Laurie Montoya

The longer Colorado Rider News is around, the more perplexed I am on what type of publication I want this to be. I question every month: do I write this article about texting and driving, another biker fatality or articles about the right kind of insurances a biker should have. Many have said that CRN is so serious and that I should make it more fun to read. They suggest crossword puzzles, scantily dressed women photoshoots so they can pin them on their garage. Some would like to see more biker jokes & comics.

The current crisis’ that this riding community faces can no longer be ignored or left up to a few other organizations such as Abate, CORD, BikerDown and Rider Justice to do for you. I don’t believe the motorcycle community really realizes the POWER it possesses and their ability to make REAL CHANGE with the powers that be. There are 8,597,197 registered motorcycle riders in the United States according to 2017 statitics. That is an massive amount of power to make change. I can’t think of any other group that is over 8 million STRONG. If you can I would love to know who they are. There is a reason that President Trump has Bikers for Trump. In Colorado, we have over 190,000 registered motorcycle riders.

There isn’t a day that I turn on the TV, Facebook or better yet check my email and someone in our community or nationwide hasn’t been tragically harmed or killed at the hands of a cager or some form of distracted driving. There isn’t a month that goes by that we don’t read on blogs a rider being discriminated because of their cut/vest.

As the publisher of Colorado Rider News, I can’t in good consciousness pretend that all of this around our riding community isn’t happening.

• Accidents/Fatalities – there have been over 35 fatalities and over 100 accidents to Colorado motorcyclists since January 2019. Six motorcycle fatalities in Colorado Springs, and the other 29 are in Denver and surrounding areas. That isn’t even counting the rest of Colorado. Most of the accidents are horrible and leave the biker’s life forever changed and their friends powerless to help them at the level they need assistance.
• Law – Every session of government and those public servants voted into office are trying at every level (City, State and Nationwide) to take your rights away. Motorcycle organizations are there with representatives trying to be the voice of a riding community to decision makers who do not understand us.
• Discrimination – riders are being told their patronage and money aren’t wanted in establishments because they are wearing a patch or are a member of a motorcycle club. Besides the Motorcycle Expo over 3 years ago, when was the last time in Colorado that you heard of a biker brawl that trashed a business or caused any patrons bodily harm?
• Profiling – good standing, hard working motorcycle riders with jobs are losing their jobs because someone got on their Facebook and saw that they ride with a group or club and they are being fired with no probable cause just because they ride. Riders in a motorcycle accident are being cited as the one at fault because an officer sees that they ride in a club or group, when the evidence is clear that it was the driver’s fault. 

So, I’ve decided I am going to continue to shed light and information to the riding community about what is going on that affects your rights as motorcycle riders on the road. This publication is going to continue to inform riders of the insurance coverages that they should have so in the event they are hurt or killed their families aren’t left picking up the pieces.

Each month, I am going to give 2 non-profits free advertising about their charitable events, and CRN is going to continue to highlight the good works of biker related charities helping injured riders in this community.

CRN will continue to support Biker Owned Businesses in the hopes that our readers will keep our spending power within our community.

We welcome your comments and thoughts on what CRN can do better in the future and enjoy the ride!

info@coloradoridernews.com