States Without Helmet Laws – Are There More Deaths?

When the federal government started withholding money to states that did not have mandatory helmet laws, helmet laws started popping up all over the country.

Since the government has now decided not to withhold money, many of the helmet laws have been dropped down a few levels, or have been totally and completely repealed. For instance, some states require that the helmet be worn for only the first year of the new license. Other states require you to provide proof of health insurance when riding without a helmet.

As helmet laws have had the teeth removed from them, it is a statistical fact that motorcycle deaths have gone up. As we all know, motorcycles are in form, a more dangerous vehicle to drive. They are smaller than cars so they are hard to see. They are on two wheels, so require balance under any and all conditions. You're surrounded by oblivious idiots in cages. You have nothing to protect you from the dangers of the road except for the protective gear you decide to wear.

Here is where the ‘it can’t happen to me’ mentality that the human race is famous for takes a bad turn. The thing is, it can and very well might happen to you and if you haven’t taken the protection of your body seriously, it may never happen to you again.

What To Look For In Cold Weather Motorcycle Apparel

Motorcycles aren't just for the summer, but if you've ever ridden your motorcycle in cold weather, you're probably aware of how important cold weather gear is.

If your body is uncomfortably cold while riding, it will tend to distract your attention from the road. Cold weather riding can put you in a position of grave danger not only because your cold muscles will respond slower than normal, but because your cold head will think slower. Put those two things together and you are asking for a possible bad situation.

As far as your helmet goes, a full face helmet is going to protect your face much more from the cold than just a half helmet. If you ride while wearing a half helmet, you should think about investing in a full-face helmet as well. If it's really cold out and the full face helmet isn’t enough, you can put something like a ‘watch cap’ on beneath it to hold in your heat.

Well insulated but still pliable gloves are a must. The insulation will keep your fingers warmer and more responsive and pliability guarantees free movement.

Your jacket will not only need to act as an insulator, it will also need to act as a wind breaker. One that will snap up around your neck (should you need it) is also a big plus. You can accomplish all of this by having an all inclusive jacket, or you can wear layers of clothes. This will give you the option of removing layers should weather conditions dictate it.

Your pants and your boots will also need to have insulating qualities as numb extremities will not respond as well and will also affect your comfort level. Riding while your feet are getting frostbitten sucks, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
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If You’re Considering Customizing Your Chopper, Know The Cost

I love my car. However, I will be honest. There are a few things about it that I wish I could change about it. But, the good things definitely outweigh what is bad about it so I made the purchase. For the most part, I think everyone probably has things they do not like about their car – small little details they would change. However, cars are not made custom – things come standard, because it is more cost effective that way.

Ironically for a lot of motorcycle owners it has become increasingly popular to customize their vehicles. They want the best looking chopper on the road. If you have a motorcycle and feel the same way, than it is important to know up front how much it will cost to customize your chopper.

The good thing about customizing a motorcycle is that you can do it in a variety of ways. If you wanted to just add a few parts to your vehicle, this would make your chopper look new and unique and it would not be as costly. However, if you decided to buy a custom chopper from a professional, it could cost you around $35,000. Alternatively, the build it yourself kits usually cost around $12,000 upfront. If you want to cut costs, you may prefer to get an old bike and start making adjustments step by step so it is not as expensive initially.

How To Get A Custom Chopper

Do you own a motorcycle? If not, have you ever driven one? The great thing about choppers is, when you are driving them on the road, it feels like you are flying. Your adrenaline starts pumping and you feel a rush like no other. However, all those feelings come crashing down when another guy with the exact same bike comes riding right next to you.

This problem can be easily fixed with a custom chopper. The idea of a custom motorcycle is great – a bike like no other, completely customized to your wants and needs. How do you get one?

There are a couple different options to get your very own custom chopper. First, there is always the option of building it. This is a great option if you are very hands on and good at following directions, because there are a lot of great guides out there that will show you exactly how to do it. Also, you can probably take a course at your local community college to learn more about building your own chopper.

If you don’t want to invest the time in this or you know that you are not skilled at following directions, than you can always call on a professional builder. They produce amazing bikes. You just have to go through an ordering process with them and wait for your bike to arrive. Pick whatever option works for you and have fun riding!

Otherwise, find yourself a bike that touches your soul while browsing around on the internet. Chopperfanatic here has a nice little section that shows you choppers for sale that'll work for all budgets - large and small. Go check it out now and see what's out there.

How To Find A Great Motorcycle Dealership

When you go riding every weekend with your motorcycle buddies do you feel like your current ride isn't good enough? Maybe your bike doesn't stand out like you want it to, and you're lost in a sea of look-alike motorcycles? Maybe you're thinking that the time has come for an upgrade?

While completely custom choppers will obviously stand out, even the choppers from the larger manufacturers stand out from the rest of the cruisers or sport bikes out there. If it's been a while since you've been in the market for a new ride, read on.

Big Boy Toys Cost Big Boy Bucks

As you know, getting a new chopper can be a sizable investment. You're going to drop some money into your new ride, either all up front or piece-by-piece as you go. You have probably been riding your current bike for a while now, so you may or may not have been looking around at the local dealers. I'll tell you right now, though - one of the most important things you can do to help you with the whole motorcycle-buying process is choosing the right shop to buy the bike from.

You want a shop that you can trust to help you pick the perfect bike for you. Also, you want a shop that is going to charge you a decent price. And, most importantly, you want a shop with a great selection of choppers and cruisers to choose from.

First off, be sure to ask your friends or other riders you see out on the road for suggestions. They will be able to tell you where they had good experiences.

Shop Around For Dealers As Well As For The Motorcycle Itself

Where do you go to look? The first thing to keep in mind is the importance of shopping around. Regardless of where you live, there is more than one motorcycle dealership out there and there are usually many more. Check into each of them. Walk in, see how friendly the salespeople are. Talk with some of the other customers and see how they feel about their experience. If you're not completely comfortable, walk out. You're the guy with the cash, after all.

Use The Internet To Find The Right Bike For You

If you're smart, you'll use the internet to research motorcycle prices. You can use this research to send bike price quote requests via e-mail to motorcycle dealerships within a reasonable distance and possibly score yourself a deal.

Once you have either cash or financing on hand, get a list of all the motorcycle dealerships within a reasonable radius - I usually go with dealerships within about a 500 mile radius.

Once you have the list, work it a bit and, by visiting the dealership websites, get a working e-mail address for each of the dealerships. E-mail the right people at the dealership to get a line of communication going. You probably want their Internet sales manager, or their general sales manager, or both. Send out an e-mail to each dealership's sales managers asking them if they'd like to make a deal ASAP. The dealerships that respond will be the ones you'll focus on.

Don't be stupid, don't be greedy. Dealerships aren't in the business of giving bikes away, and you'll be cutting your own foot off and get nowhere if you make outrageous demands.

The best way I've found to get a good deal is to say in your follow-up e-mail that you have no problem paying MSRP (or a little lower) on the bike itself, but you were wondering what else the motorcycle dealership could throw in on the deal. Make sure the e-mail states that you're talking to other dealerships - and name them. This puts the ball in the dealership's court and, hopefully, they'll come back with a decent bargain for you. It's not uncommon to get an extended warranty, free services, a good amount of credit on a gift card or even an expensive accessory or two like pipes or seats to be thrown in to get you to jump on a deal.

It may take a little effort to find the right shop, but when you count the cash you've saved with a little research, you will be glad that you spent the time.