Passing The Torch

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. If you don't remember me, my name is Dean Akey and I will be your guide for another fun filled edition. Are you ready? OK then, let’s get started…
It has been said that four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul. Riding always has been a spiritual journey for me. My journey started twenty five years ago with Laverne. Laverne was my 1979 Harley Sportster. Since Laverne, I have had quite a few more spiritual relationships. Betty, my 2001 Road King has been the longest and quite honestly the most spiritual of all of the relationships I have had over the years.

Betty has served me well over the years taking me across country more times than I can remember. She was with me when I was hit head on by a minivan on a crisp Sunday morning. I was in Plainfield and was hit on a single lane metal grate bridge. The accident left me with a broken collar bone, ten broken ribs and a head that looks like something out of a horror movie. The insurance folks wanted to throw in the towel on Betty but I would not hear of it. I was lucky to be alive and Betty took the lion’s share of the damage to protect me. I figured if I am still here that Betty should be as well. Betty and I began to heal together and we both returned to the road once again. Of course she looked much better than I did. Every time I threw my leg over Betty, I would stroke her tank and ask her to once again help me complete my journey. Over time I would give Betty presents like the thirteen guardian bells that adorned her handle bars. Those were Betty’s earrings. The color matched Iron Braids that were on her clutch and break levers were her long flowing hair. Over time Betty started to show signs of getting “tired”. I didn’t really notice much as I always saw Betty as something more than a motorcycle. She was as beautiful to me as any motorcycle ever made. I was and still am in love with my girl.
We had a connection that I am sure many of you have with your trusty scooters. I could tell by the sounds or feel if there was anything wrong with my girl. I believe the key to any lasting relationship is being dialed into the needs of your partner.

You may be surprised to know but in addition to being Editor of Thunder Roads, I am also an Ordained Minister. I don’t hold a position in a church but do have quite a strong relationship with my God. My God and my soul mate Eileen, who is my bride of nineteen years, helped me realize that it was time to make the change. The wonderful folks at Zylstra who originally introduced me to Betty in 2000 and had built her over the years to my specifications understood my attachment and actually did an amazing job helping me. Tiny, Zylstra’s GM was more of a grief counselor for me than I could have hoped for. I took delivery of my fourteenth motorcycle and decided to name her “Black Betty”. If you are wondering why I chose the name Betty let me explain. Betty was named after the 1940’s pinup legend Betty Page. To me Betty Page was beautiful before you could buy beautiful and she didn’t know it.

My wish is that Betty’s next relationship is as wonderful as ours has been and I wish her well. Betty and I had in common our restlessness and love of the open road. Now my attention is focused on building my new relationship with my new 2009 Street Glide “Black Betty”.
Black Betty & Betty Betty & Black Betty You may notice from the pictures of Betty & Black Betty that I have dedicated my new scooter to the Rescue Riders. Thanks to the generosity from the law firm of Hupy & Abraham and Allstate Insurance Company, we have trained over 500 volunteer Rescue Riders in Illinois & Wisconsin. These fellow bikers have the training and tools to help victims of accidents. In 2009 we will be training more Rescue Rider volunteers so stay tuned. If you would like to learn more about the Rescue Riders please visit our website http://www.rescueriders.org/.

Well, that’s it for this month. When I am not sharing my wisdom with you via my Thunder Roads editorials or running the Rescue Rider program, I run an insurance agency West of Chicago. I enjoy working with fellow bikers helping you protect what matters most. If I can help you with your insurance please drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com or give me a call at 877-232-9899. I would love to hear from you. Until next month, enjoy the ride.

America Needs Heroes, Not Zero's

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. If you don't remember me, my name is Dean Akey and I will be your guide for another fun filled edition. Are you ready? OK then, let’s get started…
It seems to me that the tail has been wagging the dog for far too long. Let’s face it; a majority of our elected officials have simply lost touch with us, their constituents. Our elected officials need to remember that they were “appointed” and not “anointed”. In the past few months we have seen more zero’s than in any time in history. Those zeros came from us and went for pork laden stimulus packages, an omnibus spending bill with close to 9000 earmarks which totaled over $5 billion dollars and the list goes on….

Enough is Enough… America Needs Heroes, Not Zero’s…
I want to introduce you to Dave Zein. Dave served as a Wisconsin State Senator from 1986 – 2006 and has been a “man of the people” both in and out of office. Dave earned a Purple Heart while serving our country in Vietnam as a Marine.
Impressed yet? Read on. Dave holds 109 long distance riding records. As a legislator from 1986 to December 1, 2006 Dave logged 1,327,500 total miles on two wheels. Now you may be thinking, did this guy ever work? You bet he did and I wish other elected officials worked as tirelessly as Dave does.

In addition to being a riding machine, Dave initiated the first major veteran's monument that recognizes motorcyclists...Wisconsin Veterans Tribute, Cadot, Wisconsin.
Dave also helped coordinate the largest object left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. (a handmade custom Harley, 1998) and was inducted into the National Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museums at Anamosa, Iowa, Pickerington, Ohio and Sturgis, South Dakota. When not riding, Dave has run 11 marathons (26.2 miles each) carrying a 3X5 USA flag on a pole to honor fallen veterans and as a reminder of POW/MIA's.
Dave’s accomplishments are legendary but here is one that will blow your mind. While Dave has logged over 2 million miles in the saddle close to half of them were on his 1991 Harley FXRP. On April 4th, Dave will hit 1 million miles on his trusty scooter. That’s 1 million miles on one motorcycle. This will be a world record.

To celebrate this true American hero and honor his accomplishments there will be a “Landing Party” at Hal’s Harley Davidson, (one mile south of I-94 at the Moreland Road exit) New Berlin, Wisconsin, on April 4th at noon. The party is being hosted by the law firm of Hupy & Abraham. Hupy & Abraham has sponsored Dave and his attempt to set this world record. You also probably have heard of Hupy & Abraham as their generous support has helped put close to 500 new Rescue Riders on the road in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota in the last year. Many thanks to Hupy & Abraham for all you do to help the biker community.
Our friends from the Patriot Guard Riders will be lining the streets and waving flags as the procession arrives to honor this milestone and show appreciation for all that Dave has done for veterans and bikers over the years.

Did I mention that Dave is a Rescue Rider? Dave will be dedicating his landing to Wisconsin based Accident Scene Management who have trained over 10,000 bikers nationally in emergency response and the Rescue Riders. Please come out and join us at Hal’s to celebrate this world record and honor a true American Hero. I hope to see you there.
On March 15th, Dave celebrated his 60th birthday. When asked about aging Dave said, “Age is a figment of the imagination. We really don't get old, we get wiser, but our soul is always young." I couldn’t have said it any better my friend.

Well, that’s it for this month. When I am not sharing my wisdom with you via my Thunder Roads editorials or running the Rescue Rider program, I run an insurance agency West of Chicago. I enjoy working with fellow bikers helping you protect what matters most. If I can help you with your insurance please drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com or give me a call at 877-232-9899. I would love to hear from you. Until next month, enjoy the ride.

Let Freedom Ring

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. If you don't remember me, my name is Dean Akey and I will be your guide for another fun filled edition. Are you ready? OK then, let’s get started.

It was February 6th and I fired up my trusty scoot “Betty” to ride in a funeral for Ed Ufland. Ed was the past President of the Blue Knights where I serve as Chaplain. Ed had lost his battle with cancer and was a wonderful man & lifelong biker who will be missed by many. The weather was a balmy 9 degrees when I departed for work and even considering the circumstances, I couldn’t have had a bigger smile on my face. It was great to be on two wheels again. After getting into work and wiping the frozen boogers out of my moustache I got to thinking that another riding season has begun. What a wonderful feeling to be back in the saddle.

It has been said that only a biker knows why a dog sticks its head out the car window. I would definitely enjoy the wind rushing thru my hair if I had any. Even without hair I love the feeling of freedom from when I ride. Freedom is something that universally ties all bikers together. Speaking of freedom, have you ever heard of Representative Karen A. Yarbrough (D) of the 7th District? If you are a biker and live in Illinois, you will. You see, on February 10th, Representative Yarbrough introduced House Bill 925 to the 96th General Assembly. House Bill 925 if passed amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to require every operator and passenger on a motorcycle, motor driven cycle, or motorized pedalcycle to wear a helmet that meets federal safety standards. That’s right, mandatory helmets are coming to Illinois should Representative Yarbrough get her way.

Now, not all Illinois Bikers are passionate about this topic. If you are now is the time to reach out to your State Representative and share your thoughts. If you don’t know who your State Representative is you can search for your Representative at the following link. http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/SelectSearchType.aspx?NavLink=1

In addition to contacting your State Representative, you may want to join ABATE
A.B.A.T.E stands for A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education. The mission of the members of A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois is to preserve the universal right to a safe, unrestricted motorcycling environment, and to propose and advocate actions that can be taken by elected and appointed officials to protect and conserve the natural resources of the State of Illinois, and ensure through professional management that sustainable use, recreational opportunities and enjoyment of these new resources is available for this and future generations.

ABATE makes every effort to influence State, National, and Worldwide political actions in favor of motorcycle rights. In addition, ABATE conducts programs to educate drivers, seniors, legislators, and motorcyclists. You can find a local chapter at http://www.abate-il.org/. Please stay tuned to Abate for the latest developments on this issue and let freedom ring.
The debate on motorcycle helmets continues to evoke great emotion from all of us bikers. It is my belief that as bikers, we, and not our government should be allowed to decide this issue.
If you would like to share your opinions and meet other bikers, please join the Chicagoland Bikers group on Facebook. The Chicagoland Bikers group is open to everyone and has some great features like your favorite rides, biker friendly establishments and the latest biker related events.

Well, that’s it for this month. When I am not sharing my wisdom with you via my Thunder Roads editorials or running the Rescue Rider program, I run an insurance agency West of Chicago. I enjoy working with fellow bikers helping you protect what matters most. If I can help you with your insurance please drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com or give me a call at 877-232-9899. I would love to hear from you. Until next month, enjoy the ride.

I'm Really Pumped About This Root Canal

Lets face it, everyone has their Achilles heel. What I mean by that is everyone has something that they absolutely dread. For me it's the dentist. For others it may be talking to insurance agents, accountants, Realtors or lenders. There are countless things that people dread. My question is, what do you do to help your clients overcome this fear on their terms?
As I mentioned, I have always dreaded my dentist appointments. Maybe it goes back to some bad experience that I had as a kid or maybe I am just a wimp. Either way, I just knew that when it was dentist time I was always looking for excuses to put it off. Fortunately for me I found a dentist that "Caters to Cowards".
This dentist treated me on my terms and what a wonderful change. Now let me be forthright. If you pump enough Nitrous Oxide into someone it's damn near a certainty that you will have an enjoyable experience.

So what is my point here? We all reach out to existing & prospective clients in hopes of earning their trust and developing a long term relationship. Are you placing your clients needs above all others? Take a moment and look at what stereotypes exist for folks in your industries and ask yourself if you are part of the problem or part of the solution.
If you constantly strive to serve the needs of your clients on their terms you are part of the solution so please keep up the good work...

My name is Dean Akey & I sell insurance on your terms. If I can help you please drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com or call me at 630-232-9811.

A Few Things You Should Know About Social Security

Here is a list of a few things you should know about Social Security. I get questions quite often regarding Social Security and thought you may find the following helpful.
1. Your payments will be bigger if you wait until your full retirement age.
You can start taking Social Security payments as soon as you turn 62, but your benefits will be reduced 20 to 30%. That's a big chunk, especially if you expect to spend many years in retirement. You might consider working a bit longer or relying on your retirement savings to help cover your living expenses until you can receive full benefits.

What's Your "Full Retirement Age?"
If you were born in...
It's...
1937 or earlier
65
1938
65 + 2 months
1939
65 + 4 months
1940
65 + 6 months
1941
65 + 8 months
1942
65 + 10 months
1943-1954
66
1955
66 + 2 months
1956
66 + 4 months
1957
66 + 6 months
1958
66 + 8 months
1959
66 + 10 months
1960 or later
67



2. You can work while getting Social Security.
As long as you're 62, you have the option to take Social Security. If you earn more than $13,560 a year between age 62 and your full retirement age, your benefit payments will be temporarily lowered, based on how much you earn. Say you earn $10,000 over the limit. Your benefits would be reduced by $5,000. If you make $20,000 over the limit, they would be reduced by $10,000. (The limit gets updated each year.) The good news is that you don't actually lose out on those benefits. Instead, your payment amount is recalculated so that you receive more money later on. It's another way working in retirement can help stretch out your income over time.

3. Your payments won't start automatically.
The two rules above mean it makes the most sense for you to tell the Social Security Administration when you're ready to start receiving monthly benefits. You can do that over the phone (1-800-772-1213), in person, or through the Social Security online application.

4. Your benefits could be taxed.
Only a third of Social Security beneficiaries end up paying taxes on their benefits. It all depends on the earnings listed on your income tax return. If you file with more than $25,000 as an individual (or $32,000 jointly), you'll have to pay federal income taxes on your benefits. The rules for state income taxes vary from state to state.

5. Your payments can help your family, too.
Let's say your monthly benefits turn out to be three times as much as your spouse's. (It's a common scenario, especially in families where one spouse paused their career to stay home with the kids.) If she waits until her full retirement age to start getting benefits, her payments will be raised so they equal half of yours.After you die, your spouse will get either your monthly benefit check or hers-whichever is more. And if you have disabled children, kids under age 19, or elderly parents who depend on you for at least half their income, they could receive "survivor benefits."
If you need any help understand Social Security and how to prepare for your retirement please give me a call at 630-232-9811 or drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com

But She Doesn't Work.

You know I am a big fan of protecting what matters most. I guess I should be as I am an insurance agent. One thing that I find quite often is little to know life insurance on an unemployed spouse. Many folks think that just because their significant other is home raising the children there is no income to replace.
Did you know that if you had to hire someone to do the things your stay at home spouse did, it would cost you quite a hefty sum. As a matter of fact, the national average for a full time homemaker runs between $64,000 - $174,000. Dont believe me? I have attached a link below that helps you calculate the hidden paycheck.
http://swz.salary.com/momsalarywizard/htmls/mswl_momcenter.html
If your spouse does not have life insurance, I would hope that you consider speaking with your agent to explore your options. If you prefer, please give me a call at 877-232-9899 or drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com. I would also be happy to lend a hand.
That's all I have to say about that.

Allstate Motorcycle Ad

For my fellow bikers out there I thought you may like to see a behind the scenes look at the work we did for the Allstate motorcycle commercials that ran on TLC and American Chopper. I had a great time with this one and we shot this commercial outside of Albuquerque NM. I was amazed at how much work these folks do to make commercials. There was a crew of 14 people who spend hours setting everything up from one location to the next. One thing that I am certain of is that I could never do this for a living. It's probably a good thing as I never was paid for any of this. I did however get to beat on a new triumph for the shoot as my trusty road king was back in Chicago.
I did have a great time and enjoyed meeting the folks who can make almost anyone look ok. They definately had their work cut out with me as a subject. If you are looking for a great place to ride check out New Mexico. It was beautiful.
Thats all I have to say about that.
Bull