia river. First time in ten years in Oregon. Saturday morning the festivities took off like a shot.

The thing started with an NCOM Board of Directors meeting that all were invited to. We received reports on the status of our fight for personal freedoms across the country. People like "Doc" Reichenbach the NCOM chairman of the board, Florida's ABATE president and lobbyist for motorcyclists in that state. This man can walk into the governor's office in Florida (Jeb Bush, our President's brother), without an appointment. Bill Carlton from TMRA (Texas Motorcycle Riders Association) also let us know what is happening there. Dennis "Big D" Watson from New Mexico gave us a report on his region and also what is happening in the NCOM "Outreach" program, working with ALL segments of our riding community, not just street riders.

Later on, Doc gave us some insight on what the proposed "EPA" regulations will do to small motorcycle business ventures around the country. So many people are adversely affected by some of these hair-brained schemes from bureaucrats. The monetary costs involved will have devastating effects on every state's economies. We're talking HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars in lost revenues because of the closures of small bike shops and lost jobs in EVERY state. And this country is in recession right now.

Butch Harbaugh, our own Oregon Freedom Fighter and chairman of the NCOM Legislative Task Force and former Oregon motorcycle lobbyist gave us an overview of the fight for bikers' rights across the country. Things are looking positive overall, but we have so much more to do. Jeff Rabe, lobbyist for the Modified Motorcycle Association of California and liaison for the Northern California Confederation of Clubs, and wearer of several other hats, led us on a discussion of working with other lobbyists from other organizations to increase our clout in the legislative halls in our own states. It works, and if you take a look around you will find many of the issues we have affect others as well. We can work together in many ways.

Marty Fox, A.I.M. Attorney for Washington, gave a talk about 1st Amendment rights in that case you may have read about in Carson City, NV where bikers were ejected from a courthouse because of their patches. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals (that's RIGHT under the U.S. Supreme Court) gave a BIG VICTORY for bikers, thanks in part to the donated work of Kevin Karp, our Northern Nevada A.I.M. (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists) lawyer. Marty also talked about problems riding between states. There are things we do in Oregon, for example, that are no-no's in other states. Don't try to ride in Washington State from Oregon wearing a "Beanie" helmet, for example. YOU WILL BE TICKETED and the threat of having yur scoot confiscated is there. And don't come to Oregon from Washington without motorcycle insurance. It isn't required in Washington, but is law in Oregon, and can get you in a lot of hot water.

Sam Hochberg (Oregon A.I.M. Attorney) brought Jim Rice, a criminal defense and civil rights lawyer here in Portland, to talk about the terrorist threat and how the new anti-terrorist laws, the "US PATRIOT Act" in particular, effect riders. So much of this stuff takes place without citizen input. We don't have a say in our own government anymore, and we need to put it to a stop. We've lost some more freedoms because of knee-jerk reactions in our nation's congressional halls. 9/11 DID SO MUCH MORE THAN DESTROY THE TWIN TOWERS AND KILL THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE. Some really scary legal stuff came down too.

Ken Ray, chair of BikePAC of Oregon brought us up to snuff with what the biker plans are for the upcoming legislative session.

Longview Tom, Gypsy Joker MC, and chair of the Oregon Confederation of Clubs, led discussions from Confederation reps from all over the west as to what is happening judicially in this region to enhance our freedom to ride and wear colors, if that is our desire.

Saturday night, after a very full day of workshops, there was entertainment provided by the Oregon Confederation of Clubs and a bar for those that had the notion to dampen their nose. ABATE of Oregon also provided a hospitality room for the duration of the conference. All in all, we (read "I") had a great time and picked up a ton of information. SPECIAL THANKS for making it all work out go to Wendy and Ed and Ted and Jill from Washington County ABATE, Dixie, Jeanne, Sam, and Richard Lester.

These conferences always are full of information and new ideas that work if we put them to use. Most of all, we reaffirmed our commitment to be forever vigilant to what's happening around us. Big brother really wants to take care of us. If we let that happen, we don't deserve to be free. I'm sorry some of you weren't able to be there for this very important and productive event in our continual fight for our right to ride and make our own choices about safety issues. If you can make it, the BIG Annual NCOM conference will be next May in Milwaukee, to coincide with Harley's 100th! I'll be there, you can bet on that.

NEWS BITS'N PIECES:

LOUISVILLE, KY: Shawna McCown lost her leg in a motorcycle accident and vowed to her family she would run again in competition as soon as she could walk. 18 months later she did just that, even with her prosthetic leg! I'm proud of her.

ENGLAND: Harleys aren't the only bikes to get ripped off. The irony here is a couple on a world bike tour for charity had their "Beemer" snatched just a few miles from completion of their journey around the world. They stopped for a breather in Wales, just short of London. They hadda finish the trip by train. I guess the thief or thieves needed the scoot more than they did. It's a bloody shame we have some kinds of people runnin' loose.

MARYSVILLE, OHIO: Just a thought, Honda Motor Co. started building cars here twenty years ago and bikes shortly thereafter. Makes them the first offshore transportation builders in this country. Look what's happened since then. Most all foreign makers have plants in this country and design products here giving our people jobs.

HANOI: A short while ago, I reported that Yamaha had closed several plants in Vietnam because of a stiff government restriction on importing parts. I guess it got the results needed and the plants have reopened. Funny what stopping income will do to get results!

PHILADELPHIA, PA.: This sort of stuff happens all the time and it brings again to mind the juvenile thinking on the part of those in authority. The police here prevented the Warlocks Motorcycle Club from delivering toys as part of the annual Children's Hospital Toy run. The club had been riding in this run for 15 years. Suddenly they are labeled a "gang" and can't participate. The city is gettin' sued, as well they should.

PENN: Several terrible injury accidents to report to ya. Not makin' fun of 'em at all -- seems two Amish families had serious buggy accidents on the same day recently, back East where they hang out. In one case, both the horses slipped into a pond, and a youngster drowned. In the other, the buggy was hit by a car, and there were 6 very serious injuries, all to the same family in the buggy, as I heard it. My heart goes out to the families, of course. Reason I mention it: Watch for some damned new "buggy safety laws" next. It wouldn't surprise me. If so, well, politics makes strange bedfellows. Maybe we'll see some Amish folks and buggy's at some future NCOM Convention!

MILWAUKEE: Harley-Davidson Inc. says they are enjoying almost a 50% increase in sales this quarter. Wonder if the100th anniversary has anything to do with it. Do ya THINK?

RANCHO SANTA FE, CA.: Ever hear of the famed Vincent Black Shadow? Well, it's back folks. Some of us "long in the tooth" folks got to ride them way back in the forties and early fifties. Unfortunately, they went out of business in the mid-fifties. This bike set land speed records in the late forties. Now, I'm told, they are back with FIVE, count'm, FIVE prototype models. More info for ya when I find out more.

GUNNY AGAIN: We're runnin long this month folks, so I'll stop the drivel for now. Remember the A.I.M. program and the people that are part of it are here for us all and live in our world. If ya have a problem, accident or other legal matter, call your A.I.M. Attorney in your state or call 1-800-ON-A-BIKE and they'll hook you up, whether it's for wrecks or criminal problems. You can get Sam Hochberg here in Oregon at (503) 224-1106 or Toll free at 1-(800) 347-1106. I want to wish everyone a HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON and all the best for the coming new year. Let's make 2003 a banner year for the motorcycle community.

 

Keep the round side on the bottom.
Gunny, Oregon A.I.M. Chief of Staff