But not all motorcycle accessories are created the same.

While some accessories are cosmetic, there are a few that are must-haves. These motorcycle accessories really improve the comfort, performance, or style of the bike. With these accessories, you cannot go wrong:

• The Butty Buddy: Most OEM motorcycle seats are not built for passenger comfort, especially for longer trips. And sometimes, you have to bring your significant other on a motorcycle road trip. The Butty Buddy is a removal seat enhancement for passengers and is even installable on chopper style bikes. Your passenger’s butt will thank you.
• HP Tools Extreme Motorcycle Tire Repair Kits: Running over a nail and getting a flat on your bike really sucks. With these kits (with a few exceptions) you can get back on the road and get to a repair shop to properly repair or replace your motorcycle tire. The kit is small enough to fit in small tool pouches too.
• Voyager Trike Conversion Kits: I’m not a big fan of trikes but these kits can turn a touring motorcycle into a stable trike at the lowest possible cost. The good thing about these conversion kits is that they do not remove the motorcycle’s rear tire and can be taken off easily.
• Rear Lowering Kits: For shorter riders, nothing makes a biker more comfortable than a rear lowering kit. These kits are under $30, can lower a bike 1-3 inches, and can be installed in less than 30 minutes. There are similar kits available for metric cruisers as well.

Depending on your riding style and your bike, these motorcycle accessories can be great for you. Make sure to do you research and ask around before you buy.

Distracted driving also risks lives. As bikers, we tend to think about the impact of distracted motorists more than car drivers because we realize that even minor motorcycle accidents could have life changing implications.

This certainly was true for the Zaffke family. In May 2009, Lora Hunt killed motorcycle enthusiast Anita Zaffke in Lake Zurich, IL; who was driving while painting her fingernails. Zaffke was stopped at a red light and Hunt rear-ended her motorcycle at about 50 MPH.

By all accounts Zaffke was a pillar of her community, an excellent mother, and a safety-conscious biker. In May of 2006, Zaffke embarked on a motorcycle road trip she called her ‘epic journey’. Her 2 week, 5000 mile trip took her from the Chicago area to Vancouver, British Columbia and back. During this trip, she wrote in her journal, took photographs, and camped as a means to gain perspective on her life.

To honor his mother and to shed light on this problem, Zaffke’s son Greg created the Black Nail Brigade. This motorcycle safety organization is working hard to make sure that people in the greater Illinois area and across the United States are aware of the circumstances surrounding his mother’s death and the scourge of distracted drivers.

The case against Lora Hunt also brings to light some interesting legal considerations. There are arguments suggesting that while distracted driving is a terrible practice, it is not necessarily criminal. This argument will be center stage at Hunt’s trial for the death of Anita Zaffke scheduled for May 3, 2010; almost a year from the date of Zaffke’s death.

On Saturday, May 1 2010, the Black Nail Brigade is sponsoring an Epic Ride to commemorate Anita Zaffke’s life and to replicate her ride from 2006. If you cannot attend but would like to contribute to this cause, their website provides opportunities to donate or purchase apparel.

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident due to the negligence of another driver, contact motorcycle enthusiast and Andover personal injury lawyer, Tom Kiley.

With the popularity of ridiculous TV shows, I guess I’m not the only one who enjoys shows like the Flava of Love and the Real House Husbands of Hollywood.

Some of the shows I like are not so bad. I enjoy American Chopper, Motor City Motors, Kitchen Nightmares, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, Bizarre Foods, and Man vs. Food.

Food and motorcycle/builder shows have been among the most popular shows in the reality TV category. It seems like just a matter of time before someone tries to marry the two concepts into one show.

That’s exactly what Christopher Coppola hopes to do with his TV show concept, the Biker Chef. In this show Christopher, the biological brother of actor Nicholas Cage, tours the country with his trusty sidekick, Otto the Biker Cat. No, I’m not making this up.

In each episode, the Biker Chef and Otto visit different regions of the country, talk to locals, finds native cuisine and cooking secrets, and discusses local traditions. The true aim of the show is to exhibit cultural exchange through the joy and camaraderie that only food can create.

The show is also about great motorcycles. The Biker Chef rides a beautiful Honda Rune and even the Biker Cat rides on the handlebars decked out in biker leather.

I have to admit, I am sucker for anything biker related but this show sounds like Man vs. Food on motorcycles. Still, I find myself intrigued to see if the Biker Chef can bring something to mainstream TV that we haven’t seen already.

There is one thing that I can relate to from this show. The Biker Chef’s motto is “Live Long, Ride Hard, Eat Well.” Amen to that!

Most people are more familiar with vehicle recalls since they are generally regarded as major news. Since motorcycle owners are a very small group compared to vehicle owners, motorcycle recalls do not get the headlines that vehicle recalls do.

Harley Davidson recent announced a major recall of some of their 2009-2010 vehicles that were produced between June 6, 2008 and November 19, 2009. The vehicles in the recall include Harley CVO, trikes, and all touring models. This recall includes over 111,000 motorcycles.

This is a huge recall.

In 2008, Harley Davidson sold approximately 219,000 motorcycles across all their brands. If one of the major automotive companies had a recall this large, there would be a congressional investigation and heads at the top of the company would roll.

Luckily, this is not the case with Harley Davidson as this recall is in an attempt to pre-empt rider injuries. According the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the front engine mounts may distort in the event of a major front-end collision. This distortion can cause a fuel leak and in the presence of an ignition spark could cause a fire.

Owners of bikes in this Harley Davidson recall, need to take their bikes to their local Harley Davidson dealer to have a left and right bracket installed which will minimize the distortion in the case of a major front end collision.

Thankfully, this recall is based on a ‘worst case scenario’ of a major front-end collision and is intended to make Harley’s motorcycles safer. Unlike the current recall for the Toyota Prius, this Harley recall is not the result of everyday motorcycle usage.

Call your local Harley dealer to see if your bike is part of the recall or go to the NHTSA website to get more information.

Eaglerider’s motto is “we rent dreams.” While this motto refers to their core business of motorcycle rentals, this line can also apply to the franchise opportunities they provide.

Interested entrepreneurs and motorcycle retailers have opportunities to join Eaglerider’s family of motorcycle rental locations. Their franchise business model allows motorcycle retailers, automotive rental agencies, and international motorcycle retailers to join Eaglerider. This new revenue stream is highly profitable and can provide the boost many motorcycle and automotive companies need in today’s sluggish economy.

Eaglerider also has opportunities for entrepreneurs to open rental locations. They have several options to open new locations or Eaglerider will help locate a resort property looking to add motorcycle rental services for its guests.

Eaglerider also provides week-long training once per month so new franchise owners or franchisee candidates can have all of the tools they need to be successful. Eaglerider supports franchisees by providing web based support/marketing, commercial marketing, fleet management, and insurance. The company is committed to making sure all franchisees have the best chance of being successful.

This motorcycle business opportunity gets even better. Eaglerider provides a variety of financing options for franchisees. These options include fleet leasing of Harley Davidson, Honda Motorcycles, and Vespa Scooters, floor planning, and signage. Depending on credit considerations, Eaglerider can provide up to 100% financing.

When people think of the motorcycle lifestyle, most think simply of riding motorcycles. While this is largely true, Eaglerider takes the motorcycle lifestyle a step further. Now, individuals can take their love of the motorcycle lifestyle and turn it into a stable business. Through Eaglerider’s vision and support, motorcycle entrepreneurs can marry their passion for motorcycles with their career.

My toothache also corresponded with a very nice weekend. All week, I looked forward to the weekend so I can put some major miles on my motorcycle. Once I figured out that the dentist would be able to help me manage the pain of the toothache, I figured I still would be able to ride.

Then I took one of the pain pills.

Very quickly after taking one of the pain pills, I quickly realized that riding my motorcycle would not be an option. The pain medication made me extremely sleepy and I noticed my motor skills were very sluggish. In this case, motorcycles and medication don’t mix.

Everyone knows that motorcycles and alcohol and motorcycles and illegal drugs don’t mix at all. Riding a motorcycle under the influence of medication is an equally bad idea.

If you are taking medication, here are a few safety tips to follow:

• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist: Make sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist if operating a vehicle is ok when taking the medication they prescribed. Make sure to follow their instructions fully.

• Read the instructions: Read the instructional information that comes with your prescription. Usually the information will state likely effects of the medications and whether you should operate a vehicle or not.

• Take medication as prescribed: Do not alter the dosage of the medication without speaking to your doctor. Changing the dosage can have adverse affects or enhance the negative affects of the medication.

• Eat and drink:  Make sure to eat and drink fluids as instructed by your doctor. Some medications can make you ill or increase the adverse effects if you don’t.

• Watch for interactions: Even a small amount of alcohol, other medications, or certain foods can cause a negative interaction.

Be safe, be smart, and don’t take any unnecessary risks when it comes to riding your motorcycle. There will be plenty of nice days in the future to ride so if you are on medication that impairs your skills, simply wait until you are cleared by your doctor to ride.

Thankfully the Lodge at Copperhead, formerly the Copperhead Lodge, will reopen under new management. The Blairsville, GA lodge will have a ribbon cutting ceremony on March 31^st and grand opening activities through April 4^th.

The lodge was purchased at auction by long time motorcycle enthusiasts from Florida, Michelle Evans and Anthony Cassulo. Evan and Cassulo have always wanted to own and operate a lodge like Copperhead and saw this as an opportunity of a lifetime. Evans, a hospitality executive and Cassulo, a building contractor, feel they can utilize their experience to make the lodge even better than before.

Built in 2006, the lodge features 11 unique cabins accommodating up to 4 adults. The cabins have full kitchens, luxury linens, satellite TV, comfortable bathrooms, and motorcycle garage parking. The 40-acre resort also features a 12,500 square foot lodge with 11 guest suites for daily or weekly rental.

No lodge would be complete without great food. Evans and Cassulo hired experienced lodge and restaurant chef Joel Colon to create “comfort food with attitude” for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Guests can enjoy their meals in the Grand Hall or on the lodge’s sweeping veranda.

Evans and Cassulo also plan to add live entertainment, concerts, movies, special events, and Holiday themed events to the natural beauty the lodge offers. Bikers can also soak their aching bones in the lodge’s pool or hot tub.

Located 80 miles north of Atlanta, GA, the best feature of the lodge is its scenic beauty. Experienced and rookie bikers will appreciate the motorcycle trails along The Dragon’s Tail, Cherohala Skyway and Blue Ridge Parkway nestled in the southern Appalachian Mountains.

Local and visiting bikers will love this resort as a mid-trip stop for sundries and motorcycle parts or as a final destination.

In many cases, custom builders have become celebrities. Jesse James, The Teutel Family, the Detroit Brothers, Arlen Ness, and others have now become household names. Some custom builders gained fame and fortune through TV shows that moved them, their companies, and the entire custom motorcycle industry into the mainstream.

But the big question is, which builders are the best? That question is nearly impossible to answer since judging custom builders is largely subjective. However, here are some that are recognized as innovators and front runners in the industry.

• Redneck Engineering: Despite the name, the guys at Redneck have taken frame building and turned it into an art form. Their style is highly recognizable giving their brand a level of distinction and a leg up on the competition.

• Wicked Custom Cycles: Most custom cycles are made from American motorcycle components but these guys use the Yamaha V-Star 1100 as their base motorcycle model.  Wicked Customs is doing some amazing things with metric cruisers.

• Detroit Bros.: The Detroit Bros are relative newcomers to the custom fabrication world but they have made such a big mark that they have a show called Motor City Motors on the Discovery Channel.

• Arlen Ness: He’s probably the most influential custom builder in the industry. His work is considered artistry and his brand is one of the most well known in the industry. From bikes to components, Arlen Ness is the man.

• Orange County Choppers (OCC): Unfortunately the show that made Orange County Choppers a global phenomenon, American Chopper, was cancelled from The Learning Channel and Paul Jr. left the show and company. Fortunately for bikers, OCCs bikes are better than ever.

In the wake of the Haitian earthquake disaster, the global community has come together to provide much needed support to the people of Haiti. This horrific disaster has shown that even in the worst of times, people across the world can connect and help their fellow man.

This holds true for the biker community too. Over the years, bikers have shown they can come together to help others in need. Usually, bikers come together to help mainly other bikers.

Over the past few months though, the motorcycle community has come together to do its part to help the Haitian relief effort. Individuals, motorcycle clubs, motorcycle accessory retailers, and large motorcycle manufacturers have all pitched in to help.

Harley Davidson donated 28 new Buell and Harley Davidson motorcycles to the government of Haiti to aid the relief effort. The motorcycles were delivered to their facility in the Dominican Republic and then delivered to the United Nations Stabilization Mission. Once the mission is complete, the motorcycles will be a permanent donation from the Motor Company to the government of Haiti.

Hot Leathers donated $1 from every online purchase from January 20th to February 14^th to the Haitian relief effort through the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross used their donation to deploy personnel, provide supplies, and to contribute financial support to Haiti.

Spearheaded by Haitian born American actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, Ride 4 Haiti on February 27^th benefited Hollywood Unites for Haiti. This biker event united individuals and companies in southern California to aid the relief effort. With thousands of bikers and hundreds of businesses and volunteers joining this ongoing biker effort, financial and resource donations have made a positive impact on the relief efforts.

It’s great to see the motorcycle community come together to make a positive contribution to the Haitian relief effort.

My bike had lots of motorcycle upgrades including chrome accessories, lowered progressive suspension, fat handlebars, a chin fairing, and other items. My Suzuki was a great looking bobber.

The one thing that I did not upgrade was the exhaust. I contemplated doing it but decided against it because I felt my bike ran strong and sounded pretty good.

My Harley buddies disagreed and frequently teased me about how quiet my bike was. They were right. Compared to some of their Harleys, my bike sounded like a scooter.

I now have a 2007 Harley Street Glide and even the stock exhaust on this bike is relatively quiet. There has been much debate over whether loud pipes are a safety feature or a public nuisance. As aftermarket exhaust continued to get louder and motorcycle manufacturers like Harley Davidson received more public backlash, they decided to outfit their bikes with pipes that are quieter and socially acceptable.

Recently, I replaced my stock pipes with a set of Rinehart Slip-on Mufflers and all I can say is wow. Now, my bike sounds like a Harley should. It also feels that the bike has a bit more throttle response but that might be the placebo effect of the increased noise.

The best way I can explain the sound is to compare it to the sound of a fat guy snoring on a couch after eating a full rack of ribs and drinking a six pack of beer. This is not the best visual image but, the sound is accurate; low, deep, and nasty! The increased sound gives the bike the type of attitude that a Harley deserves. While the bike is much louder, it is not so loud that my bike is annoying to my neighbors. It’s perfect.

I should have gotten slip on exhaust with my Suzuki and now that I have them for my Harley, I strongly suggest this upgrade. The sound, style, and maybe even the performance are all worth the cost.