Executive Report - November 2025

John Reblin

Networking is a Good Thing

The Holiday season is upon us. Soon we will be eating turkey with all the fixings, looking forward to the Christmas holiday, and the start of the new year. It is hard to fathom because as I write this article, it is sunny and mid-70s right now after a weekend of nearly 80 degrees. It was a great weekend to get the bike out and enjoy the 1H Social Ride. It is fun to be a little relaxed, having some good conversations with members and others, discussing things motorcycle related and a little bit on the chances of the Milwaukee Brewers going all the way this year. Either way, I look forward to doing some more riding before the weather changes to the white fluffy stuff.

I was able to attend the Meeting of the Minds this year down in Shreveport, LA. And had a great time. A bit of a distance, so I resorted to flying so I would not have to take as much time off work, and it went well. It seems that the airlines have gotten some of the issues out of the way; everything was on time, and connections were met with time to spare.

The conference itself was a great time with really good information to share. I talked to another head of an SMRO about how things were going in their state, and a common theme was the costs of mailing newsletters. We discussed our plight here in Wisconsin, with postal rates going up and some members getting poor service. I mentioned the availability of our online version of the newsletter, and they seemed interested in looking into that. I know in my personal life we have changed our newspapers both over to online because of the savings rather than delivery. Another plus is that they arrive on the day they are supposed to, and the pictures look much better in color.

Another topic we talked about in the hallway, along with a breakout session, was getting the younger people involved. I think it goes back to when I first started. I was probably about 10 years younger than most in the room and an outsider from another county and city. But I was lucky to have Polack from 1H as the regional rep, and he got everyone involved and talked to everyone the same way. It helped break the ice in building relationships. It made us better and the region stronger. Maybe we should remember this when talking to the younger riders. Like Hardtail said, they dress differently for the ride and have a different attitude. We need to embrace this and get them involved.

Quite a few of us got together to discuss what is going on in our States as far as motorcycle crashes. We had a good discussion about getting these crash numbers lower by having to mandate things like training or clothing choices. Lane Triplett from Idaho has had success in being able to get behind the scenes by looking at crash records and seeing what is going on, and was able to share some of the information there. He also sent his findings out to those who were interested. I received a copy and read through his findings, and it mirrors what we are seeing here. A lot of single bike crashes were caused by the rider. Alcohol and poor riding skills were a cause in many of the crashes. We need to keep pushing rider training, along with slowing down and riding within our skill set, so we can keep pushing the numbers down.

While we were there, the MRF set the legislative agenda for the next year with the help of the heads of the SMRO, along with the legislative people. Steve Panten, Seven, and I participated in going through what was set last year, and with the movement made, we think this year some of our requests will be met next year when we get beyond the shutdown. Listening to Rocky, we have an opportunity to get our language for bills included in the Highway Bill that needs to be passed. Along with this, we also signed support to get Jay Jackson appointed to the Motorcycle Advisory Council, that was shut down last month without a meeting being held. It is getting started up again, and hopefully, it will get some legs under it and help promote our agenda.

It was great to network with everyone during the breaks and out of the conference setting at lunch, etc. We are a close-knit group, and I stay in contact with these people throughout the year. We all have the same battles in front of or behind us, so it is good to hear how they are handling the situations. Next year, MOTM is being held in Brookfield at the Sheraton Hotel on Moorland Road, where we have had events held before. This is an opportunity for you to attend this event and see what is going on in other parts of the country without having to do a lot of travel. Make plans, and if you want to help out, let us know. We are looking for people to work the event, get donations, and do many other things to make it successful.

The State Meeting is over, and some good conversations were had. Congressman Tom Tiffany, as a speaker before the Banquet, was informative and interesting. To have someone here like him is a rarity. I applaud the audience for the professionalism we all held in listening to what he had to say and the respect we showed to him and the office.

An important part of the weekend is talking to members and getting a feel for what they are looking for out of ABATE of Wisconsin, as far as legislative things and items to promote highway safety go. And I got to have some great conversations with members not only on this, but about places they traveled and what they saw. It would have been perfect if we were on the land, sitting by a fire, and having a beverage of choice. But we made do with what we had.

Congratulations to those who were recognized. You inspire me with your work to do better. And that is what this weekend was all about

That’s it. Ride safe, ride lots. The white stuff will be here soon enough.

John