Welcome back to the Bull Pen. Can you feel it in the air? That’s right, it’s Sturgis time. While writing this month’s article I am counting down the days until we once again blast off for Sturgis. Oliver Wendell Holmes once said “We do not quit playing because we grow old, we grow old because we quit playing”. I couldn’t agree more Ollie.
Past memories of twisting the throttle as we race thru the needles highway, Spearfish Cannon and the badlands put a smile on my face. There is just something magical about the black hills of South Dakota. Most bikers consider Sturgis the center of the world. We may be a bit biased but next to Sturgis is Belle Fourche which is actually the geographical center of the United States of America, designated in 1959 and noted by an official marker and sheepherder's monument called a "Stone Johnnie". I once knew a guy whose nickname was Johnny Stone but that’s a whole different direction that I want to go this month…
Weekend riding seems to help take the edge off from the past week but there really is no substitute for a long road trip to free the spirit. I slip in my ear plugs, fire up my scooter and can feel the effect that each mile has on my road to recovery. By the time I return from my Sturgis pilgrimage, I am full of energy, optimism and a fully recharged spirit. Are you with me?

Now let’s switch gears

Brother can you spare a dime? This was a commonplace saying in the great depression. Today we have many of the same conditions which brought our great nation to its knees in the 1930's. During this period President's Hoover & Roosevelt developed government programs like the "New Deal" to help return America to its economic health.
While our current economic stimulus and bailouts are taking a vastly different approach there are some elements which may benefit you. You may be surprised to know that motorcycles are considered qualified vehicles in Section 1008 of the Economic Stimulus Package. The intent of including motorcycles as qualified vehicles was to encourage Americans to "go green". It's no surprise that motorcycles are more fuel efficient than autos so the move does make sense.
The new law guarantees that anyone who purchases a new motorcycle, light truck, new car or recreational vehicle, Feb. 17 through Jan. 1, 2010, will deduct state and local sales taxes as well as any excise tax charged in the purchase. In order for citizens to obtain the tax deduction, the bike must be less than 8,500 pounds in gross vehicle weight and cost less than $49,500. The buyer must also make less than $125,000 in gross taxable income and $250,000 for joint filers. However, the deduction is phased out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income between $125,00 and $135,00, and $250,00 and $260,00 in case of a joint return.
If motorcycles aren't your thing, this provision also applies to qualified cars and trucks. Heck, even folks buying motor homes get a break. Even though motor home sales have slumped, a tax provision for motor homes is included, which allows a portion of the sales or excise tax paid on the purchase of a new motor home to be deducted.

The deduction is attributable to taxes applying to the first $49,500 of the purchase price. Individuals with an adjusted gross income of up to $125,000 and joint filers with an adjusted gross income of up to $250,000 are eligible for the deduction.
So what does this mean to you? Let's assume you just bought a new Road King for $20,000. If you were not trading a vehicle you would pay sales tax on the total. If you are trading a vehicle you only pay sales tax on the "difference". So using our example, you just shelled out $20,000 and fork out an additional $1500 for sales tax (7.5%). Our friends in Chicago would pay $2000 thanks to the efficiency of Cook County. So now that you have shelled out this money what's next?

Thanks to the new Economic Stimulus Package you can deduct the amount you paid in sales tax on a new qualified vehicle from your gross income. Let's do the math to see how this impacts you. For our example let's say you made $100,000 in 2009 and your tax rate is 32%. By reducing your income by $1500 you just pocketed $480. It's not a whopping sum but as my grandpa would say, "it's better than a stick in the eye".
Times are tough for everyone so a few extra bucks is always good news in my book. I recently bought a new 2009 Street Glide and I damn sure will be deducting my sales tax..... Heck, now I can buy some more bling for my scooter.

So there is the good news. You are now one step closer to getting that new scooter. Now to make sure that you get the best deal and coverage on your motorcycle insurance you need to call me. I can customize a plan for you that protects you, your family and your new scooter. If I can help you please call me at 630-232-9811 or drop me a line at deanakey@allstate.com. Until my next edition, ride safe and often. Until next month, enjoy the ride.

Motorcycle Insurance FAQ

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. Can you believe the summer is already half over? How time flies. This year’s riding season has been brutal to our biker brothers & sisters. We have seen more accidents and fatalities this year than we have as long as the pointy heads have been keeping track. For that reason I wanted to share with you some information that I hope you never need.
At the risk of sounding self serving I am going to write about your motorcycle insurance. Your motorcycle insurance is like a parachute. You don’t really appreciate it until you need it. I hope you read on and understand how your policy can protect you, your family and your property.
Are you ready? Well then, let’s get started. As consumers, we have been conditioned to compare insurance based upon price. If you have seen the Progressive Insurance television commercials Flo tells us all how you can save money. Let me say that even though I think Flo is a “hottie” I want you to focus on your individual needs first and then look at the price. Let me break down some of the key components in your policy.

Bodily Injury/Liability: This is the portion of your policy that protects your liability when you cause harm to another individual. If you are in an accident and it’s your fault, you are protected up to the limits of your policy. Quite often I talk to bikers who have $20,000/$40,000 of liability protection. This means if you harm another person, your policy will pay up to $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident on your behalf to the injured person or persons. A few years back I was hit head on by a minivan which left 60 staples in my head, broke my collar bone and all of the ribs on my right side. My medical bill was $14,000 and I did not stay in the hospital overnight. I share this with you to demonstrate how quickly your liability can add up.
Uninsured/Underinsured Liability: Many folks ask me what this is. In a nutshell, this is coverage for you. Unfortunately Illinois only requires motorists to carry a minimum of $20,000 of liability coverage. Some states do not require motorists to carry any liability insurance. If someone injures you and they do not have insurance or sufficient insurance coverage to pay for your damages, your Uninsured/Underinsured coverage can pick up the slack. This is one of the most important elements of your policy and very often overlooked.

Property Damage: This is the protection you have if you damage other folk’s property. Most of you carry $50,000 of property damage on your policies. What this means is that if you cause an accident and a BMW hits a Corvette, all you have to repair or replace their vehicles is $50,000. Don’t get caught in this trap. All motorcyclists need at least $100,000 of property damage. The good news here is that it typically costs less than $20 years to upgrade from $50,000 to $100,000 so don’t delay. I often hear the objection, how much damage can my bike cause to another vehicle. You don’t even need to make contact with another vehicle to be at fault. If you are ticketed and two vehicles collide you are responsible to repair or replace their vehicles. I have personally seen $100,000 property damage claims where the bike was not damaged but the operator was found to be at fault. Don’t let this happen to you.

Guest Liability: Do you ever take passengers for rides? If you do you should have Guest Liability Coverage. These levels are typically consistent with your Bodily Injury and Underinsured/Uninsured coverage. This component of your policy covers your liability when carrying a passenger. In other words, if you are in an accident and your passenger is injured, you could be sued for damages. If your policy provides this coverage you are protected up to the limits of your policy. Now for the scary part. Many motorcycle policies do not provide this coverage. If you don’t have this on your policy, ride solo.
Collision: This is the component of your policy that pays to replace or repair your scooter. You choose the deductible that fits your budget and your motorcycle will be repaired or replaced up to the market value of your bike. Now if you are like me you have probably added some bling to your scooter along the way. What happens if your bike is wrecked? Read on.

Optional Equipment: If you are riding a stock bike skip to the next section. If you have upgraded your bike you need optional equipment coverage. Most insurance agents mess this part up. Here is how optional equipment coverage works. Let’s say that you added a Mustang seat ($650) Bassani Exhaust ($850) and Custom Wheels ($2000) and a Baker six speed transmissions ($2500). Your agent may tell you that you need $6000 of optional equipment coverage. Sorry to tell you this but if you took that advice you are paying too much. In calculating the correct dollar amount of Optional Equipment coverage you need we need to determine the difference between your upgrades and the original stock components. Let’s assume your bike is damaged in an accident. You already have coverage to repair/replace your stock components less your deductible. If your policy will already pay for a stock exhaust ($350) and stock wheels ($1000) and stock transmission ($1450) all you need to do is cover the difference which in this case would be $3200. Many policies already include some coverage for Optional Equipment so if your policy covers $1000 of optional equipment already, add the $2200 and you are covered. If you have custom paint or engine upgrades you typically want to cover those at the full value of the upgrades.

Comprehensive: This component of your policy typically covers you for incidents that occur when you are not riding your scooter. There are a few exceptions to this but that’s another topic in itself. If your scooter is vandalized, damaged by hail etc your comprehensive will pay to repair or replace your vehicle less your deductible.
Rider Protection: This is an Allstate exclusive. A few years ago the pointy heads at Allstate asked me to help them design a new motorcycle policy. My reaction was why are we offering what everybody offers? Let’s reinvent motorcycle insurance. We did. Most motorcycle insurance companies offer much of the same “stuff”. Up to now, none of the motorcycle insurance companies offered protection for the rider. Our new Rider Protection package will pay you if you are injured and cannot work as the result of an accident. The payments will continue as long as you are unable to return to work. In addition, we can also include $15,000 of life insurance if the worst happens. As bikers, we all like to think that we will never be in an accident or worse but having been in several myself, I can tell you this does happen more than we would like to think.
So what do I recommend you should carry in terms of coverage? It really depends on your needs. Are you married? Do you have children? A mortgage? Your policy should fit your needs. Don’t hope you are covered, know so. My name is Dean Akey and I sell motorcycle insurance. 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.

Over the weekend I received the letter below. Casey shared with me that his wife Michelle is still in the hospital but should recover. I want to thank Casey for writing this letter and sharing with us all the importance of being prepared. Casey hopes as do I that his letter will help all of us recognize the need for our program and how we collectively need to support each other. We are all quite thankful that Michelle was given a second chance. Will you or someone you love be as fortunate? Please join the Rescue Riders and Ride for a Reason. You can learn more about our program at http://www.rescueriders.org/.

Dean,
I contacted you about a year ago on the Rescue Riders. As I was just coming into a sitting board seat for the local POW*MIA organization I decided that I didn't have enough time. God I wish I would've kept going.
My wife was in a terrible motorcycle accident while we were riding with a few of our friends the day before Mother's Day. She is still in the hospital after surgery on her spine and a closed head injury. Her passenger almost lost her foot. I felt so helpless sitting there protecting her spine while we waited for the ambulances to arrive. (40 minutes in the middle of Wyoming) I didn't have anything better than a Band-Aid and sun block to help.
I have just purchased your Trauma PAC and some other supplies. I will never again be without supplies or training to take care of someone in need. I have my CPR card and am signed up for EMT training. I've been involved in Radiology for over 20 years, but need to bone up on emergency medicine.
Thank you for starting this program. As someone that could've benefited from having the proper equipment and help onsite I think it is a wonderful idea. I ride with several healthcare workers and I'm going to try to get them all interested.

Casey Jackman RT(R)(MR) Casey & Michelle Jackman
Director of Radiology
Mountain View Hospital
2325 Coronado Street
Idaho Falls, ID 83404

God Speed Anita

In a split second it was over… How could this happen? Anita Zaffke was enjoying some quality two wheel time in Lake Zurich IL Saturday afternoon, May 2nd and noticed the light was turning red. Zaffke stopped and waited for the light to change so she could resume her ride. The light never did turn Green for Zaffke.
Zaffke was struck by Lora Hunt, 48 who admittedly was painting her nails at the time she hit Zaffke with her Chevy Impala. According to Lake County Sherriff Mark Curran, Hunt conceded that she was not paying attention and did not see the motorcycle stopped in front of her.
Zaffke was wearing a helmet and reflective vest when struck. The impact was so violent that it threw Zaffke and her Honda Shadow about 200 feet up the road. Think about it, 200 feet is the height of a 20 story building. Zaffke died about an hour later at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington IL. In just a split second Hunt took away everything that Zaffke was and could be. For Anita Zaffke, life was over.

The Lake County State’s Attorney is investigating the accident and will decide if criminal prosecution is warranted. Unfortunately, under existing statutes, proving felony vehicular homicide may be a difficult case to prosecute based upon the existing definition. State Rep. William Black (R-Danville) sponsored the "negligent vehicular homicide" bill which would carry a penalty of up to 3 years in prison. Black introduced the bill this year after a bicyclist in his district was killed by a motorist downloading ringtones to a cell phone. Under the proposed law, distracted drivers who cause deaths would face a prison sentence as well as a $25,000 fine and revocation of their driver's license for at least one year upon conviction.
This tragedy has renewed the debate in Illinois whether a momentary distraction amounts to criminal behavior, comparable to drunken driving.

Let’s face the facts. Motorcycle accidents and fatalities are a major concern. "Our nation’s greatest traffic highway safety challenge is motorcycle fatalities," says U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, noting that biking deaths are rising while other vehicle fatalities are declining”. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2007, 5,154 people died in motorcycle crashes, the highest level since NHTSA began collecting data in 1975. The 2007 figure represents a 6.6 percent from 4,837 the previous year. Motorcycle crash fatalities have increased every year for the past 10 years. Motorcyclists were 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash per vehicle mile traveled in 2006 and eight times more likely to be injured, according to NHTSA.
Zaffke’s accident is a fairly rare occurrence. According to the NHTSA, Only 5 percent of motorcycle fatalities were struck in the rear. 78 percent of the motorcycles fatalities involve two vehicles were struck the impact is in the front. So what can my 7.1 million biker brothers and sisters do to help address this epidemic? As bikers we need to be seen and heard. I hope you join me in supporting legislation like the negligent vehicular homicide bill that would allow us to effectively prosecute those who do us harm.

I would also ask you to join me in developing your skills to provide emergency medical assistance to the victims of accidents. What we do immediately after an accident until professional emergency response personnel arrive can and does save lives. I invite you to visit the Rescue Riders http://www.rescueriders.org/ and ask yourself if you are ready to “Ride for a Reason”.
If you are, I am happy to share with you that the Rescue Rider program once again has received grant support from the Allstate Foundation and the law firm of Hupy & Abraham. This support will help train another 500 Rescue Riders this year. Please visit the Illinois Blog Spot http://www.illinoisblogspot.com/ for details on how our new grants can help pay for your training.

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. For the past two years I have been working with the Allstate “pointy heads” to reinvent motorcycle insurance. I am happy to share with you that starting June 11th, Allstate will roll out our newly designed motorcycle insurance policies. As a lifelong biker myself, I wanted to create a policy that not only protects your possessions and liability but also you. Our new policy is the first ever to pay you should you have an accident which keeps you from working for as long as you are disabled. That’s right, protection for the rider… It’s a first so if you want the best policy in the industry there really is only one choice… Allstate.. 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.

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.