The AMA, American Motorcyclist Culture, and the Long History of Rider Gear Standards
- jamesjordan
- May 31
- 1 min read
Introduction
The American Motorcyclist Association was founded in 1924 with a charter that combined three functions: rider advocacy, race sanctioning, and the promotion of motorcycling as a legitimate American pastime. A century later, those three functions remain active, though the landscape in which they operate has changed beyond recognition.
The AMA's century of existence has produced an institution whose influence on American motorcycle culture is so pervasive that it is often invisible — like the water fish swim in. The organization shaped what Americans ride, how they learn to ride, where they gather, and implicitly what they wear.
