Forum Replies Created
The “Five to Survive” Rule & Why You Should Use It
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Sean_DParticipant
… I returned a helmet after taking the sticker off. I just stuck it back on. Heck, they were taking them off in the store to allow me to try various helmets on and then slapping the stickers back on. So, you have to figure, if they do it in the store they can’t argue someone else doing it right?
But of course one stores practices may vary from another, but it definitely worth asking about. The policy at the store I purchased from is “as long as you don’t wear it out on the road.” Asking how they could tell if it was worn on the road, they said from minor scratches and pitting from road debris. I am thinking you have to wear it on the road from more than one test drive for them to really see any signs of that. But in any case I never wore it more than around the house before returning it.
Sean_DParticipant.. another Cruiser set under 1000cc and 600lbs would be the Triumph America and Speedmaster. These have an 865cc engine and a wet weight of 550lbs. Right about that of the 883.
Suzuki Boulevard S50 (805cc), I believe runs around 540lbs
The SV 650 seems like a nice bike, but didn’t they cease production of those in 2008? I may be wrong about that.
What about the Suzuki Gladius? Thats a 650cc weighing in at around 500lbs. I really know nothing about these.
I would agree with TrialsRider about expanding horizons. My wife has a V-Star 650, and she likes it just fine. But she doesn’t find it a particularly fun bike to ride. She did test drive an America today and enjoyed that a lot, but she really likes my Bonneville, and takes it out every chance she gets. She has been looking at some other options as well, keeping an open mind to styles and brands. She would really like a Tiger or Suzuki Bandit … but thats down the road
Sean_DParticipant“Thankfully with auto insurance, this does not seem to complicate life nearly as much as with health insurance. “
Sean_DParticipant.. as obviously I didn’t understand some of the terms of coverage as well as I thought. So I will quote this description in its entirety. If it is wrong someone can take it up with the author. I am definitely NOT an insurance agent, nor do I play one on either TV or forums.
“Author: Jake Sapio
Original Publication Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2005Most people don’t fully understand their car insurance and exactly the way it works. Car insurance is tied to the vehicle not the owner. Even though the rate is partly based on the usual and customary driver of the vehicle, the coverage follows the car.
For example, if you loan your car to a friend (anyone with permission), and they get into and accident, your insurance will pay the claim, not theirs. This is very important to remember for one main reason: the premium. Insurance companies raise your rates after an at fault accident. If your friend who borrowed your car is at fault in the accident mentioned above, your insurance will go up and could be in jeopardy of being canceled. You’re stuck with the increase in premium as well as any deductible applicable to your policy.
If someone uses your car without permission it’s a different story; then you would not be liable for the damage. For example if your car was stolen and involved in an accident, you would not be liable.
Be very careful of who you lend your car to as there can be serious circumstances that arise. If the person borrowing your car does not have his or her own insurance, be more careful. If he/she is involved in an accident and the claim exceeds your coverage, since he/she does not have a policy to go after, the injured party could come after you and your assets.
Don’t lend out your car or be extremely careful when doing so. You could be exposing yourself unnecessarily.”
Another person claiming to be an insurance adjuster answered that very same question with more of an “it depends” type of answer. So maybe it is best to check with your own company. The answer this person provided was…
“I am an auto insurance adjuster and the quickest answer to your question is – “it depends on the Owner of the vehicle’s policy language”. Most auto insurance policies WILL in fact cover ANY driver of the insured vehicle, UNLESS that driver has been previously excluded from the policy or UNLESS the driver has STOLEN the vehicle. This would have to be proved with a copy of a theft report filed by the owner. Now, most of the time this is the case – but NOT in all states, and NOT on all policies. I urge you to call your agent BEFORE you drive a friend’s car or BEFORE you let a friend drive yours.”
– Sean
Sean_DParticipant… but I think you are misquoting or misunderstanding a few things yourself.
First of all I *don’t* have insurance with AMA and never said that I did. I have insurance with Progressive.
Second. I fully understand that an auto policy and motorcycle policy are two different policies, but my wife and I were able to get discounts for having multiple policies (10%). My suggestion was that if her father was willing to be part owner and insurer of the bike that she might be able to get a discount by doing the same. Something she assured me that her father would *not* be interested in doing
We could argue about whether State Farm is the best (or not.) We have had many problems with State Farm in the past both on a personal and a business level. This isn’t the forum for a debate on the merits of various insurance companies, so I won’t expand on this any further. It is now water under the bridge. I wasn’t trying to promote or discourage any particular insurance company, nor do I want to offer subjective best/worst ratings. Rather, the suggestion to check out AMA, was an effort to help the OP find better coverage than her original quote within a limited budget. I have no personal experience whatsoever with Dairyland Cycle Insurance through AMA, so I won’t offer any advice beyond what I did.
I honestly do appreciate you taking the time to provide clarification of the coverages. I am sure it was explained *far* better to me at the time of setting up the policy than what I relayed, but in the course of our busy lives, time has a way of clouding the details no matter how clearly they were explained.
Thanks!
Sean_DParticipant… but cwa0513 clearly knows more about specifics of coverage than I do, so I am sure could give you a better answer. But I believe insurance also follows the car, not the driver. By that, meaning that if you lend your car to a friend, co-worker, etc. and they get into an accident it is *your* insurance that will pay the claim, not theirs. So, it will be your premiums etc. that will go up, and your assets which will be attached if the damage exceeds the claim.
I am sure cwa0513 can clarify that, but that is my understanding of what is meant by insurance following the vehicle, not the driver. I am also not sure where you would stand in the case of an unlicensed driver borrowing your car and being involved in an accident.
Also, I am not sure how insurance works when test driving bikes, perhaps cwa0513 could clarify that as well. I know whenever I have gone for a test drive they make a copy of my insurance card and write down the policy number and contact number etc. In cases such as a test drive, does the insurance follow the rider and not the bike? Or is this only in the event that claims exceed those covered by the dealers insurance so that they can go after your insurance beyond that?
Sean_DParticipantSounds like you are on your way! Do they only stamp your license where you are from? I had to get mine replaced. They give you a temporary paper in the meantime. But in Colorado they send you a replacement license with a motorcycle endorsement M on it.
Sean_DParticipantSean_DParticipantThe glasses tend to fog up on me quite a bit. Particularly regular or prescription sunglasses. I have tried about 4 or 5 anti-fog products, mostly with mixed results. Clarity Defog it seems to work the best of the products I have tried, but that isn’t saying a whole lot.
I have found the best solution is using one of the air masks. Some helmets come with them made specifically for the helmet, others you can order a 3rd party version. These come up over your nose and keep the warm breath from going underneath the glasses. I have found this to be far more effective than any of the anti-fog sprays/lotions/waxes I have tried. They don’t look bad either, kind of a fighter pilot look.
The Respro Foggy Mask is among the better 3rd party ones.
http://www.respro.com/products/urban-commuting/motorcycling/foggy_mask/As helmet fit goes, there is plenty of info on the net aside from the two videos I posted earlier. You can definitely brush up on proper fit and what to look for on your own, regardless of what the sales folks may or may not know.
Sean_DParticipant… There are some dealers who still have stock of ’09’s they are just dying to get rid of. Sometimes the price difference between a new and used bike can be minimal. That said there are some mint condition, low mileage used bikes out there that you wouldn’t know from new without checking the odometer. Sometimes these can be picked up for a fraction of the new cost as your example clearly shows. Sometimes they will even include some expensive upgrades and mods for the lower price.
Sean_DParticipant… “hates how you have to lean” that he may be referring to the more lean forward, tucked-in position riding position compared to a cruiser, standard, etc. At least that is how I took it after the initial read. Having injured my back I am not a fan of it myself, nor the cafe bikes., which have a similar riding position, so I don’t get his argument there if that is what he means. I find them uncomfortable after about 30 minutes, but that is one of those personal choice arguments with no right or wrong answer.
As far as the term “crotch rocket,” every one of my friends (male and female) who own one refer to them as that. So I won’t touch that one
Sean_DParticipant… and not just for a few minutes in the store. The first helmet I purchased felt really good in the store. A little too good it turned out. As it packed out it became far to loose. Now I can grab it and twist it a bit sideways while it is on my head. Further than it should be able to go.
When I went shopping for a new helmet I did things a little differently. Most places have a return on helmets as long as they aren’t worn out on the street. I picked a helmet and wore it around the store for awhile. Looked at the stuff they had in the store, made a couple of phone calls (yeah you can do that with the visor up), and made sure it felt pretty good in the store.
Once I got it home I figured I often take rides of at least a couple of hours. So when I got home with the helmet I had chosen ( a Scorpion model), I wore it for a couple of hours while doing some work on my computer. Good thing that I did. The helmet, which felt great even for 30 minutes in the store began to become uncomfortable when worn longer. It started developing hotspots. Taking it off revealed it had left impressions of the stitching from a seam in the liner which went through the middle of the forehead. Deep red spot which felt bruised for quite a while afterwards. That will never pack out and become more comfortable. Definitely the wrong shaped helmet for me.
I took that one back. Tried on a couple more in the store (HJC and Shark), which had had that familiar “a little too comfortable” feel of my original helmet.
I eventually tried on a Shoei. It felt very snug, particularly in the cheeks, but not uncomfortably so. Did the same as before, wore it around the store for 30 minutes or so. Took it home and wore it a couple of hours. It never became uncomfortable like the Scorpion. Repeated that the next day for an even longer trial. Still no hotspots. So decided to take it out on the road.
They cheeks were very firm at first, I felt like I could barely swallow without biting a little cheek, but they have packed out very nicely. The helmet has taken on a very snug, yet reassuring comfortable feel to it. Fits like a glove.
There are 5 different basic shaped helmets out there (round, earth, oval, egg, reverse egg), and probably half a dozen variations on those. Helmet companies also use a number of different shell sizes to incorporate the numerous head sizes. So purchasing a helmet is not near as easy as it would sound based solely on your head measurements. It is kind of like shoes. Different brands and style fit differently regardless of size. If you are a skier and have ever tried on ski boots, you will particularly know what I mean. The hard shells only come in so many sizes and are fitted with the foam inserts.
I know that is a bit of a ramble, but the moral of the story is try them on and *keep* them for awhile. Don’t make your purchased based on brand, graphics or price so much as fit. An ill fitting helmet that looks cool will probably just cost you more money a few months down the road as mine did and may not protect you as it should.
Here is a little video guide..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXDes3AQvP4
Sean_DParticipant… unless they have leather trim (which one of my jackets does around the cuffs, neck and belt on a 3/4) you can take out the armor and machine wash them just fine. I have machine washed textile jackets and pants on gentle cycle and hung them to dry. I use a textile wash rather than a standard detergent such as Revit Textile Wash..
http://www.rev-it.co.uk/item3792.htm
Holmenkol Textile Wash
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/175/hmk22/holmenkol-textile-wash.htmlor similar product
Sean_DParticipant.. though it seems they can (and often do) offer $25 or $30 discounts. So most folks here pay $220 to $225.
Sean_DParticipant.. if he has other cars insured with them as well. So it likely isn’t to expensive. I don’t know if he can (or would want to) add the motorcycle on to that policy. That could lower the price, but if your looking to do it on your own that might not be the best option.
I have been to a few of the dealerships around my house and the ones I have been to have flyers at the dealerships from insurance agents. They advertise special deals for customers of that dealership. I have never called them, so I don’t know how the rates compare. I am guessing they probably have deals worked out with the dealership to provide discounted labor rates for their insurance so that they can offer lower prices.
If the quote from AMA was way cheaper, and they have a local office in town, that may be a good way for you to go. I checked their rating and it is rated A+ (Superior) with AM Best (an independent rating), so it doesn’t sound like it would be a bad deal for your. If you save enough the $39 is a small price to pay for the membership. Never know when you may need the roadside too.
It is nice to think you will never need your insurance. But the reality is at some point you probably will. My wife and I were rear ended last Christmas Eve. The driver who hit us was underinsured and it didn’t cover all of the extensive damage to her car. It pays to have good coverage.
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