PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- New York motorcyclists and car drivers will be

able to show their support for motorcycling and the American Motorcyclist

Association (AMA) with special license plates beginning this summer, the

AMA reports.

The special plates, featuring the AMA's colorful red, white and blue

logo, will be issued by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles at a cost

of $21.25 for motorcycles and $34.50 for passenger vehicles, in addition to

the regular registration fees. The characters on the plates also can be

personalized for $15 more.

"This program is not a fund-raiser for the AMA,'' said Tracey Powell,

AMA legislative coordinator. "The association will not receive money from

the sale of these license plates. But we think it's an exciting new way for

AMA members to show others they are proud to be motorcyclists and proud to

support the association's efforts to protect motorcyclists' rights."

In order to get the custom plates approved, the AMA guaranteed New

York officials that 250 would be sold. The association has placed a deposit

with the state that will be returned as those first plates are sold. In

all, the AMA has more than 13,000 members in New York.

The AMA is the second motorcycling organization to get its own custom

license plates in New York. Previously, the Harley Owners Group arranged to

get plates with its logo. The AMA Government Relations Department worked

with AMA District 3 and District 34 members to get the new plate, which is

the first AMA plate in the nation.

New York officials hope the AMA plates will be available beginning

July 1. For more information, contact the New York Department of Motor

Vehicles at (518) 473-3691.

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The American Motorcyclist Association is a 234,000-member non-profit

organization set up in 1924 to pursue, protect and promote the interests of

motorcyclists, while serving the needs of its members. For more

information, visit the AMA website at www.ama-cycle.org.