2017

ANNUAL REPORTThe Motorcycle Riders Foundation

MRFAnnualReportJanuary1,2016–December1,2017__________________________________________________________________________________________________Asweapproachtheendof2017,weanticipatethenewyearwithconfidence.Thisannualreportandyear-endwrap-upsummarizesthemilestonesoftheMotorcycleRidersFoundationthisyearincludingourlegislativeaccomplishments,signatureeventsandprograms,listofsupportingorganizationsandourfinancialstanding.Wecontinuetoholdhopethatthemomentumwehavestartedthisyearwillcontinuetobuildintothenext.Aswemoveintonextyear,wecontinuetoholdthisquotebyThomasPaine,asthefoundationforourworkinmotorcyclerights:

“Thosewhoexpecttoreaptheblessingsoffreedom,must,likemen,undergothefatiguesofsupportingit.”―ThomasPaine

Kirk“Hardtail”WillardPresident&ChairmanoftheBoardofDirectorsMotorcycleRidersFoundation

-Accomplishments-IntroductionofBipartisan&BicameralResolutionstoAddressMotorcycleProfiling–Increasingly,bikershavevoicedcomplaintsoverincidentswheretheyhavefeltprofiledorsingledoutbylawenforcementbecauseoftheirappearance,apparel,orbecausetheyaresimplyridingamotorcycle.Thisunjustandunlawfulpracticehasledtoactivityatthestatelevel,butin2017,federalauthoritiestooknoticeandintroducedlegislationinboththeHouseandSenateaddressingtheissue,promotingpublicawarenessandurgingstatelawenforcementofficialstocondemnthepracticeinwrittenpoliciesandtrainingmaterials.H.Res.318andS.Res.154aremajorstepsinmakingtheissueofprofilinganationaldiscussion.ThesebillsarecurrentlypendingbeforeCongressandwillcarryoverinto2018.AutocyclesAreIdentifiedSeparatelyfromMotorcyclesinGuidanceIssuedbytheFederalGovernment–Startingin2016,theMRFhasbeenadvocatingnationallyfortheseparationofautocyclesfrommotorcycles.Asmoreautocyclesstartedtoemergeonournation’sroadways,crashandfatalitydatawerebeingcategorizedunderthemotorcyclegroupingduetothelackofanationallyrecognizeddefinitionofautocycle.ExpressingourconcernstoCongressandtheauthoritiesattheNationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministration(NHSTA),inAugust,guidancefromtheagencyreflectedouradvocacyefforts.Inthe5theditionoftheModelMinimumUniformCrashCriteria(MMUCC),astandardizationdocumentissuedtoall50statesusedtodescribemotorvehiclecrashes.Inthisdocument,forthefirsttimeever,theautocyclewasidentifiedasaseparateclassofvehicledistinctfrommotorcycles.TheMMUCCdocumentcategorizedautocyclesintheirowncategorywithaseparatedefinition.YourMRFwillcontinueitsworkinthisareain2018,ensuringthatfederalauthoritiesregardautocyclesseparatefrommotorcycles.EPAProposesaRuletoDroptheAmountofEthanolintheNation’sFuelSupply–SinceCongressexpandedtheRenewableFuelStandardin2007,oilandgascompanieshavebeenrequiredtoblendincreasingvolumesofrenewablefuels(likeethanol)intothenation’sgasolinesupply.TheMotorcycleRidersFoundation(MRF)believesthatuntilhigherblendsofethanolcanbeapprovedforusebyboththeEPAandmotorcyclemanufacturers,thefederalgovernmentmustguaranteetheavailabilityoffuelblendscontainingnomorethan10percentethanolbyvolumeatfuelstationsacrosstheU.S.InOctoberofthisyear,theEPAproposedchangestotheRenewableFuelStandardwhich,forthefirsttime,wouldNOTcallforanincreaseinconventionalethanolandwouldLOWERtherequiredvolumeofcellulosicbiofuel,consideredthenextgenerationofethanol,by73milliongallons.Whileatthetimeofthiswriting,theproposedrulebytheEPAhasnotbeenfinalized,itindicatesthatthemanyvoiceswhohaveconcernsoverethanolontheirsmallenginemotorsarefinallybeingheard.ComprehensiveLegislationonAutonomousVehiclesIncludesConcernsfromMotorcyclists–Asmoreandmoreautomakersannounceplanstopursuethecreationandmanufactureofself-drivingcarspairedwiththeabsenceofanynationallegislationorregulationaddressingthesafetyofthesevehicles,yourMRFhasbeensoundingthealarmtolawmakers.Identifyingourconcernsrelatedtotheabilitytodetectandrespondtomotorcycles,theMRFinsistedthatautomakersfileamandatorysafetyreporttoNHTSAuponbringingself-drivingcarstomarketandthisreportmustincludeinformationrelatedtohowthevehicleidentifiesandrespondstomotorcyclists.Further,thesereportsMUSTbemadepubliclyavailableuponrequest.TheSenatebilliscurrentlyawaitingaction,butyourMRFwillcontinuetomakesurethatmotorcyclesareanintegralpartofanydiscussion,law,regulationorpolicygoverningself-drivingvehicles.TheSenateEstablishestheFirstEver‘SenateMotorcycleCaucus’–ThemotorcyclelobbycommunityinWashingtongatheredinApriltocelebratethelaunchofthenewlyestablishedSenateMotorcycleCaucus.LedbySenatorJoniErnst(R-IA)andSenatorGaryPeters(D-MI),thecaucuswillfocusonissuesthatimpactbothridersandindustrymanufacturers.SimilartotheHouseMotorcycleCaucus,theSenategroupwillserveasanetworkoflawmakerswhoare

ridersthemselvesormotorcyclesupporters.Workisalreadyunderwayforthecaucustohostvariouseventsnextyearincludingapanelonautomatedvehicles,andanetworkingreceptionwithHarley-Davidson.YourMRFisworkingbehindthescenesonbothoftheseeventstomakesureourmembershaveavoiceandseatatthetable.

-Events&Programs-StateLegislativeTracking–LaunchedinJanuary,theMRFnowoffersitsmembersandmotorcyclerightssupporterstheabilitytotrackandfollowmotorcycle-relatedlegislationinallfiftystates.Searchablebyissueorbystate,userscanaccessthedataviahttp://mrf.org/state-legislative-issues/CongressionalOutreachSoftware–Inadditiontolegislativetrackingservices,withyoursupport,theMRFacquirednewsoftwaremakingiteasiertocontactyourMemberofCongressonlegislationthatyoucareabout.Bysimplyenteringyouraddressandzipcode,the“CQsoftware”generatesalettertoyourelectedofficialsonyourbehalfonavarietyofcriticalissues.TheMRFissued15CallstoActionthisyearonissuesrangingfromtheinjusticeofMotorcyclistAdvisoryCounciltothesupportfortheRecognizingtheProtectionofMotorsportsAct.Atthetimeofthiswriting,thesoftwarewasaccessedandutilizedover20,000times.BikersInsidetheBeltway2017Thisyear’sBikersInsidetheBeltwaywasthemostsuccessfultodate,hostingover100participantsfrom34states.RidersfromallcornersoftheU.S.flew,droveandyes,RODEtoWashington,DCstormingtheCapitolandadvocatingonbehalfofthemotorcyclecommunity.MeetingoftheMinds2017SetinhistoricWilliamsburg,Virginia,MeetingoftheMindsagainprovedtobeoneofthebiggestgatheringsofpoliticallyactivemotorcyclerightsadvocatesinthenation.WithspecialsessionsonmembershipretentionandalessonfromtopgunrightsactivistandNRAofficialonhowtostandoutintoday’spolitics,thethemeof“HowBadDoYouWantIt”resonatedwithattendees.CapitolHillSMARTrainerDemo–StaffersandMembersofCongressgotalittletasteofwhatit’sliketoride.MRFA&E’sRonBraaksmabroughtaSMARTrainerandridingexperiencetotheHallsofCongress.AttendeesgottotestitouttheSMARTrainerandencounteredsomeofthechallengesrealridersfaceeveryday.Fromseriousroadcurvestodistracteddrivers,almosteveryonewhoparticipatedcommentedontheuniquechallengesridersface.Eventslikethishelptopromotemotorcycleeducationandawarenesstonotonlythepublic,buttothosedecisionmakersinWashingtonthatdeterminetheleveloffreedomyouhaveasarider.

-MRFintheNews-BelowarejustafewexamplesofwherethepressandmediareferencedyourMRFasaleadingvoiceonnationalmotorcycleissues:Ontheemergenceofautomatedvehicles….https://www.bna.com/motorcyclists-wary-hopeful-n73014472406/OntheMRF’sLegislativeChampionAwardWinner….http://www.monroenews.com/news/20171123/walberg-honored-by-motorcycle-organizationOntheworkbeingdoneonmotorcycleprofiling…https://www.russbrown.com/?s=profiling&=

OnthelackofmotorcycleassociationrepresentationontheMotorcyclistAdvisoryCouncil…https://quickthrottle.com/DMAG/CA_March_2017/index.htmlOntheimportanceofpassingtheRPMAct….http://motorcycleminds.org/2017/09/19/rpm-modifying-bikes/

-SupportingOrganizations-TheMRFisgratefultoallitsmembers;bothindividual($30/year)andsustaining($100/year),butthefollowingisalistofmemberorganizationswhosefinancialcontributionallowstheMRFtotakeonnewinitiatives,addingmemberbenefitsandresourcesforeveryonewhorides.ChampionsofMotorcycleRights ($5,000andoverinannualcontributionstotheMRF)ABATEofIndianaABATEofMichiganABATEofPennsylvania

ABATEofSouthDakotaABATEofWisconsin

GuardiansofMotorcycleRights: ($1,000andoverinannualcontributionstotheMRF)ABATEofArizonaABATEofArkansasABATEofArkansas,District1ABATEofIllinoisABATEofIllinois,LincolnLandChapterABATEofMinnesotaABATEofMichigan,Region7

ABATEofNewYorkABATEofNorthDakotaABATEofOhioABATEofSouthDakota,RushmoreChapterFreedomofRoadRidersMassachusettsMotorcycleAssociationSt.CroixValleyRiders

DefendersofMotorcycleRights: (Over$100inannualcontributionstotheMRF)ABATEofAlaskaABATEofColoradoABATEofOregonABATEofIL,CentralIllinoisCMT/ABATEofTennesseeDixieABATEofAlabamaABATEofSC,EastCooper

ABATEofIL,FreeportChapterIdahoCoalitionofMotorcycleSafetyABATEofIA,District12ChapterABATEofKS,District6ChapterABATEofWA,KeyPeninsulaChABATEofMN,LakeChapter

ABATEofMI,Region13ABATEofMI,Region14ABATEofMN,NorthStarABATEofOK,NorthwestCh.ABATEofIL,PiasaGatewayCBA/ABATEofNC,RaleighCh.ABATEofIL,StarvedRock

-WhereDoOurDuesGo?-InanefforttobetransparentandopenabouttheMRF’sfinances,belowisachartdescribingexpendituresin2017.YourMRFanditsdedicatedstaffandBoardofDirectors,continuetolookforwaystospendlessmoneyonadministrativecostsandallocatemoremoneytowardsprogramingandadvocacy.In2017werelocatedthenationalofficetoasmallerandmoreaffordablelocationtomakesureeverydollarismaximizedtowardsadvocacy.IfyouhaveanyquestionsontheMRF’sincomeorexpenditures,contactFrankCarbone,TreasureroftheMRF.

-MRF’sPoliticalActionCommittee-TheMRF’sPoliticalActionCommitteeor‘PAC’alsomadeheadwayin2017.TheMRFPACisaseparatefundthatpoolscampaigncontributionsfromMRFmembersandthendonatesthosefundstoselectcampaignsforfederalcandidatesthatsupportthemotorcyclecommunityandbikerrights.In2017,theMRFPACraised$4,921.ThesemoniesbringthetotalfundintheMRFPACto$20,243.Thispoolofmoneywillbeusedtohelpsupportmotorcyclefriendycandidatesin2018runningforelection.

-Conclusion-Despiteallwehaveaccomplishedtogetherin2017,nextyearissuretobringitsownsetofchallengesaswellasopportunitiestoadvancebikerrights.Togetherwemustremaindiligentandsteadfastonthemanyissuesaffectingtheridercommunity.IfyouarenotanindividualmemberoftheMRForifyourchapterorstateorganizationisinterestedinbecomingasupportingorganization,pleaseconsiderhelpingourworkbyjoining:http://mrf.org/join-the-mrf/Whateverthefuturebrings,yourMRFlooksforwardtomaintainingitsstatusastheONLYnationalmotorcyclerightsorganizationdedicatedtoon-streetridersanditsreputationastheleadingexpertwhenitcomestobikersandthefreedomtoride.

2017Expenditures

Travel&LodgingforMRFStaff

MRFReports(design,postage,printing)

DCOffice(rent,legal,supplies,administrative)

MembershipMaterials&Marketing

ProgrammingExpenses(MotM,BITB,CQSoftware)

Payroll

Website