Bruce Kruizenga moved to Utah about a year ago and has volunteered to help lead AMA efforts in the Beehive State to maintain motorcyclists’ access to public lands and keep recently enacted lane filtering legislation on the books.

The former Illinois resident and AMA Charter Life Member began riding when he got out of the U.S. Army in 1989 and joined the AMA in January 1990.

Kruizenga became an AMA EAGLES volunteer to do his part to help protect motorcycling’s future in the United States.

“Becoming the state coordinator is an extension of becoming an EAGLES volunteer,” he said. “I want to do whatever I can do to keep our sport stay healthy and expand it where and when I can.”

Kruizenga is strictly a road rider, but he said he hopes to get back into off-road riding, now that he lives in a western state with more opportunities.

One of his first tasks as state coordinator is to assist the AMA in advocating to keep Utah’s public lands open to motorized recreation. The state’s lane-filtering legislation is enacted for a limited time, and one of Kruizenga’s goals is to make it permanent.

Kruizenga also said educating riders on how to ride on public lands in a manner that respects the environment and attracting young people to motorcycling are essential to keeping the motorcycle lifestyle going.

“The impression we make on nonriders is huge, and it goes a long way in how we are accepted in general,” he said.

Another of Kruizenga’s goals is to help increase AMA membership in Utah.

“Once you explain what the AMA does, people become interested in joining,” he said. “Utah is one of, if not the most beautiful state in the nation. This state offers both the best road and off-road riding opportunities anywhere.”