ORBA NEWSLETTER - AUGUST, 2001
OFF-ROAD BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

THIS ISSUE
· KTM & ORBA.
· ORBA Meeting in Fullerton.
· ORBA Attorney's Actions.
· Letter from CA Legislators.
· ORBA Accomplishments.
· ORBA vs. Other Organizations.
· New Members.

KTM TEAMS UP WITH ORBA!

Scot Harden, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, with KTM Sportmotorcycles USA, Inc. presented Roy Denner, President & CEO of ORBA, KTM's check for $10,000 at ORBA's general meeting in Fullerton on Tuesday, July 31st.

After attending ORBA's general meeting in Temecula in June, Mr. Harden invited Roy to the KTM, USA office in El Cajon California where Roy met with Harden and Selvaraj Narayana, KTM Vice President, After Market Sales and Motocross Team Manager. After an in-depth discussion about ORBA's goals and plans, Harden and Narayana recommended to Rod Bush, KTM President, that KTM become a member of ORBA at the maximum level.

In Fullerton, Harden told the attendees that the officers of KTM, USA see the need for an organization like ORBA and believe that ORBA's Board of Directors are moving in a direction that will be good for KTM's interests as well.

Denner told the group that "KTM's decision to join ORBA is a perfect marriage!" The KTM name is synonymous with off-road motorcycling and ORBA is focused strictly on off-road recreation opportunities.

KTM Sportmotorcycles is recognized as one of the largest, fastest-growing, dirt bike manufacturers in the world. Their products have been the first choice of many well known off-road motorcycle racers in this country and abroad for a long time.

Denner suggested that this "marriage" may be a significant turning point for ORBA. KTM has independent dealers spread all across the United States. If a large number of these dealers decide to follow the manufacturer's lead and become members of ORBA, this will help ORBA achieve its goal of becoming a national organization within three years. KTM officers have invited Denner to come to KTM's annual convention in Pennsylvania later this month to talk with KTM dealers about ORBA.

ORBA MEETING IN FULLERTON

July 31, 2001
A general meeting for ORBA members and wanna-be members was held at the EBELL club. Once again, ORBA's attorney, David Hubbard, told the group about his continuing efforts to question the Bureau of Land Managements' actions and plans that are impacting off-road recre-ation opportunities. Copies of Mr. Hubbard's legal position letters are available to ORBA members. He has submitted letters on the NECO Plan (Northern & Eastern Colorado desert district in Cali-fornia) and at least five BLM EA's (Environmental Assesments) that call for "Emergency Closures" of trails and OHV areas in the California Desert.
ORBA members can call ORBA's office for copies of these important letters.

Mr. Hubbard discussed why it is so important to submit these letters while the plans are in the draft stage. If the BLM chooses to ignore the legal facts pointed out in Hubbard's letters, the off-road community will be in a good position to litigate when the time comes. This is the position the enviro-extremist groups were in when they successfully sued to close down 50,000 acres in the Imperial Sand Dunes. We will be prepared when the next closures are attempted!

John Pederson, President of Southern Motorcycle Supply, one of the largest motorcycle parts and equipment suppliers in the country, talked to meeting attendees about why he believes ORBA is such an important organization. John has since been elected to ORBA's active Board of Directors to replace Mark Harms, of Sand Tires Unlimited. Mark, who is heavily involved with the American Sand Association, has been moved to Honorary Status on ORBA's Board. Hopefully this move will allow Mark some time to run his business in addition to being an ardent off-road recreation advocate.

Page Two

P.O. Box 1339, Lakeside, CA 92040 www.orbanet.org Phone (619) 449-0778

LETTER FROM CA LEGISLATORS
Pete Conaty, ORBA's capable part-time lobbyist in Sacramento also spoke to the group in Fullerton. Pete has accomplished a genuine miracle in legislative circles. He managed to get a letter to the CA State BLM Director signed by 54 members of the California State Legislature - Republicans, Demo-crats, Senators, and Assembly Members. This letter complains about the new land management plans being drafted by the BLM and particularly about the lack of concern for OHV recreation opportunities. Good Job, Pete!

ORBA ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The end of July was ORBA's fourth month in existence. During that short period we have accomplished a lot! Following are just a few of the major items we are proud of:

April, 2001:
•ORBA was incorporated as a non-profit business association whose charter is to promote the success and profitability of its business members.
•ORBA Board of Directors established - made up of seven leaders in the off-road industry in Southern California.
•ORBA meeting in San Diego attended by approximately 40 business owners. Since that meeting most of those attendees have become members of ORBA.
•Environmental Attorney David Hubbard retained to question totally unbalanced land manage-ment plans being drafted by the U.S. Bureau of Land Manage-ment. Funding approved to have Hubbard prepare a legal opinion letter on the BLM's NECO Plan which, if implemented as drafted, will have a disastrous impact on OHV recreation.

May, 2001:
•Financial support provided to help the off-road community pay for the part-time services of a proven lobbyist in Sacramento to promote off-road interests among California Legislators.
•Funding approved to have attorney, Hubbard, prepare a legal opinion letter on the BLM's NEMO (Northern & Eastern Mojave) Plan - also disastrous to OHV recreation as drafted.

June, 2001:
•Funds approved to develop ORBA website.
•ORBA meeting in Temecula attended by about 70 off-road business owners including many members. Assemblyman Dennis Hollingsworth talked about the negative impacts resulting from the Endangered Species Act. Lobbyist Conaty presented his letter signed by 54 State Legislators. Attorney Hubbard released his 29 page legal opinion letter attacking the BLM's NECO Plan. Many attendees joined ORBA at that meeting.
•Funding approved for attorney, Hubbard, to respond to five Environmental Assessment re-ports, announced by the BLM, that call for "Emergency Closures" of trails and OHV areas in the California Desert District.

July, 2001:
•Attorney Hubbard issues legal opinion letters on several of the EA's announced by the BLM describing them as illegal and not properly supported with data.
•ORBA meeting in Fullerton where KTM Sportmotorcycles USA, Inc. presented ORBA a check for $10,000 to become a member of ORBA at the maximum level.
New website at www.orbanet.org presented by off-road.com, ORBA website developers.
•ORBA member signups resulting from the Fullerton meeting bring the total number of members up to 52.

ORBA VS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Questions have been asked about why ORBA is different from the many other organizations already in existence that represent manu-facturers and retailers. The answer is one simple word: "FOCUS!"
If your business would not be significantly impacted by the loss of off-road recreation opportunities, you should not be interested in supporting ORBA. ORBA is 100% focused on off-road issues and off-road related businesses. For example, helmet laws and health and safety requirements for street motor-cycles are good causes but they are not ORBA issues!

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
· B&R Buggie
· Bilstein
· ECP Powder Coating
· Fullerton Sand Sports
· Joe's Off-Road & Speed Center
· Karl's Custom
· KTM Sportmotorcycles USA
· Major Performance
· MasterCraft Race Products
· McKenzie's Performance Products
· Mech Tech Motorsports
· Pacific CEET
· Paragon Graphics
· Race Ready Products
· Sand Cars Unlimited
· San Diego Off Road Magazine
· Suspensions Unlimited
· Sway-A-Way
· Sweet Marie's ATV Accessories
· Temecula Off-Road & Performance
· Troy Lee Designs
· Walt's Motorsports & Marine
· Weekend Concepts
· White Brothers