AMA 'rallies and rides'

PowerStroke

Member
Dec 3, 1999
55
0
The outdated weak AMA site to look up an event is quite useless. The original database should be moved from a commadore64 with a tape drive onto a 400 dollar modern PC.

Your Race and Ride database is circa 1971 and useless. The format is horrible to read through if multiple results ;and should be sorted by district or series or whatever. Spend a couple grand on a web designer and make the database contain data. I do enjoy your monthly magazine. The article about riding a Harley over a mountain is getting very old. Tell us about how you helped a rider's family that was killed by poor track design.

I pick and look and pick and look on AMAxxx.corg and have to go out to ECEA.org or SETRA .xxor NETRA .xx or harescrambleracer.com because for my 39 bucks along with thousands of other humps they can't get a more modern database that could do zipcode searches or 'build a season' or 'points tracker' .

These are the same guys that do nothing as we lose land use for events due to local lobbies that aren't much more than boss hawgs and cletus.

AMA #350119

If you hear me, save a little wear and tear on my mail lady and toss mine and my sons copies of the 'monthly rag' in the trash as soon as they are printed. One good dump and I am thumbing through the book wondering if the tree could have been smacked with a barkbuster instead of being cut for no real reason.
 

2stroke

Member
Nov 7, 2001
399
2
HEh!
Yeah man I hear you.
The AMA mag hits the bathroom floor about 20 seconds after the first plop
and gets swept up a day later.

If I was a lard ass who rode a fat cruiser Id get something out of it maybe.

I dont ever want a bike I cant bench press!

Ive never tried the web site however.
 

Rich Rohrich

Moderator / BioHazard
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jul 27, 1999
22,838
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Originally posted by 2stroke
I dont ever want a bike I cant bench press!

Maybe you need to work harder in the gym to open up the possibilities. :confused:
 

PowerStroke

Member
Dec 3, 1999
55
0
HAHAHAA.. I thought for sure I would get some retard spouting off about all the great articles... HAHA that plop is killin me This post will hang on my office wall.. you are a legend 2Stroke. Baltimore huh.. I hope to meet you some day sir! PLOP ON Bro!

If you do any HS at Budds or ECEA or D7 or D6 events give me a plop.

JR
 

mx547

Ortho doc's wet dream
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 24, 2000
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i consider myself a motorcyclist, not just a dirt biker. i like the mag.
 

wardy

2005 Lori Nyland Award Winner
Nov 12, 1999
2,681
9
hey powerstroke,

have suggestion.

clean that post up a little and e mail to ama see if it helps, or see if they are changing anything? There is alot going on, lately there are alot of changes.
fast enough, cool enough, not sure but until I see better out there I will work my tail off to make it the best it can be here in IL>

secondly on the land issues, ama organizes nationally, the districts are to locally organize, we are starting a rider based, ama, d-17, group for just those issues, here locally.

wardy
 

PowerStroke

Member
Dec 3, 1999
55
0
Wardy,

Appreciate the suggestion but this is a flame board and I did just that. The magazine is useless and more than paid for by the numerous advertisements.
Maybe they should send out a more specialized magazine for each interest group. 39 bucks per person is good money. It is a monolpoly. I did get one very nice letter from the AMA about a vintage RE5 suzuki that my wife requested information on. So I am not anti-AMA I am just pro-AMA .. Pro from the standpoint that it can be better just as we can be better at all we do!
They will not only get a complaint from me about the weak link but a list of things they can do to make it better. Gripes without solutions or goals is a waste of everyones time.

As for your efforts I do much of the same here where I live but you(we) are a volunteer unless you are getting some reimbursment for mileage or meals or something which means that out of my 39 bucks you got zip.

MX547,

First off I am glad you like the magazine and will try to read it again tonite after dinner. I have been asking around and 2Strokes 'plop story' is a broken record.

The magazine is a bland overlay of short attention span blips designed to make the cloned bikers feel like their interests are covered.
This is my opinion.

As for being a motorcyclist I don't see your point. Riding a moped qualifies that . As for being a good invloved and conscience biker it means 'tread lightly and don't leave trash where you ride and engage others while introducing them to the sport. It also means you (we) need have the guts to tell the king he has no clothes.

There are other ways to help the sport.. one is to help me find events and plan my season. That means for every race I attend the club gets stronger and the AMA gets their cut.

Seems like a soviet concept or even worse like the United Way. All the board members drive the best cars and eat at the expense of those that contribute while the guy that needs the money like 911 families get zip..
 

Jeff Gilbert

N. Texas SP
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 20, 2000
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I don't like the fact that the AMA membership is forced on us if we want race certain tracks. For instance, I like to race at Lake Whitney. It's close to my house and they have a real nice facility. The bad part is the cost! I like to go up on Friday night and park the RV and spend the weekend when possible.

For me & Tigger, here are my usual costs;
$60 Gate fees
$75 RV hookup
$70 Race fees (2 classes for me) (race fees range from $35 - $150 per class)
$10 For practice after the races on Saturday.

So far that's $215! But wait, there's more! Remember that this is only the expence of having the chance to ride the track. I like to eat, have a drink and put gas in the vehicle too.

In order for me to experience anyof this I have to buy an AMA membership.
I only use once or twice a year. What do I get for my membership? A lot of ads and a boat load of useless mail and mags that I'm not interested in. I'm with the above post, if I felt the AMA was actually providing a service for me I'd gladly subscribe. List some events in my area and make available a points tracking system. I feel so used and abused when I'm forced to be an AMA member.
 
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JPIVEY

Sponsoring Member<br>Club Moderator
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 9, 2001
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Well, I don't spend 39 bucks a year for the mag, I spend it on the support we get, example, the AMA played a major role in gettinng the dual sport ban postponed and are still working to get it overturned ( this effected me )

I would suggest you visit AMA look at the left nav bar and click on Rights and see were your $ 39.00 really goes.

Also American Motorcyclist is not the only mag they put out, They also put out Dual Sport Rider which covers a lot of offroad events
 
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wardy

2005 Lori Nyland Award Winner
Nov 12, 1999
2,681
9
Jeff,
There are many parts of the country that are not AMA through out, but I bet Lake Whitney, is like many other places and could not find insurance to keep the doors open. But AMA offers it and has kept the price (high now) but at least the same as last season. I don't particularly like the mag, or some of the things ama does. But as a whole at least today, what offers the same benfits to most ALL the riders/racers etc.

This was never intended to be a flame or a response to one, but since it has gone more that way and is here, the big picture is simple.
Until anyone can show me an organization that can organize nationally, nationally protect the rights of riders at the federal gov level, and do that for the riders for the cost of a tank of gas? then send out a magazine every month on top of that.

much bigger things to bitch about i bet if ya look hard enough.

wardy

want to scream about something? ask me why a road rider should be let to ride a "road" event sanctioned by AmA without having to purchase an AMA card that will get me going. :)

Lake Whitney I hear has changed a ton since I blew the crap outa my r knee there in 84', with those fees it must be a pretty cool place now!@
 

Michelle

Sponsoring Member
Oct 26, 1999
1,245
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I'm not 100% sure about how AMA works, but MNZ is the similar body here in New Zealand.

We have to join an MNZ-affiliated club, which is around $20-$30 a year, dependent on the club. To put on events, the club needs to purchase a permit from MNZ - this gives the club insurance for public liability, fire & not sure what else. It varies dependent on whether it's a trailride or race (race is cheaper as each competitor must have a MNZ licence but if we're running a trailride class, we need two permits).

A licence is $80 a year. A rider's family will be paid out $15,000 if that person dies at an MNZ-permitted event (trailride or race) - not insurance any of us want to ever cash in. For our licence fee, we get the insurance, a book of rules, a calendar (which only has major events on it) & a licence. We don't have a magazine, be it good or bad.

The MNZ permit gives insurance to the club, but also to the volunteers. For some events (I'm not sure which ones), the club also pays $2 (or something) per rider to MNZ as a rider levy.


We get people bitching about the licence thing - why won't we let them race without one? Sorry, but I'm not putting my life/house etc on the line for someone who's too cheap to pay out $80. They probably can trailride it (most of our club's races have a trailride class running behind it), but we're not scoring it.

A national governing body will never please everyone. It should do the best it can, but in the end, it's up to its members to do it's bit too. How many people are bitching about local land closures, but how many attend the meetings, write to council, etc etc? How many people work for AMA?

Oh, and no, we're not always happy with how MNZ runs things here either and their website leaves something to be desired, but, for me, I don't expect them to do everything, I'm capable of picking up a pen, sending an email, making a phonecall about anything I feel strongly about.

I also know that, as a club, we're not perfect, but we're doing the best we can and if anyone has any legitimate complaints or suggestions, they should bring them forward. Heck, we can always use more volunteers ;)

DRN used to have a lands use forum, where members could post about issues local to them as well as nationwide. Where is it now? It got canned due to the same people posting all the time & from memory, Okie thought posts would get more exposure in the general forum. Sad, but true.
Michelle
 
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CaptainObvious

Formally known as RV6Junkie
Damn Yankees
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 8, 2000
3,331
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I too think that the magazine is week, at best. However, as JPIVEY has pointed out, I joined AMA to support motorcycling and motorcyclists (on and off road) as we are under constant threat of regulation.

Additionally, if you want to race you have to be a member. I just enrolled my 9 year old son as a member so he can race next year. OUCH!
 

Wolf

doooode
Jul 31, 2000
2,487
1
I'm with RV6 and JPIPVEY. I joined AMA to support motorcycling and support its legal issues. The mag is not worth mentioning, it never even makes it to my bathroom....that place is reserved for dirt rider;)
I don't quite understand why they have to send 2 magazines to my house (one for me, one for my 6 yr old son), but frankly, I have given up trying to explain to them that we live in the same house, and neither of us like the mag:) It does make a decent fire starter.....
 

jaction125

~SPONSOR~
Jan 30, 2003
605
0
I'm not yet an AMA member. The only reson I am going to join in 2004 is to take part in races. A fringe benefit is the legal battles they will fight on my and other motorcylists behalf, I barely have the time to ride any of the five bikes I own, everything from dirt to a Harley. Put in the time it takes to keep em all runnin and such and I definitely don't have the time to fight with the MAN over whether or not I can ride em. I'll leave that for the lawyers. As far as the mag they put out I think it's like a little reminder every month, to make sure people know that they are doing they legal wrangling for ya. :thumb:
 

motometal

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 3, 2001
2,682
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I agree with jaction's post, but also with Mr. Gilbert...many of us WOULD race once or twice a year if it weren't for the $39.&nbsp; I understand insurance, but is it fair for the guy racing 10 races all season to pay the same $39 as the guy racing once?&nbsp; They are losing out on a lot of potential revenue, that is, if they could offer a $15-$20 one race pass.
 

wardy

2005 Lori Nyland Award Winner
Nov 12, 1999
2,681
9
COOL looks like a few new members will take advantage of the NEW membership plan that was voted in last years congress in October.

10 bucs for a day pass.

it will be coming this year (04)

this to accomodate the areas that are not strong ama sanctioned, and the one time a year rider.
wolf the mag goes to every rider/membership, they send it out that way.

It has been a hot topic on the mag, but also note like this next issue.

YOUR ballot to VOTE is in there, this magazine also acts like a update to the members news letter.

I might ad this 10.00 day pass, national advancement system and a few other things was a result of our current North Central Director Jeff Smith.

I ask anyone in these states, MI, IN,IL,IA,MN,WI,NEB,SD,ND, to vote for Jeff.

Your BALLOT will be in the Jan issue of American Motorcyclist. (should get it in the mail next week or so) and I will post a link to his web site in a seperate post.

bottom line, AMA may NOT be everything to everyone, but it does a good job for many.

wardy
 
B

biglou

NORBA (sanctioning U.S. mountain bike racing association) "used to" (don't race anymore, so, I'm not sure about now) offer one day licenses for Beginner Class racers for $3-5 instead of the annual $39 fee. Worked out great for weekend warriors. I've never raced dirtbikes anywhere that an AMA membership was required, but I have been involved in several races where AMA members got a $5 discount off their entry fee.
 

2stroke

Member
Nov 7, 2001
399
2
Well, aside from the mag. Ive got no real complaints, but then I never use any services offered oe anything. SOrry about the disturbing description earlier. I must have been tired or something.

I joined AMA to be able to race the AHRMA events. I do enjoy some discounts. At one place I ride, I get $10 off a day's admission. Cheap tickets to swap meets and the like also.In fact I let my membership expire last month, I wont join again until racing season starts.

Hell, I had to join AHRMA and AMA to race. I get mags from both, but I like the AHRMA mag best. No quetion why-the AHRMA mag is for a special interest group-it's more focused. The AMA mag attempts to cover all of motorcycling.
But even at that, they seem tilted towards touring.

Having said that, I also consider myself a "motorcyclist". I do own a streetbike. For what the AMA tries to do about legal issues, I am grateful.
I do like seeing new models featured...something to dream about buying...but I can get more of that from something like cycle world.

I get to Budds Creek for the vintage events. Last year it was a national! Cool!
 

PowerStroke

Member
Dec 3, 1999
55
0
Wardy,

The 10 buk one day pass is good. We held a hare scramble that was kind of tough for the lil kids and many of them only got 1 lap.
The cost for dad and grandparents (estimated)

5 each at gate (15 for mom dad and junior/juniorette)
20 to race
39

food etc.

Dad is up to a hundred or so bucks and junior gets stuck in woods.
This may be the kids last event when dad says
"hundred bucks...na we will just go play riding at the local mxtrack for 25 a weekend or whatever"

not to mention the demoralization of junior/juniorette.

So thanks for the info on 10 buck day pass.

I think I found a place to look up events (even though I think AMA should support this function)
harescrambleracing.com

Go offroad/event schedules/ look under the bottom of the calandar.
SETRA/NETRA/ECEA/GNCC/VHCSS/VXSS very nice!.

Sorry for the original vent but I think the mag is a waste of paper.

Anyway let's let this thread die... take care all who participated.
There is nothing more healthy than people who care for the better no matter how they do it.

I will send a well structured suggestion to AMA reference RALLIES and RIDES and maybe we can get it updated.

Respectfully,
JR


plop
 
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