Who Pays?

WHO PAYS?

Motorcyclists spend $22.5 million in Mexico every year to be able to ride off road. Why the money is spent outside the United States and what the effect is on the U.S.economy has been analyzed by the American Motorcyclist Association in a report to the Bureau of Land Management about that agency's southern California desert planning.

`Losses to the U.S. Economy amount ing to S22.5 million a year have been increased by a certain amount of forced movement to Mexico by ORV users as a result of decreasing availability of public land for diversified use in southern Cal ifornia and increased inconvenience caused by regulations. restrictions and per mission procedures established by the Bu reau of Land Management." says the report.

The $22.5 million figure doesn't include other recreational vehicles such as four wheel drives or dune buggies-just motor cycles. And the study only focused on effects of regulation in the southern Cal ifornia desert. The same effects could be causing similar migration all along thd U.S.-Mexican border.

A survey of off-road motorcyclists in southern California provided information for the study. Besides giving a figure on the money spent by motorcyclists in Mexico, the study also shows trends for the past five years indicationg a downward trend in organized motorcycle use on BLM-managed land.

“The federal government should be aware of international ramifications resulting in loss to the economy caused by the Carter administration land-management and recreation programs.” says the report.