Buying a bike as a gift for someone may not be your (or his/her) best bet, motorcycle safety wise

So holiday shopping season is in full swing and you’re really eager to show that special someone how much you care with an extravagant gift. But if you’re toying with the idea of buying a new rider – or even a veteran biker – a new motorcycle as a holiday surprise, the bike accident lawyers at MotorEagles urge you to think twice, as you and the recipient may be getting more than you’d bargained for.

It’s kind of like what veterinarians and animal welfare advocates say about buying a pet as a gift for someone: Don’t. First of all, you may be making a match made in hell if the animal doesn’t bond with the intended recipient; or if the pet’s home-to-be isn’t ready for an animal. The same thing goes for bike-buying. You may think you’re buying the ride of a lifetime for someone you care about. But, in reality, you could just be setting him or her up for a future full of bike wrecks.

Power: More isn’t always better

“You may think you’re buying someone the perfect machine, but if it’s too much for them to handle, it could wind up being a death trap,” said Don “Duck” Tisdale, owner of The Watering Hole biker bar Near Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Tisdale, who’s been riding and building motorcycles since he was “knee high to a Palmetto Bug,” said he’s seen people matched up with the wrong rides wind up in motorcycle wrecks, then the hospital – or worse.

“Just look at the rallies we have down here,” he said. “A lot of the folks that come to ‘em nowadays are ‘weekend warriors,’ guys who maybe ride a couple times a year or people who have caught the biker bug and want to make the scene.”

He said inexperienced riders who come to “make the scene” with the biggest, loudest, most powerful bikes out there are usually the ones who wind up getting into trouble.

“A motorcycle is a powerful machine – no matter if it’s a little 50cc dirt bike and a kid’s on it getting his first taste of riding, or if it’s a grown man with a full-blown cruiser who just hasn’t had the time to get used to it – if you mishandle it, someone’s likely going to get hurt,’ Tisdale said.

Alternative Swag

But don’t get us bike accident lawyers wrong. We’re all for nurturing riders and helping to bring about better bikers, young or old. So, rather than spring for a motorcycle, why not gift motorcycle training course, some new leathers or another accessory?

There are a number of good Websites geared toward biker gear that could prove valuable for ideas:

• J.C. Whitney: A longtime automotive parts and accessory retailer and a good place to find parts and accessories for customizing one’s motorcycle: http://www.jcwhitney.com/motorcycle-parts-motorcycle-accessories/

•  Motorcycle Superstore: The name says it all: http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/

•  Cycle Gear.com: In business since 1974, Cycle Gear has a full selection of motorcycle parts, accessories and apparel: http://www.cyclegear.com/

• Helmet City.com: Just like the name implies, they’ve got helmets galore: http://www.helmetcity.com/

• Motorcycle Closeouts.com: find deals on gear for racers, cruisers, dirt riders and anyone else who rides: http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/

Bike accident lawyers: Better safe than sorry

Bike wrecks happen to all types of riders – from pros to average Joes. Don’t help create the perfect bike-wreck storm by buying someone a bike he/she isn’t ready for. Instead, help promote motorcycle safety by setting your favorite rider up with some rider safety courses, a new set of leathers or some custom gear for his/her favorite two-wheeled ride. And if the unthinkable should happen, remember MotorEagles bike accident lawyers are here 24/7/365 to offer assistance to injured riders. We’re available at 1-888-75-BIKER or online at http://www.motoreagles.com.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 5th, 2011 at 12:33 pm and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.