For those who talk about cancelling thier AMA membership because of DMG should read this

[Randy]

Part one

Part two

Part three

 

[Auburn]

Great read. As Dingman eluded, there was a lot of BS behind the scenes from the manufacturers going on that I had suspected all along.

I for one, am very happy about the AMA's renewed focus on motorcycling rights and preserving riding areas and rights. It is a bigtime up hill battle.

For those that say, well it is just dirt bikers or ATV's, think of the stories that have surfaced over that last few years banning riding in neighborhoods or states that have targeted roadside checks for motorcyclists only to do "safety checks". Unfortunately the slippery slope affect applies to all motorcyclists and we have to fight back.

 

[madmike2]

Thanks, Randy.

 

[FJR Flyer]

And I agree with his statements, as I never felt I was getting much of anything from my membership. The Roadside Assistance was a great way to give the members something with tangible value.

 

[rmcobb]

I just finished reading Part 3 and told myself I should be spreading the word about the interview. So, I logged on intending to post the same thing, and there it was. Good Job. :yahoo:

 

[squeezer]

I for one, am very happy about the AMA's renewed focus on motorcycling rights and preserving riding areas and rights. It is a bigtime up hill battle.

+1. Getting out of directly running the racing biz was absolutely the right decision. Not sure that what DMG is doing is the right way to go, but in the long run, I think they're still a better bet than the old AMA Pro Racing crowd. And they're no longer bleeding membership dues to support a failing series.

I'm really liking Dingman, his vision of what the AMA should be, and the steps he's making to take it there.

 

[Lawrence]

I let my membership lapse many years ago, as I didn't see the value.

I've spent the last few yours reading the articles, and following links to a number of other related industry issues/articles/etc (including the GSX-RADD, with pictures of the Yamaha GTS1000) - it has been nice to get the update

I love to ride, and I do want an organization to alert me to issues, lobby on my behalf, etc. As much as I hated the CA helmet law when enacted, I rode with a helmet most of the time anyway, and I'm an ATGATT type now (high-siding and bouncing along a freeway on-ramp at 40mph in mid-20s can do that to a guy). I don't want an organization to lobby on my behalf to prevent other states from enacting helmet laws or taking other positions which fly in teh face of common sense (even if philosophically understandable). I'd still prefer no mandatory helmet laws and a rule that prevents the state or other driver from incurring any costs if you don't have full medical and motorcyle insurance, and a head injury while riding without a helmet - but that'll never happen, so.... helmet laws it is.

So, whereas before I wasn't considering, that interview has me reconsidering renewing. However, as much as some of the detractors may have had ulterior motives, I suspect there may be some real issues there as well. It will be interesting to see if/how AMA improves, as well as benefits of membership increases. I'm hopeful.

 

[Allnight]

+1 on the Roadside Assistance plan.

It's the main reason that I renewed this year.

 

[FJR Flyer]

Well, the wife justed called saying she has a flat. Got 2 of the 4 kids with her. First test of the roadside assistance. Let's see if they get to her before I do.

Update: She called, they told her it would be three hours. A good Samaritan stopped and helped her change the tire. I was about half way home when she got back on the road.

I think AAA took about 30-45 mins the last time she got a flat, a few years back.

Update #2: Got home and the wife said after she and the nice older gentleman got the spare on and it all buttoned up, she called back to the AMA Roadside Assistance program to tell them to cancel the call. The operator replied that they hadn't even found anyone, yet, to go out on the call. Additionally, on the first call to the program, a different operator gave my wife the 20 questions routine - do you have a spare, do you have tools, does your hubcap have a lock, etc., and started getting a bit belligerent.

When we she called AAA on the previous occasion, they asked where she was, what the problem was, then said how long it would be.

If this is the typical response from the AMA RA Program, I'm gonna have to go back to AAA or look at what our insurance offers. With two kids, 3 and under, in the car, my wife can't be waiting for 3+ hours on the side of the road for a truck that may or may not show up. And how will it be on the bike, riding the back roads in bumf*ck egypt and you need assitance? She was about 12 miles outside of Annapolis, not like it was in the boonies.

Very disappointed.

 

[Randy]

Well, the wife justed called saying she has a flat. Got 2 of the 4 kids with her. First test of the roadside assistance. Let's see if they get to her before I do.
Update: She called, they told her it would be three hours. A good Samaritan stopped and helped her change the tire. I was about half way home when she got back on the road.

I think AAA took about 30-45 mins the last time she got a flat, a few years back.

Update #2: Got home and the wife said after she and the nice older gentleman got the spare on and it all buttoned up, she called back to the AMA Roadside Assistance program to tell them to cancel the call. The operator replied that they hadn't even found anyone, yet, to go out on the call. Additionally, on the first call to the program, a different operator gave my wife the 20 questions routine - do you have a spare, do you have tools, does your hubcap have a lock, etc., and started getting a bit belligerent.

When we she called AAA on the previous occasion, they asked where she was, what the problem was, then said how long it would be.

If this is the typical response from the AMA RA Program, I'm gonna have to go back to AAA or look at what our insurance offers. With two kids, 3 and under, in the car, my wife can't be waiting for 3+ hours on the side of the road for a truck that may or may not show up. And how will it be on the bike, riding the back roads in bumf*ck egypt and you need assitance? She was about 12 miles outside of Annapolis, not like it was in the boonies.

Very disappointed.

That's pretty shitty. Did you call the AMA to let them know?

 

[FJR Flyer]

Sent AMA an email via their web-site. No response, yet. They are usually pretty good on responses. We'll see.

In the meantime, I found out I can add the "Towing and Labor" service to my GEICO bike insurance for $8/year. And I can add the Roadside Service to our GEICO auto policy for about $30/year.

Has anyone ever used the GEICO roadside services? Wonder if they are any better.

 

[RacinRay]

My wife had a dead battery last week and called AMA roadside assistance. She had a very positive experience. The operator was very nice and called back to check on her status. The tow truck was there in under 30 minutes and got her SUV started.

 

[Ignacio]

When I was a member and specifically checkmarked the option NOT to share my information....they promptly sold/loaned/gave my name to Bank of America and still get solicitations with AMA logos more than two years after I pulled my membership.

I think AMA has still lost their way.

 

[squeezer]

When I was a member and specifically checkmarked the option NOT to share my information....they promptly sold/loaned/gave my name to Bank of America and still get solicitations with AMA logos more than two years after I pulled my membership.
I think AMA has still lost their way.

That's the kind of thing that ticks me off too. But I'm in my 11th year of membership and never received any AMA based solicitations.

That's a clerical error. Your app must have been processed on a Monday.

 

[Ignacio]

That's a clerical error. Your app must have been processed on a Monday.

No, they did engage in some relationship with B of A for a period and quit. While I'm impressed they manned up and admitted it....I think they're still lost.

 

[Beamer Reamer]

I don't like them. Gave them a try this past year and right out of the gate I didn't care for the "auto-renewal" they made you sign up for. Magazine was boring so the only real benefit was the roadside assistance which seems to be spotty at best.

At the end of my year I did receive an email saying I was about to be charged again for my next years subscription. I wanted to cancel at that point and the AMA made this task very difficult. There was no way to do it from the email and there was no way that I could find to do it online. Even after signing up for an online account (required to "manage" your account) there was no way to cancel. A phone call was required.

Clearly they aren't doing things right if they have to auto-renew customers to increase membership and then make it extra hard to cancel hoping they may get a few more memberships through apathy or in making the process difficult. Not a good experience.

 

[SkooterG]

I have been a member for several years now. Don't hate them. Don't love them.

As far as I know, I think they are about the only organization lobbying and vehemently defending motorcyclist's rights. THAT I do think is extremely important and is why I keep renewing. I don't always agree with all their positions or philosophies, but still believe they do more good than bad.

 

[HaulinAshe]

Several years ago I manned-up and bought AMA Lifetime Membership. It was expensive, but I was forced to pay AMA every year in order to race. Never felt that I got anything personally from being an AMA member.

I emailed AMA shortly after they started the RA-included promotion to ask... "How does someone who is a Paid For Life member and who is currently paying each year the additional cost of MoTow, get added to the new, free program?"

Uhhhh, Mr. Ashe, we currently do not have a solution for members in your situation, but we're working on it and will get back to you.

Wanna guess what I've heard from AMA???



I still pay my MoTow every year. I ask the same question every year when I send that payment. Same results.

AMA may have their sights in the right direction, but somebody needs to get off their ass and take some steps.

 

[radman]

I have been a member for several years now. Don't hate them. Don't love them.
As far as I know, I think they are about the only organization lobbying and vehemently defending motorcyclist's rights. THAT I do think is extremely important and is why I keep renewing. I don't always agree with all their positions or philosophies, but still believe they do more good than bad.

Ditto.