Bottoms Up!

The sun is out, the bike's are out of their winter storage... The new Riding Season has begun!!

The Biker Life is usually depicted in movies and television series as "Ride. Drink. Party. Repeat." And honestly, that's not too far from the truth. 

After all, one of the main reasons why we ride motorcycles to begin with: the Freedom it gives us as we fly along. That feeling that you can do anything!! The community, the family, and the freedom all rolled into one passion that bonds us together. A life on two-wheels.

So, when we get off the bike, we want to keep that feeling and the fun going. Most feel that a beer or two while on your lunch break, with your cheeseburger and fries, is ok... it's no big deal to then get back on the bike and finish the rest of the ride. More than a few times I've even heard the old joke, "You can't get better at drinking and riding without practice!" 

I myself have pushed the envelope more than once in this area. My reasoning was that I probably wasn't 'legally' intoxicated (which in NY means having a blood alcohol level (BAC) of .08% or higher), so I was fine to ride or drive. 

I was sh*ttin' kittens folks!! Hands at 10 & 2, 

cruise control set at 55... the Whole. Way. Home.

And there was the last time I went to dinner with friends and drank A LOT of rum & cokes. I guessed I probably was over the legal limit, but I wasn't really that drunk... so I drove home anyways (my truck, not riding my bike -another calculation in my poor perception)... 

That was before I knew what I know now:

• Alcohol affects a Rider's ability to "SEE" -the acronym we learned in our basic rider's course to Search ahead for potential hazards, Evaluate how much of a threat that hazard is, and Execute an action to avoid the hazard that could possible injure us.
• Even with a BAC of 0.01%-0.04% your reaction time is slowed. And having a BAC of 0.05% increases your chance of getting in an accident by a factor of forty... Whoops!! Remember the scenario I started this blog off with? I'm drinking and riding with a group of friends... now the danger far outweighs any reward.
• That New York State Law voids your PIP (Personal Injury Protection/no-fault) when you're driving your car while intoxicated and get in an accident. So any medical coverage is coming from your medical insurance... How much is your ER co-pay??

Of course, if you've been to any of the NNY H.O.G. Chapter's Annual Motorcycle Insurance Check-Ups (held every April at FX Caprara Harley-Davidson), you know that Motorcyclists do not fall under the no-fault rule while riding, and motorcycle insurance does not provide PIP coverage. You can get medical payments coverage, and when that runs out your medical insurance may pick up the balance... but again, how much is your co-pay??

What it all boils down to:

How much are you willing to risk?

"Oh, I know myself. I know how to handle a bike (or drive a car) - I've been doing it most of my life!" you say to yourself. "I know how much is 'too much' - I've got good judgement. I 'drank responsibly' as they've asked me to." 

But here's the thing: Yes, when you're sober, you have good judgement. But add alcohol to the mix and your judgement becomes impaired. You are less critical of your own actions. So your so-called good judgment is now bad judgement, and you're no longer in a place to make that judgement call.

Remember the time I knew I was legally intoxicated but choose to drive home anyways? Yeah... between Watertown and Natural Bridge (25 miles) I had either a Watertown Police Officer, a Jefferson County Sheriff or a NY State Trooper, right behind me for 23 of those 25 miles. I was sh*ttin' kittens the entire time folks!! Hands at 10 & 2, cruise control set at 55... the Whole. Way. Home. I was praying to who ever was listening, "If I can just get home safe I promise I'll never do this again!!"

I didn't want to have to pay one of those "DUI Guys" a large sum of money I didn't have in the first place. I didn't have the money for increased insurance payments. I didn't have the time off of work to appear in court, or to get counseling, or to go to jail. I didn't want to really be behind bars!!

Luckily for me I didn't get pulled over that night. My prayers were answered and I've kept my promise. 

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying you can't have any alcohol (or other things to get you impaired...). Drink up me hearties, yo-ho!! Drink to your heart's content. Drink till the cows come home. [Insert medical warning here.]

I've got DNA proof I'm Irish, so you can believe me when I say I enjoy my fair share of drinks. It's just that now I only drink at home when my bike (or car) is parked for the night. Or, when I'm out & about, I have a plan to get back safe -Uber, Lyft, Taxi or the Designated Driver. 

Please, enjoy your libations my Biker Family and non-riding friends alike! If that's your thing, then by all means, party-hearty. AND have a plan to get home safely and/or stay home.

○Slainté

8 Things Every New (or Nervous) Rider Should Know

Between Chad, Dan, Dennis and myself at FX Caprara Harley-Davidson, we have about 100 years of motorcycling experience. We're not saying this to toot our own horn... just so that you know that we've been there and done that -probably more than once.

L to R: Chad, Me & Dan

So, in case you're thinking we were all just "born to be Bikers," with the knowledge somehow transplanted into our brains, I'm here to tell you we weren't. We were beginner riders too.
On that note, we thought we'd share with you some advice we wish someone had told us (or maybe they did and now we wish we hadn't ignored it) as we first started out.

Shades of Grey: My Old Bike & Dennis' Street Glide

1. Read your Owner's Manual. Twice.

Even if you grew up around and already know everything about bikes, this is still good advice. Your owner's manual explains everything about your bike- from ABS and setting cruise control (if equipped) to setting the time. 

It'll explain how to put your bike that has factory security into 'Travel Mode' so you don't drain your bike's battery while trailering it to Daytona Bike Week. 

{3 Things Every Harley Owner should be doing for their Bike}

Tip- keep the manual in your bathroom so you have something to read during your 'alone' time.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice

Again, this is good advice for the seasoned Biker after a long winter's break. Go out to a large, empty parking lot (the local high school on the weekend is my fav) and practice cornering, counter-balance, emergency braking, etc. 

3. Spend the Money and Get Good Gear

Clothes make the Man, and good Riding Gear makes a good Biker. Spending $400+ on a good Leather Riding Jacket after you just dropped $7K or more on a Motorcycle might seem costly now, but it will come in very handy later! 

Having the right gear while Riding will help keep you warm when it's cold and cool when it's hot, which will help to keep you safe. Because when you're thinking that you're going to freeze to death if you go another mile, you're not thinking about what you're doing on the bike. And Riding a Motorcycle takes your full concentration. 

4. Smash Bugs, Wash, Repeat

Maybe because your bike is smaller than a car is why it will accumulate more bugs... or maybe because you tend to take the long way home through the back roads. No matter the reason, you'll want to clean your bike of said bugs often. 

The bug guts can do a job on your paint, and if left to sit too long, will start to eat away. No big deal... until you want to trade or sell your bike. 

{Learn How to Wash Your Bike}

Besides, by washing your bike you'll get to know it better. And the old saying is true: the better you take care of your bike, the better it will take care of you.

5. Know You're Really Fully Covered

As a motorcyclist you are required by law to carry insurance. So, if you've got the required insurance, are you fully covered? 

The question you need to ask & then find the answer to is, "Who is that insurance designed to protect?"

In New York, we are required to carry liability motorcycle insurance. Those minimum coverage limits per accident are $25K bodily injury per person, $50K if there are multiple people, $50K for death per person, $100K if there are multiple deaths, and $10K for property damage.

But that's only if you are found to be at fault for causing the accident. What happens if the driver who hit you is found to be responsible? It's true that NY is a 'no-fault' state, but that's only if you're in your car -the no-fault rule does not apply to Bikers.

From our friend, Attorney Ben Rabin: "Because bikers face unique laws in New York State (laws that are NOT in the biker's favor)... You need to make sure you have enough insurance to cover yourself in the event of an accident. Don't rely on the other guys insurance, because it might not be enough."

You'll want to check into spousal coverage (if you're married and your spouse rides with you on your bike), medical payments to cover medical expenses that occur as a result of an accident, and -the biggy- supplemental under-insured/uninsured coverage.

Last, go and talk to a licensed insurance agent or broker, rather than just buying your insurance online -you won't be charged any more on your policy, the cost is the same!! Ben recommends talking to a broker because they'll represent several insurance companies, meaning they'll be working for you. Ask about the above coverages, find out for yourself. 

6. Be Social

You got your bike to ride & have fun. And when you join a riding group, club or association, you get to share all that fun with people who share your same passion- and the happiness you'll get is multiplied by 100. Because there's nothing stronger than the bond of the open road.

Allow me to introduce the Harley Owners Group and our local NNY H.O.G. Chapter. They're the ones who want to go farther, laugh louder, ride bigger, and have more fun.

And by being a H.O.G. Member, you get a sh*t ton of extras that no other club has: mileage recognition, pins & patches, touring handbook, H.O.G. Roadside Assistance, HOG Magazine & Insider, rallies, events and more. Plus there's discounts with AT&T, Best Western Hotels, and motorcycle shipping with Federal Motorcycle Transport.

We get together to crank maximum adventure out of life on two wheels. Then we ride our separate ways. When you're a member of the Harley Owners Group, even when you're riding solo, you're never riding alone. The sun never sets on our rumbling motorcycles. We're the worldwide, independent nation of H.O.G.

7. Increase your odds of survival - a word about alcohol

Reasonable Risk: you've taken the Basic Riders Course and understand how to control your motorcycle. Knowing what you know, it's a reasonable risk for you to ride your bike down a city street. 

Given your knowledge base, you're most likely not going to get on a 250-horsepower motorcycle, go as fast as you can into turn one of a race track, leaning the bike so far over your knee is just inches from the pavement. 

Why not? Racers do it every weekend! 

Because that's an unacceptable risk for you- you're not a professional in that field. 

So, when it comes to 'Reasonable Risk' while out riding with friends and one of the stops is at the favorite Bar & Grill, most figure having a beer with a burger is somewhat safe.... 

It's not and here's why:

• Lots like to blame 'cagers' for crashing into Bikers, but the reality is most of the fatal motorcycle accidents don't involve a car at all. 
• Bikers who are fatally injured in an accident are more likely to be intoxicated than the driver of a car or pick-up truck.
• Experienced Bikers were tested at different levels of intoxication, going through drills on a MSF course. In some cases, the Bikers showed reduced performance with a BAC of just 0.05% -still within the 'legal' limit.
• You have the good judgement needed to know when drinking is starting to impairs affect your ability to ride... but drinking also impairs your judgement. So if your judgement is off how can you make an accurate call as to your riding ability?

I'm not saying not to drink! I've got DNA proof I'm Irish- so you know I enjoy drinking, either with friends or alone (I'm not that picky...). You should have seen the mess I was the morning after this picture was taken!!

Yes, I was quite drunk here, on a ride with my girlfriends, heading out to Maine. BUT this pic was taken after our kickstands were down for the night.

The same goes for Riding and Marijuana use. It's quite easy for you to increase your odds of survival- don't drive or ride while under the influence.

8. Be Bold - or, at least, don't be fearful

Being a beginner Biker doesn't mean you have to stick to the roads you know. Take the road unknown and see where it leads...

So what if you have to do a U-turn? Or you don't know exactly where you are? If you've got enough gas to get you to the next gas station, then you're not all that lost. 

I've often come across the best views, roads and adventures by taking a new road that I didn't know. I guess Robert Frost got it right.