[Sean_D]

… play around with the numbers. Some of those coverages can be expensive to increase, others are pretty cheap. It doesn’t hurt to call them and tell them what you can afford and have them put together the best prices for you. That is kind of what that Progressive “Name Your Own Price” thing is about, but other companies should do the same for you. Tell them what budget you have to work with.

I think some companies offer better deals in some States than others too. Like Progressive may be cheaper in Colorado than Gieco, but the opposite may be true in Florida. So definitely worth the effort of shopping around.

You may also want to check with the dealership you are thinking about buying from. A lot of the dealerships here have special pricing they have worked out with the dealers based on the bikes they carry. It is a deal that one particular agent may have been willing to put together that might differ from the national price.

Do some research and find out if you get a discount on your insurance for passing the BRC/MSF/Riders Edge type courses. My wife and I got discounts for taking the class.

Also, the American Motorcycle Association is worth considering. Membership prices start at $39 and they claim you can save up to 50% on Motorcycle Insurance. They also offer benefits like roadside assistance, medical insurance, discounts from some vendors like Garmin.
http://www.ama-cycle.org/

[Sean_D]

If you are involved in an accident the “per person” limits cover you and anyone one else who’s injuries or death *you* may be responsible for. That involves occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians etc. It also provides a legal defense if another party involved in an accident files a lawsuit against you. These can be from medical bills, pain and suffering, loss of income etc.

Generally a good rule of thumb is to carry enough insurance to cover any judgement against you without jeopardizing your personal assets such as such as vehicles, home, etc.

You mention your parents, so I assume you don’t own a home. But, being a High School student you may be considered your parents responsibility in the event of an accident and it may be possible that someone could go after your parents assets in a judgement. You may want to look into that and if this is the case you will want to carry enough insurance to cover your parents assets, not just your own.

Uninsured/Underinsured covers you, the uninsured members of your household and passengers on your bike. If you *do* opt to not have this coverage just don’t ever bow to peer pressure and allow anyone else to ride your bike or allow any passengers. This also covers YOU should a driver who has insufficient or NO insurance hit you. I don’t know about where you live, but we have a *lot* of drivers (some illegal) who carry insufficient or no insurance. You may want to think twice about not having this coverage. People driving with a suspended license for DUI is another good example of the uninsured/underinsured category.

The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), recommends coverage of at least 100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident.

For my own insurance I have $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident.
My Property damage is $100,000
Uninsured/Underinsured $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident.
Medical Payment $5,000 each person

I would much rather be over insured than underinsured if the worst were to ever happen. It may seem expensive at the time, but the last thing you want is someone going after your home etc.

[Sean_D]

… I was very sure it was an April Fools joke, but it had potential in some sort of weird Motorcycles meets Deliverance kind of way

in reply to: NEW RIDER!! need help #25358

[Sean_D]

… thought I am very sure it is just an April Fools joke. The writeup for the movie Clutch and Chrome (supposedly starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt) says…

“We’re hoping this movie can show the intense rivalry between those who ride cruisers and sportsbikes”

and..

“The public seems to think it’s the big guys with the dirty leathers riding the chromed cruisers who are the tough guys on the road,” he says, “when in reality it’s the guy on the Ducati that rules the roost. I mean think about it, have you ever seen a Harley rider mess with the Mohawk on a sportsbike rider’s helmet?”

http://www.clutchandchrome.com/news/news/biggest-motorcycle-movie-ever-made-goes-into-production

[Sean_D]

… Winds today gusted up to 54Mph in Douglas County, CO today. Strong enough to be gale force, but not sustained like a gale. Still… difficult enough for a new rider for sure. Bunch of dust devils and so on to boot. Not sure if they got higher in other parts of Denver. A friend of my wife had the soft top ripped off her jeep on I-25 while she was driving. That gets the heart pumping a little LOL. I know the easy response is “don’t ride when it is that windy,” but honestly, there was at most a light breeze right up until about noon when it started gusting and then kind of off and on for the next few hours.

[Sean_D]

on a Fuji D-6 Time Trial Racing Bike for toddler because he might outgrow a Big Wheel

BTW is that available for reading online? Or only in print?

[Sean_D]

… who were displeased that many cheaper helmets outperformed their more expensive ones in SHARP tests.

That is a long article I linked to with a lot of minutia, but it does mention how ECE only tests the left or the right side of the helmet while SHARP tests both, ECE doesn’t allow the free fall at the end of the drop, SHARP does testing at both higher and lower velocity than ECE and SHARP also includes testing on flip front helmet lock failure on modulars.

They don’t carry out an enhanced chin bar test other than what was already part of ECE 22.05. They also don’t include it as a result as it isn’t part of the COST 327 report it is based on. But I believe the ECE 22.05 test is carried out despite that. I could be wrong on this.

But like you, I do love the star system. I think it is a more accurate measure of tested performance than a simple pass/fail result.

[Sean_D]

… the SHARP Safety scheme is said to be a more stringent test than ECE 22.05 and a better testing methodology than Snell.

http://tinyurl.com/ydz2g5g

Covering the bases I suppose, my helmet fits very well, is DOT approved, Snell 2010 approved, and has a 5 Star SHARP rating.

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/

[Sean_D]

.. it looks like a great time. I am hoping to make it to Chicago from Denver. I just don’t know this far out if I can schedule enough time to make the trip.

[Sean_D]

“Vintage, Sportbike and Brand specific Rallies are a blast, they give you the opportunity to meet others with a common interest, but limit your commitment of regular time and financial involvement. “

I am definitely planning to get out to Chicago for the Mods vs Rockers 2010 event if there is any way possible for me schedule that. Particularly since photography is one of my hobbies. I would *love* the opportunity to photograph these vintage bikes and scooters. Especially since a lot of folks seem to dress the parts. Should be a blast.

[Sean_D]

… but there are some non-club riding groups around town, through Meetup and some other sources.

I haven’t really looked into the clubs and not really sure I wan’t to. If anything I might be more interested in an RC rather than a MC. I am sure that MC’s are great for a lot of folks, but I think I had my fill of pledge/prospect stuff in college. I might participate in some of the group RAT rides this summer though.

[Sean_D]

.. I am just suggesting that spending some time in the seats and finding a bike that fits comfortably with minimal adjustments can often be a better and less expensive start for a new rider rather than changing this, that and the other thing and maybe still not finding a fit you like. I know everyone is built differently and has different preferences. The V-Star 650 probably works fine for many people, but IMHO if I have to make that many changes and spend money on add ons and mods to be comfortable on a bike, I figure there are probably better choices out there for me. My wife loves hers and it works great for her, so that is all that really matters as far as that bike goes

[Sean_D]

.. My wife has a V-Star 650. I am 6’2″ 230ish and I feel insanely cramped when trying to ride her V-Star 650. To the point where it really bothers the heck out of my hips and knees. I just can’t ride it for any length of time. I find the seat height low and the riding position uncomfortable for my height.

You should really spend some time going around looking at bikes and spending some time in the seat and I mean more than just 5 minutes. I thought her bike felt comfortable when I sat on it at the dealership, but after taking it for a ride after she got it home, all I can say is I am glad it is her bike and not mine. It does well for her, but she is 5″8. I think that 5-6″ can make a big difference in long term comfort.

[Sean_D]

… but I have found the best solution for me on my RF-1100 is the pinlock system. I have the clear, light and dark tinted inserts. I pop in the one i think I will most likely need, but it is easy enough to take it out or change it if I get caught out later than expected or the weather takes a turn better or worse.

I was thinking about a mirror visor myself until a friend talked me out of it. He had me try on his helmet and man did it look bad.

It still looked fine from the outside, but from the inside it looked terrible. They scratch ridiculously easy as Ixecapade mentions, and once they do the scattering of light and dark from where the finish is scratches is really annoying and distracting.

[Sean_D]

Assuming that when the dealership tells you that your bike is warmed up and ready to go they did more than just start it up, run it for 30 seconds and shut it down with the choke still out. Started the bike back up, left the dealer, got a mile or so down the road and came to a traffic light. Noticed the idle was *way* high. Ooops.

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