Is the AMA relevant anymore?

[Casper]

Honest question.

[zx3vfr]

I'm a fan of ABATE. LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES.

ALSO FUCK WEARING SAFETY GEAR

[smccrory]

Reading the AMA magazine gives me an appreciation for what they do to protect trail riding and their sponsorship of racing, but who knows if they help with road riding.

[jblosser]

$35/year gets me roadside assistance for anything I'm driving, riding, or am a passenger in.

 

the legislative stuff I just look at as a bonus.

[okeefe01]

I hit my 25 year mark with the AMA last year.  I am now a Charter Life Member.  I think they do a great job of keeping an eye on our rights and issues that might impact us.  They have some really good benefits for members.  Probably one of the best benefits is the American Motorcyclist magazine.  They now have two versions of the magazine.  One for off road, and one for street riding.

 

I do wish I would see them at more events in Ohio (Their home state).  

 

Sign up and help make them more relevant!!
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/join

[bloodninja420]

What do we want them to accomplish?

I wouldn't mind seeing some effort thrown behind legal filtering/splitting. Maybe ordinances allowing parking on sidewalks in urban areas. Reduced sales tax on used bikes. Therr are probably some underexploited opportunities to align with the environmental lobby to get some preferential treatment in terms of reduced tolls, registration fees.

Other than that, it seems like the US has it good in terms of motorbike regulation. No tiered licensing, horsepower restrictions, luxury taxes, etc. How much of that is due to AMA vs inattention by regulators, I don't have a clue. The 2000lb gorilla probably has some deterrent effect.

The atgatt crowd has a distaste for AMA pushing back on helmet laws, but I think fighting is the correct strategy. Are progressive nanny-staters ever satisfied after an interest group yields to "common sense regulation?"

[MichaelS]

What do we want them to accomplish?

I wouldn't mind seeing some effort thrown behind legal filtering/splitting. Maybe ordinances allowing parking on sidewalks in urban areas. Reduced sales tax on used bikes. Therr are probably some underexploited opportunities to align with the environmental lobby to get some preferential treatment in terms of reduced tolls, registration fees.

Other than that, it seems like the US has it good in terms of motorbike regulation. No tiered licensing, horsepower restrictions, luxury taxes, etc. How much of that is due to AMA vs inattention by regulators, I don't have a clue. The 2000lb gorilla probably has some deterrent effect.

The atgatt crowd has a distaste for AMA pushing back on helmet laws, but I think fighting is the correct strategy. Are progressive nanny-staters ever satisfied after an interest group yields to "common sense regulation?"

Hmmm the one state that is known for lane splitting requires a helmet but has no other restrictions.  Sometimes common sense is just common sense.  So your nanny-state comment is pretty off the mark. 

[MidgetTodd]

My answer is no.

Roadside assistance, it's standard with most any ins policy

Laws, I've never known AMA to be involved in new traffic laws

Trails, in OH at least, your trail pass fees and apv plate fees keep the trails alive not AMA

Magazines, I find SportRider to be far more entertaining and informative than American Motorcyclist

They've no part in road racing anymore. Little to do with MX

I say no.

[ScubaCinci]

I was a member for a year a while back. I seem to remember getting discounts on stuff with membership but other than that, I didn't feel like being a member had much value for me. At least they didn't bury me in junk mail like the NRA.

[bowdog]

I do not know a whole lot about what AMA is up too, but i do know all of the local motocross races are still ran by them and an AMA license is needed to race in them.

[durk]

The way I look at is they pay more attention to laws and such that effect us than I ever think to, and I appreciate that. On top of this you get roadside assistance as others have mentioned and I have used the 10% discount from bike bandit a couple of times. I have no problem giving them money once a year as cheap as the membership is.

[Tonik]

Pretty sure that the states new system for twisting the arms of local municipalities to fix red light triggers is because of AMA and also the huge public awareness of looking out for motorcycles being done by the state is because of them.

[redkow97]

Whether you realize it or not, the AMA is still actively a part of MotoAmerica.  I had to buy an AMA membership (i bought a 1 yr race license) to get a pit credential for the Indianapolis MotoAmerica round.

 

Because it's a competition license, I think I paid $50 for the year, and I opted out of roadside assistance.  OMRL is still planning to have the PIRC round be an AMA sanctioned national supermoto event next year, so I figured "why not?"  Plus now I can crew for anyone in teh MotoAmerica paddock if I want to.

 

"relevant?"  Maybe not, but they got me to join for the first time, so it will continue to exist.

[smccrory]

I bought my first membership term at the museum, which meant I paid less for admission into a very nice place and cheap membership into the AMA.

[Wojo72]

Any feedback on their towing service? I was at the AMA site last week but didn't pull the trigger on a membership.

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[DAC]

I bought my first membership term at the museum, which meant I paid less for admission into a very nice place and cheap membership into the AMA.

Yep, I did that. I need to renew again. My credit card changed expy and it termed out earlier this year. AMA is alright. Has its warts like anything else.

[aforrest4]

I support the AMA because they are still very active in lobbying for motorcyclists rights throughout the US. 

I recommend reading of of their monthly magazines. It will show you what they accomplish.

[smccrory]

I bought my first membership term at the museum, which meant I paid less for admission into a very nice place and cheap membership into the AMA.

[okeefe01]

Any feedback on their towing service? I was at the AMA site last week but didn't pull the trigger on a membership.

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I used (or at least tried) the Roadside Assistance for the first time this past Friday.  The water pump on my car blew out near Germantown, OH.  It was just past midnight.  I thought that was as good of a time as any to try out the Roadside Assistance.  While the folks on the phone were very nice and seemed sincere, after an hour and a half, they were not able to find anyone to tow me.  I finally had to call the wife and wake her up to come get me.  I towed it myself the next day.  

I have talked to some other people with different types of assistance, and from what I have heard, my experience, being in a small town after midnight and not being able to get a tow, is normal.  So, I guess you need to break down in a larger city, during the week, between 8:00am and 5:00 pm?

 

One guy told me that AAA only covers the first three miles of the tow.  Can that be right?

 

By the way, anyone interested in an 02 Mazda Protege5 with a blown head and water pump?

[Casper]

One guy told me that AAA only covers the first three miles of the tow.  Can that be right?

 

The cheaper plan (classic) covers three miles free. The middle plan (plus) covers 100 miles free. 

[Tonik]

AMA roadside covers cars?

[zx3vfr]

AMA roadside covers cars?

All vehicles in your household

[motociclista]

I have been a member 23 years, so I'm getting close to Life membership. I was an AMA employee for seven years. So I know the association inside out.

 

I have used the roadside assistance twice, the most recent time being the Sunday night of MotoGP weekend on my way home from Indianapolis. I don't have much to compare it to, but I think it's comparable to other services. It's not like the AMA does it itself. It's farmed out to a national company.

 

As for relevance, fewer and fewer people think so. This story is now a little out of date, but it's my attempt at an objective look at the steady losses in membership and money the AMA has suffered under the current president. They've lost 28 percent of the membership, as of the time I wrote that last year. After I left as an employee in 2008, I wrote an article for Motorcycle Consumer News, outlining a lot of reasons, mostly demographic, why I thought the AMA would see a membership decline. When I asked the president how he would handle those challenges, he said they didn't matter, because membership was going to soar because of the great things they were doing. It hasn't exactly played out that way.

 

I don't know what the future holds for the association.

[smccrory]

Very interesting. Any insight why it's taken so frigging long to get a new Hurt study going?

[Ziggy]

Any feedback on their towing service? I was at the AMA site last week but didn't pull the trigger on a membership.

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I've been an AMA member for 5 years, and the roadside assistance has paid for the membership every year. I've had a bike or car towed for one reason or another every year. I've got roadside assistance through my insurance, but my insurance will only cover 10 miles. AMA covers 25. My insurance roadside coverage is tied to the VIN on the policy, AMA follows the driver, and extends to my immediate, same household, family members. I'll keep my membership. Also, AMA has been one of the most vocal opponents of motorcycle only checkpoints all across the country.