victims for over 25 years.
ABATE: Fighting for Bikers’ Rights
It’s no secret that the biker community is tight. In a world where we often hear that there are six degrees of separation between most people, bikers probably only have three degrees of separation. Actually, when you think about the “Biker’s Code,” urging all bikers to take care of each other on the road, there is probably no separation at all. Bikers are buddies and stick up for each other.
ABATE is a tangible expression of that tight community. According to my friend Celeste Cacchione, who is on the boards for both ABATE and BikerDown, ABATE has chapters in every state and smaller districts across each state.
“ABATE is a group that stays on top of bikers’ rights. Membership gets you political power for opposing anti-motorcycle legislation and we also support programs that train new riders.”
The mission statement for ABATE of Colorado is: “ABATE of Colorado exists to preserve freedom of the road, to unite motorcyclists, to promote fair legislation, safety, and rider education and to provide a network for communication on issues affecting motorcyclists.”
Celeste says, “ABATE is a group that stays on top of bikers’ rights. Membership gets you political power for opposing anti-motorcycle legislation and we also support programs that train new riders.”
Celeste, who rides a 2012 Dyna Super Glide, is the Road Captain for ABATE District 1 and says that members can only join one district but they can ride with any district.
“A lot of bikers don’t want to be told to wear a helmet; they want freedom of choice,” says Celeste. “ABATE advocates for independence. It allows riders to unite in brotherhood to maintain our rights.”
Membership benefits include:
- an ABATE patch upon joining and optional successive year pins when renewing
- voting rights at district meetings
- current email alerts on all motorcycle-related legislation
- education on effectiveness of representing your views on motorcycling issues
- $4000 Accidental Death/Dismemberment insurance free of charge
The organization also hosts many events, including poker runs, coffee runs, track days, campouts and get-togethers. Celeste adds that the organization also hosts safety education programs and driver awareness programs. They also have monthly meetings to discuss issues pertinent to motorcycle riding.
“ABATE builds a rider community as much as it advocates for rights,” she says.
Learn more about ABATE here.
