Executive Report - October 2026
Sturgis – Meeting of the Minds – and the Governor’s Conference
I received an email this week from my cousin Vicki inviting the “Little Flower” and myself to get together with other cousins for a few hours to catch up on the present and talk about things from the past. We don’t all get together as often as we want to; things come up, and distance can get in the way. Our parents, aunts and uncles are gone, so staying connected over a light lunch, a few stories and some laughs matter. The timing also feels right, because this month has reminded me how important connections are among family, friends riding, and the people working to protect our rights on the road.
I discussed leaving for Sturgis along with Chubby for the induction of Dave Dwyer, among others, into the Sturgis Hall of Fame. As most of you remember, Dave was our longtime Legislative Chair in ABATE of Wisconsin and an MRF Board Member. Chubby recognized him as a “Lobbying Maniac” during discussions in Sturgis, and that description fits. Dave was also part of getting the buses that brought members to the Capitol, keeping things organized, on point and moving, so Lobby Day stayed a true grassroots lobbying experience. Having conversations with Dave while there and catching up with many other friends of the rights movement, was a great and educational time for me. Hearing what they have been up to since we last talked—and the projects they have going on—gave me inspiration for projects in the garage, things to think about in the rights movement, and a reminder that I need some me time to get miles on the bike and think.
Chubby and I spent time walking down Main Street, passing by the vendors, stopping at the museum to look at the bikes on display and talking with attendees we knew or had just met. It was also a great time exploring the Black Hills, hitting some curves and seeing the landscape unfold as we rode around. During gas breaks and off time, Chubby and I shared stories, reconnected and tossed ideas back and forth.
By the time you read this, Meeting of the Minds and Wisconsin hosting it in Brookfield will be in the books, and hopefully many of you were able to attend. Here again was an event where many friends and freedom fighters could get together to discuss what we need to do to make sure we can still ride our bikes when we want, how we want, and where we want. I get to see people there that I have met at these events over the years and built relationships with over the last 20 years. Many conversations are about how everyone is doing, but many others are about the motorcycle movement and our movement’s future. More on this next month.
August is also when the Governor’s Conference on Highway Safety is held. I try to attend at least a day’s worth of breakout sessions, but this year I was there for the good part of two days. Steve Panten and Gary Klinker were there, and Gary brought along a new rider coach, Deven Felber. It was great to meet this, well to me, young man. He looked interested in what was going on and had good comments.
One session during the conference looked at the amount of drinking going on right before someone crashes. Groups are starting to look at how to reduce the amount of alcohol being consumed at stops. Talks included not making drinks as strong, using measuring devices to make consistent drinks, expanding safe ride programs and messaging about leaving the vehicle parked. This reminded me of Steve Panten’s idea of promoting NA beverages and giving extra credit on a fun run for ordering NA beverages rather than the real thing.
Another session focused on the use of UTVs and ATVs on Wisconsin roads. This is becoming a real issue, with more than a half million of these units on the roadways and a continued push for more access to roads. Right now, the question is how to regulate them since they are considered off-road vehicles and governed by the DNR. That raises questions about speeding, DWI and other road issues and violations.
Fatalities are also rapidly going up, so seat belt laws, helmets and high alcohol levels while operating these vehicles are at the forefront of the conversation.
Another hot button topic is the sudden increase in electric bikes taking to the streets. They seem to be all over roads and sidewalks with little regard for how they should be operated. Some of these bikes and small scooters can reach speeds over 50 mph while being used by kids who may not realize what they have. The issue we are running into is that when a crash happens with fatality at these speeds, it can be marked as a motorcycle fatality because of what the unit is capable of. The cutoff for a bike is 28 mph, a moped is 30 mph, and anything higher is treated as a motorcycle. Then someone needs to go back, determine what the vehicle was, and remove it from the motorcycle numbers. These faster bikes also cannot be registered as motorcycles because they have no title, ID number or proper lighting. So, we are starting discussions on how we can protect ourselves from having these units included in our numbers.
Throughout the conference, Steve Panten and I were able to meet and have good conversations with Secretary of Transportation Kristina Boardman, State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan, Bureau of Transportation Safety Director Jessica Wagner and Tina Bondurant. Gary and Devin also had some good breakout sessions and gathered good information. Those long conversations were important because they keep ABATE at the table as we work together on ideas to reduce crashes and make sure motorcyclists are represented in the safety discussion.
That’s it—get those fall miles on the bike.
John
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