T A Brown …    Director  330.727.8286

Fellow ABATE Region Zero Brother and Sisters,....

I hope all had a wonderful holiday season and are looking forward to a very happy New Year. May it be filled with good rides and many new adventures.

As your newly elected Region Director for 2025, I am looking forward to the adventure and excitement of the position and to be working with the other officers of our surrounding Regions and our own Officers and members, of course. I will undoubtedly need help and advice from our veteran officers and members from Region Zero. Your knowledge and wisdom will be invaluable to me. I hope, with great assistance from you all, that we can move the Region further ahead in our mission of safety, education and to protect our freedom to pursue our hobby, lifestyle, and rights of the ‘Buckeye’ biker. That mission can only be accomplished if we as members become more informed, more active, and more aware of the issues and concerns of our community by attending our monthly meetings and providing input and suggestions to the officers. I, for one, will gladly take all the help I can get.

In closing, I want to thank the members for their support for allowing me to lead the Region forward into the new year. We already have several events coming up including the winter Meltdown party and dance in February along with Motorcycle Memorial Foundation service in May. Please visit the Region Zero website often to be updated as to upcoming events. Our region currently has an ongoing committee that helps facilitate any member or family’s request to be included on the memorial wall in Hopedale, Ohio. I look forward to working with that committee and to be a Region that is known as a strong advocate within the region and State for our Brothers and Sisters as we work toward the common good of riders everywhere. Please feel free to contact me anytime. Voicemail or by text, I will respond as soon as I can, and I look forward to the adventure of leading the Region Zero gang into 2025.

LET’S RIDE TOGETHER....
T.A. Brown          Director Region Zero 2025.

 

     Randy Kibler   Deputy Director     330.428.2083

    Happy New Year!

    Out with the old and in with the new as some say. With the new year comes new opportunities for growth and success. Seven years ago, Mary K passed the Regional Director’s torch to me and with the hard work and dedication of our Officers and members that torch is burning hotter and brighter than ever! During the seven years as Director I have had the extreme pleasure of getting to know our members, building relationships with the community at large, and representing Region Zero. Friendships have come full circle for me in many ways as I attend their funerals, memorials, visit gravesites, and watch as their names are placed on bricks and pavers at the Motorcyclists Memorial in Hopedale, Ohio so they are always remembered.

    Region Zero has worked diligently over the years so that the Director position doesn’t have to be a lifelong commitment or a drag. I am pleased to take the same Regional Director’s torch that Mary K passed to me seven years ago and pass it onto T.A. Brown. Meanwhile, I’ll take over as Deputy Director and support T.A. in his endeavors within Region Zero and ABATE of Ohio Inc.  I am confident in T.A’s ability to lead us so that we can continue to watch Region Zero flourish within the State and in the Motorcycle Rights scene.

     I hope all have had a wonderful holiday and a very Happy New Year. Until next time, enjoy yourselves and be merry. Thank you all!                Randy

    Keith Roller (outgoing Deputy Director)

       As I prepare to pass the torch of deputy director to our immediate past director, I want to thank everyone for the support and camaraderie you have extended over these past two years. It has been an honor to serve the region, and I will continue to support the mission of ABATE. The region will remain under solid leadership with the new and continuing roster of officers. I wish them and everybody a happy, productive, and prosperous new year.

    Keith....

    Lion Man     Legislative Director     330.718.3066

    As I write this article, 2024 is still visible in my rear view mirror.  I can’t see much of 2025 ahead of me because of all the snow falling.  But watching 2024 fade away, I want to thank everyone who has spent time fighting for our motorcycle rights.  Starting with those on the front lines with our officers, to those who have attended meetings.  But while this is so important, so are those who have supported the cause by obtaining and renewing their membership. When we go to Columbus or Washington to discuss our issues with our elected officials, the more members we can say we are representing helps the cause.  So, keep renewing, and talking to others you meet on the road and at events, and ask them to join ABATE of Ohio Inc.  Remember you don’t have to own a motorcycle to be a member.  For $20 a year they can protect their rights, and come on, that is money well spent if you want to ride what you wish, when you wish and where you wish!  That’s around the cost of a tank of gas.  And if ABATE wasn’t here, you wouldn’t need a tank of gas, because you would be waiting for your motorcycle to recharge so you can continue down the road.

    If you are tired of facing death every time you get on the road because of someone not paying attention and pulling out in front of you, ABATE of Ohio Inc. has a bill introduced to increase penalties for drivers whose inattentiveness causes death or seriousness injury.  We have tried to educate drivers to pay more attention through several different forums.  We have educated motorcyclists to watch out for “those people”, because if you’re dead or broken, it doesn’t matter who was at fault.  So, we want to increase penalties for “Those People” to hopefully make them take a few extra seconds to look twice!

     Many people have been pulled over by police officers just to be checked out.  Any excuse the police make up will work, even if it was minor and/or you didn’t really do it.  We are always happy when we get to pull away, but it shouldn’t happen in the first place.  In fact, it is illegal!  Following the lead of several other states, we are working on introducing a bill stating that this practice, called “profiling”, is not condoned in Ohio, and we want to increase awareness training for police officers so they know that they cannot do this.

    If you live in the northern part of Ohio, you have most likely had an occasion to use the Ohio Turnpike.  If so, you know they have increased tolls again.  Motorcycles are counted the same as any four wheeled vehicle and pay just as much even though our bikes weigh a quarter or more less than all other four wheeled vehicles.  We are trying to reduce tolls for motorcycles.  The turnpike also offers an EZ-Pass system to allow you to save up to 33% on your tolls.  But they have no safe way to attach these transponders to your bike.  We are trying to change that.

    Other issues we are working on are, stopping the future ban on Internal Combustion Engines, continuing your right to repair your own vehicle, repealing handlebar height limits, and alternatives to filling road cracks with the stuff currently being used, that we call “tar snakes”, that make roads dangerous for motorcyclists.

    Finally, are you aware that the fuel you put into your motorcycle and all engines smaller than that, has 10% alcohol in it?  This is called E-10.  Out now is E-15.  If you put it in your smaller vehicles, such as motorcycles and other equipment, you not only can damage your engines but using it may void your warranty.  We are fighting to make all Fuel pumps be clearly labeled as to what you are putting into your tank.

    I say finally but there are other issues that we are considering having to deal with this year, as well as any one of a multitude of motorcycle and/or individual rights that may come up at any time.

    As you can see, your ABATE officers are very busy.  As I stated above, we need members.  Also current members need to come out to one of the local meetings and provide some new input.  Your freedoms to ride will cease to exist without your continued efforts.

    Lion Man

Elizabeth Roller   Regional MRF Rep

    REMEMBER TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIPS IN ABATE and the MRF

    IT IS IMPORTANT AND THIS IS WHY.

     Recently the 119th Congress took the oath of office to begin a new two-year term. While we often focus on who lives in the White House, it is also critical to understand what a new Congress means and how it impacts the issues we care about as bikers.

    A new Congress means new lawmakers. Nearly 100 new people will assume roles as freshmen in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate. But the crazy part is that seniority comes quickly!

    During the last Congress, the average tenure in the House was 8.5 years. In the Senate, that number was 11.2 years. What does that mean? In a few years, today’s freshmen lawmakers will soon hold key positions in Congress.  For example, the current Speaker of the House, Representative Mike Johnson of Louisiana, was sworn into office in 2017.  He’s now second in line to the Presidency. That’s why it is critical to get to know your Representative or Senator now, as you never know where they may end up!

    The second thing to know about the beginning of a new Congress is that everything has started over. Any unfinished business or bills not passed are dead at noon on January 3rd. While the issues we advocate for remain, the bills associated with them and the bill numbers have expired. Over the next few weeks and months, new bills will be reintroduced with new bill numbers assigned. So, purge all those old bill numbers and bill titles, a fresh set of bills is coming soon!

    A new Congress offers opportunities for fresh voices and perspectives to tackle the challenges we face. Let’s embrace this chance to work with new people in D.C. and remind those who have been in Congress for a long time who the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is and what we care about. Remember, no one looks out for the street rider like the MRF does.        MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD      RENEW TODAY

 

    Donna Sam   Membership      330.540.6210    donnasam@zoominternet.net

    Well, it’s always nice to have new members and now it’s also nice to have new people on our local board.   Welcome T. A. Brown, you’re going to do a bang up job, and we welcome Mary Kay Johnson back.   Last she left us, she was the Director of Region Zero.   Now she puts her enthusiasm into the office of Secretary, because without one, we could not function. (Seriously)   I, on the other hand, have taken on an additional role of director of the State newsletter, the OutSpokin’.    (Omg, what did I do?)  Anyway, it’ll be fun, they said.  Why not, I said.   And here we go!

 

BIKER to BIKER BUSINESS

WWW.AmericanAtlantic.net

 Mark Wagner   330.946.6275

Estate Planning   Wills – Trusts

Property – Casualty – Motorcycle Ins.

 

Full Potential Tutor Services      330.651.7944 … (call or text)

Dana Kibler       Teacher/Professional Tutor

 

D & N Quilt & Sew   330.540.6210      call or text

Donna & Norm Sam

We make patches, and we long arm quilt.   (Tell your Grandmas)     We make T shirt quilts too.

 

Freelance Motorcycle Repair & Service      Randy Kibler    330.428.2083

freelancemotorcyclerepair@gmail.com

All makes, all models.  Service, maintenance and tires

 

The Financial Concept Group      Jeff Cook

www.thefinancialconceptgroup.com

www.jeffcook.juiceplus.com     Helping you take control of your life.

 

The Katt Shack ---  Harley Davidson Motorcycle Repair

Parts for ATV’s, UTV’s & Snowmobiles         Vintage

Matt Lynn   330.889.9821  Bristolville

 

Gross Plumbing in Ravenna      216.214.4377…

AJ Gross and Denise Rich- Gross, owners         Lifetime members of ABATE

Sewer & Drain Cleaning, High pressure water jetting, T.V. Sewer inspection