The NATIONAL COALITION OF MOTORCYCLISTS --An Idea That’s Long Overdue!
On January 27, 1986, an idea whose time was long overdue, became reality. Twenty-three years ago, leaders of various motorcycle groups from across America met in Las Vegas to discuss a “coming together” and the overwhelming need for a national voice to protect our life-style and right to ride.
The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) was born from that meeting.
NCOM is not another association, but rather a bringing together of existing motorcycle groups for the purpose of mutual exchange of information, legislative strategy and the combined strength to fight all that is adverse to the freedom of the road.
During the past two decades, NCOM has grown to over 2,000 member organizations representing hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists nationwide. In addition,motorcycle associations from Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand have joined forces through the International Coalition of Motorcyclists (ICOM). By networking information and expertise, everyone benefits.
The goal and purpose of NCOM is to assist all motorcycle organizations and individual riders with legal, legislative and other motorcycling issues. The Coalition does not dictate to any organization, but will be available to assist NCOM member groups through such FREE Services as legislative assistance, nationwide information network, public awareness programs, safety projects, loan program, biker anti-discrimination legal and legislative assistance, etc.
NCOM is managed by bikers for bikers. Through its Board of Directors, comprised of motorcyclist rights leaders representing 9 regions of the United States, and a Legislative Task Force that includes six elected state and federal legislators plus many other experienced legislative advocates from across the country, we have the talent and expertise to serve the motorcycling community whenever called upon to do so.
Unlike other associations, NCOM is not supported by membership dues and does not solicit funds from member groups or individuals. All operating costs are paid through the Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) nationwide network of attorneys who are the sole financial support for NCOM. A.I.M. attorneys contribute a significant portion of their legal fees from motorcycle accidents back into motorcycling by providing all the funding for NCOM...a way of recycling money from motorcycling back into motorcycling!
All motorcycle groups are invited to join the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, regardless of what they ride, the patch they wear or the motorcyclists rights organization they belong to.
For membership information, call NCOM at 1-(800)-525-5355.
ABOUT NCOM…
The National Coalition of Motorcyclists is governed by an 18 person Board of Directors comprised of two (2) representatives, elected or appointed by an NCOM member group, in each of 9 Regions throughout the United States; plus special liaisons in different areas of expertise. This network is further extended to include a person appointed from each group as a member of the National Council, who serves as a liaison between NCOM and their state motorcycle rights organization (SMRO).
Here are just a few of the programs available to NCOM member groups:
A) Informational Data Banks - information and statistics to help in your legislative struggle;
B) Legislative Task Force - comprised of lobbyists and legislators that are sent to a state MRO requesting help at hearings and other lobbying efforts at no charge to the NCOM member group;
C) Funding to help send SMRO members to Washington, D.C. to lobby federal legislators;
D) Regional Seminars and Meetings - each NCOM Region holds a local seminar to educate NCOM group members and to discuss regional motorcycling problems;
E) National Convention - workshops, panels, seminars and meetings to protect the right to ride free. MRO and COC leaders from all over the world meet, confer and exchange ideas on motorcycle issues. State and national elected officials also attend and share views;
F) Confederation of Clubs - the NCOM Board of Directors feel that all segments of the motorcycling community should participate in our mutual struggle. This judicial (protecting legal rights through the courts) coming together is the fastest growing part of the rights movement (currently 56 Confederations in 38 states and 3 Canadian provinces);
G) Anti-Discrimination - Through NCOM, governmental harassment and anti-biker discrimination and has become a second front in the war to protect the rights of all motorcyclists.
Through the NCOM Legislative Task Force, educational seminars and the A.I.M. attorneys, anti-discrimination legislation specific to motorcyclists, has been introduced or is pending in several states. Minnesota passed the first-ever biker anti-discrimination legislation, making it illegal to discriminate against motorcyclists in public accommodations, and many other state MRO’s have introduced such legislation;
H) Educational Tapes and Brochures - are available to all NCOM member groups;
I) On Going Communications Network - to immediately inform NCOM Member Groups, through articles, press releases, faxes and e-mail, on impending motorcycle issues;
J) National Legislative Hotline - 1-(800)-300-NCOM;
K) Get Our People Elected – expertise and financial assistance to help elect motorcyclists to public office;
L) Emergency Loan Program and "Start Up" Assistance;
M) Financial Help to NCOM Member Groups - A.I.M. will financially participate with the A.I.M. attorney to bring in speakers for SMRO seminars or events. A "Burger Feed" program to raise funds for the state MRO is also available.
N) The Freedom Fund -- To financially assist NCOM member groups to lobby on the federal and state level. The NCOM Freedom Fund was instrumental in helping the following NCOM member groups go to Washington D.C. in 1995 to lobby for the repeal of the federal helmet mandates: ABATE of Michigan, Texas Motorcycle Roadriders Association, ABATE of Washington, ABATE of West Virginia, ABATE of Mississippi, MMA of California, ABATE of South Carolina, ABATE of Alabama, ABATE of Oklahoma and ABATE of Louisiana;
NCOM is absolutely free to all of its member groups and only respectfully requests that each group avail its members of the benefits of Aid to Injured Motorcyclists.
The A.I.M./NCOM Connection. The Aid to Injured Motorcyclists program and it’s A.I.M. Attorneys are the sole financial sponsors of the National Coalition of Motorcyclists. It is the opinion of these attorneys that it is vital to our sport and lifestyle that some of the earned legal fees from motorcycle accidents be donated back to the motorcycling community through A.I.M. and NCOM. Of the 33 1/3% contingency fee (only if recovered) legal fees, a large portion is recycled back into making motorcycling safer and better.
ABOUT A.I.M…
Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) is a nationwide legal services program with affiliated law offices in every state and Canadian Province to serve the legal needs of the motorcycling community. A.I.M. is dedicated to informing all motorcyclists of their legal rights and to help protect and enforce those rights.
Membership in A.I.M. is free, and assistance is accessible 24/7 through a toll free 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE (662-2453) phone number. Whether you need legal advice, criminal representation, break down assistance or if you’ve been involved in an accident, help is just a phone call away.
TOTALLY FREE
A.I.M. is 100% free to all motorcyclists, and there are currently over 2 MILLION A.I.M. members throughout North America.
Here’s what your FREE A.I.M. membership provides:
EMERGENCY SERVICES
This program is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester and is supported by local A.I.M. Attorneys throughout the US and Canada, and is designed to give more complete medical and legal protection to motorcyclists when involved in an accident.
If you have an accident, your A.I.M. ID card instructs emergency medical personnel to call the toll free 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE Emergency Hotline and the 24-hour A.I.M. operator will relay your critical medical information and will then immediately notify the emergency contact listed on your membership form.
An A.I.M. Attorney from your local area will be available to provide a free legal consultation regarding your accident. However, being an A.I.M. member does not obligate you to use any of the A.I.M. attorneys.
A.I.M. ALSO PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING FREE SERVICES:
· Lifetime emergency membership I.D. card
· 24-hour hotline for all emergency medical personnel
· Emergency accident notification for your family
· 24-hour free legal consultation for all accidents throughout North America
· Immediate investigation of all accidents
· 24-hour criminal defense phone consultation
· KeyFinder key fob helps get lost keys returned to their owner
A.I.M. PROGRAM BENEFITS
A.I.M. is completely financed by the nationwide A.I.M. Attorney Association, and there is absolutely no charge to the participating motorcyclists. The A.I.M. program provides the following benefits:
· Consumer Protection - making roads safe for motorcyclists;
· Road Hazard - To correct hazardous road conditions or to create liability if not repaired;
· Get Your Rocks Off ... Our Roads - To enforce existing laws regarding covered loads on trucks;
· Independent Shop Program - To include shops and dealerships in the grass roots fight for motorcycle rights;
· LOOK Posters, sent to hospitals and ambulance services to notify emergency personnel to look for an A.I.M. card is a downed biker's wallet and to call for important medical information and an emergency contact;
· Education - informing the general public of the problems of motorcyclists and continuing the “Know Your Rights” talks to keep riders abreast of their rights on the road, and thus be able to protect them.
A.I.M. IS ENDORSED BY THE NATIONAL COALITION OF MOTORCYCLISTS
In addition to providing medical protection and a legal resource, A.I.M. is also the sole financial sponsor of the National Coalition of Motorcyclists. The A.I.M. attorney legal fees (a percentage of your damages only if there is a recovery), are equal and in some cases, lower than other attorneys. These fees are in part, donated back to finance N.C.O.M.
OTHER MOTORCYCLE GROUPS THAT SUPPORT A.I.M.
A list of over 2,000 NCOM member groups, including Motorcyclists Rights Organizations in 37 states and all 55 Confederations of Clubs in North America, can be found on at www.ON-A-BIKE.com. Please feel free to call and ask them how well it works!
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS -- KEEPING YOU INFORMED
An A.I.M./NCOM legal/legislative newsletter is published annually so that motorcyclists will be aware of current legal and legislative issues from across the country and around the world. 100,000 copies are distributed to individual A.I.M. members, motorcycle rights organizations, and Independent Shop Program participants, making this the largest circulation motorcyclists’ rights newsletter in the world.
NATIONWIDE A.I.M. PROTECTION 24/7
Keep your A.I.M. card in your wallet for legal protection any time, anywhere...
and we hope we never hear from you!