Saving Money on Insurance: Now vs. Later (Getting Real Serious Now - Part II)

"Get a quote in just 15 minutes or less."
"Save up to 50% with Motorcycle Insurance discounts..."
"Cheap Rates as low as $9 a month."

That's just the first three descriptions that came up when I googled "motorcycle insurance." Save, save, save. Save money now, and quickly too. Why would they want to do that?

Left: Tooter's Street Glide after the accident. Right: Tooter with Adam of #ScootinAmerica

"The NY State Trooper who responded to her accident showed up at the hospital and gave her a ticket for failing to signal!"

In Part I we talked about how states determine what class vehicle your motorcycle fits in. In New York motorcycles are considered recreational vehicles because we use them about six months out of the year. And because of that, motorcycle insurance is very different than auto insurance - what you're covered for in your car isn't automatically covered on your bike.

(I'll just remind everyone that I'm not an insurance agent or broker, nor am I an attorney of any type. I'm just someone who has seen a few things while working at FX Caprara Harley-Davidson.)

So, back to the question: Why are insurance companies in such a hurry to save you money? Shouldn't they be trying to save money themselves? After all they are a "for profit" industry that makes Billions in revenue every year (yes, Billions with a capitol "B").... How do they do that by saving you money on your insurance premiums?? Things that make you go, "hhhmmmmm....."

Of course any business wants to control their expenses as best they can so they can make money. And THE biggest expense for an insurance company is paying claims, so they'll want to keep those down by paying the least possible.

"But my insurance agent is a nice person! S/He always shows me ways to save and says I'm fully covered." Are you signing their paycheck? No! Plus, what exactly is their definition of "fully covered"?? Because if it's the bare minimum the state requires under the law, it isn't designed to help or protect you at all. Let's add in the fact that there is no law saying they have to disclose everything to you at point of sale (unlike a doctor, lawyer or real estate agent). 

Show and Tell Time: This my friend Diane - aka Tooter - from Minnesota. This is what her bike looks like now.... thanks to being rear-ended by a semi-truck on the interstate. She's been in hospital close to two months after getting a life-flight. She has a broken collar bone, had a collapsed lung, has a few rib fractures, a broken left leg, and a gash that nearly took her leg off completely. 

Tooter is on the mend, but it's been a long, slow road. She has had to endure numerous surgeries to try and close her leg wound -yeah, it's that deep. Intensive care round the clock. And now she's getting physical therapy while still in hospital. The goal of her doctors is to get her mostly healed so that she can get home and be under the care of her local doctor. There's still no idea as to when that'll be.

"motorcycle insurance is very different than auto insurance - what you're covered for in your car isn't automatically covered on your bike"

Since the accident, Tooter has received bills for her life-flight and has even gotten a letter from New York State. They said if they find any damages to the road that were from the truck hitting her they'll may send her a bill. Nice (not).

And all this is after the fact that the NY State Trooper who responded to her accident showed up at the hospital and gave her a ticket for failing to signal! Keep in mind the trooper didn't actually witness Tooter's accident - he's just basing the traffic violation on the word of the trucker who hit her.... Yeah, I'm sure he's going to be completely unbiased.

Recap: Biker hit from behind by a semi-truck. Trucker says Biker is at fault and Police give Biker the ticket. State says they might send her a bill for road damage. One Life-Flight, nearly two months of intensive, round-the-clock care, numerous surgeries and physical therapy visits later.... Bonus: Biker is hundreds of miles away from her home, work, family and friends. What's the real cost??

Fortunately, in addition to increasing the right parts of her motorcycle insurance policy, Tooter has already hired legal representation. However, that's going to cost money as well, and it's far from being over. For me and Tooter's other friends & family, we're just thankful she's still with us and on the road to recovery - that was a close one!

Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated!

Here's Tooter's Go Fund Me page ~ thank you so very much!!

On to Part III

I write our E-Newsletters too!!

Did I mention that already?? Actually, writing FXCHD's E-Newsletters is just one of the reasons I started this blog! But then I get so busy creating content for our newsletters, I forget to write for Life Behind Bars!! So I'm going to try to remedy that.... Here it goes:

Here's the link to this week's E-News from FX Caprara Harley-Davidson. And in case you don't want to click there, then here's what I wrote:

Swinging into the Holiday Season

We really can't believe that Thanksgiving is next week already! Where does the time go?

A quick reminder that FX Caprara Harley-Davidson® will be closed Thanksgiving Dayso that our employees can celebrate the day with friends & family.

FXCHD will re-open on Black Friday, November 25th, at 9am. Sleep in and still get a good deal! This year we'll be saving you 25% on all in-stock, regularly priced Licensed Products throughout our dealership all day long. Plus take an extra 15% off items on our Licensed Products Clearance Rack.

And don't forget this year's Holiday Gift With Purchase: a beautiful (and collectible) Harley-Davidson® Memory Box while supplies last. This is only available in store - any online purchases won't qualify. 

We'll keep things rolling with FXCHD's Twelve Days of Badness. Every day starting Saturday, November 26th till December 7th we'll have one item on sale. Check our website, Facebook or Twitter pages each day to see what the item is, or you can email Dawn and she'll give you the whole list.

Of course the ultimate gift is a Legendary Harley-Davidson® Motorcycle - the battery is included and no assembly required!! Right now Harley® has Extended the Factory Warrantyon new 2016 H-D® Motorcycles till April 1, 2019. Also Dan Carfi (our GM) got Americu to do 120 Days No Payment - see us for details.

So stop in and see us soon! We've got the coffee on!! And we're always happy to help you find the perfect gift for that special someone (or even yourself!)!

What I'm thinking of doing in the future is to write actual text in this blog, then put snippets of this blog in our e-news - that way you can click on what you wish to read more about and skip what you want.... What are your thoughts? 

Planning the Road Ahead

Bikers (aka Motorcycle Enthusiasts) are constantly scanning the road ahead looking for a myriad of challenges that we might have to negotiate when riding: loose dog, pot hole, gravel on the road, other drivers etc.

So it should come as no real big surprise that we usually do the same in our day-to-day life. "I'll leave for work 10 minutes early because they're supposed to start road construction today."  "I better get Bob those reports I know he needs at the end of the month." Those kind of things.

Of course we wouldn't be true Bikers if we weren't looking

forward to next year's riding season! The Watertown Chrome Divas have already started planning their 10th annual Ta-Ta Run, and - even though I stored my bike for winter at FXCHD - I think it would be fun to Ride Route 66 in August 2017.

Because we do all this planning & scanning ahead, we sometimes feel as if everyone should do it - is doing it, because it's such second nature to us. But clearly that wasn't the case because - in case you've somehow missed it - so many people have been stunned by the outcome of our Presidential Election (don't worry- this won't turn into another political blog, I promise!).

Going into this election I assume we all knew there would be a

loser as well as a winner - I mean, that's how the game is played people!! I had a plan in case the person I voted for didn't win (and if you want to see who I voted for you can check out my Twitter and/or Facebook accounts). 


My plan was to move into a quiet cottage in the Irish Countryside (my maiden name is McBride!) and live out my days. Sure I'd have to learn how to ride on the other side of the road.... but that should be easy!

However, on election day, I changed my plan. I'd decided that no matter who won the election I was going to stay in America, stay American. After all, this is where the greatest motorcycle manufacturer was started (I'm talking about Harley-Davidson of course!)!! And this is where the American Biker Culture that I love was born and continues today. 

Nope- just before I walked into my polling station, I pledged I would stay and help to heal the wounds of my country. Especially since many of us have realized our country was divided before the election - the vote just brought it all to a head.

So it is in that mind set that I look to a future for all Americans.

Working towards how we can learn to listen to each other so we're all heard. How we can come to appropriate compromises so the majority or those that need it most benefit. How we can all travel the same road in relative happiness. 

Look ahead. Embrace the future. Say & do good things - ALL of us. Besides us Bikers know that you've gotta #KeepMovingForward in order to balance on two wheels. 

And I'll just leave one of my fav Cat Stevens songs right here...

Two balance on two wheels you've gotta #KeepMovingForward

Getting real serious now - Part 1

"It's better to have it and not need it

than to need it and not have it."

Sage advice that we've heard numerous times before. But thanks to Flo, Mayhem and that guy from Allstate, we sometimes get lulled into thinking it's better to 'cut back on insurance' and save... I'm just here to remind you that what you're saving on today is what your insurance company will probably save on later.... like when you have to file a claim. 

BTW: I'm not promoting one insurance company over the other, nor am I licensed to sell any type of insurance - these are just lessons I've learned on my own or through friends' experiences.

I talked briefly about motorcycle insurance earlier this year, however I've learned a lot more since then, so I'm going to cover all of what I know so far:

• In New York, because of our short riding season, motorcycles
  
  are considered a recreational vehicle. That means what you're automatically covered with in your car may not be the same for your bike. Find out how your state clarifies your motorcycle.
• Liability coverage is required by state law, however this type of coverage protects the other guy from damage or injury, not you. It is in your best interest to get 'optional' insurance coverage on your motorcycle policy.

Let me just pause here, because this is a BIG deal. The bare minimum, state required motorcycle insurance coverage is designed to protect the person you hit, not you. So, if the other person hits you, all you'll have is their insurance to pay for your damages and injuries. 

Now, follow along with me here, because chances are good that the driver who just hit you also has the bare minimum insurance coverage required by law - about 75% of drivers do - which is $25K bodily injury per person, $50K total bodily injury per accident (if you happen to have a passenger) in New York State. And no, you don't get to add those two amounts together.

Please THINK about that a minute!! Let's just say you're riding along when Nathan No-Look turns left in front of you (the most common motorcycle accident) and down you go. Your leg is badly broken, as well as a couple of ribs and wrist. All you can see of your bike is a pile of smoking metal. 

The paramedics arrive and call for a Life-Flight because you need emergency surgery - NOW. Of course you and your family members are wanting the EMT people to act quickly, plus you're in shock by this time, so no one is thinking of the cost that all this attention will add up to at the time it's happening. But don't worry, the insurance companies already have!

Anywho, the average cost of a Life-Flight is $15,000. "Well, I've got medical insurance, so I'm covered," you say. Think again. Most medical insurance policies cover life-flights at 50-60% (if the provider is in your network.... but you didn't think to ask that either), leaving you holding a $6000-$7500 or more bill.

Of course if the Life-Flight isn't covered by your health insurance, and you only have the liability coverage on your motorcycle insurance policy (which doesn't cover any medical costs for you!), then you can get stuck for the full cost of the Air Ambulance. At that point rates are usually calculated by the cost of jet fuel, type of aircraft, distance flown and staff on the flight, which can be anywhere between $2000-$50,000.

And that bill is just the beginning....

~continued in Part 2

10 Reasons To Ride the Adirondacks this Fall

Me & my Girlfriends on Lake Ontario

I love summer!! I was born in the summer, my zodiac is a "Sun Sign" (Leo), the warmer temperatures, long days, BBQ, backyard camp fires, and everything in bloom. And going for a motorcycle ride 'just to cool off' is sssooo much fun - sometimes riding all the day long with friends and making some great memories along the way. So as the leaves change their colors, and the daylight shortens, I'm a bit sad every year as summer comes to a close.

But on the plus side, Autumn in Northern New York does put on a wonderful show. Here's my top 10 reasons why I love riding in the Adirondacks in the Fall.

1. Crisp Air: the temps drop and usually that means not as many bugs! Although if you're starting out in the early morning hours be wary of frost/ice on the roads.
2. The Light Show: Sunsets are more spectacular in

   

   Autumn Sunset hitting the clouds
   while riding home...

   the Fall (here's the science as to why). Reminder: take an extra set of clear goggles for after the sun sets. 
3. Leather Weather: I love the smell of leather, and this time of year I'm wearing a lot of it. Dressing in layers on a motorcycle is key for rider & passenger comfort! 
4. All The B-E-A-utiful Colors: I grew up in Northern California, San Francisco Bay Area - a place known for it's fog... That means I am truly amazed at the color show that Autumn in New York puts on every year. 
5. Cider Mills & Maple Farms: Hot off the press Apple Cider Donuts with Maple Butter..... *drooling* Need I say more?? If you're in the area, you've got to go to the Burrville Cider Mill - it's the best!!
6. Harvest Time: There's lots of dairy farms up

   

   Harrisville, NY

   where I live, so there are more than a few hay & corn fields to sustain the cows. Riding by a freshly harvested field, the way the earth smells... just spectacular. 
7. MLB Postseason: I love baseball, my SF Giants are in the pennant race this year, and Cooperstown - home of the Baseball Hall Of Fame - is a nice ride to take. Be sure to go through the Ilion Gorge to get there - sort of a very mini Tail of the Dragon. 
8. Fall Festivals: The hills are alive with fall festivals, jazz concerts, corn mazes and farm tours. 
9. Get Your Spook On: Sleepy Hollow is a legendary
   
   ride to take - just don't loose your head over it. 
10. The View: Just take all the above, numbers 1-9, and roll them all up together in one giant package. The light, sounds, smells and colors of it all. Now get out there and find out for yourself.

Sometimes something small can make all the difference.....

The Black River in the autumn morning - the water is warmer than the air.

So it was a sunny but chilly Sunday morning as I rode with two other guys, on our way to meet #ScootinAmerica. It was 37.8 degrees and the main thing you have to remember: when you're riding a motorcycle, whatever the temperature is, take 20 degrees off of that for the wind chill. If you don't believe me, check this out.

L to R: my bike, Lionel & his bike, Mark's bike & Mark

And as I'm riding along, freezing my patukas off, I'm thinking to myself, "Why am I doing this??!!" Of course I'm layered up - thermals, jeans, wool socks, wind-proof liner, leather chaps & jacket, waterproof gloves, and my 3/4 helmet - but I'm still cold and it feels like I've got nails being hammered into the ends of my fingers.... 

Me, Adam & Scooter

But then I remembered that Adam & Scooter have been riding for nearly two years, crossing the country six times, and has ridden in weather much worse, all while raising money for veterans and their families. (Read why I was excited to meet these two here.)

I'm just riding a short ways and the weather forecast says it'll get warmer - guess I better put on my big girl panties and suck it up. And even though my riding this short distance to ride with #ScootinAmerica may not seem like much, meeting these two did make a positive difference in my day. Hopefully my presence did the same for them. 

Just like I'm not a mechanic nor do I carry any tools with me

A tiny yet powerful tool

on my bike, I still stop for fellow bikers stuck on the side of the road because that's what bikers do. Earlier this year I stopped for a friend who had a clogged fuel line, and was trying to clear it. As I watched him work I remembered a paperclip I had with some of my paperwork. I unfolded it and we used it to eliminate the obstruction - bingo!!!

At FXCHD we raised just over $200 for #ScootinAmerica -

Dan holding #ScootinAmerica's donation jar while
I put money into it.

not the big donation I was hoping to give to them, but better than nothing to be sure. Again, it might not seem like much but maybe it'll be enough (when added to the other funds Adam has raised) to reach their goal. After all, every bit counts.

Sometimes it's like that - you don't think you'll make that big of a difference, but then you do! Or that someone else, doing what they do, will make a difference. Maybe their presence and/or actions aren't a big deal to you but they just might be to someone else. 

d

The Dalai Lama

Remember what the Dalai Lama said: "If you think you're too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito." 

A motorcycle might not seem like a big deal, but I invite you to take a small ride with me, through a small town and cross over the Black River on my Youtube channel. I'm hoping that this small slice out of my ride home will make you smile.

It ain't over till the Salt hits the Asphalt!!!

Season Wheel - Autumn next up!

As the new autumn season begins, I've heard a few people say that the riding season is over. Over??? There's still plenty of great riding to be done!! 

Of course I am a realest: I know that as the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, Old Man Winter is not far behind. And, according to the latest Farmer's Almanac, Winter is coming back with a vengeance. Well that just tells me that I've got to take advantage of all the Fall Riding I can.... And I'm not the only one.

Magazine cover featuring
Adam & Scooter

If you haven't yet met Adam & Scooter of #ScootinAmerica, please allow me to introduce you to them. The team of two have traversed the lower 48 five times, raising "over $200,000 to our military." And soon this dynamic duo are making their way - finally - to FXCHD!! (The were scheduled to visit in the Fall of 2015 but the weather closed in, then again earlier this summer but that was postponed due to an accident.)

Our U.S. Military Men & Women - This is something near & dear to my heart! I grew up an Air Force brat, and then met & married my husband who then enlisted in the US Army, Infantry. He spent 18 years as an Infantry Soldier and went on six 'real world' deployments during that time (Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan twice and Iraq twice). He was medically discharged from Fort Drum (home of the 10th Mountain Division) three years ago. The post is practically in our backyard and about one-third of our customers at FX Caprara Harley-Davidson are here because of the military.

My husband (in the middle) on his second trip to Iraq

Fort Drum is located in Northern NY State

According to the VA my husband is 90% disabled - although he was lucky enough not to suffer an amputation or TBI. Despite my husband's injuries and ongoing medical problems, he will be the last one to ask for help. He'd rather see those soldiers who are more deserving get the care they need first - which is how many of these guys feel (at least with my experience)! It then falls to the family member(s) caring for these wounded warriors to ask for assistance. 

So in a sense, #ScootinAmerica is riding for me. A man whom I have yet to meet in person has dedicated himself these last two years to help raise money for veterans and veteran organizations. A

Scooter, Adam and their ride,War Horse

man who hasn't served in the military, but has ridden over 100,000 miles to give back to men & women he hasn't met. And he's got some miles left to go (check their Facebook Page and see where #ScootinAmerica has been) Some people would say that's crazy, but I say Adam & Scooter embody everything about being a Biker is about.

I'm looking forward to meeting #ScootinAmerica in person (and maybe even riding with them for a bit if I can get out of work!! lol)! And when I do they'll be getting a big "THANK YOU!" from me!! Especially since my son is now a Marine about to go off on his second deployment. 

My son (on the left) & friend at the Marine Corp Ball