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Bikers exempt from fuel rule Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Dave Mahew, a technician at Hansen's Motorcycles in Phoenix, receives the gas pump nozzle from Exxon attendant Ron Lockwood so he can fill up a motorcycle tank himself. Thanks to a new law in effect Tuesday, it's legal. By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Next time you pull into a gas station, don't harrumph if you see some leather-clad dude gassing up his own hog. As of Tuesday, motorcyclists in Oregon can legally pump their own gasoline. "I think it's a good idea," said Joe McDaniel, service technician at D&S Harley-Davidson in Phoenix. Overflows are more common on motorcycle tanks, he said. "There's a lot more cosmetic damage you can do on a motorcycle than you can on a car." The don't-touch-my-bike law gives motorcyclists the option of fueling their own bikes. The attendant still has to remove and replace the nozzle from the pump, but he no longer has to tremble in fear of damaging an expensive paint job. BikePAC of Oregon, a non-profit political action committee in Salem dedicated to promoting good public safety policy regarding motorcycling, began working on the bill about a year ago. "Technically, the law is that there is no self-serve in Oregon," said Ken Ray, executive director of BikePAC. But with the special fueling requirements of various bikes, usually it's the rider, not the attendant, who is the expert on filling a particular tank. "Often a bike fills on the top of the tank. It's very easy for fuel to be spilled," said Ray, adding, "Many bikes have paint that will not stand up to it." So gas attendants have been handing over the nozzle to motorcyclists for years, he said. And station owners have been getting fined. Ron Lockwood, an attendant at the Exxon station in Phoenix, said he's happy about the new law. A lot of motorcyclists stop there, he said, and he never likes to touch someone's bike. "It's their pride and joy," said Lockwood. "They spend all their money on it." Dave Mahew, a technician at Hansen's BMW/Triumph Motorcycles in Phoenix, said he's even seen gas attendants get verbally abused by motorcyclists for dripping gas. Repainting a tank on a custom bike exceeds a similar task on a car, he said. "Repaint can be several thousand instead of just fifty bucks," he said. Mahew said he likes the new law. Now, if his bike gets scratched or spilled on at the gas station, he's the one responsible. The new law may be just the thing to kick-start a beautiful relationship between attendant and biker. "To me, there's no losers," said Ray. "Everybody comes out a winner." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.