Todie's Wild Ride: Ready to Ride?

This coin is being released to help raise awareness of motorcycle safety...Are you SURE you are Ready to Ride??

*You must be physically prepared. Start with good protective gear. This means a good-fitting helmet, gloves, eye protection, jacket, long pants and sturdy boots or shoes. Wear gear that is designed for use on a motorcycle. The people you see wearing a helmet, a smile and not much else are not well protected.Try not to choose all black gear. Sure, it looks cool, but bright colors will help you stand out in traffic.

* You must make sure that your bike is up for the job. This includes not only fixing the parts that break, but doing all the preventive maintenance that is so easy to skip: regular oil changes, properly adjusted controls, a properly adjusted chain and suspension, good tires, working turn signals, you get the idea. A few dollars spent ahead of time will keep your bike going for years. Plus, the best way to keep the buzzards from circling when you break down in the desert is to simply not break down. With all that routine maintenance out of the way, do a quick walk around of your bike as you get ready for your ride. Look for leaks, loose bolts, tire problems, or any thing else out of place. And not to sound like your mother, but when was the last time you checked your tire’s air pressure? If it has been more than a week, it’s been too long.

This coin is in memory of Todie Phillips of Manitou Beach, MI. He passed away August 12 2008 as a result of a motorcycle accident, he was only 49 years old.