Motorbikes A Growing Past Time For The Over 50s

Photo © by Jeff Dean (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whilst motorcycling might seem like a pastime better suited to those in the first flush of youth than to people that are contemplating early retirement, there is no reason why you cannot continue to enjoy the thrills, but hopefully not the spills, of biking well into your 50s and perhaps even longer. To help older riders make the most of their time on the open road, I have compiled a short list of tips that I hope will be of some use.

1. Take your time when buying a new bike. Younger bikers tend to get carried away with all the excitement that accompanies new models but more experienced riders can take a more relaxed approach to shopping for a bike and pick one that really suits their style of riding. Industry announcements, such as the one stating that fuel leaks affect thousands of BMW bikes around the world, are worth perusing before you start to look around, just so you are aware of the potential problems of some of the models currently on sale. However, not all problems of this nature are serious and can result in the appearance of some real bargains on the second hand market.

2. Look for a specialist insurer. Younger motorists are often penalised for their lack of experience when it comes to insurance premiums so it makes sense to take advantage of your more mature status when riding in your 50s by dealing with an insurer that appreciates you represent a lower risk and rewards you for this fact with generous discounts.

3. Protect yourself. Every motorcyclist should wear protective clothing but it is especially important for the more mature rider to minimise the chances of breaking any bones. Whilst the law stipulates that every rider must wear a helmet, it is left to the individual’s judgement as far as other safety items are concerned. I would recommend wearing a back protector as a minimum, preferably one inserted in a good quality leather jacket. A decent pair of boots and leather trousers are also a good idea if you are likely to be riding at speed for any length of time.

4. Wrap up warm. In addition to investing in protective clothing that will minimise the chance of serious injury whilst riding, you should buy some good quality cold weather garments if you are planning to ride during the winter months. Even if you are only going to get your bike out on warm, sunny days, you should always have a decent waterproof jacket and trousers to hand in case it should start to rain unexpectedly. Nobody enjoys getting soaked, and standing around in wet clothes in your late 50s is definitely a bad idea if you intend to stay fit and healthy.

5. The road less traveled. If you want to really enjoy biking in your 50s, it might be a good idea to stay away from the madding crowd and pick routes through quiet parts of the country when organising weekend rides with your friends. More mature riders understand how precious time on a bike is and it is far more enjoyable, and safer too, when the road ahead is not clogged with Sunday afternoon drivers who are completely oblivious to their surroundings.

I hope that the above tips help you to enjoy motorcycling whatever your age and if you would like to have your skills and experience on a bike formally recognized, you might like to consider taking an advanced riding course at an Institute for Advanced Motoring center near you. Once you pass, you may find it cheaper to insure your pride and joy.

About the Author:
Carole Nash is a company in the UK that caters to those requiring biker-friendly home and travel insurance. They understand how fuel leaks effect thousands of BMW bikes and aim to provide cover for such situations.

Some of the best Bicycle Insurance coverage Ideas

Do you want to spend much less for the bicycle insurance coverage? Possibly, you've simply purchased the Harley or even Ducati as well as require insurance coverage to safeguard your motorcycle. The actual beneath top ten bicycle insurance coverage ideas may stage a person within the correct path as well as ideally save you some cash.

Don't let yourself be punished with regard to devotion. Even though your own bicycle insurance carrier offers provided a low cost you might have to pay an excessive amount of. It is best to evaluate bicycle quotes whenever your plan is actually upward with regard to restoration. 

Sophisticated motorcycle using programs through Bike safe will save you in your insurance coverage as well as remain secure on the highway. Many people realize that including overall performance adjustments to some bicycle may improve the price of include. This is also true should you personal a good currently effective motorcycle like a Ducati. 

Nevertheless, actually aesthetic adjustments that significantly improve the bicycles worth can impact the buying price of your own include. Before you decide to help to make any kind of modifications get in touch with your own insurance carrier to see just how much additional you'll have to spend.

The greater costly as well as effective the actual bicycle the larger the price of insurance coverage. If you're a brand new driver or perhaps a coming back motorcycle fanatic you can purchase the motorcycle that is much less effective as well as old. The advantage of this really is your own include is going to be less expensive and you will provide yourself period to develop a few constant bicycle using encounter with no statements. 

As a result you can buy less expensive insurance coverage whenever you perform wish to update. Completely thorough include is generally more costly compared to 3rd party. Should you choose personal the motorcycle that is lower in worth, you might want to think about purchasing 3rd party insurance coverage? 

Nevertheless this can imply decreasing the quantity of include that can lead to severe consequences for those who have any sort of accident. Optionally available insurance coverage extra supplies for example lawful include good manners vehicles as well as break down include are helpful if you're able to pay for all of them. If you wish to immediately decrease the price of your own include you don't have to buy all of them
You should just make use of your own bicycle from time to time as well as your yearly usage is actually beneath 3, 000 kilometers you are able to acquire much less expensive insurance coverage compared to somebody that utilizes their own bicycle with regard to function reasons. Be sure you think about just how much you want upon using your own bicycle and become because precise as possible whenever receiving a bicycle insurance coverage quotation. 

Exactly where you retain your own bicycle through the night might have impact upon the buying price of your own include, for those who have the storage or perhaps a backyard be sure you inform your own insurance carrier. 

Acquiring bicycle quotes through professional companies like Protect Your Bubble often means a person spend much less. These days you are able to conserve period as well as cash through evaluating bicycle quotes on the internet. This can help you saving a lot of money by finding the best bike insurance policy at the cheapest possible rates.

Close That Sale: Second-Hand Purchase Checklist

English: Couple on a motorcycle in Rajasthan, India (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most of us start a sale these days with lots of browsing online and, thankfully, we’re actually going into sales a lot more clued up than we ever have in the past. However, closing a second-hand sale isn’t an easy thing to do, and from introducing yourself to taking a test drive to handing over the cash, there are plenty of areas where a sale could go wrong. 
So to ensure that you end up making not just the right purchase, but the right purchase at the right price, here’s our step-by-step guide to closing a second-hand sale. 

1. Good Introductions

In most cases you’ll end up making an introduction online or over the phone but it doesn’t ever hurt to make a good first impression when meeting in person. Turn up on time, give forewarning and make it clear you’re interested in coming to a mutually good deal, not just getting as a low a price as possible. You don’t need to be overly outgoing, but don’t give your seller any reason not to give you the sale. 

2. Start with the Paperwork

Most of us are edging to get a look at our prospective new bike when we’re closing a deal, but it’s actually much better to start with a paperwork. You should be checking the logbook, the service history and whether it has any motorcycle insurance, MOT or tax left on it. Check that everything is present and correct first, but also make sure it adds up - do the addresses match, does the frame number match? If not, always ask why not - there could be a simple explanation. If there isn’t, the bike could be stolen. 

3. Visual Inspection

After checking the books have a quick look around the bike to check for condition. Of course you’ll want to be checking for scratches, dents and marks but also look for things like mismatched screws, uneven tyres and rust. Check, also, if your seller has fitted any aftermarket alarms and the condition of the locks; these are all points for negotiation after the test ride. 

4. Get Hands-On

Before taking the bike for a test ride just spend a moment getting hands on. Is it the right size for you, are the handlebars comfortable or are you struggling to reach. Your new bike will feel different to bikes you’ve had before, but it shouldn’t feel uncomfortable. Also check the suspension has a slow, smooth spring to it and that the bike starts up easily. Once it’s going, check to make sure the owner doesn’t thrash a cold engine (because they will always do this if they do it when selling!) and that the dials all read appropriately. 

5. The Test Ride

Licensing and insurance can be tricky when doing test rides so you may have to ride on the back or take the bike to an off-road area where you can give it a full test. If you have comprehensive insurance you should be able to take the bike out, but you will need to check the details. When you’re finally on the bike, do a few smooth gear changes, check the acceleration and, most importantly, check the steering alignment: it could indicate a head-bearing problem or even a buckled frame. 

6. Settling Up

So you’ve decided the bike works for you but, in most cases, they’ll be a few small issues. These are grounds for haggling, but stay clear of market-stall bartering, most sellers find it irritating. State that because of x fault or y problem you’re only willing to pay a certain amount and go from there. If this price isn’t right, leave your name and number and, hopefully, you’ll get a call-back...!
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