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Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah, along with a slew of other holidays, topped off with contested elections were the last gasp of 2000. What a way to start the new year. Bikers across the country now have the opportunity to really be effective in our quest for freedom of the road, and we begin a new century to boot.

Let's work together this year, more than ever before, to accomplish our goals in the year 2001.

We have countless groups all working for separate agendas and most of us are fighting for the same things. Don't you all think it's time we got rid of the animosity between groups and worked for the common good of us all? This is my prayer for 2001 folks, please give the FREEDOM FIGHTERS in this country and around the world all the support you can muster. If we work together we can work wonders. It's a proven fact of life brothers and sisters...let's just DO IT.

NEWS BITS'N PIECES:

OHIO: There are plenty of reasons to take a Motorcycle Ohio safety course: polishing technique, increasing control, fun. And the biggie is doing it could keep you among the living.

Starting Jan. 1, there's one more reason. Graduates from Motorcycle Ohio safety courses can take their certification directly to OBMV and obtain a motorcycle endorsement on their license. This is good news indeed. Now if we could get all states to work that way, wouldn't this make things much easier on everybody?

WASHINGTON D.C.: While President Clinton was in Viet Nam he made very clear to the world that he is a motorcycle helmet advocate by encouraging the use of the things for children in that country. I'm amazed that I am still living having ridden thousands of miles before helmets were considered a deterrent to motorcycle accidents.

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The sales of two wheeled vehicles is mixed in this country but motorcycle and moped sales are doing just fine with Honda in the lead. Scooter sales are down for some reason. I don't understand it. I'd ride one if I owned one.

NEW DELHI AGAIN: Hero Honda is India's largest motorcycle maker and right now they sell the 10-year-old CD series and the six-year-old "Splendour" model in the 100cc motorcycle segment. In the middle of 2001 they plan a new model and later in the year there is even another coming out both in the 100 cc range. The roads there won't handle much more power than that I guess. I was there in the 50's and most rural roads were dirt.

WASHINGTON: Recently we have read that the FBI has tested a new beast of software called CARNIVORE that takes all privacy away from Internet users and makes confidential information their baby to play with. This is scary folks. Privacy experts say they are worried about the breadth of Carnivore's capability and questioned why the FBI even conducted such a test in June if it intends to use the tool only for narrow purposes. Hopefully the courts will step in and set VERY strict standards for this stuff. I guess our Constitution and Bill of Rights really don't carry any authority anymore.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DIRECTIVE ALERT: I don't think anyone with a restored classic car, or for that matter without a restored classic car, could be against protecting the environment. Highways littered with discarded plastic cups and other modern junk don't improve the looks of the countryside.

With these ideals in mind, the European Parliament based in Strasbourg passed a law called (ELV) End of Life Vehicles. After vehicles pass a certain age they are to be scrapped and not recycled or restored as happens to many old cars. This law also affects MOTORCYCLES in many countries. You say, OH, IT'S JUST IN EUROPE!!

Don't be smug simply because you, Mr. or Ms. Biker, don't mess with old cars. Look around carefully at your next ride or rally and if you know the difference between the various models of Milwaukee Iron and other machines, count the number of bikes that are over 20 years old. Harley-Davidson is well known as the most recyclable motorcycle in the world and holds its value mainly because of that fact. Some Junker proposals have included motorcycles.

VENICE BEACH, CA: Here we go again folks. The Italian motor scooter Vespa (built by Piaggio) is invading our shores again and starting in California the land of the fad beginnings in this country. Rising fuel prices, clogged freeways and smog might be a good reason for some of the rest of us to save a bag full of coin and get one of these cute little critters for ourselves.

BRASILIA, BRASIL: China isn't the only country that's making hay while the sun shines when it comes to the motorcycle. Brazil's exports of motorcycles rose to 51,404 units in the first 10 months of the year (2000), a 94-percent increase over he same period of last year. I wish I could get that kind of interest on my piggy bank.

SUPERMAN HELPS LIAM NEESON WALK AGAIN: CHRISTOPHER REEVE is helping LIAM NEESON recover from a near fatal motorcycle crash. Neeson was riding his motorbike earlier this year when he slammed into a deer and shattered his leg - and he's still learning how to walk properly after the accident. After talking with Reeves on the phone Neeson said "He got my head in order."

JAKARTA: If you buy a motorcycle in Indonesia, watch out. Seems money isn't the only thing you can find that's counterfeit. Apparently there are fake motorcycles being sold here under the guise of legitimate Chinese manufacture. Hah! My boss Sam Hochberg likes odd bikes -- we should find him one of these scooters. It's right up his alley.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: UPI has sent out a copyrighted story that says a University of New Hampshire study blames that state's lack of a helmet law as the reason they have TWICE the national average of brain injuries in the "Live Free or Die" state (11% compared to 5% nationally, claims the report). I'd like to read that study -- and I'd also like to know if maybe NH has a LOWER rate of broken necks in motorcycle accidents there -- maybe they have a LOWER rate of paralyzed people. Maybe too, they have twice as many riders out there enjoying their Freedom of the Road. I'd like to know ALL those things, before setting up New Hampshire's freedom to ride as a target.

HANOI: When President Clinton was here in November, he gave a little talk to the embassy people there. He teased his new ambassador, Pete Peterson, because after Peterson was in the media rallying for his safety campaign there, he was nailed by a TV crew riding a motorcycle without a helmet! Maybe Pete Peterson has his heart in the right place.

GUNNY AGAIN: I keep telling folks that the best friends we have are our hard working AIM lawyers. That statement isn't entirely true. The best friend we have is RIDER TRAINING. Our AIM folks are there for us when we are involved in accidents. Get the training first and then if you're involved in an accident call 1-800-531-2424 for your nearest AIM Attorney. Sam Hochberg in Oregon can be reached at 503/224-1106 or if it's a toll call use 1-800-347-1106.

Keep the round side on the bottom,
Gunny,
Oregon AIM Chief of Staff