Many bikers have been victims of motorcycling profiling. AMA summarizes the issue by saying that “motorcyclists are frequently stopped by police as they travel simply because they ride a motorcycle or are wearing motorcycle riding apparel. Often these pretext stops are accompanied with the explanation that a traffic infraction has occurred, which is not always the case.

In some cases people have been told they are violating a law that does not exist. In other cases the violation cited simply has not occurred. Motorcyclists come from all walks of life and most are law abiding citizens. They have their travel interrupted on their way to work, family events, meetings, church and other places.”

Minnesota GOP Rep. Steve Drazkowski has introduced legislation “establishing policies to address motorcycle profiling. “The legislature finds that the reality or public perception of motorcycle profiling alienates people from police, hinders community policing efforts, and causes law enforcement to lose credibility and trust among the people law enforcement is sworn to protect and serve,” the bill says.

“No stop initiated by a peace officer should be made without a legitimate reason; the fact that someone rides a motorcycle or wears motorcycle paraphernalia is not a legitimate reason. The idea is for state officials to “make a deliberate effort to have a discussion within their agencies and be certain that they are conscientious and in their work not allowing profiling to materialize and become part of their decision making. Law enforcement policies and training programs must emphasize the need to respect the balance between the rights of all persons to be free from unreasonable governmental intrusions and law enforcement’s need to enforce the law,” Drazkowski says. (source Fox Twin Cities)