Greetings, friends.
I’ve been informed that several club members have gotten strange emails. Most, but not all, of the recipients have aol email accounts. At the risk of insulting your intelligence, be careful if you receive suspicious looking emails and texts. There have been plenty of those.
Have fun; be safe.
Warm regards,
Michael
Greetings, Friends.
For those of you who didn’t see my facebook post, here was my experience at MVC this afternoon when registering my “motorized bicycle” formerly known as a class 3 e-bike:
Today I went to the NJ MVC to register my “motorized bicycle”, formerly known as a class 3 bicycle. Good news and bad news: the good news is that the 3 workers I spoke with during the course of my transaction were very nice and professional and that I was called to the window about 10 minutes before my actual appointment time. And I walked out about 30 minutes after being called to the counter. The bad news: when I walked up to the window, presented my paperwork, and stated my reason for being there, I thought I detected an anxiety ridden vocalization. Within a short period of time, a second worker got involved and talked the person at the counter through the process of the title and registration process. When I was finally handed my paperwork, I noticed that the license sticker had the text “low speed electric bicycle” printed below the license number. Wanting to be a good, law abiding citizen and not wanting any problems I informed them that my bike is a “motorized bicycle” according to the law. I was asked if the bike has a throttle and I said it doesn’t; that it’s a pedal-assist bike with a max speed of 28 mph. She said it’s a “low speed electric bicycle” since it doesn’t have a throttle. She also said I didn’t need to have liability insurance. I told her that was not correct. She seemed confused and said that what I have is a moped. I corrected her again. At that point a third worker entered the conversation who seemed to be a higher up. She seemed to grasp what I was saying and processed the paperwork, eventually giving me a title and registration/license sticker. The word “Moped” was printed below the license number. I’m not sure this is correct, but decided I’d check that out later. The third woman told me that the e-bike registration is new and that they have been told different things on different occasions. Again, all the women I spoke with were nice and professional. They clearly have not been adequately trained/educated by their supervisors who themselves may not be completely familiar with the law. Any anger should be directed toward those people, not the women behind the counter who are doing the best they can.
In addition to making sure you have all required paperwork when registering your e-bike, be familiar enough with the law so that you can avoid issues when registering. BTW, although I brought proof of liability insurance, I was not asked for it. I wouldn’t assume you won’t be asked to show it. Also, if you don’t have a bill of sale or documentation that you paid sales tax for your bike, you will have to pay sales tax at registration. I was asked how many miles were on the bike and they were willing to accept an educated guess.
Have fun; stay safe.
Warm regards,
Michael
Greetings, friends.
NJMVC is now accepting appointments for e-bike registration. Complete information about registering your e-bike can be found at https://www.nj.gov/mvc/vehicletopics/ebike.htm Go to https://www.nj.gov/mvc/pdf/license/BA-49EB.pdf to complete the registration form. ALL e-bikes are required to be registered under the current law. In addition, the law requires riders of class 3 e-bikes to carry a liability insurance policy in addition to registration. The initial registration fee is waived.
Have fun; stay safe.
Best regards,
Michael
Greetings, friends.
Elections for members of the club’s Board of Directors will be held this coming November. The club’s bylaws calls for the creation of a Nominating Committee which includes at least one club member and one member from the Board of Directors. Members of the Nominating Committee are responsible for recruiting candidates for all Board positions and submitting the names of those candidates to the Board Secretary, currently Kim Tulloch, by September 1. Please let me know by July 3 if you would like to serve on the Nominating Committee.
With the approval of the revised club bylaws, any club member in good standing is eligible to be a candidate for any position. Those who are interested in being a candidate simply need to notify a member of the Nominating Committee by August 31. Until the Nominating Committee has been created, any member interested in being a candidate can contact me or the Board secretary. The previous requirement of obtaining a minimum of submitting a petition with at least 25 signatures has been eliminated.
Here are the Board positions:
President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Ride Coordinator, IT Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, Safety Coordinator, and Member-at-Large. The club also needs a Social Director.
Serving as a member of the Board of Directors and volunteering for other positions are what keeps the club functioning. Please consider giving some time to volunteer as a Board member or in other roles.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions or need information.
Have fun; be safe,
Best regards,
Michael
Greetings, friends.
Voting to change the club’s bylaws is now open and will close on June 18, 2026. The Board of Directors has approved these changes, however, they will not go into effect unless at least 2/3 of persons voting support these changes. Voting can be accessed on the club’s home page and there are links to the current bylaws and the proposed bylaws on the voting page. Please be sure to cast your vote no later than June 18. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone, text, or email.
Have fun; stay safe.
Best regards,
Michael
Greetings, Friends.
The club’s Board of Directors has revised its bylaws and has approved them. Changes to club Bylaws need to be voted on by club membership and will be changed if there is a minimum of 2/3 of voters supporting those changes. Voting can be done by clicking on the following link:
https://mafw.org/2026-voting-on-the-bylaws-update/
Voting will close on June 18, 2026. Please be sure to cast your vote by then.
The bylaws changes include:
The current bylaws can be found at:
And there is a link to the proposed changes on the home page of the club’s website.
Should you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me.
Have fun; stay safe!
Warm regards,
Michael
Greetings, friends.
Over the next few days I’ll be sending a couple of emails of interest to club members.
Today’s email is about recent happenings with the NJ e-bike legislation, scheduled to take effect in July. The NJ Bike and Walk Coalition is holding a Ride and Rally this Thursday, May 21 to advocate for revisions to the current legislation, I plan to ride my class 3/motorized bicycle at this event and urge others to join, Details can be found at https://njbwc.org/. There is also an “E-bike Resource Center” on that website. While not claiming to be an expert on this issue, I’ve read the legislation and have contacted my local representatives. Personally, I don’t understand why the advocacy effort focuses only on removing registration and liability insurance requirements for low speed electric bicycles (formerly class 1) and excludes motorized bicycles (class 3). The law makes no distinction between ICE and electric motor vehicles whose top speed can be as high as 160 mph and those whose top speed is 120 mph. Further, I don’t see the need to wear a motorcycle helmet when I ride my class 3 bike. On a completely different note, Senator Scutari who made significant contributions to this bill was a big advocate for legalizing marijuana in NJ saying at the time that enforcing possession of small amounts of marijuana was a waste of valuable law enforcement resources,
I urge everyone to call your elected NJ representatives. Do not write or email as these are ignored. A few suggested talking points:
The real safety concerns apply to e-motos, throttle operated vehicles that can achieve speeds of up to 50 mph, and are frequently driven recklessly by adolescents who have no knowledge of, or choose to disregard, the rules of the road.
Just as a car that can reach speeds in excess of 100 mph is rarely, if ever, driven at such a high speed, a class 3 pedal assisted e-bike that can reach a top speed of 28 mph is rarely, if ever, driven at that speed.
The law does not differentiate between ICE and electric motor vehicles whose top speed can be as high as 160 mph and those whose top speed is 120 mph.
Some people have challenges that prevent them from obtaining an automobile license and rely on pedal-assisted e-bikes without a throttle for transportation.
Lower income individuals whose only form of transportation is an e-bike may not be able to afford registration and liability insurance.
The following are notes about e-bike regulations I presented at the kick-meeting:
Excerpts from E Bike Requirements Update: S4834/A6235 affecting MAFW members
The club as an organization has not been an active player but I have called my reps as an e-bike owner and as President of the club.
Recommend to call your state representatives and express your thoughts on the legislation. Calls must be logged, not emails, letters.
Lots of advocacy by a variety of organizations
Looking to see all of you during the peak riding season either on rides or at club functions.
Be safe; have fun.
Best regards,
Michael
Greetings, friends.
Regardless of tomorrow’s weather, the Kick Off Meeting will be held at Harry Dunham Park at 9 AM.
Enjoy the wonderful weather and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Best regards,
Michael
Greetings, friends.
The Board of Directors has voted to make changes to the club’s bylaws and needs YOUR feedback. These changes are intended to eliminate some things that no longer exist, to add a conflict of interest policy, to make voting more accessible, to improve the nomination process for persons interested in running for Board positions, and to establish an election timetable. According to club bylaws, the revisions require a 2/3 majority of votes for approval and a vote is anticipated to take place during the second half of May 2026. I encourage all of you to review these proposed changes and to direct comments and questions to president@mafw.org by May 1, 2026. All of these will be discussed at the Board of Directors meeting in May. The following are the proposed revisions to the current bylaws with changes specified or indicated by text in italics. These changes can be compared to the current bylaws which can be found on the club’s website by clicking on “Our Club” and then clicking on “Club Bylaws”. The proposed changes are also available on the club website.
Proposed bylaws revisions:
Article III-Membership and Dues, Section 2b, Classes of Membership
Delete “Dual Adult” from Classes of Membership
Article IV-Meetings and Voting, Section 1, Biennial Membership Meeting
A Biennial Membership Meeting will be held during the first week of November of the election year.
It will include a block of time for candidates to make a brief presentation and allow for questions from club members and any other necessary business.
Article IV-,Meetings and Voting, Section 8a, Voting
Change to:
All members of the club in good standing are eligible to vote in elections.
Article IV-Meetings and Voting, Section 8b, Voting
Delete “present and”
Article V-Officers and Directors, Section 3, Nomination Procedure
Change to:
In an election year, a Nominating Committee shall be established, one of whose members shall serve as Chairperson. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three members, at least one from the Board of Directors and at least one from the general membership. The Board shall choose those person(s) selected to serve on the Nominating Committee by majority vote no later than August 7 of the election year.
The Nominating Committee’s function is to solicit candidate(s) for each of the Board’s positions, obtain the advance consent of those who have expressed a desire to be a candidate, and present a list of those names to the Secretary of the Board of Directors by September 1 of the election year.
The Board President shall ensure that the announcement of upcoming elections specified in Article V, Section 4, Election Procedure is made.
ARTICLE V – OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS, Sections 2b, c, and g
b) The chairman of the Morris Area Freewheelers Foundation, or his/her designee, will serve on the Board after being approved by the Club Board with voting rights consistent with those provided to the Club representative on the Foundation Board.
c) The most immediate Past President who is an active member of the club and was not removed from office and/or resigned from office to address a conflict of interest shall be invited to serve on the Board as an ex-officio member.
g) Board members must disclose potential conflicts of interest and are prohibited from voting or representing the club on any matter in which there is a conflict. Conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to, individual or close relation financial conflicts, personal conflicts, conflicting organizational interests, and/or competitive conflicts. The determination of whether something is a conflict of interest is to be determined by a majority decision by the Board Members and recorded in meeting minutes with a recorded vote where the vote of each individual is documented. If a majority is not reached declaring a potential conflict as a non-concern, the potential conflict will be treated as a conflict, and the associated member(s) will recuse themselves from voting and/or representing the club in the associated role.
Article V, Section 4, Election Procedure
Elections shall be held in even numbered years. Voting shall be conducted electronically, e.g., through the club’s website. Elections shall follow the following protocol:
An announcement of upcoming elections shall be provided on the club’s website, by email blast, and in the club’s newsletter no later than May 31 of the election year as follows:
“Elections for the Officers and Directors of the club’s Board of Directors will take place this coming November. The club’s Nominating Committee will provide the names of all interested candidates for all positions to the Board Secretary. The Nominating Committee needs one or two club members to serve on the Nominating Committee. Interested parties should send name, contact phone number, and email address to the Board’s Secretary, secretary@mafw.org no later than July 31 of the election year. Selection will be made no later than August 7 of the election year.”
The current positions on the Board of Directors are: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Ride Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, Safety Coordinator, IT Coordinator, and Member at Large. Duties of the Officers and Directors can be found on the website on page 6 of the club’s Bylaws
Any club member in good standing is eligible to be a candidate for any office, however, all candidates for the position of IT coordinator must be able to provide evidence that s/he has the necessary knowledge and skills required of the incumbent. Any club member can declare interest in being a candidate for a Board position by contacting a member of the Nominating Committee no later than August 31 of the election year.
A candidate questionnaire developed by the Nominating Committee and approved by the majority of the Board of Directors will be sent to all candidates no later than October 1 of the election year by the club’s Secretary.
Candidates shall have until October 15 of the election year to return the questionnaire to the club’s Secretary. The IT Director shall post candidates’ names, office running for, and candidates’ responses to the questionnaire on the club’s website by October 17 of the election year.
The club President shall send an email blast to all members no later than October 18 of the election year advising that candidates’ information is posted on the club website and that voting will open on November 10 of the election year and close on November 17 of the election year. Voting shall take place electronically, e.g., through the club’s website.
A virtual Biennial Meeting shall be held in the evening during the first week of November in the election year. If any of the Board positions are contested, i.e., there is more than one candidate for a position, each candidate for the contested position(s) will have the option of speaking for no more than 3 minutes to make his/her case for office. This will be followed by a question and answer period lasting no more than 60 minutes.
The IT Director shall tabulate vote totals and email results to the Board of Directors by 11/19 of the election year and post election results on the club’s website no later than 11/21 of the election year.
The club President will send an email blast to membership with election results no later than 11/22 of the election year.
Elected Officers and Directors shall take office January 1 of the following year.
Article 8, Section 2
Article X-Adoption
Change to:
Voting for proposed revisions and amendments to Club Bylaws shall be conducted electronically, e.g., on the club’s website and are adopted and made effective upon approval of two thirds of those voting. If approved, these will replace and supersede any and all previous Club Bylaws and henceforth all activities and actions of the Club shall be taken and pursuant to the requirements of these Bylaws.
The original Bylaws were adopted by the Trustees (Executive Committee) on February 16, 1994 and have been periodically amended since then. This document is an amendment and restatement of those Bylaws adopted by vote of the club membership on xx/xx/20xx and effective as of that date. WITNESSED by:
Thank you for your attention and input!
Best regards,
Michael
Greetings, friends.
It must be spring since the annual Kick-Off Meeting will be held on April 19, 2026 at 9 AM at the indoor building at Harry Dunham Park. Refreshments will be provided, as always. The meeting will be followed by a variety of rides at different paces. You can sign up by clicking “Calendar” on the club website and then clicking on the Kick-Off link. The meeting agenda will include a question and answer period regarding the proposed changes to the club’s bylaws, a brief review of the club’s finances, upcoming club Board elections, and a brief Ramble update. All members are encouraged to review the proposed bylaws revisions prior to the meeting which have been posted on the club’s website and will be sent shortly by email blast.
IMPORTANT:
The building cannot be accessed until 9 AM. We will need assistance setting up the room for the meeting before we can start the meeting and no rides will leave until the room is cleaned up.
