Author Topic: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?  (Read 7851 times)

Offline LowRyter

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #30 on: July 05, 2016, 10:52:46 PM »
Ya know?  If they ever did things that helped most riders, maybe we wouldn't ask "what the hell good are they?".

Everyone here has been asking to make it legal to "filter" lanes through congested traffic.  Right now, only Cali does this.  I'd say if the AMA's heads weren't in the wrong place, they might make a difference. 
John L 
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Offline sign216

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #31 on: July 06, 2016, 07:13:49 AM »
An earlier poster compared the AMA to the NRA, as being another lobby group. 
I'm not sure that's a fair comparison, as I feel the NRA actually produces results for their people.

I like the AMA's stance on E15, but compared to the power of the corn farmers, they have no chance. 

I'm a member mainly for the road service, but the membership is expensive, and with the rumors of AMA internal corruption, I'm on the fence everytime I renew.
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Offline Wayne Orwig

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #32 on: July 06, 2016, 07:32:01 AM »
Towing service, who cares. Why do people prepay for towing? Goofy.

When my rear wheel bearing failed in BF North Carolina a couple of weeks back, I walked to the nearest house. They called their buddy Joe Bob with a roll back. He towed me into town for $55. A towing service would NOT have called Joe Bob, they would call the big name company 50 miles away that they contract with. And that company would only tow me in the wrong direction AFTER a 3 hour wait.
Years ago I was with a group of people when one had a breakdown near Topton NC. He had a towing service, but his phone didn't work. He rode off on another bike to get phone service. A LONG time later he returned and said they would only tow him 75 miles NORTH. We needed to go 75 miles SOUTH. He rode off again to try to talk them into a southern direction tow. While he was gone, I laid the CB750 over on the side in the ditch, pulled the side cover, and repaired the loose nut inside the clutch hub. That was a fiasco. He finally returned, and again the tow company would ONLY move his bike 150 miles from home. 
When you prepay for towing, you have to conform to THEIR rules. But you have no clue what the situation will be when you breakdown.
« Last Edit: July 06, 2016, 07:33:35 AM by OMG »
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Offline Lannis

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #33 on: July 06, 2016, 04:34:12 PM »
Towing service, who cares. Why do people prepay for towing? Goofy.

When my rear wheel bearing failed in BF North Carolina a couple of weeks back, I walked to the nearest house. They called their buddy Joe Bob with a roll back. He towed me into town for $55. A towing service would NOT have called Joe Bob, they would call the big name company 50 miles away that they contract with. And that company would only tow me in the wrong direction AFTER a 3 hour wait.
Years ago I was with a group of people when one had a breakdown near Topton NC. He had a towing service, but his phone didn't work. He rode off on another bike to get phone service. A LONG time later he returned and said they would only tow him 75 miles NORTH. We needed to go 75 miles SOUTH. He rode off again to try to talk them into a southern direction tow. While he was gone, I laid the CB750 over on the side in the ditch, pulled the side cover, and repaired the loose nut inside the clutch hub. That was a fiasco. He finally returned, and again the tow company would ONLY move his bike 150 miles from home. 
When you prepay for towing, you have to conform to THEIR rules. But you have no clue what the situation will be when you breakdown.

It's never come out anything but positive for me .... and it can come out the other way if some bubba with an eye to the well-heeled biker gets his bike under your control.   

Lannis
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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #33 on: July 06, 2016, 04:34:12 PM »

Offline motogearhead

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #34 on: July 06, 2016, 08:43:59 PM »
Valuable tool for me.  Been a member since the seventies.  Initial membership was for AMA competition only...but these days, I appreciate and support the AMA's voice in DC in support of all motorcyclist's rights.  Can't help but wonder how much more effective they could be if all motorcyclists we're members.

Offline LowRyter

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #35 on: July 06, 2016, 09:19:49 PM »
the only motorcycle rights at issue now is lane splitting and filtering.

And it's not on their radar. Sorry, they are pretty clueless.  (Remember I said the same thing about ABATE)

Maybe E15 scares more people?  I can choose the gas I want to buy, thank you very much.
John L 
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Offline Rich A

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #36 on: July 06, 2016, 09:32:03 PM »
Towing service, who cares. Why do people prepay for towing? Goofy.


My story: I was in a Dodge Ram that broke down on the interstate (turned out to be a bad fuel pump). I couldn't get to the shoulder--the truck literally died on the interstate. I put the flashers on and walked over to a safe place and called AMA; they arranged for a tow vehicle. In 10-15 mins, the tow vehicle showed up and pushed the pickup to where it could safely be hooked up, and from there it was towed it to a shop.

If I didn't have AMA, I would have had to search for a tow service while on the side of the road using my phone--all while the pickup is stuck on I25, so getting the thing off the interstate quickly obviously was desirable. Honestly, I wouldn't have been surprised if the truck had been hit from behind, and at freeway speeds that easily could have been fatal.

No charge for the tow. For the price of dues, I thought that was money well spent.

Rich A

Offline Rusnak_322

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #37 on: July 07, 2016, 08:33:33 AM »


Maybe E15 scares more people?  I can choose the gas I want to buy, thank you very much.

I cannot choose the gas I want to buy. per the www.pure-gas.org site, there are only 81 places in the state that sell ethanol-free gas. the closest to me is 10 miles away and they only have 87 octane.

there are none where we ride the most, we have two Ducati's with plastic tanks that have had big issues with ethanol expansion (I am on the third fuel tank). Also, my Monster only goes 85 miles on a tank before the low fuel light comes on, so we fill up multiple times a trip.

If the AMA had any clout to be able to go against the big farmers, I would happily join.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2016, 09:13:32 AM by Rusnak_322 »
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oldbike54

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #38 on: July 07, 2016, 08:39:36 AM »
 Are they using figs to produce ethanol these days ? :laugh:

 Seriously , maybe the manufacturers shouldn't make bikes out of plastic . No fan of ethanol , but plastic gas tanks are cheap , should only be on dirt bikes .

 Dusty

Offline sign216

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #39 on: July 07, 2016, 02:02:56 PM »
Are they using figs to produce ethanol these days ? :laugh:

 Seriously , maybe the manufacturers shouldn't make bikes out of plastic . No fan of ethanol , but plastic gas tanks are cheap , should only be on dirt bikes .

 Dusty

Dusty,
Don't blame the tanks.  That's like blaming a crime victim for the crime.

Blame the corn lobby for changing our gasoline to a less productive blend.
Joe
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oldbike54

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #40 on: July 07, 2016, 02:12:23 PM »
Dusty,
Don't blame the tanks.  That's like blaming a crime victim for the crime.

Blame the corn lobby for changing our gasoline to a less productive blend.
Joe

 Oh I do , but still , a plastic tank on an expensive new motorbike ...

 Dusty

Offline Rusnak_322

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #41 on: July 07, 2016, 02:56:55 PM »
Oh I do , but still , a plastic tank on an expensive new motorbike ...

 Dusty

Plastic is actually a very good material to use to make a tank that contains non-ethanol fuel. It is cheaper than metal, highly durable against dents, and it is possible to make in shapes not easily made in metal.

The finish is as good as any metal tank. I had an Aprilia Mille, a Ducati 1098 and a Ducati Monster S4Rs with plastic tanks. In Europe and other parts of the world that have the sense to stay away from alcohol fuel, there are no issues. But ethanol is also very damaging to other parts of a vehicle that were not designed to cope with it. there are big problems with vintage cars, bikes and boats. Also, the fuel will not last anywhere near the length of time that alcohol free fuels used to last.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2016, 02:57:51 PM by Rusnak_322 »
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Offline Rusnak_322

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #42 on: July 07, 2016, 03:04:39 PM »
http://autoweek.com/article/car-life/jay-leno-hates-ethanol


Here is the cadwell coating coming out of my Monster tank - this was a new tank that never had fuel in it and the Ducati dealer installed the coating.






 
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Offline Arizona Wayne

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #43 on: July 07, 2016, 05:58:44 PM »
I have 5 MCs/maxi-scooters that have non-metal gas tanks and none of them have had any issues with the fuel I put in them.   I just returned from a 2,400 mile trip on my MuZ w/plastic tank thru 5 states with no fuel problems.  :undecided:  That doesn't mean I like ethanol in our fuel, I don't.  :evil:
« Last Edit: July 07, 2016, 06:00:29 PM by Arizona Wayne »

Offline sign216

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Re: The AMA - a valuable voice or a crooked tool?
« Reply #44 on: July 08, 2016, 04:54:47 AM »
I have 5 MCs/maxi-scooters that have non-metal gas tanks and none of them have had any issues with the fuel I put in them.   I just returned from a 2,400 mile trip on my MuZ w/plastic tank thru 5 states with no fuel problems.  :undecided:  That doesn't mean I like ethanol in our fuel, I don't.  :evil:

Wayne,
My point is that here in the Northeast, we don't have a choice.  All the pump gas ethanol, and some pumps are E15.

At least in Quebec Shell super premium is pure gas, but south of that border it's all ethanol. 

I'm just asking to be able to choose.
Joe
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