What is a State Motorcycle Rights Organization
(SMRO) and what does a SMRO Do?
My name is Stump. I’m the
Legislative Affairs Officer for
ABATE of Colorado (ABATE).
ABATE is a State Motorcycle Rights
Organization (SMRO). In this article
I’m going to tell you a little bit about
ABATE; some Legislative issues
every motorcycle enthusiast should be concerned about; and
what you can do to preserve your motorcycle freedoms and
ride your bike the way you want to.
ABATE was incorporated as a non-profit SMRO on August
3, 1983. In Colorado, ABATE stands for A Brotherhood Active
Towards Education and this is our mission statement: ABATE
of Colorado exists to preserve freedom of the road, to unite
motorcyclists, to promote fair legislation, safety, and rider
education and to provide a network for communication on
issues affecting motorcyclists.
We are dedicated to:
• Fostering brotherhood and unity among motorcyclists.
• Promoting motorcycle safety and education for both
riders and the public.
• Monitoring the government on all levels regarding
issues affecting motorcyclists.
• Improving driver awareness in an effort to make the
roads safer for motorcyclists.
• Reporting the facts about issues concerning
motorcyclists and countering biased news reporting
concerning motorcyclists.
• Presenting and reporting a positive public image of
motorcycling in Colorado and the nation.
As for legislative issues of concern to motorcyclists, the first
thing most motorcycle enthusiasts think of is a mandatory
helmet law. ABATE supports the voluntary use of rider safety
apparel but believes the right to decide belongs to the rider.
ABATE does not, and will not, support mandatory helmet laws.
In the 2015 Colorado legislative session, one Representative
stated he was going to propose a mandatory helmet law, but it
didn’t happen. Might someone propose one this year?
If statistics show a sharp rise in motorcycle fatalities in
Colorado this year, that might prompt some lawmakers to
consider a helmet bill. So wouldn’t it be imperative that we
keep accurate statistics?
Have you seen the new Polaris “Slingshot” or the “TukTuk” (auto-rickshaw) on the roads? Or Toyota’s “Elio” or
I-Road (fully enclosed, three-wheeled vehicles with steering
wheels, seat belt and airbags)? These are all classified as
motorcycles here in Colorado and in many other states as
well. With possibly more three-wheeled vehicles coming on
the market, is it time to have a separate classification for these
vehicles, so as not to skew the statistics about motorcycles?
Other states have passed legislation to classify these as
6 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado
“autocycles”, should Colorado do the same?
So, how many of you ride your bike in HOV
lanes? Did you get your transponder yet? Since
federal law classifies a motorcycle as a HOV [per
23 U.S.C. 166 (b) (2) (A)], doesn’t it seem wrong
that you’d have to set up an account for $35 to ride
for free in a HOV lane? Of course, you might not
use the HOV lanes on I-25 or U.S. 36 right now or maybe only
occasionally, but how about in the future when more and more
“toll” roads are implemented the way that CDOT is proposing?
How many of you have ridden your bikes or driven in
California? Have you noticed or tried lane-splitting? (Legal in
California and not currently legal in Colorado.) I’m sure each of
you has an opinion as to whether or not it’s a safe practice, or
a bad idea. Does lan