urance companies raise their rates to other policyholders, and not just necessarily motorcycle riders. In order to cover the higher costs of insuring motorcycle riders, companies may increase costs across the entire insured base. If the rider is not insured, public monies may be used in order to assist in the rider's medical care. The result in either case is that nonmotorcycle riders end up paying for the motorcycle rider's increased sense of freedom on the road.
Insurance companies can seek to minimize their claims by insisting that motorcycle riders wear helmets, but such voluntary options are not likely to prove successful with certain segments of the motorcycle riding public. While helmets and sophisticated clothing are part of the image associated with Japanese motorcycles, the image of the dominant American motorcycle, the Harley-Davidson, is one o
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