It is inevitable.

[Mc_spirited]

As the riding season nears all riders start to get the itch. The certain kind of itch that can only be cured by a twist of the throttle. It is also inevitable that some riders unknowingly depart on their last ride. Between cagers not in "look out for bikers" mode (When are they ever?) and less than satisfactory pavement conditions, there are many close calls to be had in the beginning months. Of course all that goes without saying. I cannot help but feel saddened every time I read about a rider, minding their own business that gets involved in a fatal accident. Whether it be a rider taken out by a left turner, or the Ninja 250 rider I read about a few weeks ago that was shot in the back with a shotgun while passing a vehicle he got into some altercation with. Some fatalities are accidents, and can most definitely be prevented or expected to some degree. Others are obviously not.

Fortunately I have never known someone personally who was killed while riding. Unfortunately many other riders do not have that in common with me. Although the riders I read about passing are previously unknown to me, I still feel sad when I see the threads posted about fatalities. I know that last year, there was a rise in enforcement on the freeways around here (Cleveland) to crack down on bad drivers and raise awareness about bikers. I'm sure that a good number of people do charity rides and rallies for fallen police and firefighters, as well as many other worthy causes. While I love participating in those runs, I have never heard of or been involved with a ride benefiting fallen riders. I know there is the FRMF (fallen riders memorial fund) and I am sure that there are other charities and organizations that benefit the families of fallen riders and riders who have been fortunate enough to keep their lives.

I was going to originally post this in the Cleveland forum, but I think it would be better received in the main forum. I would like to get a ride organized this year and have the proceeds of it go to charities benefiting riders. The best place to do it out of would be Columbus, just for the fact that it is the center of the state and would offer better roads and a higher turn out. I would like for this to have a high turn out, so it would be best if we could get this ride escorted. Beyond the monetary donations, I'm sure that the news channels would talk about it if we got enough people together. The goals of the ride would be to raise money, and raise awareness.

So in closing, If anyone knows people who can help get this organized, lets get rolling. If anyone knows of a ride already being organized lets spread the word. Maybe it will even save a life or two.

[Casper]

I'd be more than willing to get this idea off the ground. Any fund in particular you'd like the proceeds to go to?

[Mc_spirited]

Like I said, I only really know of the fallen riders fund. Link

If anyone else knows of a fund that could benifit, chime in. If someone works in the accounting realm maybe we could even set up our own thing eventually. I figure, if Ohio Riders wants to become ohio's premier forum for riders, we should do things that will promote us in a positive way. I figure this could help. Also, I am sick of hearing about all the fatalities, and would like to do something about it.

[kawi kid]

i think this is a good idea. but is there a fund on charity that is more ohio dedicated. maybe try to keep our money close to home? just a thought

[2insanezx10r]

Man I'll tell you, I lost my little cousin last October on an 07 gsxr 600 he had a full ride scholorship to Penn st. for wrestling. Heart breaking. They had a fund for him I'm not quite sure what it actually was But I could find out.

[Mc_spirited]

I would definetly like to keep it close to home. The FRMF looks to be mostly situated around the northern part of Ohio. I am not sure of the specifics of the fund, I have never donated to it or been involved in it. If we can get enough people to participate, and do it consistently every year, I would imagine it could only grow. After we get it going, maybe it can be more organized at a later date, possibly with T-shirts like other rides. But of course all this would require money to get it rolling. I am sure that some businesses would donate, but rather than having companies like banks and the whatnot supporting it (solely for advertising purposes) I would perfer it be companies that actually care about bikers, like small respectable bike shops, and dealerships. I dont think that much money would be involved in just doing a ride. If we can get a few hundred people to ride in it, and get it escorted by police, that would be enough for me.

[exSRAaron]

This is a great idea, I'm definitely interested in helping in anyway possible.

[jeremygsxr]

My wife does accoun receivable/payable. I don't know if that would be any help, but I'm sure she would do whatever to help.

[Mc_spirited]

Im not saying that we should set up a charity, but if we can get this pulled off and it grows it could become a possibility in the future. I hope it is possible to organize a ride and get it escorted without a bunch of money from sponsors.

[rockybalboa]

I'm in and I'm many others from here will follow!

[schmuckingham]

In and ill help anyway i can

[tolli]

I'm down.

[wolfman]

Same here..

[progrmr]

I'm in - also we could link up with some central ohio riding groups like www.coreriders.com - these are some really nice people.

Also I have some web programming skills - I could setup a web presence to help promote the idea.

I think it'd be sweet

[F4iBunny]

You can count me in. I was saying the same thing, that OhioRiders needs to be recognized in the community and show that sportbike riders (since most ppl here are) are not all hooligans on the street like the bad press portrays. It's usually all Harley's and cruisers on this kind of ride and I'd like to have one that involves more sportbike riders, but everyone would be welcome of course.

I'm sure QSL (Columbus) would let us use there as a meeting place to start of the ride.

[Vulcan_Rider]

May 31 - 3rd Annual Biker Bingo Run sponsoredby

Fallen Riders Memorial Fund. Starts at Zig's Pub 3415 Brookpark Rd. Parma. First bike out at 10 am last bike in at 4pm.

August 17 - 5th Annual Memorial Mystery Poker Run - More information to be announced.

Fallen Riders Memorial Fund - Pre Registration Aug 13 at Bike night at Quaker Steak and Lube, Valley View Ohio

These are rides that the Fallen Riders Memorial Fund have set up this year in Cleveland. I am a member of the Vulcan Riders Association and we will be helping with the poker run in August. I would strongly suggest that Satan gets in contact with Chris Nice who is currently running the fund and tell him that ohioriders.net wants to help if they can and that the people who belong to this site want to start a similar run in Columbus. I personally think that instead of starting another fund similar that we should try to help FRMF grow. I know a few people on the board of directors and I think they would be very interested in expanding out to Columbus. Also, FRMF is willing to help anyone anywhere its just a matter of they are based in Cleveland so for the most part the only people that know about them are people around here. This is how the process works,(copied from website)

To notify us of a family that needs our help, for more info, to make suggestions , comments, or to make donations, contact Chris Nice @ 216-401-8314 or e-mail FALLENRIDERS@AOL.COM Also you can contact anyone an the board, they will be more than willing to help you.

HOW EACH CASE WILL BE HANDLED:

After the memorial fund has been informed, we will first get all the details of the accident for review. After all the facts have been reviewed by the board, then someone from the board will contact the family to find out how they can be assisted. The board of directors will then meet to discuss the families needs and to determine how the fund can help. After the determination is made,the executive or a board member will personally present the family with a check.

The fallen riders memorial fund’s board of directors hope and pray that we will never have to use this memorial fund for it’s intended purpose,but unfortunately that will not be the case.

If everyone is serious about getting a run going in Columbus with FRMF and you want me to talk to one of the board members I am willing to do that, however if everyone thinks it is a better idea to do something independent and not go through FRMF that is fine too and i will still help any way that I can.

[Mc_spirited]

I think its great what FRMF does, I have never done a poker run, but I am sure that I will sometime in the future. However, that is not what I have in mind. I want more of an escorted parade type deal, which would raise money and get news agencies to cover also.

I am only one person who feels the same way that everyone else does. I do not have connections with anyone but who I speak to or communicate with. I know that many people will be down to participate, but what we really need is somebody with the know how to get something set up. Someone who works in a dealership that sponsors escorted bike runs who knows how these things are executed.

I would like Ohio-riders to get promotion from it, and to promote a good public opinion of sportbikers, and other bikers of all makes and sizes.

I am not counting out the cruiser crowd, because lets face it, they have many numbers. Also, when it comes down to it, some (of them) may think that "crotch rocketers" are reckless and careless, but we all feel the same way as riders about these needless accidents.

I am just sick of hearing about it, and promoting other great causes when this one hits us so hard. Not saying that the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, or the March of Dimes, or fallen officer and firefighters are not worthy of charity. Even if it raises no money, and it solely for awareness and as a memorial to all those who are victims, than that is worth it. When you bring money into it that brings up a whole another realm of problems like worrying about who, how, when and why the money goes to. I would just like to do something for us as a whole, and I do not understand why others wouldn't have put something like this on already when we do so much for other causes.

If FRMF has the organization to get this done than that is great, lets do it. But what it looks like on the website is that it is mostly a North/east Ohio organization and I want this to be not a central Ohio thing, but in central Ohio for Ohio as a whole. I would be worried that if the money goes to Northern Ohio than other parts of the state will be less likely to participate. Maybe we need to cut the fund raising as a main part out of it, and have it be more of a memorial type thing with donations going to a few charities at the riders discretion.

Edit: I did not fully read your post before making mine Vulcan. If FRMF wants to expand to all of Ohio and they have the capabilities of setting up a serious event than lets help them out. I am only active and aware of this site when it comes to riders in Ohio, and if we can get other Ohio riders together to participate in a event that would be even better. I just want something more official than a poker run.

[Vulcan_Rider]

I would say that yes you are correct as far as the attitude between cruisers and sport bikes, however some of that comes from the fact that at most rallies and runs you see 1 sport bike for every hundred cruisers, so i think the attitude is if sport bikes aren't riding for charity then they must be doing dumb shit. Not my opinion and just a guess really. If you want this thing to give sport bikes a better name then i would recommend that you market it to as many sport bike groups as possible. Of course allow all bikers but try your best to get support from the sport bike groups.

As far as the idea for something like a parade with riders donating at their own discretion, that could work. For the donations you could make a real simple form where they put their info, amount donated, and then have a list of maybe 4 or 5 charities and have them pick which they would like to donate to, have different piles for each along with seperate cash boxes for each and just make sure everything balances at the end of the day, that way there is a paper trail for all the donations and no one can question the intention or disbursment of the money raised. As far as escorting goes someone needs to contact local police or sheriff offices and ask to talk to the community liason explain to them what you are planning to do and if they could provide a few cars or bikes that could escort the ride (ask several departments because every escorted ride has several departments involved) or if a group of riders(local motorcycle group or even ohio-riders) could block traffic for the ride. I dont know all the ins and outs of it but those are the basics. Iknow that with the group i ride with we have blocked traffic many times to keep the group together, cops generally do not care even though it is illegal, but for something as large as this you would have to get permission first.