One thing is for certain, bikers love to show how much they know about bikes, the motorcycle industry, current events, and people.

One of the best ways to stay on pace with happenings around the motorcycle world is to subscribe to a few motorcycle magazines. There are dozens of magazines that take on all types of subjects like motorcycle reviews, new products, accessories, how to guides, people, events, races, technology, featured custom builders, and much more.

Magazines like Iron Horse, American Iron, Motorcycling, Motorcyclist, V-Twin, and Ultimate Motorcycling are a few to check out. With a little online research, you can find the right motorcycle magazine for your taste.

One of the best parts of most of these magazines is the feedback or reader comments sections. It’s great to hear from the experts but even better to hear from everyday bikers.

For bikers, riding the Pacific Coast Highway is as good as it gets. The road offers the technical challenge of negotiating hills, blind turns, and traffic. A mistake on this highway could result in a head on collision with a vehicle, rear ending a slow vehicle, or a several hundred foot drop off a cliff. This ride is not for rookie bikers.

The reward for this ride is some of the most stunning scenery in the world. This ride features views of the Pacific Ocean, coastal mountains peaks and valleys, rock outcroppings, waterfalls, redwood forests, and flowered meadows.

Along the highway, whales, sharks, sea lions, falcons, butterflies, and other types of wild life can be seen from various vantage points. There are also a number of lighthouses and 18^th century Spanish missions along the route.

The best way to enjoy the Pacific Coast Highway is to start south and head north to Monterey, CA. As a destination, Monterey has lots of offer and makes a great place for bikers to jump off their bikes and enjoy the landscape. Monterey has lots of restaurants museums, galleries, and tours. This area is also known as Butterfly USA due to the winter migration of a large variety butterflies; some migrating from as far as Canada. One of the best tours in the area is Hearst Paradise, the mansion/castle built by former publishing giant William Randolph Hearst.

Depending on the time of the year, motorcycle apparel and gear can be very important. Generally, the weather in this region is mild but rain could be a factor. Since this route has lots of twists and turns, checking and possibly changing your motorcycle tires for a ride like this is a smart move.

Riders of all types uniformly say that the Pacific Coast Highway is one of the best rides a motorcyclist can take. It doesn’t matter what type of bike you ride, this highway offers the type of scenery and challenge that all bikers can appreciate. Make sure to watch the road more than the scenery while driving. Like any scenic highway, traffic can sometimes get congested.

I can’t think of anything that makes less sense than that.

Motorcyclists are not alone. There is a disturbing amount of motorists that drive without a driver license too. But for the biker, the stakes are much higher.

• Critical Skills: In many states, Motorcycle Rider Safety Courses are required to get a motorcycle endorsement. The skills learned in these classes are critical for staying alive on the road, even for experienced bikers.
• Insurance Risks:  Without a valid motorcycle endorsement, insurance claims for theft or damage may not be honored.
• Increased Risk of Fatality: Unlicensed motorcyclists die in accidents at a rate nearly double the rate of unlicensed motorists.

The bottom line is that there isn’t a single good reason why a biker shouldn’t have a motorcycle endorsement. Even experienced riders need to make sure they follow the correct steps to ride legally. Riding legally protects everyone in the motorcycle community and it is a smart move.

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.

For example, your need to make a fuel stop can be communicated by pointing to your tank. To make this signal more visible to a motorcyclist behind you when group riding, you might extend your arm out to the side while pointing to your fuel tank.

But just as hand signals serve to “keep everyone together and on-task,” they can also differ from group to group. Whenever you hook up with a new riding group, always ask what signals they use.

For illustrations of commonly used hand signals, check out the MSF’s “Group Riding” Quick Tips.

The semi-truck, driven by James Edward Cornelious, of Arkansas, reportedly made the unsafe lane change to make room for traffic that was merging onto the highway from an on-ramp. Cornelious was arrested and booked into the Grayson County Jail and charged with “criminally negligent homicide” after the accident.

The motorcyclist, John David Cox, of Denison, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident and was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, more than 5,000 Americans are killed every year in accidents involving large trucks. Read more about semi-truck accidents on the Thomas M. Kiley law firm website.

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact Tom Kiley at his law office. The “Million Dollar Man”, and motorcycle enthusiast, can help you get the compensation you deserve.