ABATE of FL, IncLake Cnty ChapterPO Box 492Astatula, FL 34705http://lake.abateflorida.com/Volume 26 Issue #6 JUNE 2026American Bikers Aiming Towards EducationA Brotherhood AgainstTotalitarian EnactmentsNOTICE, NOTICE, ABATE of FL, Inc. Accepts no responsibility for the comments or opinions contained in this publication. Donations to ABATE of FL, Inc. are not deductible for Federal Tax purposes. This is the official publication of ABATE of FL, Inc Lake Cnty Chapter, It is published monthly & is free to Chapter members.WHY ARE WE HERE? The purpose of this Corporation shall be: A) Promote motorcycle safety through education. B) Elimination of unfair motorcycle related legislation. C) Protection of personal rights of all motorcyclists.D) Improve the image of motorcyclists to the general public. E) To provide for a Lobbyist to represent ABATE OF FL, INC & to work with Legislators in the interest& protection of all motorcyclist rights on the State & National levelsABATE OF FL, INC. DOES NOT CONDONE DRINKING & RIDING. DONATIONS TO ABATE OF FL, INC ARE NOT DEDUCTIBLEFOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION & FINANCIAL INFO MAY BE OBTAINEDFROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. WWW.800HELPFLA.COMABATE of FL, Inc – State Office PO Box 614 -Cantonment, FL 32533Phone: 386-943-9610President: Will “Griz” Deaver 352-516-2982https://abatefloridainc.com
ABATE of FL, Inc – Lake County Chapter PO Box 492 Astatula, FL 34705https://www.facebook.com/AbateOfFLLake CountyChapter http://lakecountyFLabate.comPresident Griz 352-516-2982 [email protected] President JOE 352-6195144 [email protected] Shortcake 352-409-6443 [email protected] Sugar Mama 904-219-4955 [email protected]@Arms Termite 352-723-8448 [email protected] OPEN [email protected] Jessie 352-227-7214 [email protected] “V” 352-516-4240 [email protected] ULI 305-898-8058 [email protected] Delegates Bubbles & Steve ----------------------PR/Comm-Billing Jessie 352-227-7214 [email protected] Director Cpt Mike 352-250-3601 [email protected] Captain Russ 352-391-7151 [email protected] Lil bit 740-507-1709 [email protected] MasterFood/BeverageBeamer BobDonna352-347-9238 [email protected] JIM 352-665-7743 [email protected]
If you have not renewed for 2026 get with Jessie 352-227-7214. $100 per year for a business size ad. When you go to our advertisers, write ABATE across your ticket let them know that we support those that support usOne Nation under “GOD” – Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ & the American G.I. One died for you soul, the other for your freedom. ~~ If you do not stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them ~~~ President & Vice PresidentAre you expired? Don’t lose your $4,000 ADA insurance, renew on time. HoganThomas MARCHFROG FEBRUARYMenkeDick FEBRUARY thank you for renewing :Heyser Steve & Cathy APRILHughes Doug WheelMarie Smith APRIL thank you for renewing :Cain Ronald MAYCollins Walt MAYBeamer Bob MAY thank you for renewing :Grossenbacher John JUNEGunn Joseph JUNE Increase in yearly membership to ABATE of FL, Inc is now $30 per year which includes a $4,000. ADD insurance policy. LIFE membership is now $450. With $300 to ABATE Inc & $150 to chapter
MAY 25th Board Mtg, all welcome –7 Minneola Moose – come early for dinnerMAY25th Happy Memorial Day7th General Mtg at noon, with Painter’s Pool to follow at the Old Frank’s Place7th Election for the 2026-2027 board ------- Shoe drive starts for Astatula Ele School (Vera)12-14th State Mtg Boneyard Chapter Hosting – New Port Richey --- leaving place & time TBA15th Toy Run mtgs along with St Jude – AMVETS Mt Dora Griz21st Father’s Day22nd Board Mtg, all welcome –7 Minneola Moose – come early for dinner
The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) is a nationwide motorcyclists rights organization serving over 2,000 NCOM Member Groups throughout the US, with all services fully-funded through Aid to Injured Motorcyclist (AIM) Attorneys available in each state who donate a portion of their legal fees from motorcycle accidents back into the NCOM Network of Biker Services (www.ON-A-BIKE.com / 800-ON-A-BIKE). ----Vote NO on a backdoor expansion of the ethanol mandate Advocates of governmentdictated ethanol are trying to circumvent House procedures to sneak an expanded ethanol mandate into the Farm Bill. The House Rules Committee should not allow this. The House Rules Committee decides whether to allow two E15 amendments onto the House floor as part of the forthcoming Farm Bill. The Sorensen amendment expands government-dictated ethanol by exempting E15 from air quality limits that currently restrain the ethanol mandate. The Fischbach amendment doesthe same thing AND it also punishes small refiners by making it much harder for small refineries to obtain exemptions from the mandate. The House Rules Committee should block both amendments for two reasons: 1) Moral: The amendments entrench and expand the destructive and immoral ethanol mandate, which no one seriously supports on its merits. 2) Procedural: The amendments have nothing to do with farming policy and instead change air quality law, so they should be disqualified as “non-germane” per the Committee’s own rules –Alex Epstein ---VETERAN RUN-OVER BY E-BIKE–Mom, son charged over e-motorcycle. A CA mother has been arrested & charged after her teenage son allegedly hit & critically injured an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran while riding an e-motorcycle, prosecutors said. Tommi Jo Mejer, 50, was charged with one felony count of child endangerment & one felony count of accessory after the fact to a crime. April 22 She was also charged with several misdemeanors, including contributing to the delinquency of a minor, loaning a motor vehicle to an unlicensed driver & providing false info to a peace officer. Prosecutors accused Mejer of continuing to allow her 14-year-old to illegally ride an e-motorcycle despite receiving repeated warnings of the dangers. The Orange County Sheriff’s said the teen, who was not publicly identified, was also arrested & booked at Orange County Juvenile Hall on charges related to the incident. The sheriff’s Dept described the scene in a separate news release. Shortly before 4 p.m. local time on April 16, deputies responded to a report of a pedestrian who was struck by what was initially believed to be an e-bike along the border of a high school in Lake Forest. Officers later determined that the vehicle was an e-motorcycle designed for off-highway use. Deputies found the victim with life-threatening injuries. Both prosecutors & the sheriff’s Dept said the teenage boy fled the scene but witnesses provided a description of the suspect, who was ‘suspected of driving recklessly at the time of the crash.’ The suspect was quickly identified, & a search warrant was served at a nearby residence Further investigation revealed that the teen had hit the 81-year-old while doing wheelies on an e-motorcycle in the middle of the street, according to prosecutors. The victim remained hospitalized in critical condition.‘This 81-year-old man survived flying combat missions in Vietnam protecting freedom & now he is clinging to life because a mother refused to parent her child & he was run over in the street by a vehicle that should have never been on the road,’ District Attorney Spitzer said in a statement. ‘There is absolutely no reason that an unlicensed, untrained child with no concept of the rules of the road should be riding a motorcycle that can go up to nearly 60 miles per hour next to cars on a public street & think that by some miracle they are going to be safe,’ Spitzer continued. Hours after the incident, prosecutors said, Mejer was captured on body-worn cameras repeatedly telling deputies that neither she nor her son owned or had access to the emotorcycle involved in the crash. During a roughly 28-min interaction with 2 deputies that was caught on body cameras, prosecutors said Mejer admitted that she purchased her son an e-motorcycle & ‘knew that he drove it recklessly.’‘Riders of Class 3 e-motorcycles must be 16 years of age & possess a motorcycle license,’ prosecutors said, adding that the model involved in the crash requires a valid motorcycle license for street operation, motor vehicle Dept registration, a license plate, insurance & full motorcycle equipment. Prosecutors noted that the e-motorcycle model can reach speeds of up to 58 mph & ‘is 16 times more powerful than what is legally allowed for an e-bike.’ ‘Parents who buy their child an E-motorcycle & let them ride them illegally or help modify e-Bikes to transform them into E-motorcycles are handing their children a loaded weapon – & those parents are going to be prosecuted. That is not a threat. That is a promise,’ Spitzer said in his statement.Mejer faces a maximum sentence of six years, eight months in state prison if she is convicted on all charges.
Electric scooters, bikes, hover-boards & motorcycles have surged in popularity across the US for recreation &everyday transportation, from commuting short distances to sightseeing. But that growth has been accompanied by a sharp rise in injuries, most often to riders & sometimes to nearby bystanders. A 2023 report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission revealed that from 2017 – when the devices were first introduced at scale – through 2022, the US recorded 360,800 emergency room visits related to e-bikes, e-scooters & hoverboards, known collectively as micromobility vehicles. Of those visits, 169,300, or 47%, were linked to the scooters. ER trips stemming from ebike accidents totaled 53,200, or less than 15%. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the world’s largest medical association for musculoskeletal specialists, warned in 2025 that data showed a ‘concerning rise in bone & joint injuries tracking with the surging popularity’ of these vehicles. The AAOS urged riders to research & understand the physical risks of micromobility vehicles before riding them on roads & trails. Health officials have noted that e-bikes, along with other micromobility vehicles, reach higher speeds than traditional vehicles & result in more force during falls or collisions. ‘This higher energy impact is causing injuries we don’t typically see in traditional bicycle falls,’ AAOS spokesperson & orthopedic surgeon Brian Waterman said in a statement. ‘The risk of fractures, dislocations & head trauma increases as e-bike usage becomes more popular. The best protection starts with awareness, proper protection & responsible riding.’Contributing: Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY ---Starting Jan. 1, 2027, Florida will require non-U.S. citizens to have a special designation, \"NC\" for non-citizen, displayed on driver's licenses & state IDs. House Bill 991 was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis as part of the Florida SAVE Act legislative package. The requirement applies to new, renewed, or replaced licenses & aims to strengthen voter registration verification & election security. Two federal lawsuits have been filed in Florida challenging the designation, arguing that requiring documentary proof of citizenship & marking that status on identification violates constitutional protections under the 1st & 14th Amendments.THE E15 FUEL DEBATE–Protecting Rider Choice and Compatibility The fight over E15 is not just a fuel policy debate. For motorcyclists, it is a consumer protection issue. Congress is once again considering whether to allow year-round nationwide sales of E15, a gasoline blend containing 15 percent ethanol. Supporters point to fuel prices, domestic production, and market access. Riders see a different question: what happens when a fuel that many motorcycles were never designed to use becomes more common at the pump? Most motorcycles are built and warrantied around E10, not E15. That matters. Higher ethanol blends can create problems for fuel systems, engine components, performance, and warranties. The concern is not theoretical. It is practical. As ABATE lobbyists head to Washington, D.C. next week to advocate on Capitol Hill one message needs to be clear: any federal discussion about expanding E15 must protect access to E10, require clear pump labeling, and make sure motorcyclists are not treated as an afterthought in America’s fuel policy. Fuel choice matters. Rider protection matters. And Congress needs to hear that before it acts. –Michael Infanzon------- BURLY BRAND SHIT–MX-EVO FLOORBOARDS From legacy to evolution, meet the all-new MX-Evolution Floorboards. Designed for the wild spirits, thrill-seekers, & everyday enthusiasts, these floorboards pay homage to the iconic motocross aesthetic of the 1970s, blended with a twist of modern ingenuity. Square-shaped for a modern twist on the classic motocross aesthetic Etched with the iconic Burly Brand logo for a distinctive look Crafted from lightweight, high-quality aluminum alloy for optimal performance CNC machined to precision, ensuring durability & a sleek finish Set screws provide secure traction for various riding styles.
----- I recently received the AMA magazine. Some issues don’t cover legislative issues but this one splashed the Top Ten on the cover. I’m going to hit them quick here. The AMA doesn’t always jive with my way of thinking, but they did a good job with breaking each issue down. This was originally written by Keaton Maisano & Bob Griffith. Nu One: Autonomous Vehicles are a serious threat to our lives. Did you know some are not capable of seeing motorcycles, so they’ll just run you down while the driver smokes a joint & watches porn. The AMA has been outspoken about the dangers of AVs for the last decade & has called for sufficient testing & regulation. Nu Two: Insurance issues including Inherent Risk, which is an event issue, in particular races. The AMA sanctions races all over the country and needs the Inherent Risks Protections. Nu Three: Right to Repair is a major issue for shops and home builders. The right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act offers a federal solution to the Right to Repair issue. This AMA supported bill H.R. 1566 was submitted in 2025. Thanks to the AMA, the language allowing the right to repair motorcycles was preserved. NuFour: The antihuman movement wants to close more and more lands to human activity. The AMA is all over expanding off-road motorcycle use. Report anything you run across to the AMA. Nu Five: This is another off-road issue where trails are shared with multiple vehicles. The four-wheelers are growing larger, tougher and more powerful. The AMA is asking for proper etiquette for assorted trails. The AMA supports training. Good luck with that. Nu Six: Consumer choice issue is still growing, even after the Climate Doom was called out. Some states still want to ban fossil fuel use, which is ridiculous. The AMA wants individual freedom to be respected. That’s tough, when folks think we’re doomed. I believe folks need to know the facts. The Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Acts (S.996 and H.R. 346) were introduced in Congress in 2025 to prevent the EPA from granting waivers to ban or restrict internal-combustion engines. The AMA supports choice. Number Seven: Noise. I don’t agree with the AMA on this issue. Loud pipes save lives. Done deal. They actually save lives. We need to be heard. Nu Eight:Ethanol is a strange one. Did you know E15 is bad and illegal for use in motorcycles. Ethanol products are bad for motorcycles, but the industry keeps growing. The anti-fossil fuel movement caused that. The AMA is trying to require accurate pump labeling. Just try to stay away from this product. Corn could be food for lots of hungry folks. Nu Nine: Distracted driving is bullshit, deadly and terrifying. It pisses me off, and I do it from time to time. The AMA supports enhanced penalty options. I try to avoid distracted driving with phones and if I ever get caught, I hope they throw the book at me. Nu Ten: The AMA has always been against bad motorcycle behavior for selfish reasons. They don’t want us to look bad. That doesn’t work for us oldoutlaws. The new problem is punks on electric bikes running down old folks. There’s not much the AMA can do, but encourage training which can save not only the innocent pedestrian but also the kid behind the handlebars. Training is a good thing. I have two other issues: Helmet laws and Lane Splitting. We need freedom and the public needs to be educated about Lane Splitting. They need to know they benefit by allowing bikers to step out of their lane.--------- THE AI QUESTION–Iconic actor Val Kilmer from movies such as Top Gun and Tombstone is back from his death. He passed away on April 2025 at age 65. In a new movie, an AI impression of Val Kilmer acts for more than one hour. Authorized by his family, this was not protested by any guild in Hollywood. Name of the movie is “As Deep as the Grave”. Thisis the beginning of Studios regaining the death grip on cinema, art, expression and talent– the way they wielded power in early days of Hollywood in the 1920s through to 1950s. This has implications in law, labor law and fair competition, etc—[email protected] Associate Editor https://variety.com/2026/film/news/val-kilmer-ai-film-as-deep-as-the-grave-1236691042/----------We tend not to share news about motorcycle accidents here on MO, mainly because we’re all too aware of the risks riders face every day, but also out of respect to the people involved. But sometimes, the circumstances around a crash are soremarkable, they have to be discussed. Case in point is a crash from this past weekend in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver, Canada, that left a Suzuki GSX-R750 (and a 40th anniversary edition one, at that!) dangling from an overhead traffic light pole. First and most importantly, as bad as the aftermath might sound, the rider reportedly suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.The motorcyclist was apparently going southbound through an intersection, when a car traveling from the other direction tried to turn left into a shopping center parking lot. CCTV footage of the crash (if you don't want to see it, we can respected that, but if you do, it's available here) showed the rider hitting the brakes hard enough to lift the rear up. With the GSX-R sliding on its front wheel, the rider flew across the car, clipping the edge of the windshield before sliding to a stop on the road.
Meanwhile, the GSX-R had enough rotational inertia to bounce off the car and cartwheel through the air before catching the light pole under the fork legs.When accidents happen, there’s always an immediate instinct to place blame. Who had the right of way? Was the rider going too fast? Could the driver have giventhemselves a better viewpoint without going too far into the oncoming lane? We’ll leave that to the insurance companies and local law enforcement. This accident already happened, and no amount of finger-pointing is going to undo it. Instead, as it is still Motorcycle Awareness Month, we want to use this crash as yet another example of why all road users, including riders and drivers, should practice safe habits to keep riders safe. If remembering this particular crash can help prevent another, then we are all better off.MANDATORY INSPECTION PROTESTS–French motorcyclists keep protesting mandatory inspections Two years after the entry into force of the mandatory Periodical Technical Inspection (PTI) for motorcycles in France, the view of the French motorcyclists’ organisation FFMC – a member of FEMA – remains uncontested: this measure, imposed against any road safety logic, is only one more tax on the mobility of motorcyclists. FFMC has organized nationwide protests, demonstrations, and called for a massive boycott of the technical inspection, characterizing it as a racket or a tax rather than a safety measure. Since 2008, FFMC hammers a truth supported by the European study MAIDS: the technical state of the vehicle is in question only in less than 0.5% of two-wheeler accidents. Unlike car drivers, motorcyclists are by definition dependent on their machines; a technical fault is immediately felt and corrected for survival. Yet, under pressure from industry lobbies and environmental associations disconnected from reality, and under the injunction of the Council of State, the government gave in, turning its back on far more effective safety alternatives (training, infrastructure, road sharing, etc.). ‘FFMC’s fight against PTI is one of common sense against profit, of freedom against unnecessary constraints’ Ministerial dialogue: demanding effective measures. The FFMC is not content with simply saying ‘no’. It is requesting an urgent meeting with the Minister of Transport. The goal is to propose measures that will truly benefit road users: improving road conditions, combating ‘guillotine’ guardrails, and providing tax incentives for protective equipment. –FEMA and FFMC