2024 is a year of milestones. Ultimate Motorcycling celebrated 20 years in the business of getting motorcycle riders the latest information about the sport. Also, for motorcyclists, one of the most important is the centennial anniversary of the American Motorcyclist Association.
The AMA is the most important advocacy organization for motorcyclists across the broad spectrum of issues affecting the sport. Having organized local, state, and national points of contact, representation, and events, the AMA helps with everything from organizing local clubs to monitoring proposed legislation that affects riders’ rights and vehicle requirements to helping organize motorcycle competitions that are safe, accessible, and fair. Also, the AMA has an international presence thanks to its affiliation with the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).
Based on the things it listed in its magazine, American Motorcyclist, the legislative priorities of the AMA to be pursued by its Government Relations Department (GRD) in the future are:
- “Right to repair“
- Opposing year-round sale of 15 gasoline
- Regulating driverless and autonomous vehicles
- Stricter penalties for distracted driving
- Promoting laws allowing lane splitting
- Regulating motorcyclist profiling by law enforcement
- Reauthorization of the Recreational Trail Program, which impacts how much public land can be used by motorcyclists
On the occasion of the AMA’s centennial, AMA President/CEO and President of FIM North America Rob Dingman noted, “Something I find myself saying frequently is that if the AMA did not exist, it would have to be invented.”
The official founding name of the AMA in 1924 was the American Motorcycle Association. The AMA’s foundation organization, the Motorcycle and Allied Trades Association Competition Committee, was formed in 1919. That organization picked up activities related to motorcycle competition and club creation after the dissolution of the Federation of American Motorcyclists. In 1976, the M in AMA was changed from Motorcycle to Motorcyclist.
To commemorate the centennial, American Motorcyclist magazine has run a special section in each issue of 2024 devoted to key events and personalities of each decade since the AMA’s founding. Titled 100 Years of the AMA, the section is written by Editorial Director Mitch Boehm, along with Keaton Maisano, John Burns, and Jack Emerson. Images and data from the AMA’s vast archives give each installment a remarkable look at motorcycling history.
Congratulations are in order as the American Motorcyclist Association turns 100.
