Remember that job I told ya’ll I hated? Well in addition to me daydreaming about Cayo Espanto, I also pictured myself escaping on a Harley. Just me, my hog and the open road. I am not sure if it is its muscle like sculpture or the tough boy image… but there is something I find sexy about a Harley. I don’t have one… I’ve never ridden on one… I have never even touched one… but boy I sure do want one! If I had one… I’d to take long weekend road trips… wind in my hair and a Harley between my legs.

But what I would really love to do is take my Harley up to Canada. Canada is the best place to tour on a motorcycle. If I could, I would spend a year zig zagging across the Canadian roads and stop in every city to enjoy the roses. But first I have to get a bike… and figure out how to operate it.

There is a Harley Davidson shop not too far from my house. They actually rent out bikes and also offer motorcycle driving and safety courses. For the longest time I have been saying that I am going to rent a bike for the weekend… but other things keep coming up and the bike keeps getting pushed further and further down on my list of to do’s

Harley Davidson also offers motorcycle insurance to its riders. I never really thought much about it before, but bikers do need insurance. Biking can be a dangerous hobby. Not long ago the National Highway and Safety Commission launched a huge motorcycle safety awareness campaign.

The problem is that sometimes when people ride bikes for entertainment, they can get too carried away with the exhilaration of it all and fail to exercise caution. But by far, the biggest danger to bike riders is other drivers. They simply don’t see bikers.

But I’ll talk about motorcycle safety in another post. Today I wanted to discuss the basic of motorcycle insurance. Motorcycle insurance is very similar to auto insurance. Depending on which state you live in… some minimal amount is liability coverage is required and other types of coverage is optional.

Liability coverage - In the event that you are legally responsible for damages caused to someone’s property or person (bodily injury) … liability insurance can cushion the financial repercussions.

Collision coverage - If you are in an accident, this coverage pays for repairs to your damaged motorcycle. In the event that motorcycle is not repairable… this coverage compensates you up to the book value of the motorcycle.

Comprehensive coverage - This covers damages to your bike that were caused by anything other than a collision. This coverage also protects you against loss from theft.

Uninsured motorist coverage - This coverage protects you if you are injured or your motorcycle is damaged by an uninsured motorist. In addition to repair cost, it also pays for medical bills and forgone wages.

Other Add-ons - You can also get additional protection such as guest passenger liability, which protects you if your passenger is injured. Most insurance only covers factory equipment, but if you plan to sup up your bike with after market upgrades… then you can get optional equipment coverage. You can also add rental reimbursement or towing coverage.

In order to get a good rate on your motorcycle insurance, you should…

- Keep a clean driving record

- Take a motorcycle rider safety course

- Opt for a cruiser instead of a sports bike and,

- Combine all of your insurances with one company.