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.

Hi, I’m Tom Kiley, and when my buddies and I go riding we always put safety first. Get a free copy of my motorcycle book for some valuable riding tips. And if you or loved one are ever hurt in the Massachusetts area, contact the Kiley Law Group for legal advice from a real motorcycle attorney.

If this is true then I need to share my love of motorcycling with my friends and family. I need to make this a regular part of my motorcycling lifestyle.

These are stressful times and motorcycling has been very fulfilling way to find peace and enjoyment. Doesn’t matter if I’m riding with the Harley guys, a riding club, or a few outlaw bikers, we all have a great time.

I’m sure some of my friends and family can benefit too. So, one of my New Year’s Resolutions is to encourage others to ride as much as possible. Here’s my plan.

• My friends who ride: In 2010, I’m going to organize a few mid-distance motorcycle rides in South Florida with some of my friends. Many of them ride infrequently but are great riders. They just don’t make time to ride as often as I do. Maybe they just need a little encouragement to enjoy riding like they used to.

• My friends who don’t ride: Over the past few years, I have gotten a few people into motorcycle riding safety courses and a few have gone on to buy used motorcycles. I will make a point to invite non-riders to the events I go to so they can start to understand the value of motorcycling as a hobby and lifestyle.

• My family: I’d love to get my older brother on a motorcycle. He needs a hobby and I think he’d look really cool on a big cruiser. My mother loves motorcycles and I plan on taking a nice long ride with her on her next visit to Florida. I want my nieces and nephews to gain an understanding and appreciation for motorcycles and motorcycle safety at a young age.

• My girlfriend: She is actually a very good rider but has not been riding consistently for about a year. I need to get out and help her practice to regain the confidence she had a when she first started riding. She’ll make a great riding partner when she is ready.

2010 is my year to share the joy of the biker lifestyle. How about you?

Joining a motorcycle club can be a great thing to do if you are interested in being affiliated with a specific group. There are lots of choices based on whether you ride a Harley, cruiser or sport bike, how you ride, and your general background.

It’s important to learn as much as you can about any specific club you want to join. Once you are in a club and wear their cut (vest or colors), you will be associated with that group for better or for worse. Doing some due diligence is important to make sure you join the right club for you.

Here are a few tips to selecting a motorcycle club for you.

• Talk to a lot of people: When you hang out with other bikers and go to events, talk to the people you know about the clubs you are interested in. See if they have any knowledge of the club, their reputation, and what they are all about. Try to get introduced to a few members and hang out with them to see if you are a fit.

• Internet research: Some of the larger MCs have extensive websites with lots of information about their founders, their charter (or bylaws), and requirements for membership. Having some knowledge before talking to members is a good way to make a good first impression.

• MCs vs. Riding Clubs (RCs): Traditional motorcycle clubs are defined by having a specific charter. Riding clubs tend to be less formal clubs that are better suited for casual bikers.

• Understanding the rules: Some motorcycle clubs have very strict rules including the type and color of your bike, disallowing female members, amount of miles you have to ride with the club, dues, and other stipulations. Understanding the rules let’s you know the level of commitment required to become and remain a member.

• 1%er MCs: If you have to ask about membership to an outlaw motorcycle club, then you probably don’t belong. Asking an outlaw biker member about joining their club, especially if they don’t know you, might get a response you don’t want.

Joining a motorcycle club can be a great experience but it requires a little bit of work and research. Just talk to the bikers around you and in most cases, you’ll get most of the information you need.

For international traveling bikers who love to try something different, touring the north Italian wine country on a Harley could be a great adventure.

This region has some of the oldest and most beautiful vineyards in the world and has produced wine since for over 2000 years. Anyone who has visited northern Italy will tell that you landscape, the food, the wine, and the people are absolutely amazing. Why not take it all in from the back of a cruiser than from the window of a bus?

Reuther’s Motorcycle Tours offers 8 day Tuscany Motorcycle Tours for 2010. The tour begins in Munich, Germany and makes stops in several towns throughout the wine country.  This tour does not feature loud, rowdy biker bars but food, drinks, and good times flow freely. With a sense of adventure, a love of great scenery, and just a little refinement, this could the ride of a lifetime.

One of the best motorcycle styles is the low and mean look. Many bikers feel that the best look for a Harley Davidson or metric cruiser is lowered a few inches in the front and rear. This looks give a cruiser and extended look that is very cool, sexy, and sleek.

Progressive Suspension has a full line of front and rear suspension products to safely lower your cruiser while still retaining excellent shock absorption and handling characteristics. While Progressive products are a bit on the expensive side, they are generally recognized as the best for Harleys and metric cruiser.

Lowering a cruiser can also be a great safety measure for shorter riders. Even though seat height on cruisers is lower than race bikes, cruisers can weigh in excess of 800 lbs. By lowering the seat height a few inches, shorter riders can more easily maneuver a bike in tight areas when stopping  or parking.

You can’t go wrong when accessorizing your bike also makes it safer. If you are looking for a new style for your bike, consider getting low and mean with Progressive Suspension.

Saddle bags come in a huge array of sizes, colors, and forms. Some Harleys come with hard case saddle bags but most bikers buy saddle bags as a motorcycle accessory.

The great thing about saddle bags, regardless of whether they are hard or soft, is that they are removable. For short rides around town, you might opt to go without them. For longer rides or the daily commute to work, you’ll definitely want them on the bike.

If you commute daily on your back or like to hit the open road often, make sure to pick up saddle bags that fit your cruiser or race bike. That way, you’ll be able to easily haul your motorcycle rain gear, tire repair kit, extra eye protection, additional tools, a change of clothing, and even your laptop.

What’s why many Harley Davidson motorcycles and customer cruisers have crash bars installed. They are a great way to add chrome to a bike and add another layer of protection.

But does it really add protection? No one seems to know.

Here’s where crash bars really shine. Most cruisers are very heavy and can weigh in excess of 800 lbs. Most “accidents” occur when bikers are parking, maneuvering slowly, or making a quick stop. When those accidents occur, the biker tends to tip over on the side.

Crash bars are great for minimizing damage to a bike when it falls on the side. The bars which stick out a few inches wider than the bike hit the ground and prevent the side and engine area from contacting the ground. This protection can potentially save the bike from thousands of dollars in repairs.

Unfortunately, there is very little hard data on the effectiveness of crash bars in other types of accidents. Unlike DOT helmets, there are no regulations or requirements for crash bars. As a result, there are almost no studies to prove their effectiveness.

Detractors of crash bars as a motorcycle safety accessory state that crash bars are only effective in certain type of crashes and only when the rider is still on the bike. Crash bars are useless if the rider is ejected from the bike. Also, a rider could actually get pinned under the bike if they fall under the crash bar

Although there is no data to support this claim, crash bars are generally thought to minimize ankle and foot injuries in crash situations. In terms of rider protection, wearing protective motorcycle gear and a full DOT approved helmet is still the gold standard of rider protection.

Motorcycles, especially Harley Davidson, are major investments so any opportunity to make them look nice while providing protection is a good thing. While crash bars may not protect the rider in a crash, they can surely help protect the biker in the event of a slow speed crash or if the bike is tipped over. That makes crash bars a sensible and stylish accessory.

HID headlights can help solve this problem.

HID or High Intensity Discharge lights produce over 300% more light than a standard halogen bulb. With this increased light output, motorcycle riders are able to see farther in the dark and anticipate obstacles more quickly. Also, other motorists are able to see these lights more clearly and from a greater distance.

Generally, HID Light Kits costs between $100-200 depending on the type of motorcycle and can be installed within existing headlights hardware. There are motorcycle accessories that may provide more curb appeal but, few accessories provide style and safety like HID lights. Regardless of whether you ride a sport bike or cruiser, HID headlights make an excellent addition to your bike.

No biker wants to see their bike on its side but sustaining an injury from rushing to pick the bike up will only make matters worse. Make sure to use proper technique when picking up a fallen bike, ask for help whenever possible, and assess the damage to make sure the bike is still safe for the road. Also, make sure to avoid getting burned from hot motorcycle exhaust pipes.

There are 4 main impairments that bikers should recognize that make bikers unfit to handle sport bikes or cruisers.

• Emotional/Mental Issues: Mood swings, emotional highs and lows, or mental preoccupation can cause a biker to exhibit poor judgment.

• Drug Use: Prescription and illicit drug use can render a biker unfit to ride because of the effects on reaction time, coordination, vision, and cognitive functions.

• Alcohol Consumption: Even a few drinks can cause a rider to have impaired judgment.

• Sleep Deprivation: The lack of sleep causes riders to behave in the same manner as someone who is impaired by alcohol.

Before riding, make sure you and your friends are in a stable and sober mood. It can be the difference between life and death.