Vote Ed Milich for AHRMA West Coast Trustee
AHRMA should take steps to attract younger members to keep the organization growing. This is 2005. A 25-year-old living today was born in 1980. If AHRMA wishes to draw this generation into vintage racing, our leadership should consider this generation's interests and economics and apply these perspectives to event promotion and race class structuring. AHRMA should capitalize on the presence of racers with name recognition to this generation (such as Doug Polen, who raced the Thruxton Cup in Daytona in 2006) to draw the younger generation to the races. Also, many novice and young racers in Pacific Northwest have been drawn into the sport by the WMRRA's Honda 160 class. AHRMA should consider adopting such proven strategies that attract new racers and provide a future for vintage roadracing.
AHRMA should exploit 21st century business tools. The www.ahrma.org website is a very good start at bringing the experience of vintage racing to the masses via the internet. Our Media Relations Director Matt Benson regularly updates the website with race results and other important information. Expanding AHRMA.org to include online race entries, member discussion boards, AHRMA merchandise sales, automated scoring, and similar functionality would enhance the quality of the website.
High gasoline prices are simply killing attendance at AHRMA national events. AHRMA should immediately investigate an official ride-sharing program originating from a few strategic locations in the U.S. to AHRMA events rather than relying on the current, unofficial "good guy" ride-sharing network. Such a system should be subsidized by the organization and provide mass transport for bikes and a small quantity of gear and to AHRMA events at a reasonable cost to members.
As racers, we risk life and limb pursuing our racing passions for little more than the respect of our peers, and the chance to win a small wooden plaque. I believe in exalting AHRMA racers as champions to the motorcycle press and industry. I will work to promote AHRMA events through contact with regional motorcycle dealers and enthusiast groups. I will make effective use of press releases and the internet to create a "buzz" about AHRMA events, having done so to promote my website, Guzzitech.com, which is approaching 1,000,000 hits after only 4 years of existence. As I live in Los Angeles, home of the national motorcycle media, I will use my contacts and promotion skills to vastly increase coverage of AHRMA races. As we all know, AHRMA's membership includes some true legends of racing. Champions Doug Polen, Jay Springsteen, and Gary Nixon all raced with AHRMA in 2005. As trustee, I will more vigorously promote events, and therefore the organization, by better capitalizing on this talent! Speed Channel, here we come!
My goals for AHRMA
-Increase AHRMA membership, especially by attracting novice and younger racers.
-Increase visibility of AHRMA racers and increase spectator attendance at AHRMA events through effective media promotion, and interaction with regional motorcycle networks and retailers.
-Minimize damage to AHRMA attendance caused by high gasoline prices.
- Expand AHRMA's website by implementing electronic race entries, AHRMA member discussion boards, and exploiting e-commerce opportunities.
I also energetically endorse the election of Mark Hatten as Eastern region AHRMA representative. I have known Mark for over ten years, and have always known him to be thoughtful, diplomatic, and endowed with enough leadership talent to keep our organization vital and enjoyable! I also have the highest praise for west coast trustee candidate Craig Murray, whose yearly Sandia Event is a shining example of the high quality that our organization can produce.
A vote for me is a vote for AHRMA's future success.
Ed Milich, P.E.
Qualifications
- Engineer, mechanic, machinist, internet entrepreneur, and vintage racer
-California Registered Professional Mechanical Engineer, B.S.M.E., M.S.M.E degrees from The Ohio State University
-Committee Member, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Motorcycle Technical Committee
- AHRMA West Coast Series Champion, Vintage Superbike Middleweight and BOTT F3, 2005
-Owner, Guzzitech.com, Bimotacagiva.com, two motorcycle technical websites and e-businesses.
- Owner (along with my wife, Alice) and sole mechanic for a stable of 7 Moto Guzzis, 3 Ducatis, 2 Bimotas and 1 Suzuki SV650. Yes, they all run.
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