From the city that brought you Sonny Barger and the Hells Angels…. (courtesy of the AMA “News and Notes” newsletter):
In a move that has many in the motorcycle community scratching their heads, the Police Department of Oakland, CA has decided to make all 45 of their Harley-Davidson motorcycles louder.
According to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle on June 9, 2008, some officers complained that they just don’t ‘feel safe’ on quieter bikes. Previously, the motorcycle unit operated with modified exhaust systems that were later removed after an officer complained of hearing loss.
When the pipes were changed, however, other officers claimed the old adage of ‘being heard before you are seen’ as the safety issue behind returning to excessively loud exhausts. So the department paid $1200 for a report that yielded results in favor of louder pipes, but were admittedly un-scientific.
The new modified exhausts test at an average of 93-decibels, which is well above the 80-decibel federal standard, and against California law.
From our Special Correspondant Mike Milewski.
AMRA Summary - 6-28-08
- Treasurers Rpt - Approx $3600 in Land Use Fund, Approx in $3060 General Fund.
- Rockstar’s owe $100 for AMRA membership for 2008, with $25 late fee.
- Move-ups - From B to A, or C to B folks need to check their move-up status, some folks on the bubble and may benefit from doing before Utah to enhance points gains. Refer: Transfer ride %’s defined in Article 5- Paragraph D and E. Race finish is valid/tracked for non-consecutive years. No mandatory move-ups after Sept 1. Milewski to help Geoff/Kara post on web-site.
- AMA - Don Hood, AZ may not attend congress in Oct. Time is better spent looking at State Land Dept challenges on AZ Nov. ballots.
- AMRA Trailer - motion to sell has been delayed. Milewski to waterproof roof, Geoff to check with Dean regarding renting a slot at it’s current location, keeping it as it’s own storage unit.
- Strategic Plan, 1-5-10 years. Need Comp Committee to meet asap, NLT mid-July, Stuart to lead the group and rough out AMRA long lead planning/goal setting. Rough outline by 7-15-08, Final draft by August 1. Relate outcome to sponsorship requests by August 2008. Todd to call Stuart to champion.
- Trailer Materials . Todd to have Stuart order 30+ rolls of Moose ribbon.
- New Business:
A. Elections done: process needs better definition.
Pres - Don Shields
VP - Geoff Brownell
Secretary - Kara Hutchinson
Head Referee - Dave Willett
Treasurer - Vance Kennedy
B. Appointed Positions:
Big Bike Steward (Scoring) - Andy Stanley
Mini-Bike Steward (Scoring) - Todd Davis
Sponsorship Rep - Stuart Hammer (Jan-Dec)
Media/Web-site - Kara Hutchinson
C. AMA Training for Insurance. clubs need to keep this current - FYI
D. Job Descriptions for A and B above - needed.
E. Race Dates 2009 - submit specific dates to AMRA President in writing.
OCMC Jan and Nov 2009
RS’s Feb 21, 2009
ATR April 2009
FASTR TBD
CTR ?
F. Re-Election time frames: Jeff V. suggested staggering to protect AMRA’s long term philosophies. Action TBD.
G. Next AMRA Meeting - morning of August 24, 2008, host in Flagstaff/CTR, ride to follow. Location and exact time - TBD.
The Northern Arizona Rider’s Gathering (july 18 - 21) is starting to shape up!. I am more than a little remiss for not putting anything on this webpage, but Tomas has had a separate website up for a month or so now. Information and signup pages can be found there. A signup fee is not required, but donations are encouraged. Donation status may affect the ride routing: I think Mace remembers where the bear den on the back side of the Peaks is.
Club members please contact Tomas for info on how to help. We will be having countdown meetings every Wednesday at Plateau Engineering to hash out details.
While we are talking of elections, local off-roader and CTR member Mark Haugwout is running for the Arizona State House as a Democrat in District 2. His website is www.mark4az.com. Mark hasn’t shown up at meetings recently - too may babies to kiss.
We are stuck with Neff and Dooley as Vice Pres and Treasurer for another two years. We dumped those slackers Prosser and Hall in favor of Jake Davis as Secretary and Tomas Robison as President. Onward and upward.
We had a nice turn out, particularly considering all of the folks who came out for National Trail Day the week before. Thank you!!
Like a twit, I didn’t wear my riding boots, because I didn’t want to work in them. I borrowed kneepads from Ned and went on a short afternoon putt after the trail day - no problemo using my hiking boots. Then I took off on the ride home and 100 yards down the trail I whacked an invisible boulder with my left foot. I celebrated Father’s Day by drilling a hole in my big toenail. I figure it will come off in about three weeks…
Meeting at Northland Motorsports at the Mall.
Among other things, we get to elect officers. If you are sick and tired of the incompetent leadership around here (I certainly am), now is your big chance.
Once again, thank you for all your attendance at National Trail Day. It has given us a lot of good public relations, with both the Forest Service and with Coconino County.
Unfortunately we can’t ride on that trail. To work on a trail that we CAN ride on, meet Saturday June 14 at 8:00 AM at Sunset Trailhead off Shultz Pass Road. This is not Shultz Tank where we met several times last summer - it is a half mile or so to the west, near the intersection with FS 6373.
We will be working on the Secret Trail reroute - moving Secret out of Spotted Owl habitat as requested by Fish and Game. Lunch provided: currently planned as sandwiches from Pig-in-a-Poke BBQ. Ride from the work area afterwards for those so inclined.
Thanks to everyone who attended the Trail Day Saturday. I believe we had over 40 folks show up, including a substantial contingent from the Arizona Trail Riders.
There were a lot of attendees, but judging by the ruckus when we were introduced, I think we once again had the largest number of workers by far. Once again all of us - CTR and all the others - ran out of trail to work on by lunch time.
You folks are great. Thank you!