S.T.E.A.M. Report

By Shannon Strait

​Well, in April we had our annual S.T.E.A.M. Conference in Sioux Fall, South Dakota. We had beautiful weather. There were some great group speakers. The breakout sessions had a lot of important issues being discussed. The ones I went to was preparing for the riding season. The four steps for preparation are: Mental – seeing and being seen, transitioning back into riding after winter, physical strength to move a bike, carrying passengers, being physically rested, nutrition, and knowing how your medication affects your riding skills. Mechanical – key areas of focus and documentation. Cultural. We are a community.  The other breakout session I went to was about lobbying and how we decide what we are going talk about to our legislators. Have solid leadership involved and be supportive. Talk about motorcycle issues only. Be the expert on motorcycle issues, not the expert on everything else. Have a legislative agenda to keep you focused on what is important to motorcyclist rights, and use your “friends” like car clubs, ATV groups, the marine industry, and snowmobile clubs. There are four rules to follow for successful lobbying. 1. Show up; 2. Be supportive; 3. Stick to the issues; 4. Know your friends and use them. Paint a clear picture of your issues. The biggest thing is doing whatever it takes to have your members show up for Lobby day.

It’s always great to see my motorcycle friends. If you ever have a chance to go, I highly recommend S.T.E.A.M.

Ride Safe