FIM Interview - Released Apr 22, 2024
The FIM is pleased to continue its series of interviews with the newly elected leaders of National Federations.
Mr Lee Fryberger was recently elected as the new President of the Canadian Motorcycle Association (CMA). Mr Fryberger shared his background with us and explained the current challenges and opportunities for motorcycling in Canada.
What is your background, and how did you end up in the world of motorcycling, in which you now hold the position of President of CMA?
Finding motorcycling for me was pure coincidence, as my family was not involved with motorcycles. I grew up in agriculture, on a cattle ranch where my father was good with horses and cows, but not at all very good with mechanical things.
At a young age, I was drawn to mechanics, and found a magazine with Roger DeCoster on the cover. From that time, I had to have a dirt bike. I was fortunate to be able to ride around our ranch from the age of 9 and began racing off road and motocross at the age of 19. I became a licenced motorcycle mechanic by age 23 and stayed in the industry until 10 years ago. From a young age I wanted to ride the ISDE, and have had the opportunity four times, 1994, 2001, 2004 and 2005. About that time, I started doing territory sales for the Husaberg importer as well as becoming part of Canada’s ISDE management team. These activities brought me forward to today with a wealth of relationships and experience at international events.
What will be the main goals and targets during your mandate and how long is your mandate?
My position with be up for reelection at the end of this season. The CMA has seen a number of challenges in its recent history and we hope that we can bring some stability for the future.
Could you tell us more about the motorcycling in Canada, how do you see the situation at the moment, what are the main challenges and opportunities?
Motorcycling is alive and well in Canada. Because of its vast landscapes, travel in Canada by motorcycle, is popular. Recreational off-road riding is also very popular and we are fortunate to not only have an incredible amount of terrain but some of the most challenging and diverse areas. On the competition side, we have strong and weak points. Our strength is our people and our passion. We need to unite the regions and make efforts to elevate the different disciplines to levels they deserve.
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