[Clay Dowling]

Here in Michigan, if you bust your head and don’t have insurance, Blue Cross picks it up and the state covers the premium. Which means I get to pay for your accident twice.

The first time, because my tax money had to be used to cover your premium. The second, because I have blue cross insurance myself. And the state pays really low rates, so blue cross charges their paying customers a disproportionately high rate to make up the difference.

So I don’t really give a fig about your “rights.” I care about the fact that I have to pay higher taxes and higher insurance because you were too special to wear a helmet. Michigan is also a mandatory helmet state, so I don’t actually wind up having to pay for that very often. But if a push is made to eliminate the helmet laws, I’ll be working for the campaign to keep them.

[Clay Dowling]

It was just a photo session, not a riding session (the bike is bigger than she could control), and they were just tennis shoes.

Wearing a riding shoe would have led to the same injury here though. The abrasion was on the ankle, and riding shoes don’t cover the ankle any more than tennis shoes.

[Clay Dowling]

For all the horror stories, not all older bikes are bad. I have a low mileage 1996 Honda Magna. Bought it with 6500 miles on it. That means that in it’s lifetime, it never reached Honda’s recommended service interval. Fortunately, the previous owners were fuss-budgets who pampered the bike, and routine maintenance was done.

The best thing you can do it listen to the bike running, both at idle and under load. If you hear rough or irregular running, there are problems that will probably be expensive to fix. If it runs smooth and has good power, chances are good that it will be okay. Do keep in mind what “smooth” means for a motorcycle though. Vtwin engines have a certain sound that in a four cylinder engine would mean bad things.

[Clay Dowling]

You should always lift them off, so the bike doesn’t get knocked over.

[Clay Dowling]

Is the standard recommendation. Check out the 250 first though. You probably wouldn’t want it for long trips, but it might be ideal for your daily commute.

The Ninjas feel big for their engine displacement, with the 500 seeming absolutely gigantic. I haven’t pulled my 750 Magna up next to one, but when I’m standing next to a Ninja it feels bigger than my Magna, even though I have the greater displacement.

[Clay Dowling]

Having sufficient space is really important. You need room for run-out if you make a mistake with the throttle. Because you’ll almost certainly work out to let up on the throttle and squeeze the clutch, but it might take you a while.

[Clay Dowling]

Check out a bunch of different dealers, because as Munch says everybody’s comfort needs are different. Different dealers will have different things in stock, and just because the Honda dealer doesn’t have a combination that fits you and meets your skill level doesn’t mean that the Yamaha or Kawasaki dealers won’t.

[Clay Dowling]

Make sure you have your organ doner card filled out, and your next of kin know about it. Might want to drop a notarized letter off at the local hospitals too, so they’ve got your intentions on file and trouble can be saved. Getting relevant organs typed and that data put on file would also be a good idea, so recipients can be lined up ahead of time.

The CBR 1000 is a beautiful bike, but just watching video of those machines gives me the heebie jeebies. They’re meant for pros. You need to start out with something designed for somebody at your skill level. Check out the ninjas, which are great bikes with a good reputation for new riders, and nice styling.

[Clay Dowling]

Her dad’s side runs very small. That bike is pretty close in size to a sporty. Parked next to one one day, and had the opportunity to look at it from above. The Magna tends to look a little bigger because of all the bright chrome, but the frames are about the same length.

But if I ever do get her to ride, a 250 will fit her perfectly. If she wants to really get into it and tour, a 500 will probably be enough to haul her tiny self around the country comfortably.

[Clay Dowling]

Where they don’t have toll booths cluttering up the roads. Ohio seems to have figured out how to run toll roads properly. Pennsylvania can go to blazes. I’m not sure they know how to do anything useful in that state, and they certainly don’t understand how to run a toll road. Exact change only and a different fare at each booth, no attendant available to make change. After dark the stations are completely unmanned, and I just blow through them.

[Clay Dowling]

To get an appropriate sized bike. A nighthawk should be able to fit most anybody.

[Clay Dowling]

Well, if you’re serious about the weight loss, I’d recommend something with pedals rather than foot pegs. My bicycle is my reward and my de-stressing toy. Iron Horse makes an affordable, decent quality bike at $150 or so. And I never worry about looking silly on it, even when I rode my daughter’s junior sized bike 20 miles to the next town, and 20 miles back.

But for the motorcycle, take the class, see how you like it. If it’s cool, go sit something like the Vulcan 500, which has a wider looking body and in general is a very nice looking bike. If I’d been in the market for a new bike when I went into the dealership, there’s a very good chance that I would have come away with that bike.

[Clay Dowling]

I wasn’t aware that I wasn’t supposed to be able to do this. It’s what they taught in the MSF classes.

[Clay Dowling]

You should really be in full leathers. And probably on a track, although maybe you have roads by you that justify it.

[Clay Dowling]

I’ve got three I rotate between, and I’ve got to say I really love getting around on two wheels. Wish I could get my wife to share that joy, but her idea of a nice ride is a kilometer – once around the subdivision.

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