AMA Member: Answers sought on derogatory off-highway vehicle trail guide Support the AMA in our effort to protect your freedom to ride! A new U.S. Forest Service (USFS) guide to help land managers maintain off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails contains derogatory OHV language. In a letter dated March 9, seven organizations demanded answers from U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, whose department oversees the USFS. The groups are the AMA, the All-Terrain Vehicle Association, the BlueRibbon Coalition, the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO), the Colorado Snowmobile Association, Trails Preservation Alliance, and the Utah Shared Access Alliance. A special thanks goes out to COHVCO who alerted the AMA to this issue. To view the letter, click ~http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Libraries/Rights_Documents_Federal/USDA_OHV_letter_Final.sflb.ashx?download=true~. The intent of the guidebook is laudable: to help OHV trail managers develop sustainable trails and protect the environment surrounding the trails. But the document includes a variety of statements and innuendo that reflect an anti-OHV bias, and cites as a source for information an anti-OHV group. This type of government guide should be fact-based and neutral. It shouldn’t include inflammatory, biased language and the recommendations of a group known to oppose OHVs. The 318-page guide, “A Comprehensive Framework for Off-Highway Vehicle Trail Maintenance,” was released in January in book form and was posted on the USFS website. But the document was quickly pulled off the website, apparently following protests from the OHV community about offensive language. Among other things, the document: – States “This framework was developed to help trail managers corral the OHV management dragon. The author hopes it has provided some insight into the nature of OHV trails, and some tools to help keep the beast at bay. Happy herding and happy trails!” – States OHV use causes an “increase in frequency and intensity of weather events,” and acknowledges gathering information from the Wildlands CPR, which is an anti-OHV group. – Cites a Wildlands CPR proposal that no routes or trails should be allowed in “citizen or agency proposed wilderness… and other lands with wilderness character.” This management practice usurps congressional authority in the process to designate Wilderness, which is one of the strictest forms of public land management and bars OHVs. Only Congress can designate Wilderness. Now, the Wildlands CPR anti-access group is pushing back! It issued a fund-raising appeal to its members asking for financial support to fight OHV groups. Act now to counter their efforts, contribute a non-tax deductible amount to the AMA. This is just the latest example of efforts by anti-access groups to thwart your freedom to ride. To contribute, please call Membership Services at (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646) and press “2” and say, “I would like to contribute to protect my freedom to ride.” The hours for Membership Services are Mon-Thurs 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Fri 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (all times eastern). Another option is for you to help us support our friends in Congress. The AMA has created the American Motorcyclist Political Action Committee (AMPAC), which allows us to provide support to members of Congress who battle to preserve responsible off-highway access for millions of Americans. For a detailed analysis of this issue, including access to related documents, please sign up to be an AMA Defender member by calling us at (800) AMA-JOIN (262-5646). AMA Defender membership includes all of the benefits of an AMA Champion membership, plus it designates a $10 annual contribution to the advocacy efforts of the AMA Government Relations Department. Some additional benefits include a copy of the AMA Government Relations Department Annual Report (which summarizes our governmental activities from the past year including a breakdown of the top federal and state issues, behind-the-scene numbers, graphs and new online tools), and a detailed analysis of crucial issues, including access to related documents through the AMA Action Alert system. Defender members who sign up to receive Action Alerts automatically receive the detailed analysis. More, from another press release issued by the AMA: FMF signs on as presenting sponsor of 2012 AMA Husqvarna National Dual-Sport Series, presented by FMF PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce that FMF, the top aftermarket off-road motorcycle exhaust manufacturer and a leader in quiet motorcycle technology, will be the presenting sponsor for the 2012 AMA Husqvarna National Dual-Sport Series, presented by FMF. The AMA Husqvarna National Dual-Sport Series, presented by FMF, is the country’s leading series of organized off-road motorcycle recreational rides. It features 24 events across the country. “With its Q Stealth and Q4 quiet off-road exhausts, FMF has long been a responsible corporate citizen of the motorcycling community,” said AMA Director of Operations Jack Penton. “We’re excited that FMF is on board with the 2012 AMA Husqvarna National Dual-Sport Series, presented by FMF, and we’re looking forward to their participation in the series, from being on hand at select rounds for technical support to providing end-of-season prizes for some lucky riders.” FMF has provided industry-leading exhausts to the off-road and closed-course racing markets for more than 39 years. With products for two- and four-stroke platforms, full-sized bikes, minibikes, all-terrain vehicles and more, the company has a complete lineup of both performance-enhancing and quiet pipes for any application. More information about FMF can be found at FMFRacing.com or at Facebook.com/FMFRacing, or on Twitter @fmf73. “A driving force at our company is the love of riding,” said FMF founder Don Emler. “We ride every chance we get, and that fuels our passion to build the best products possible. Our goal is to help our customers get the most out of their riding experience, and to that end we’re pleased to support the AMA and the 2012 AMA Husqvarna National Dual-Sport Series, presented by FMF. Dual-sport riding is some of the most fun you can have on two wheels without the high pressure of a competitive environment. We’re happy to be a part of this series, and I’m personally looking forward to throwing my leg over my motorcycle and experiencing these great rides myself.” The AMA Husqvarna National Dual-Sport Series, presented by FMF, features the country’s best-organized dual-sport rides. Run by AMA-chartered clubs and promoters, the events include miles of challenging trail connected by scenic backcountry roads. Rides span two days or more, with one-day participation optional. The courses, which extend to 100 miles or more each day, are well marked and detailed on provided route sheets. Although non-competitive in nature, the challenging, national-caliber terrain is designed to bring out the best in each rider. Riders are encouraged to visit the official series Facebook page at Facebook.com/AMADualSport to interact with other dual-sport riders who enjoy the series. More information about Husqvarna’s TE line of dual-purpose motorcycles can be found at www.Husqvarna-MotorcyclesNA.com. You can also follow Team Husqvarna on Facebook or via Twitter @HusqvarnaNA. The AMA National Dual-Sport Series, created by the AMA in 1987, has become increasingly popular as off-road and street riders alike have turned to dual-sport recreation to experience the freedom of two wheels, and the 2012 schedule is one of the largest in history. The series kicks off on May 19 in Zaleski, Ohio, with additional events scheduled in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Michigan, Oregon, Wisconsin, Washington, New York, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, California, Virginia, Texas, Arizona and New Jersey. The full series schedule is at AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Riding > Dirt > Husqvarna Dual Sport. About the American Motorcyclist Association Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the AMA honors the heroes and the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.