Does Trials Need The Ama?

[onestophop]

Our club has about 15 members and about 8 show up for our events. The USMTA is suggesting all clubs join the AMA. With the cost of insurance purchased through the AMA and the necessary paperwork to complete how is the AMA benefical to our club?

Terry

[alan bechard]

The Primary benefit of the AMA for most clubs is the insurance coverage that they can provide at a reasonable rate.

If you have alternate means of procuring that, or have great big XXXXXX and are willing to run without, then I doubt AMA would benefit you much.

[onestophop]

Al, we buy our insurance through a private company and because we have a samll group it's imperative we operate this way. With only having ten or so show up at an event the entry fee's would never cover the cost of the insurance in addition there are only three of us with AMA cards and there in another expense. Thanks for your reply.

Terry

[jreilly]

Terry ,Our club is small also so most of our events are run with no insurance.We do have two events we run under the ama charter,but only because the land owners prefer it that way.One is at a motocross track and we go under his sanction for our event and we are covered under his insurance its a good deal for our club.We use a waiver form for all other rides,have had no problems for 12 years.JR

[wayne thais]

Terry,

Here are a couple of points that I think make it worth while for the club to become AMA affiliated.

1. Good, reasonable insurance. You don't have to scamper around every year of so looking for a source for insurance. AMA insurance for our event is only a little over $100.

2. All of the AMA events are in the AMA magazine and on their website, you may get a few more participants. It adds credibility to the club.

3. The AMA does offer some structure and hopefully in the future will offer more.

As you know when you ride our event you have to be an AMA member because our club is an AMA club and we have a joint event with MITA and NITRO.

Wayne

[copemech]

Although one or possibly two of the Texas clubs went "AMA" recently, again for insurance reasons.

Unfortunatly, all I hear from most is the AMA is more concerned about getting their money than with the promotion of trials. Seems sad, especially for the small clubs!

Sue happy lawyers suck !

[onestophop]

Wayne, I haven't checked with AMA this year, but in 04 & 05 we checked into it and insurance was nearly $180 plus everyone that rode the event had to join the AMA. There are a few of us that have AMA cards, but trying to get new people to come out and ride or even guys who just ride 3 events a year it would be an additional expense. But if the insurance is just over $100 then I will definetely revisit this with our club. Thanks for the info.

Terry

[trialsurfer]

The insurance as around $100; but there is also the sanction fee, around $75, plus the camping fee if used!

[alan bechard]

When the Camelot group was going better, we had around those numbers as well.

For us to get together and ride (8 to 12 folks) we just had a ride. We had the sections out there, or made stuff up as we went, but would not want to go through the hassle of sanctioning, etc. etc. for that. Just would not be worth it too me.

However, once a year we would pull together and hold a joint Trials between STRA and TI. Both AMA sanctioned clubs, and we would pull the AMA insurance, sanctioning etc. to have that event. But we would do this under the major clubs name. (we happened to use STRA, but could have done TI as well)

Not sure of your exact area, but the STRA helps small clubs like Camelot, CTC (Chattanooga Trials Club) etc. by helping us to pull the AMA insurance for the fun events if needed.

I guess it boils down to a personal decision as to how you want to handle it, and what liability you are comfortable carrying. For 8 buddies to go ride in the woods for an afternoon, I personally would not want the hassle of doing a full sanctioned event.

I would agree with all the benefits that Wayne outlined, and I am an AMA member because I think we need someone that believes a bit in motorcycles lobbying up there in Washington. But we never pulled an AMA sanction (on edit this should say charter) for Camelot, we spoke about it, and felt there would not be enough members or benefits to make it feasible.

I do believe that the CTC went the other way and went ahead and chartered as an AMA club. You may write some of those guys direct and see what thier thinking was and how they feel about it at this point. May give you a better insight.

Edited June 6, 2006 by Alan Bechard

[sendero]

Uh Oh... Somebody pushed Sendero's AMA button again...

Does Trials need the AMA? Nope. BUT... The AMA needs Trials.

We all ride motorcycles, on and/or off road, and it' doesn't matter what discipline. Therefore we need the AMA, and to be as strong as possible, the AMA needs us. Those of us that are members already know this. Non AMA types, pack your gearbags, you're goin' on a guilt trip...

If you ride motorcycles of any kind and you do not belong to the AMA, you are proving to the rest of us that you do not care about the sport, or your right to participate in the sport, enough to do your small part to preserve it.

Is this how you see it? "Screw the AMA, man! They're a buncha dicks! They just want our money! Yea, and they don't do anything for us, man! What about us? What about OUR needs? They can't answer that, can they? Ok, so I'm not joining. Ha!"

I'm sure that you can find a much better use for 40 bucks, can't ya? Besides, Attack of the Fiddies is on sale right now, and your first copy got scratched, and Sepultura has a new CD out that's supposed to be killer.

Therefore, if you ever find that your... excuse me, OUR right to ride has been denied, the only thing you will be able to say (after you turn the music down)is that you played your part in watching it die. Then you will be able to watch Attack of the Fiddies on Sunday mornings and wax nostalgic for the days when you could actually ride your Fiddie on your own property.

Alternatively, for a paltry 40 bucks a year, you can say you have done what you can to preserve our right to ride motorcycles and therefore you deserve to ride. Trials riders are the LAST group of riders that can complain about 40 bucks a year. Of all motorcycling disciplines, Trials is absolutely the cheapest sport available to those that want to ride a running motorcycle.

Being critical of the AMA does not buy you the right to ingore your 40 dollar a year responsibility to motorcycling. If you don't pay your dues, you cannot bitch. If you are paid, you get to bitch! Oh boy! Yay! Be advised that bitching will do you no good, but at least you will be able to face the mirror on Sunday mornings with a clear conscience, knowing you did your part, while your kids are loadin' up the motorcycles to go ridin' for the day.

Now pony up that 40 bucks, ride hard and proud, try to talk another rider into joining the fray, and vote! Who else is gonna fight the politicians in Washington for your right to ride? Your local Trials club? humpfff...

[brendan]

I disagree. I see your arguement being valid, from a street biker's point, especially harley people. Groups like the Blue Ribbon Coalition, CORVA, ORBA, and the like, have done more for off roaders in one year (probably even just one month), than the ama has in its entire history. I have yet to find one single land access issue that the ama has won or fought for us. Maybe someone here knows of one?

[mwtajimbo]

good answer, i paid my ama dues for a very long time, before someone showed me the ama's track record in dealing with off roading. It wasn't very good. I will try to find that article link in my email, definitely worth reading.

[malibudon]

I disagree.  I see your arguement being valid, from a street biker's point, especially harley people.  Groups like the Blue Ribbon Coalition, CORVA, ORBA, and the like, have done more for off roaders in one year (probably even just one month), than the ama has in its entire history.  I have yet to find one single land access issue that the ama has won or fought for us.  Maybe someone here knows of one?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You don't have to abandon the AMA to support the BRC, CORVA or other groups.

If you'd like to get an example of the AMA involvement in off-road issues, you only have to look at the Riverside Co. fiasco. They were all over that. They didn't win, but they certainly fought for us. The AMA also held off the closing of much of the Mojave Desert for years, until both Feinstein and Boxer made it in.

The AMA can't do it alone. They have to have support from the grass roots. People have to make calls, write letters and attend meetings--yeah, all the fun stuff.

To get an idea of what the AMA is up to, you can go here:

AMA Rapid Response

[ringo]

My $40 membership allows me to compete/crash in multiple events every year. The majority of "the people" who put on events utilize the AMA for WHATEVER reason therefore I will need to join the AMA to enter THEIR events.

I crash my KTM in a multitude of events each year like endurocross, motocross, enduro hare scrambles, etc. All of which the promoters utilize the AMA.

I crash my Montesa in a multitude of events each year like club trials, national trials, hare scrambles, Tecate, Malcom Smith rides, etc. All who utilize the AMA.

I don't crash my Harley yet still have fun joining rides to places like Yuma, Palm Springs, Laughlin, etc.

I also don't crash my Triumph and haven't exactly found a use for it but, nonetheless, I may want to join a ride with a bunch of nut case crotch rocket riders who may utilize the AMA. [Nah, I'll sell the Triumph]

You do the math and tell me that being able to enter all of those events off of one AMA entry isn't a deal.

Whether or not the AMA wins a lawsuit doesn't matter. The fact that they are actually doing something in court saves me the time of having to show up in court to represent my right to ride the motorcycle.

[mwtajimbo]

Don't get me wrong, I still carry my ama so I can compete in events. But, Your ama card doesn't gain you entrance to those events, you still pay entry fees, and I am not saying the ama is not out there fighting battles, I would just like to see them win one or two. I do believe there should be a special ama license for people who crash well though! I would have it for sure!