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Rider Justice Giveaway Winner

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Rider Justice is constantly looking for ways to engage riders and celebrate the biker lifestyle. We gave away a Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide in 2015 as well as a Triumph Bonneville in 2017. So, when I suggested that we give away a 2020 Honda Monkey, everyone thought I was crazy. But once I laid eyes on that 125ccs of throwback fun, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. And many have felt the same way when seeing it in person.

We launched the contest in January at the International Motorcycle Show and the last large event we were able to register people was the Motorcycle Expo in February. Our intentions were to give away the Monkey at the BikerDown annual Look Twice Save a Life Ride, however, COVID forced that event to be postponed.

Since Spring, we’ve been keeping our fingers crossed that BikerDown could safely reschedule the Look Twice Ride sometime during the 2020 riding season because we were committed to combining the Honda giveaway with that event. It’s a crucial fundraiser for our favorite local non-profit, and we wanted as many people to attend as possible. On September 5th, we finally had our day.

A Winner is Chosen

With almost 2,000 entries we drew 10 names and those people were called to the Rider Justice stage at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse. Each of those 10 people selected a BikerDown pack filled with swag (some even had $100 Visa gift cards) and a key. In turn, each person opened their pack to see if their key was the key to start the bike!

Finally, our winner emerged: Joel McCoy! Congratulations Joel! We can’t wait to see you at bike night on the Monkey. *beep* *beep*

BikerDown Fundraising efforts replenishes Colorado Accident Fund

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BikerDown Foundation entered  into 2020 looking forward to warm weather, new chapters in other states and the celebration of their 10-year anniversary of helping injured riders.  What BikerDown faced was COVID stay-at-home orders, business/sponsorship closures, biker events being cancelled and membership and donations down by 50%.  Even in May during Motorcycle Awareness month, BikerDown was forced to move their annual Look Twice Save a Life ride to September and face the challenges this summer of how to continue to help injured riders with the services that injured riders and families needed.

“COVID-19 has affected each and everyone of us in different ways and BikerDown continues to see the trickle down affect it has had on everyone. We than the Colorado riding community for its’ continued support of our Mission”

Laurie Montoya

This was an especially challenging time not only for us, but for everyone in this nation who had been laid off or lost their job because of COVID-19.

BikerDown Colorado wouldn’t have survived these months without the continued support of our sponsors Avalanche Harley-Davidson in Golden, Rider Justice and The O’Sullivan Law firm who continued their committed support of this non-profit and we will always be eternally grateful for their unbridled support to our Mission.

In the past 2 weekends, BikerDown Colorado has been a part of 2 amazing fundraising events, the August 29th Colorado Women’s Day of Rock and This past Saturdays’ Can you SEE me NOW run.  The attendance and support from the Colorado riding community was nothing like we have ever seen at our events and this community answered the call and BikerDown Colorado raised over $10,000 dollars of which 100% will go into our Colorado Accident Fund to help injured riders.

BikerDown was able to raise these funds thanks to some very generous donations of which we must give credit where credit is due.

  • Scott O’Sullivan and Rider Justice provided the 5-star band Lez Zeppelin as the headliner entertainment for the Day of Rock at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse
  • Mark Miklos, Rob Tompkins, and Dirty Dogs Roadhouse provided the venue for both events and allowed us to ask for donations at the door for the Day of Rock helping us raise $2,500 on August 29th.
  • Mark Miklos and an anonymous donor donated a motorcycle to be silent auctioned on August 29th helping us raised $8,300.00 to be split with Angel Eyes Foundation and BikerDown Colorado.
  • Avalanche Harley-Davidson Golden Colorado provided us the venue and space to host our registration on September 5th for the Can you SEE me NOW ride.
  • 100 riders pre-registered for the Can you SEE me NOW ride and 150 riders attended the September 5th event and we collectively raised over $5,000 that day to help injured motorcycle riders.

These two events and the support of the motorcycle community enabled BikerDown Colorado to replenish our depleted Accident Fund and ensure that there will be funds available for future victims and their families.

For 10-years this non-profit has run on a shoe-string budget and had more love than money! BikerDown Colorado has always met the challenge as injured motorcycle rider accidents and fatalities have increased each year.  We lived in the faith and love of this riding community and have always managed to find a way to STEP UP….when a rider GOES DOWN.

I could not be prouder of being a Colorado Biker and honored to be President and Founder of BikerDown Colorado.  I thank every one of you for the trust you have placed with us and we look forward to the next 10-years Our Mission never stops!  We will continue to work with others to put an end to distracted driving and getting cellphones out a driver’s hands.  We are working hard to bring more safety riding equipment in to the hands of riders and possibly a helmet program in 2021

10 Teams Compete: Customized Wheelchair Competition

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2020 has been one of the most challenging years for any non-profit or small business owner with COVID-19 hitting our community here in Colorado and nationwide. As Executive Director of BikerDown, my job is to get as creative as possible with fundraising activities and I believe that this wheelchair competition shows how a small non-profit can think outside the box.

BikerDown is planning our first medical equipment drive and fundraiser through an exciting contest where competing groups submit customized wheelchairs for prizes. All attendees of the event are encouraged to clear out some storage space and donate gently-used medical equipment to BikerDown so that we can replenish our equipment and help even more injured bikers.

September 5, 2020

On September 5th at the Can You SEE me Now motorcycle awareness ride, 10 teams of motorcycle clubs, riding groups and bike builders will show just how creative they can get with a standard wheelchair and present their final customized wheelchair in bike-show fashion Teams will compete for prizes and trophies and the coveted People’s Choice award. BikerDown has brought in 3 great judges to judge the competition and the attendees at will vote for their favorite teams’ wheelchair.

This is a new innovative way to add medical equipment to our arsenal to help injured riders. An injured rider will never be charged for medical equipment from BikerDown. A motorcycle rider recovering never wants to be in a wheelchair, but when we bring them these tricked out chairs, they always have a smile on their faces because they know it was created with love and respect.

Thank you to Rider Justice for continuing their sponsorship of the Look Twice Save A Life Ride and for helping with our medical equipment drive here in Colorado buy buying wheelchairs for this competition. (Also, at the Sept. 5 event, Rider Justice will be drawing for the winner of the Honda Monkey!)

The Original Wheelchair Competition

The wheelchair competition was 1st launched in February by our Las Vegas BikerDown Chapter to build inventory for this start-up chapter.  Executive Director, Cerah Venturo and Dazzlin 2-wheel division Manager from Vegas sponsor Full Throttle Law created a tremendous event and brought the motorcycle community together to make this a fun event with a DJ, food and a medical equipment rodeo. Not only did the chapter have 10 amazing chairs at the end of the day, but the community donated so much medical equipment, that they had to rent a 26 ft. U-Haul to get it to the storage garage.

BikerDown is celebrating our 10th year of helping injured motorcycle riders and hosts the National chapter.  It is our hope that the Colorado riding community will come out on September 5th, enjoy a great ride, and share our hope to do everything our community can to help injured motorcycle riders with their recovery.

We still have a few spots available for this competition, if you are interested, please contact Laurie Montoya: laurie@bikerdown.org.  

If you have any gently used medical equipment, bring that equipment Saturday, September 5th to Dirty Dogs Roadhouse and donate it at our collection area.

#2Wheels4Meals Supports Community, Rider Businesses

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Scott O'Sullivan - The O'Sullivan Law Firm, motorcycle accident attorneys
Scott O’Sullivan

It was early March when the Rider Justice team started to understand that COVID-19 was about to turn life as we know it on its head. Talk of stay-at-home orders and non-essential business closures were running rampant. We could see the uncertainty in the road ahead and the challenge this brought to the local businesses that play an integral role in the motorcycle world we love. Our concern was primarily for the restaurants and bars that cater to riders. They serve as community meeting points for individual and group rides every single day. A home away from home for many. These are locally owned businesses at the core of our riding community and there was no way we could just sit back while owners and staff closed and braced for an unknown fate.

It was time for us to get creative and refocus our energy. Within days we hosted several video calls that brought in leaders in the Colorado riding community and who are like minded when it comes to rolling up your sleeves and helping others. We worked with the team from META, Colorado Rider News, and BikerDown Foundation. Each of us were determined to do whatever we could to make an impact within the community and industry alike.

Within a few days #2Wheels4Meals was born. The program would raise money through donations to buy meals from one of our local favorites, Dirty Dogs Roadhouse in Golden, CO. Our team and volunteers then distributed those meals to homeless kitchens, hospitals, first responders, and to staff at nursing homes. As of this writing, #2Wheels4Meals has purchased and distributed over 1800 meals.

The joy of making this happen – of helping local entrepreneurs and people hit hard by the pandemic – has allowed us to feed our souls and put smiles on many in need. However, the experience of locking arms with like-minded people and getting the work done, is deeply fulfilling as well. Existing relationships grew stronger and new bonds were cemented, laying the foundation for lasting partnerships.

Rider Justice is founded on contributing real value to our riding community. That truth allowed us to shift quickly and become something very different when the world needed us to be. We will continue to shift and move and do the work to stand up for bikers and the Colorado community every single day. 

Thank you to everyone who helped us, help others.

Rides: Look Twice Save A Life – May 16

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As of today, BikerDown’s annual Look Twice Save a Life Ride, scheduled for May 16, is still on.

We are cautiously optimistic that by April 30, Colorado will have done enough to flatten the curve of the Coronavirus outbreak, that Governor Polis will lift social distancing and business restrictions.

BikerDown is a non-profit focused on safety for riders and we will continuously monitor the situation and adapt as necessary.

#2Wheels4Meals – Donations

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Our program to support local businesses is gaining steam. Because of the gaining interest – and to help people maintain social distancing by staying at home – BikerDown has started a fundraiser through their fundraising platform. As a non-profit, they are experienced at managing donations and distribution of funds.

DONATE HERE

Dirty Dogs Roadhouse has really stepped up to the plate with effort promoting our program that aims at feeding those in our community in need and first responders.

BikerDown Foundation restructures levels of assistance for 2020

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BikerDown Foundation helps injured motorcycle riders with the recovery aspect of their accident with a variety of services including but not limited to medical equipment, funeral assistance, limited financial assistance, legal assistance and victim fundraising.

BikerDown has received a 100% increase in requests for assistance since 2018 and 2019 and it has been challenging to meet the financial requests from accident victims.  The Board has reviewed our current Bylaws and has voted to implement a cap on financial assistance based on level of membership to BikerDown.

This policy change will still enable BikerDown to continue to help ALL riders in our chapter states and nationwide but will limit the assistance to riders that are not a member of BikerDown.  All non-members and FREE members will still have access to services that are important to them such as our BDFundme program that gives accident victims the ability to fundraiser without paying high credit card processing with companies such as Facebook and GoFundMe.  Free or non-members will still be able to get help with medical equipment, strategic planning and legal assistance.

President and Founder Laurie Montoya commented, that for 10 years BikerDown has done our very best to help ALL riders nationwide with the recovery aspect of their injuries, but for us to continue to help ALL riders, but especially in our chapter states, our Board felt that it was time that we detailed levels of assistance to ensure the stability and ability to help victims in 2020.

BikerDown offers several affordable levels of membership that provide you additional financial services but also provide you value when you need it most.  

Membership Levels

Free Membership – free members will have access to our BDFundMe fundraising, medical equipment, legal resources, strategic planning and receive our monthly newsletter.  Your free membership will also put your In Case of Emergency Information in the event we are contacted by law enforcement or the hospital we can work to get in touch with your family or designated contact.

Roadside ($35.00 per year) – Annual members will have access to all the services referenced in the FREE membership + will have our MTS nationwide towing and assistance with funeral expenses and financial assistance up to $100.00 

Roadside ($100 one-time payment or $10 per month $120) – This level includes all the services referenced in our Free and Roadside 35 yearly level + you will have access to increased financial assistance up to $500 maximum.

Roadside Plus ($35.00 per month) – BEST VALUE – this level includes all of the service included in the above referenced membership levels + you will have access to increased financial assistance up to $750 maximum + this level also includes the Aflac Accident Policy inclusive in this membership, Accidental Death Benefits and the peace of mind that in the event of an accident you have the coverages necessary to help get you thru a serious accident.

Roadside Plus 2 bike – 2 riders ($60.00 per month) – this is the same level as the Roadside Plus but for 2 bikes – 2 riders and you will receive a saving of 10.00.

To sign up please visit our website or contact us at info@bikerdown.org

Adopt A Family for the Holidays

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Nominations for families is Open until November 30th

BikerDown Foundation is in our 8th year of Adopting Families for the Holidays program.  The program started with the desire to help 2 families that had suffered a tragic loss due to a motorcycle fatality.  While we knew we couldn’t replace the loss they were feeling, we could ensure that the family wasn’t alone and that the children had Christmas under the tree.

[Read more…] about Adopt A Family for the Holidays

Wide Open Saloon Bike Raffle – Drawing Date October 26th

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For several months Colorado Rider News has been advertising the Wide Open Saloon Bike Raffle of a 2017 Harley-Davidson Road Glide with the drawing date of October 26th.  The proceeds of this bike raffle will go to BikerDown Foundation here in Colorado to help injured motorcycle riders.  

With the drawing date nearing and Wide Open experiencing some renovation delays on their property in Sedalia, Todd contacted Mark & Rob from Dirty Dogs Roadhouse and asked them if they would host the raffle drawing for Wide Open.  Dirty Dogs has supported BikerDown for many years and felt that if we can’t host the event ourselves, Dirty Dogs was the next best alternative.

The raffle drawing will be at 7pm and tickets can still be purchased online here.  

You do not need to present to win, which is a great benefit to anyone purchasing a raffle ticket.  BikerDown will do a Facebook LIVE video of the drawing so that all ticket holders can watch the drawing live and see if they won!

100% of the proceeds of this raffle go to help injured motorcycle riders in Colorado.