Motorcycle Riders Foundation

  • History of the MRF

    The first words of the street rider’s first voice in Washington were uttered in 1985 in St. Louis, Missouri. There, the very founders of the motorcyclists’ rights movement in America gathered for a meeting of the minds. Leaders of State Motorcyclists’ Rights Organizations (SMROs), wanted to catapult to the national scene the clout and effectiveness of SMROs — the strong, effective grassroots of state-based motorcyclists’ rights….

  • MRF Mission Statement

    Our mission is to continue developing an aggressive, independent national advocate for the advancement of motorcycling and its associated lifestyle which is financially stable and exceeds the needs of motorcycling enthusiasts.

    Main Goals Include…

  • What is the MRF

    Our mission is to continue developing an aggressive, independent national advocate for the advancement of motorcycling and its associated lifestyle which is financially stable and exceeds the needs of motorcycling enthusiasts…

  • MRF CORE VALUES

    INTEGRITY…

    RESPECT…

    LEADERSHIP…

    TEAMWORK…

    EXCELLENCE…

HIStORY OF THE MRF

The first words of the street rider’s first voice in Washington were uttered in 1985 in St. Louis, Missouri. There, the very founders of the motorcyclists’ rights movement in America gathered for a meeting of the minds. Leaders of State Motorcyclists’ Rights Organizations (SMROs), wanted to catapult to the national scene the clout and effectiveness of SMROs — the strong, effective grassroots of state-based motorcyclists’ rights.

They knew it had to be done. Riders’ rights had to go national because the threat was national. Our founders at this meeting of the minds shared a keen sense that danger was not just on the horizon but dead ahead, as freedom’s foes had just attacked with a ban on motorcycles in the United States Congress.

They knew it had to be done right. The founders wanted a staff that was all muscle and no fat, supported not by casual members but driven by a team of dedicated volunteers, with each volunteer committed to shouldering his or her share of the demands of liberty. They envisioned a team committed to core values like respect for riders’ diverse lifestyles and opinions, integrity in conduct, excellence and boldness in facing challenges head-on, and, above all, leadership — leadership in the unrelenting struggle for the safety and freedom of American motorcyclists.

So, at a meeting of the minds of grassroots leaders, a new leader was born: The Motorcycle Riders Foundation. The first motorcyclists’ rights advocacy organization with a full-time legislative and political presence in our nation’s capital. The only Washington voice devoted exclusively to you, the street rider. And each year, the leaders of the now-worldwide community gather for motorcycling’s premier political leadership summit — named to commemorate the gathering at which we were founded: The MRF Meeting of the Minds.

Throughout the USA and across the world, the torch of freedom burns in the hearts of motorcyclists. One by one, they recognize the need to become volunteers as co-partners in an organization committed to integrity, respect, leadership, teamwork, and excellence.

One by one, in every continent and culture, motorcyclists are deciding to Ride with the Leaders™.

MRF MISSION STATEMENT AND GOALS

Our mission is to continue developing an aggressive, independent national advocate for the advancement of motorcycling and its associated lifestyle which is financially stable and exceeds the needs of motorcycling enthusiasts.

Mission Goals

  • Maintain and improve our ability to act as an advocate before national, state, and local legislative, executive, and judicial bodies and with private or public entities regarding issues affecting motorcycles, motorcyclists, or motorcycling.

  • Maintain and improve our financial base and ensure financial stability.

  • Maintain and improve our capability to meet and exceed the needs of our membership base and all state motorcyclists’ rights organizations.

  • Maintain and improve our capability to be the national information center for motorcyclists’ rights information.

  • Enhance training of national, state, and local motorcyclists’ rights activists.

WHAT IS THE MRF

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is chiefly concerned with issues at the national and international levels that impact the freedom and safety of American street motorcyclists. We are also committed to educating rights advocates to improve effectiveness at the state and local levels. The MRF works together with State Motorcyclists’ Rights Organizations (SMROs), assisting them with state and local agendas as well as working with them to influence Washington, DC – from the Congress to government departments and agencies to the Office of the President of the United States. We also work with allies in Europe and Asia to influence talks on vehicle globalization and harmonization that are proceeding under the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO). We have a historic partnership with the American Motorcyclist Association and work with the AMA on a host of issues.

The MRF’s primary goals at this time are:

Profiling -

Sustain lobbying efforts that promote awareness and prohibition of motorcyclist profiling, including language that:

  • Promotes increased public awareness on the issue of profiling of motorcyclists

  • Encourages collaboration and communication with the motorcycling community and law enforcement to engage in efforts to end profiling of motorcyclists

  • Urges state law enforcement officials to include statements condemning profiling of motorcyclists in written policies and training materials

  • Outlaws the practice of profiling motorcyclists

Renewable Fuels -

Advocate for targeted changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) including the following actions:

  • Support the universal availability of approved fuel blends, containing no more than 10 percent ethanol by volume.

  • Promote additional research and independent studies concerning the effects of higher blends of renewable fuels on motorcycles.

  • Ensure the availability of separate pumps (i.e., no multi-dispensing) to minimize the risk of damage to motorcycle engines where a higher blend of renewable fuel blends is available.

  • Sustain lobbying efforts for the passage of the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2019 (H.R. 1024) or similar legislation which requires information to be provided to the public about the risks associated with the improper use of E15 fuel in certain vehicles, engines, and equipment. This legislation:

  • Revises current EPA rule to include warning labeling requirements for fuel pumps that dispense E15.

  • Requires the EPA to create a public education campaign about the risks of unauthorized use of E15 as well as the vehicles, engines, and equipment prohibited from using E15.

  • Defines multi-dispensing nozzle and requires an additional warning label on multi-dispensing nozzles to warn consumers of the residual fuel left in gasoline pump hoses from the previous individual dispensing.

Autonomous Vehicles -

Advocate and monitor any legislation or regulations related to motorcycles concerning connected and autonomous vehicles (AV):

  • Endorse rulemaking to set new standards specific to seeing, detecting, and properly reacting to motorcycles.

  • Ensure motorcycles are part of all testing and development procedures.

  • Promote that any AV public user advisory committees should include a representative from the motorcycle community and a motorcycle manufacturer.

  • Require a public, easily accessible, and searchable database where consumers can look up important safety information such as the limitations and capabilities of different products offered by AV manufacturers or service providers.

  • Require that all AV manufacturers must submit safety evaluation reports to detail and make public how their vehicles identify motorcycles among other road users. Manufacturers must also include human error analysis in safety reports.

  • Require that all AV manufacturers must publicly report crash data reporting incidents between AVs and motorcycles just as they would incidents between AVs and other road users.

  • Protect the safety of motorcyclists with any rules or standards as it relates to electronic and cybersecurity systems including the clarification of rights of data ownership of any recorded data in the context of connected and autonomous vehicles.

  • Inclusion of motorcyclists’ perspectives in discussions regarding the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS).

  • Work to ensure motorcycles are a separate classification of vehicle and road user for purposes of regulation and testing of AVs.

  • Protect the set-aside radio spectrums necessary for DSRC vehicle-to-vehicle communications.

CORE VALUES OF THE MRF

INTEGRITY

The MRF Board of Directors and their representatives will conduct themselves in an open, honest, objective and ethical manner. We will keep our promises, do what we say we are going to do, face issues fully and respect confidentiality. We base our discussions and judgements on fact, carefully considering as our guidelines our by-laws, mission statement and members’ interests.

RESPECT

The MRF Board of Directors and their representatives will work with individuals and organizations, with total dignity and candor, toward a full understanding, while acknowledging the importance of individual self-esteem, always listening in a non-judgmental way and demonstrating full courtesy at all times.

LEADERSHIP

The MRF Board of Directors and their representatives will foster an environment that values intellectual curiosity and the exploration and use of new knowledge. We will stimulate participation, challenge the status quo, encourage risk taking and respect diversity.

TEAMWORK

The MRF Board of Directors and their representatives will endeavor to create win/win situations and give individuals the opportunity and support to succeed. We will set reasonable, understandable and measurable expectations. It is our goal to never play favorites and to confront situations head-on. We will provide full and accurate reporting and representation of situations. We will maintain ongoing communications and avoid over commitment. We will provide honest and timely feedback and acknowledge contributions fully and effectively.

EXCELLENCE

The MRF Board of Directors and their representatives goal is to continually enhance all of our processes. Excellence is our measure of acceptability. We will accept leadership roles and test each performance against all those that precede it and other endeavors in our area of concern, always striving for improvement.