There are few in the motorcycling community who have not heard the name “Maggot Mike”. Even those who haven't actually met him have heard stories about him and tales of his pig cooker and the 1949EL Panhead he rode until a mishap on Wolf Creek Pass a few years ago. That panhead played a major part in why Mike joined ABATE.

In 1985, Mike and Steve Tilden had a booth at the bike show and swap in Sterling. Steve was selling a 1950 Panhead rolling chassis and Mike's bike was in the show. The bike was his only transportation that weekend so the promoters let him roll it out of the show every night to go to the hotel. The weekend went well and, when it came time to give out trophies, John Freeman (who was ABATE State Coordinator at the time) presented Maggot with a bronze rat. Mike was so impressed with how nice everyone was that he felt like joining ABATE was the thing to do. So he did.

For a few years, Mike held the unofficial title “pig cooker” for fund raising events. Then term limits ended George Phillips' tenure as District 5 rep. Scott Tochtrop was the assistant district rep and was running for district rep. Maggot was also nominated. He says he really had no desire to be district rep (being content to be the pig cooker) but accepted the nomination in the spirit of competition. The first election was a tie. A run-off was held and that was a tie. A third set of election ballots went out and Mike, who had been voting for Scott, decided to vote for himself. He won that election by 2 votes.

After his two terms as District Rep were up, Maggot ran for NE Regional Coordinator, a position he held for 3 years. When State Coordinator Mark Buckner left the office early to become MRF President in November, 1994, Maggot stepped up and held the position through June, 1999.

Today, Mike is the professional lobbyist for BIKEPAC of Colorado and spends most days during legislative session at the state capitol. He welcomes the chance to show others around his “offices” and getting members involved in the legislative process.  He, with BIKEPAC President Mark Buckner, frequently travels around the state giving workshops on being effective in grass roots politics – working campaigns and speaking with legislators.  Mike's BIKEPAC reports can be found in the Spokesman or online.

And he still cooks a pig now and then for ABATE fundraisers...

Thanks, Mike, for your long-term commitment to ABATE.

Mike Then

Mike now as our BikePac Lobbyist