Removing a tattoo…or covering one up?

I have known many people, including myself, who decided to get a tattoo on a whim in their youth. Sometimes these weren’t the most well-thought-out tattoos, or places to put the tattoos. Also, in many cases, they become faded, stretched, or they just looked horrible (over time or from the beginning). I’ve had a few that I thought were awesome in my youth. Then, after getting more ink I realized the first few I got weren’t really all that great.

So, what can you do about it? Well, there is tattoo removal. However, there is only about a 50% chance that your tattoo will actually be removed after about 10 sessions of laser therapy at $200 a pop. Obviously black and red ink is easiest to remove, but if you have some colorful ink, it likely won’t go away. In addition, your chances go down by about 70% if you’re a smoker. I’ve also heard and seen these removal techniques end up in really bad scarring of the area, some ink still remaining after all that money spent, and just a horrible looking area on the body.

Are there other solutions? Of course!! I chose to just have the old, not so great looking, ink covered up with new and fresh ink that really means something to me. Now, you would need to find a good artist that can do cover ups well. It really should look like you never had anything there in the first place. A few things to keep in mind:

-          The new tattoo should completely cover the old tattoo, so it will have to be larger.

-          If you have a pure black ink tattoo previously, your new tattoo will likely need to be black ink only.

-          If your old tattoo was colorful, you need to think about the colors in the new tattoo and the placement of those colors.

-          Sometimes you can cover an old colored tattoo with black ink, but it depends on the size, shape, and how much filler you need.

-          Make sure you like the new tattoo you’re getting. It’ll be more difficult to cover it up in the future if you don’t like it.

Risks of getting inked

 

For those who love to indulge in getting inked, they should know that there are risks. According to Eli MacKinnon’s article The Hidden Risks of Getting a Tattoo, there was a cluster of individuals who ended up with skin infections in upstate New York from one single tattoo artist. According to the article, the artist was found to have correct hygiene procedures in place – needles, gloves, cleaning, chairs, etc. However, the ink he was using was not sterile. Unfortunately, the ink he was using held a harmful strain of bacteria. After further investigation, three other manufacturers were found to have bacteria in their ink as well. The article doesn’t discuss how many individuals were infected overall. However, according to Filip Kwiatkowski’s article Tattoos, featured in the New York Times, states that “Available in New York from almost 1,400 licensed tattoo artists, tattoos are probably better and safer now than they’ve ever been — more creative and varied, applied in many cases by serious, highly skilled body artists.”

Who do we believe? I personally love getting ink. There are risks in everything we do. We risk getting into an accident and potentially dying when we drive our cars to the store or work. We risk getting electrocuted when we plug something in at home. We risk falling off a ladder and dying when we put up Christmas lights. Getting a skin infection while getting inked is just another nominal risk. For the record, I have known hundred of people who have gotten thousands of tattoos from different artists and shops…even in prison where the sterility should be called into question. None of them have ever developed a skin infection as this article describes. For those of us who love to get ink, there really isn’t a way to ensure you don’t get a skin infection. I consider it a risk worth taking.

2007 – 2008 BMW K1200 recall

Picture from U.S. Rider News

According to U.S. Rider News in their article BMW Recalls K1200 Models For Brake Issue, the 2007 – 2008 BMW K1200 bikes (sport models, R, R- Sport, and S, have an issue with the front brake fluid reservoir. Owners of these bikes can contact  BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com or call at 1-800-525-7471 to make arrangements to have their bike retrofitted with a screen insert to resolve the brake fluid reservoir issue. This recall affects 2,062 bikes.

Above All Tattoo - highly recommended!

The best ink I’ve ever had is from Scott at Above All Tattoo in Downtown Fullerton! Beautiful colors, straight lines, light hand, and an amazing guy to hang out with. If you’re in the Orange County area and are interested in getting quality ink, look him up.

Southern Honda Powersports under investigation for selling unsafe vehicles

Picture from U.S. Rider News

Southern Honda Powersports, according to U.S. Rider News in their article Largest Honda Dealer in the US Under Investigation, is under investigation for selling potentially 25,000 unsafe motorcycles. According to the article, Southern Honda Powersports, which has locations in TN and FL, sold vehicles that had been recalled – without conducting the proper fixes on the vehicles, and sold vehicles assembled by employees without proper training.

7 Motorcycle riding tips

A few tips I’ve learned along the way:

1. Ride like you’re invisible – no matter how bright or reflective your clothing is, you can (and likely will) be in the blind spot of cars. Be prepared!
2. Stay away from cars – yes, it’s much easier said than done, but it’s the truth. If you aren’t following too closely, or being followed too closely, your chances of getting into an accident decrease greatly. Keep your distance from other vehicles to allow yourself time to brake and stop appropriately.
3. Have a plan – when you are in the blind spot of cars / trucks (see #1) you need to know how to maneuver quickly to get out of their way if they start merging into you. Keep your eyes open and always have a plan in the event a car / truck (or even bus) begins to merge into you.
4. Don’t look down – this is probably one of the most basic tips, but one of the most important. When you’re riding keep your eyes up and focused on where you want to be – even if you think you’re going to go down. You and your bike are going to go where your eyes are looking, and if that’s the ground, then that’s where you’ll end up.
5. Be courteous to drivers – I know, I know…why should I be? you ask. Well, because there are still a lot of drivers out there who don’t like motorcyclists and the nicer you are to them (i.e. waving when you split lanes and get in front of them), the more likely they will be to get out of your way and not run you over.
6. Wear proper riding gear – not all states have the DOT approved helmet law, but I think they should. Wearing a helmet that is DOT approved can increase your survival chances when in an accident. Don’t forget proper jacket and foot attire as well. The more protected your body is, the better you’ll be protected if you go down.
7. Only take passengers when you’re comfortable doing so – if you’re a new rider or if you have a bike that isn’t really meant for passengers, work your way up to taking someone with you on the back of your bike. My bike, for example, has a passenger seat. But, it’s far too small to carry me and another adult (hence, one of the reasons I really do need a new bike). And remember – when you take a passenger on your bike you are taking their life in your hands. 

Harley-Davidson 2012 and 2013 VRSCDX recall

I have to admit...this is a sweet looking bike! Maybe this'll be my next bike...(after the fix)

Harley-Davidson is recalling all 2012 and certain 2013 VRSCDX motorcycles that were manufactured from 6/14/11 through 8/1/12 due to a malfunction with the license plate bracket. According to the H-D Recall, the mounting screws may loosen up causing the license plate bracket to rotate and possibly damage the rear brake line. Please contact H-D for additional information.