Recent Entries

• Building Relationships

  by RevBigJohn November 7, 2023
  At the end of October, after weeks of delays and infighting, the U.S. House of Representatives elected Representative Mike Johnson of Louisiana as the 56th Speaker of the House. To many, Speaker Johnson was an unknown member of the House, having been in office since only 2017. Nevertheless, Mr. John...

• Repair Act Takes a Step Forward

  by RevBigJohn November 3, 2023
  Thursday, the House Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce passed H.R. 906, the Repair Act. As a reminder, H.R. 906 mandates that consumers and independent maintenance shops have access to the parts, tools and information needed to work on vehicles. Fundamentally, this act helps preserve mot...

• Another Shot Across the Internal Combustion Engine Bow

  by RevBigJohn October 31, 2023
  In April 2023, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted to ban the sale of medium and heavy-duty diesel-powered vehicles in the state starting in 2036. As the MRF shared last year, the implications of this move by CARB are enormous. With California being the largest market for vehicles in the...

• Is Your Representative in a Position to Help?

  by RevBigJohn October 30, 2023
  As early as this week, the House of Representatives Committee on Rules will meet to discuss the annual funding bill for the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). The Rules Committee is the last stop before bills go to the full floor for a vote. It provides all lawmakers the opportunity to submi...

• California Suspends Self-Driving Car Company, Cruise

  by RevBigJohn October 26, 2023
  Tuesday, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) notified Cruise, a self-driving car subsidiary of General Motors, that the DMV is suspending Cruise’s autonomous vehicle deployment and driverless testing permits, effective immediately. Since June 2022, Cruise has been offering comme...

• Contact Senators About S.2090

  by RevBigJohn October 23, 2023
  While the House of Representatives is in week three of the search for a new Speaker of the House, the U.S. Senate remains open for business. In the last month, six (6) new Senators have joined as cosponsors of S.2090 - Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act of 2023. These additions bring the tot...

• Who’s Going to Pay for This?

  by RevBigJohn October 20, 2023
  The old saying in Washington, D.C. is "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money." It is no secret that the Federal Government continues to spend more money than it takes in. This week the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit held a hear...

• NHTSA Looks at Fuel Standards

  by RevBigJohn October 19, 2023
  Soon, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will close its public comment period on proposed rule changes to the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) for cars and trucks. Under the proposal, the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard would rise from 49 mpg in 2026 to 58...
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• Speaker of the House

  by RevBigJohn October 13, 2023
  Recently, much of the drama in Washington D.C. has surrounded the office of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. While little will get done at the capitol while the Speaker’s office remains vacant, there is one Speaker of the House in New England whose ties to the motorcycle community...

• Congress Talks Right to Repair

  by RevBigJohn October 6, 2023
  Last week the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce held a legislative hearing to discuss several bills within its jurisdiction. One of the bills on the agenda was H.R. 906, the REPAIR Act. The REPAIR Act is one of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation’s (MRF) key ...

• MRF Back in the Sunshine!

  by RevBigJohn October 5, 2023
  The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) goal of playing a role in uniting our motorcyclist’s rights community took another step forward. MRF President, Kirk "Hardtail" Willard was invited to meet with ABATE of Florida State Leadership, Daytona Beach Chapter Leadership and members, Confederation...

• Come Together… Right Now

  by RevBigJohn September 30, 2023
  Come Together… Right Now HARRISBURG, PENN. - Hundreds of bikers from throughout the nation met on September 22 and 23 for the 39th Annual Meeting of the Minds conference, sponsored by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF). This annual event allows moto...

• Motorcyclist Advisory Council Being Established!

  by RevBigJohn September 25, 2023
  Monday morning, after nearly two years of delay, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the initial steps to establish the Motorcyclist Advisory Council (MAC). In November of 2021, Congress passed, and President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Included in th...

• 2024 Federal Legislative Agenda

  by RevBigJohn September 23, 2023
  The MRF’s Legislative Committee held a legislative strategy session at the 2023 Motorcycle Riders Foundation’s (MRF) 39th annual Meeting of the Minds Conference held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the session was to establish and prioritize the MRF’s 2024 Federal Legis...

• BMW Issues Stop Sale Notice

  by RevBigJohn September 22, 2023
  Just yesterday, BMW directed its North American dealers to stop the sale of all new and used motorcycles. The directive only effects motorcycles using internal combustion engines. BMW electric motorcycles are not impacted by the order. BMW stated that, “This temporary stop sale is not sa...
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• The MRF “Road Show” is on the road all year long...

  by RevBigJohn September 21, 2023
  Beginning in Ohio, President Kirk “Hardtail” Willard and Vice-President Jay Jackson attended the Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the American Motorcyclist Association Museum. MRF State Rep Sherry Hill and folks from ABATE of Ohio set up a membership table...

• H.R. 1435

  by RevBigJohn September 14, 2023
  H.R. 1435, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act Passes the House! On Thursday, September 14th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1435, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases...

• REAPING WHAT WE SOW

  by RevBigJohn September 13, 2023
  MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION – MEETING OF THE MINDS 2023 – REAPING WHAT WE SOW “You always reap what you sow; there is no shortcut.” – Stephen Covey Thirty-nine years ago, a...
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• Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket Council

  by RevBigJohn September 11, 2023
  Industry Veteran, Bob Kay, Leads Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket Council The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has formed a council to ...
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• Act Now... Congress Votes Thursday!

  by RevBigJohn September 11, 2023
  The House of Representatives has scheduled a vote Thursday on H.R. 1435, the “Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act.” H.R. 1435 would amend the Clean Air Act to prevent a ban on the sale of internal combustion engines, effectively trumping any state law that outlaws their sale. Now...
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• Taking Stock

  by RevBigJohn September 8, 2023
  It’s been a few months since the MRF’s Bikers Insider the Beltway, so this is a great time to see how everyday bikers have helped move the needle in Washington D.C.  Three of the key “asks” we had of lawmakers surrounded, right to repair, preserving the av...

• MEETING OF THE MINDS 2023 – TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

  by RevBigJohn September 4, 2023
  MEETING OF THE MINDS 2023 – TIME IS RUNNING OUT! – REGISTER NOW The Meeting of the Minds conference is where it all began and it’s where motorcyclists’ rights advocates come to experience tailormade work...

• RENEWED COMMITMENTS TO THE FUTURE OF MOTORCYCLING

  by RevBigJohn September 1, 2023
  MRF MEETING OF THE MINDS – RENEWED COMMITMENTS TO THE FUTURE OF MOTORCYCLING & MOTORCYCLISTS’ RIGHTS As we approach another traditional American holiday, I am repeatedly drawn back to the collective words of the fif...

• NHTSA Investigates Tesla Again...

  by RevBigJohn August 31, 2023
  In a letter made public this week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking answers from Tesla on the company's “Autopilot” system. The letter sent on July 26th states, “Recently, NHTSA became aware that Tesla has introduced an Autopilot configurat...

• Motorcycle Rider Foundation Endorses

  by RevBigJohn August 29, 2023
  Motorcycle Rider Foundation Endorses Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket Movement The face of the motorcycle industry has been changing for some time now. To that end the fair play between traditional aftermark...

• Motorcycle Riders Foundation Meeting of the Minds Conference

  by RevBigJohn August 26, 2023
  Motorcycle Riders Foundation Meeting of the Minds Conference -- Moving Forward to Protect the Future of Motorcycling and Motorcyclists’ Rights! The Meeting of the Minds conference is where it all began and it’s wher...

• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Releases "simple

  by RevBigJohn August 24, 2023
  Earlier today, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released a document highlighting what it sees as “simple steps” to reduce motorcyclist deaths. First and foremost, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is very concerned about the safety of bikers. 2021 saw 6,000 motorcyc...
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• The Fight Continues

  by RevBigJohn August 24, 2023
  For over a decade the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has been pushing the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on key priorities for motorcyclists. We’ve focused on the issues of autonomous vehicles, crash avoidance, and d...

• Louisiana Town Hall Meeting

  by RevBigJohn August 22, 2023
  On July 29, the Louisiana Confederation of Clubs and Independent Riders (COC&I) held a Biker Town Hall in lieu of its normal meeting in Alexandria.  The guest speaker was Clay Higgins (R) U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 3rd congressional district. Jac...

• MEETING OF THE MINDS 2023

  by RevBigJohn August 13, 2023
  Listening, Making a Difference, and Moving Forward to Protect the Future of Motorcycling and Motorcyclists’ Rights! The Meeting of the Minds conference is where it all began and it’s where motorcyc...