As motorcycling technology continues to advance, your ability to repair your own motorcycle or seek out an independent mechanic may get restricted as manufacturers do not make repair information or parts available for purchase. 

Consumers are facing this problem with almost every product they own, from their phone, to their tractor and for AMA members, their motorcycles. This issue is collectively known as "Right to Repair" and put in the simplest terms, right to repair is the idea that when you buy something, you have the right to repair it or seek an independent repair shop to do the work and manufacturers must make the parts and information needed for these repairs available to the public for a fair and reasonable price. 

Fortunately, the U.S. House of Representatives has reintroduced the REPAIR Act (Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair), H.R. 906, for the 118th Congress. The bill would ensure that motorcyclists and independent repair shops have access to the information, tools, and parts needed to repair motorcycles. The AMA is asking you to tell your Representative to co-sponsor this bi-partisan bill and protect your right to repair. 

Support your right to repair in Congress

If you would like to learn more about Right to Repair, you can read the Federal Trade Commission Report to Congress from May 2021 "Nixing the Fix" which details the ways some manufacturers limit repairs by consumers. 

 

Senators Gallo and Ciccone introduced S.B. 357, which will authorize motorcyclists to lane split under certain circumstances. Operators of a two-wheel motorcycle would be able to pass another vehicle that is stopped or traveling at no more than 10 mph in the same lane, as long as the motorcyclist does not exceed 10 mph above the flow of traffic and is limited to roads with speed limits of 50 mph or greater. 

The AMA places significant emphasis on motorcycle operator and passenger safety. On every type of public roadway, motorcyclists encounter challenges from other roadway users and are constantly vigilant of potentially unsafe conditions around them. 

One of the most dangerous situations for any on-highway motorcyclist is being caught in congested traffic, where stop-and-go vehicles, distracted and inattentive vehicle operators and environmental conditions pose an increased risk of physical contact with another vehicle or hazard. Even minor contact under such conditions can be disastrous for motorcyclists. Allowing motorcyclists to move between stopped or slowed traffic prevents them from becoming victims of a rear-end collision. 

The Motorcycle Lane-splitting and Safety in California Study, conducted by the Safe Transportation Research and Education Center at the University of California, Berkley, and cited in the literature review in this report mentions that lane splitting motorcyclists were less likely to suffer from head, torso or fatal injuries than other motorcyclists. One key result from the study that was not mentioned in the DMV’s Lane Filtering Study Report was the speed delta, which is the difference between the speed of the motorcyclist and surrounding traffic. As indicated by the lead researcher, Dr. Thomas Rice, a delta of 15 mph or less, up to a surrounding traffic speed of 50 mph, did not result in any associated changes to crash occurrence rates or injury types. The proposed legislation, which is more conservative than the practices outlined in the Berkeley study, has been crafted to ensure that the speed delta between motorcyclists and other vehicles was supported by findings in this study to ensure motorcyclist safety in Rhode Island was a driving force in this legislative effort. 

The AMA is asking you to contact your State Senator and urge them to support this bill. 
Take Action

American Motorcyclist Association

13515 Yarmouth Dr
Pickerington, OH 43147
Email: grassroots@ama-cycle.org
www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com