A very scary website

[oldguy]

If anybody denies that the tree hugger element is not organizing to stop all off road activity just take a look at this website.
http://www.stopthrillcraft.org/index.htm
This only shows that the opposition is taking note of loud pipes among other things associated with our sport

They have an ultimate goal and it is stated in plain language
Can we achieve a ban on Thrillcraft? Most emphatically yes! Smoking was once considered so widespread that banning cigarettes was considered impossible. But today most public places are free of smoke. In the long term this is the only strategy that makes any sense. Thrillcraft do not have a right to pollution, disturb, terrorize, vandalize, and otherwise degrade our public lands.

It’s time to put a halt to this menace!

 

[jackflack44]

That is scary... :whoa:

 

[_JOE_]

I really don't care if the Earth lasts forever! I'll only be around another 75 years tops, I can't imagine the world being trashed by "Thrillcraft" in my great great great great great grandchildrens lifetime. Why have all this wonderful forest if we can't even begin to see it? You could hike forever and not see what we get see in a good season of riding. What do we leave behind? Maybe some tracks, a rut or two. Certainly nothing that's going have a negative effect on the forest. And what else do we leave? Oh, that's right, money! :nod: All the forest land we ride requires a pass, 15 dollars a day. They're right, these ARE expensive toys! That's why I drive a cheap little pick-up. If I had a 30k dollar Prius in the driveway I wouldn't be able to afford my bike! I'd be forced to hike to see the woods, too. :yell: They're just pissed cause we don't have to walk!!!! :fft:

 

[kaboom1371]

what good have environmentalist ever done for this country accept cost us tax payers a lot of money for their whining and crying in courts. they won't be happy until everyone sits at home and does nothing for the rest of their life. they use all the same natural resources as the rest us do but, they think they are better and need to take away what some enjoy.

when i was logging we had some tree huggers in a unit protesting. they made a tree house with what do you think? yep 2x4's, plywood, metal, had plenty of toilet paper, news paper, people using vehicles to bring them supplies. where's the irony in that? Pretty simple to see. using the same products that they are protesting against. How pathetic. It didn't take them long to get out of the tree when a faller started cutting that tree down though.......

 

[Vic]

From my cold, dead hands...

 

[Ol'89r]

It’s time to put a halt to this menace![/b][/i]

That doesn't surprise me oldguy. If you look who's behind this you will see it's the center for biological diversity. This is the real menace. :| These people are some sick puppys and they won't be happy until the entire public is locked out of public lands. They are spineless people that will attack you with lawsuits if you don't agree with them. We have been fighting them for years here in California.

They came to California a few years ago and have caused havoc with shutting down riding areas and locking down public land to the people. They claim diversity but they are anything but. It's their way or the highway as you can see by their website. I attended their grand opening and open house in Idlewild California a few years ago. I was there with other offroaders and horse people to protest their arrival in California. They didn't even have the spines to show up for their own open house after they heard about the protesters.

I'm kinda glad to see them go after the machines. Now, maybe the OEM's will get off of their butts and become proactive. Especially since most offroaders are not willing to spend any time fighting them. :think:

Hopefully, they have cut off more than they can chew.

 

[Wolf]

I get angry when seeing crap like their's posted all over the web.

 

[PowderJunkie9]

That's so messed up!

 

[justalonewolf007]

If you look who's behind this you will see it's the center for biological diversity. This is the real menace.

Could be wrong, but they may have been the organization who petitioned to release a bunch of coyotes in my area. Now there is widespread mange, and everyone's farm cats are being killed off. They come right up to my parent's house, as well as my cousin's.

Really makes me sick that they try outlaw a group of people who haven't destroyed much of anything, only to cause chaos in another area.

 

[truespode]

I get angry when seeing crap like their's posted all over the web.

I get angry when I know that the following is true :(

most offroaders are not willing to spend any time fighting them.

Ivan

 

[Wolf]

Ivan,
Unfortunately you're right

 

[490Dave]

How do we fight them? They're probably our neighbors.

 

[dirtfreak200]

Look at it this way were not poullting the earth were doing a part to decrease the mosquito population.:) .And if these people shut down are state forests etc. we still have thier lawns and gardens:)

 

[flyingfuzzball]

i wonder how much power the server that that website is on uses. i wonder how much fossil fuel was made to produce the server. i wonder if it gets that power from a coal belching powerplant. i wonder if that server has lead in it. or mercury. it probably does. it probably also has cadmium which can cause cancer. where will all of this go when that server becomes outdated? i would bet that Andrew Orahoske doesnt know. he probably doesnt care. he is busy looking one way while the computer he is using to update his website probably contains 10X its wieght in fossil fuels used. i wonder how many computers exsist in the center for biological diversity....

 

[flyingfuzzball]

in reading some of the trash on that website i have noticed that most of the anti "thrillcraft" statements can easily be turned around to why we have the exact same rights to USE the land.

 

[Ol'89r]

in reading some of the trash on that website i have noticed that most of the anti "thrillcraft" statements can easily be turned around to why we have the exact same rights to USE the land.

How do we fight them? They're probably our neighbors.

Good point fuzzball. It has a lot to do with perception. And who decides what is a 'thrillcraft' and what is not. Is a farmers utility quad a 'thrillcraft'? How about a mountain bike? Or a horse? My horse has given me quite a few thrills. :yikes: I also ride my horse on the same trails that I ride my motorcycle on. How long before they outlaw that? How about high performance cars? Racing bicycles? Skate boards? Where does it stop? :coocoo:

You are correct 490Dave. They are our neighbors. And when we piss off our neighbors it gives them more ammunition against us. When we ride without mufflers or ride where we are not supposed to, this gives them reason to fight us and turns the people on the fence against us.

We first need to be responsible within our own sport. We need to police our own and step up and say something when we see a fellow rider or group of riders acting like fools. This reflects on all of us. When we run across someone running a loud and annoying exhaust, we need to say something. Educate the person as to the harm he is doing to our sport.

Write and call your public officials. Attend city and county meetings to show our side. To show the good side of riding and how familys benefit from it. Push for more legal riding areas and improvement of existing riding areas and parks. Be firm but polite. Send a letter rather than an email that can be easily deleted.

Write your manufactures. Both OEM and aftermarket. Ask them why they are not involved with saving the sport. Many aftermarket manufactures are involved with fighting this through ORBA (Off Road Business Association) and other great organizations but, many are not. Yamaha Motor Corporation finally, last week, donated $15,000 in grant money to ORBA to help in the fight but, this is really just a drop in the bucket compared to the money the other side is collecting.

Join one of the many organizations that is fighting for our rights to ride and send them as much money and support as you can afford. Aftermarket businesses should join ORBA. This is a fantastic organization and they are in the trenches fighting for us.

If reading crap like this from people like the CBD doesn't wake some of you up to what is happening, then you guys must be freakin brain dead. :| And this is the biggest part of the problem. Very few from our side will get off of their lazy asses and do something. Very few will take the time to write a letter. Many of you will spend time every day posting inane crap on the internet but, when asked to write a letter or send a email to your representatives, you figure someone else will do it for you. YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!

I'm not directing this at 490Dave or fuzzball or anyone in particular. Those of you I'm talking about know who you are and if this pisses you off, good, I hope it does.

If you have time to post on the internet, you have time to write a letter. If you have time to go miles away to your dealer to buy a part for your 'thrillcraft' or drive hundreds of miles to go riding, you have time to attend a meeting. This is our sport and it's up to us to make sure it survives. Because right now, things are not looking very good for our side. :bang:

 

[ellandoh]

sent andy an email askinghim the type of un-thrillcraft he used that leaves no footprint on wilderness to reach the remote lands he had to get to, to produce that video

 

[wardy]

Isn't it funny that "wave runners" and "jet ski's" are thrillcraft, but what about boats, you know house boats, speed boats, etc. did these friggin idiots forget something?

 

[XRpredator]

well, the only thrills I ever got on a houseboat didn't really have anything to do with the boat, per se.

had more to do with the passengers, knowwhatImean?;)

 

[Ol'89r]

sent andy an email askinghim the type of un-thrillcraft he used that leaves no footprint on wilderness to reach the remote lands he had to get to, to produce that video

Thanks ellandoh but, you are wasting your time trying to change the minds of those people. They hate us and nothing we say or do will change that.

Your efforts would be better served by spending that time writing your local officials. Write the people in charge of the land. The ones that make the decisions. It's better to try to convince those that have not already formed an opinion of us.

I'm sure we would all like to give dillweeds like andy a piece of our minds but, it does no good. It's a waste of time. :bang: And if you say something off color they will only use it against us.

You're right Wardy. What is a 'thrillcraft'? And who gets to decide? :| This could have some far-reaching consequences if we don't stop it now.

A little secret.... Many of the little towns near our riding areas rely on us for their existence. They want us to come into their towns and by gas, food and lodging and their economy relys on that. How much money do you think they make from the tree huggers and hikers? They might sell a granola bar or two but that's about it. We, on the other hand, spend a lot of money in the pursuit of our sport and they like us for that. Well, maybe they just put up with us but, it does give us an edge. Write the Chamber of Commerce in some of these towns and let them know you won't be back to spend your money unless they get a handle on those that are trying to keep us out.

Money talks, bull**** walks.

 

[ellandoh]

A little secret.... Many of the little towns near our riding areas rely on us for their existence. They want us to come into their towns and by gas, food and lodging and their economy relys on that. How much money do you think they make from the tree huggers and hikers? They might sell a granola bar or two but that's about it. We, on the other hand, spend a lot of money in the pursuit of our sport and they like us for that. Well, maybe they just put up with us but, it does give us an edge. Write the Chamber of Commerce in some of these towns and let them know you won't be back to spend your money unless they get a handle on those that are trying to keep us out.

Money talks, bull**** walks.

the snowmobilers in northern MI have taught us well and we seem to be gaining rights, many counties have started allowing riding on roadsides as the snowmachines have been doing for ever

 

[wcbcruzer]

The treehuggers are extremely ignorant, narrow-minded, sheltered people. They have no real world experience. I don't agree with their beliefs towards off-road sports but on the other hand I'm glad that they've forbidden riding in some areas. If it weren't for them, I'm sure people would be tearing up places like Yosemite National Park. The problem is, they don't know when to stop. I used to be able to ride near my town but it's illegal now because riders were disrupting the vegetation (weeds). Give me a break... Like other things, there needs to be moderation.

I'm not worried though. There's enough interest in this sport to keep it alive no matter how hard environmentalists push. Although times are changing faster than I can believe. I hear they don't really make 2-strokes anymore because of the emissions?

 

[flyingfuzzball]

I hear they don't really make 2-strokes anymore because of the emissions?

you hear wrong.

 

[jackflack44]

More because with the CC rule they've lost interest correct?

 

[XRpredator]

nope, it's cuz 2-strokes suck