Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

.' " " INDUSTRY TAKES HOLD The second annual meeting of the Motorcycle Industry Council (M.I.C.) was held in Washington, D.C. on March 3. This association represents a unified effort of over 90% of the manufacturers, distributors, and allied trades of the motorcycle industry. The Council works closely with many national and state agencies in various matters including legislation, safety education, land use and ecology. The Honoroable Harrison W. Loesch, Assistant Secretary for Public Land Management (BLM) was the keynote specaker at the M.I.C. annual dinner. The Honorable Glenn M. Anderson, Congressman from California, also attended the function as a guest. Anderson represents the Torrance, Carson, Gardella area and is a former speedway racer. Board of Director members and officers were elected for 1971 as follows: PRESIDENT; E. W. (Pete) Colman, BSA, Inc. VICE-PRESIDENT: Matt Matsuoka, American Honda Motor Co. SECRETARY-TREASURER: john Harley, Harley-Davidson Motor Co. ASSISTANT TREASURER: Richard Orth, U.S. Suzuki Motor Corp. Other Directors elected or re-e1ected were: YOjl HMAWAKI - Kawasaki Motors Cop. TERRY TIERNAN Yamaha International Corp. JOHN TAYLOR - Yankee Motor Corp. TED BURKE - American jawa Ltd. TOM HEININGER - Webco, Inc. CHUCK CLA YTON Cycle News, Inc. THORNTON COOKE - Management Insurance Consultants, Inc. JOHN - JACOBSON Massachusetts Motorcycle Dealers Association_ Burke was named to head the Membership Committee. Clayton was named deputy to Land Use Committee Chairman John Taylor. President Colman announced a request from Dept. of Transportation to teach their personnel how to ride motorcycles and asked the industry to make a dozen or so different kinds of cycles available for their use. This the MIC readily agreed to do. So far, the feds who ride has been the most senisble as regards to motorcycle regulations. When all of them get "bugs on their teeth," they may discover that the motorcycle offers real solutions to the problems of personal transport, parking and pollution that now plague the government. Public relations commi ttee chairman Dick Orth reported that the outdoor billboard campaign of free public service announcements ("Careful, He's Harder To See") was complete, and many of the billboards are already visible in Washington state and California. The rest of the billboards should be up within the month. Orth asked for $58,000 budget to publish posters, make a movie and tape recorded announcements for free airplay and to manufacture identification placques for dealer associate members. "LAND USE" T6CKLED John Taylor, chairman of the Land Use Committee, reported on the progress of the much-needed survey of motorcycle parks (still one week until completion) and announced that M.O.R.E. lobbyist Russ Sanford has agreed to serve as Field Service Regional Director to represent the M.I.C. at legislative meetings and hearings in the West. $7500 was budgeted for Mr. Sanford's services. Taylor also won budget funds for a study of the effects of motorcycle tires on the soil ecology, to be carried out by an independent agency, as well as funds for land use public relations and other expenses totalling $56,000 for six months. Recognizing land use as the number one problem facing motorcycling today, Taylor and his deputy Chuck Clayton promised that the motorcycle industry's interests would be represented at all important meetings, conferences and hearings on land use. Additionally the committee will: (1.) Open communication with the Sierra Club and other conservation groups with a view to coordinating activities and goals (2.) Publish the syllabus regarding motorcycle parks, public and private, with up-to-date facts, figures and studies on locating, operating and funding morocycle parks (3.) Conduct tests regarding noise, dust, erosion and off-road safety with a view to constantly updating the syllabus (4.) Prepare and publish a "Do's and Don't's" booklet for off-road riders which member distributors have agreed to include with every off-road machine sold (5.) Print and distribute land use posters regarding noise and courtesy (6.) Rent billboards on the approaches to the California desert to advise motorcycle riders on desert use (7.) Hold a "summit meeting" with snowmobile, ATV and boating associations to explore and coordinate goals (8.) Establish liaison with trail riders to bring about self-policing on a local level similar to the national Ski Patrol plan that has worked effectively for many years. Included in the Land Use legislative plans for the coming six months are lobbying state-by-state for a urecreationaJ easement law" whereby land owners get a tax break and liability exemption when they allow public use of their land for recreation (such a bill is now before the California legislature, thanks to M.O.R.E.). The M.LC. plans to endorse reasonable off-road registration programs by states and ensure that fees collected will be applied to rno tori zed recreation pakrs, etc. The committee also asked the manufacturers and distributors to "tone down" ads so as not to show mo torcycles digging up soil or damaging ecology except in obvious racing situations (number plates. spectators, marked course, etc.). Thorn Cooke won approval and $33,000 to teach high school driver instruction teachers how to rid~ and how to teach motorcycle safety in their classes. This will be done throui1;h a series of workshops around the country attended by college and university instructors, who then will teach it to the future high school teachers of America. Honda's Matt Matsuoka reported that .a national program of minbike instruction conducted through the YMCA has already enrolled several hundred "unreachable" or delinquent kids and been so successful that Honda is donating 15,000 minibikes to the program. Mr. Matsuoka also presented his committee's definition of a minibike. A minibike is any 2-wheel vehicle (except scooters) having one or more of the following characteristics: Less than 10" wheel rim, less than 40" wheel base, less than 45cc engine, and less than 25" seat heigh t. A SILENCER WITH EVERY BIKE? Th.e Legislative and Technical Standards committee, headed by ou tgoing chairman Alan Masik, proposed seeking noise regulation on a federal level to set standards for noise levels that now vary between 30 or 40 states. It proposed that all member distributors supply a muffler or silencer with every motorcycle sold, including racing bikes. This proposal, if passed at the nex t meeting, scheduled for April 14 in Las Vegas, Nev., would help the AMA ease in to more universal rules requiring silencers for racing and a conseq uen t upgrading 0 f our sport. Washini1;ton officials are aware of the industry's concern with controlling noise and contrast us favorably with other off-road vehicle industries who make the excuse that their customers equate sheer noise with power. Fortunately, motorcyclists are not so naive. A good booklet of motorcycle inspection procedures was prepared and presented by the committee for the states which have vehicle inspection laws. And an S.A.E. air pollution study at the Southwest Research Institute in Texas will be aided by the motorcycle industy. DEALERS SIGNING UP 99% Tom Heininger reported the progress of the Associate Dealer Membership drive. The "Task Force" of membership counselors has been 99% successful in signing up dealers who've attended meetings in various states. California (Continued on page 5) 8r It's amixture of skill and courage-a special kind of world, a Special kind of program, where sound and fury, pure joy and excitement create an experience to share. See the four challenging events that "turn on" the amateor motorcyclist, the action-hungry thrill seeker! THURSDAY, MARCH 18TH /9,30 PM / KHJ-TV , ~ go Q.. .... '" 't ~ ~ :::;; ~ ~ w d ~

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