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South King County Chapter

Food For Thought!!

 

The three states with the lowest fatality rates in the country per 10,000 registered motorcycles: Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, do not have mandatory adult helmet laws.

 

Of the ten states with the highest fatality rates per 10,000 registered motorcycles, seven of them have universal helmet laws.

 

Wisconsin has the third lowest fatality rate in the country per 10,000 registered motorcycles.

 

Since Louisiana reinstated their helmet law in 2004, fatalities in that state have climbed to the highest levels in that state's history.

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Interesting Facts

 

In the aftermath of both the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, the Tonight Show auctioned off two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, which had been signed by various celebrities. The winning bid for the motorcycle auctioned after the Tsunami was $800,100.

 

The first Harley Davidson motorcycle was built in 1903, and used a tomato can for a carburetor.

 

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Important Information

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TEAM OREGON wins settlement in Motorcycle Safety Foundation lawsuit

Corvallis, Oregon, Jan. 6, 2008 – The TEAM OREGON Motorcycle Safety Program is pleased to announce that the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has agreed to drop their copyright infringement lawsuit against Dr. Edward Ray, on behalf of Oregon State University, and Steve Garets, Director of TEAM OREGON. The Settlement Agreement was finalized on December 19, 2008. The MSF agreed to abandon its lawsuit without any payment whatsoever from TEAM OREGON and “With Prejudice,” meaning that the MSF cannot file such a lawsuit against TEAM OREGON ever again.

CONTACT:

Bob Reichenberg, Communications Manager

TEAM OREGON Motorcycle Safety Program

223 St/AG; OSU, Corvallis, OR 97331-2216

Phone: 541-737-9113  Fax: 541-737-4300

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Non tampering bill being introduced in NH.   If this state passes it, how long before another state (Washington) picks up on it.

 

Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2009 03:53:32 +0000

Subject: [Reps] Non Tampering bill filed in NH
 

HB 95 – AS INTRODUCED

2009 SESSION

09-0234
03/01
HOUSE BILL 95
AN ACT relative to motorcycle equipment and noise levels.
SPONSORS: Rep. J. Day, Rock 13; Rep. Henson, Rock 13; Rep. Kepner, Rock 15
COMMITTEE: Transportation
 

ANALYSIS

This bill:
I. Prohibits motorcycle exhaust modifications.
II. Reduces permissible motorcycle noise levels.
III. Increases maximum fines for motorcycle noise violations.
IV. Requires motorcycles to have functioning tachometers.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
09-0234
03/01
 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine

                                                                                                              AN ACT relative to motorcycle equipment and noise levels.
 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Paragraph; Motorcycle Muffler Modifications. Amend RSA 266:59 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
V.(a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motorcycle in any manner.
(b) No person shall drive on a way a motorcycle that has after market equipment installed to replace the muffler.
(c) Any person who violates the provisions of this paragraph shall be guilty of a violation and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500.
2 Motorcycle Noise Levels. Amend RSA 266:59-a to read as follows:
266:59-a Motorcycle Noise Levels.
I. No person shall operate a motorcycle which has a measured noise level of more than [106] 95 decibels on the decibel meter when measured 20 inches from the exhaust pipe at a 45 degree angle while the engine is operating at 2,800 revolutions per minute for one and 2 cylinder motorcycles and 3,500 revolutions per minute for any motorcycle with 3 or more cylinders.
II. No person shall pass for the purposes of the inspection required by RSA 266:1 any motorcycle which has a measured noise level of more than [106] 95 decibels on the decibel meter when measured 20 inches from the exhaust pipe at a 45 degree angle while the engine is operating at 2,800 revolutions per minute for one and 2 cylinder motorcycles and 3,500 revolutions per minute for any motorcycle with 3 or more cylinders.
II-a. No person shall operate in this state any motorcycle which produces a sound level in excess of [106] 95 decibels on the A scale, when measured in accordance with the provisions of the Society of Automotive Engineers Recommended Practice ANSI/SAE J-1287 annual report on “Measurement of Exhaust Sound Levels of Stationary Motorcycles.”
III. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than [$300] $500.
3 New Section; Equipment of Vehicles; Motorcycles; Tachometer. Amend RSA 266 by inserting after section 77 the following new section:
266:77-a Tachometer. No person shall drive on a way a motorcycle without a functioning tachometer. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2010.
 

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Myrtle Beach Closes its Doors to Rallies
Publish date: Jan 13, 2009
By: Dennis Johnson
 
 
It's officially official, the city of Myrtle Beach is now off limits for motorcycle rallies.

City officials have established a Web site called Myrtle Beach Biker Info (myrtlebeachbikerinfo.com) that spells out the reasons why the South Carolina town no longer welcomes rallies.

On the opening page, mayor John Rhodes explains that the town is not anti-biker or anti-motorcycle, it's just that the popular rallies had grown too large and lasted too long, adding that they "even kept visitors away from Myrtle Beach, and that's not good."

"This was a difficult decision. Myrtle Beach welcomes visitors year-round, but the giant motorcycle rallies simply grew too large," Rhodes writes. "Our staff, residents and businesses strained to keep up with these single-focus events. If may surprise you, but our economy is much healthier with a fully diversified visitor base, instead of a concentration on one or two extremely large events."

The decision effectively kills the Harley-Davidson Dealers Association Spring Rally and the Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Bikefest.

To help support the now-official ban, the city enacted a number of new laws and regulations aimed at motorcycle enthusiasts and their machines. These include a helmet law with a $100 fine, a ban on loud exhausts, allowing only two bikes per public parking space, a curfew for those under 18, and limits on where trailers and oversize vehicles can be parked on public streets — the latter ostensibly aimed at people trailering in their motorcycles.

Other new laws include one that people to have a photo ID for checking into hotels, another that makes drinking in public illegal, one aimed at loitering in parking lots a ban on using "parking lots or landscaped areas of any business next to road or street for chairs, coolers, parties, drinking or food service."

In a section on the Web site addressing frequently asked questions, the city states that it isn't targeting any specific rally or its attendees and that the ban is year-around, not just in May. "The city of Myrtle Beach doesn't want to play host to any motorcycle rally."

Another answer addresses a question about the city being anti-biker, stating that "The city welcomes individual motorcyclists 365 days a year, as long as they obey all local and state laws. However, the city doesn't welcome the huge motorcycle rallies and the problems they bring."

In December a judge declined to stop the city from enforcing the new laws. U.S. District Court Judge Terry Wooten denied a request for an injunction filed by event promoter Mike Shank and Harley-Davidson of Myrtle Beach to prevent the city from enforcing 15 amendments and ordinances dealing with special events, noise and helmets.

In November a county circuit court judge declined to issue an injunction against the city's helmet law requested by Myrtle Beach residents Carol and William O'Day.

Neither lawsuit has been dismissed, however, and a second federal lawsuit filed on behalf of Doghouse and Steel Horse Saloon owner Don Emery, The Master's Club, www.myrtlebeachbikeweek.com and other business owners, has not yet been heard.

No other hearings have been scheduled.

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If this passes in New York, when will local government start looking at it?
 Today's Topics:
 
 1. 09NR01 - MRF News Release - ABATE of New York Opposes New
 York City Int. No. 416-A (mrfnews@mrf.org)

  For Immediate Release
  19 January 2009
 
 ABATE of New York Opposes New York City Int. No. 416-A
 
FROM: Timothy D. Werder, ABATE of New York State President
 DATE: January 10, 2009
 
 Following a December 29th meeting with New York City Council Member Alan
 Gerson (1st District) to discuss proposed Local Law Int. No. 416-A, which
 he sponsored, ABATE of New York, Inc. reiterates its strong opposition to
 this legislation, however well intended, that will potentially make
 unavailable non-stock exhaust systems that conform to current sound level
 standards, due to cost & availability issues, and production &
 equipment-related concerns.
 
 There is the severe potential of wide-ranging negative results of this
 legislation passing.
 
 If a motorcycle owner is fearful that a stock or stock equivalent exhaust
 will be unavailable in the future, then the owner is more likely to remove
 and store the stock exhaust for future use. A chosen replacement exhaust
 may meet legislated sound levels, but not be legal due to stamping
 requirements.
 
 Also, there are a number of motorcycles for which stock replacement and
 stock equivalent exhausts are already not available. Owners of many of
 those motorcycles must seek out exhaust systems from custom manufacturers,
 many of whom are not large enough to be able to afford EPA certification.
 Additionally, examples are readily available of current, stock vehicles
 that do not meet the stamping requirement sitting on showroom floors and
 in owner?s garages. These vehicles have not been modified in any way, meet
 the current legislated sound levels, and are being legally operated on the
 highways.
 
 Lastly, ABATE of New York, Inc. vehemently opposes the discriminatory
 tactic of targeting only motorcyclists when there are numerous other
 sound-level violators on the streets.
 
 It is far better to enforce the existing sound level requirements
 across-the-board, than to pass this onerous legislation.
 
 ABATE of New York was established in 1974, and incorporated in 1991 as a
 501c4 not-for-profit corporation representing the rights of all New York
 State motorcyclists.
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