Coming back from the dentist in Nogales Mexico about a year ago. Got a dozen miles north of the border when my Dyna SG started cutting out. Got it to restart and catch a couple of times but the last time I knew I was toast. As PM I had {foolishly} replaced the 3+ year old HD battery that was working but clearly on its last legs. Never buy a house brand battery from Cycle Gear, this one lasted 3 months...Arrrg! The shoulder on I-19 is about 2' wide with lots of 18 wheelers doing 80 and no place you want to be stranded.

I pulled fuses, checked the battery connection before finally realizing it was just a bad battery. At least a dozen bikes went by during the first half hour of troubleshooting and yes I placed my helmet on the ground next to the rear wheel. My cell phone had a low battery and service was spotty but when I finally got ahold of GEICO road service they were great. Had a tow truck and flatbed trailer out in about an hour. He hauled me 90 miles to the nearest Harley dealer and they secured my bike for the night inside the service department {that is closed on Monday's}.

Had them troubleshoot the electrical system but it was just a bad battery {9 volts) and had them replace it with a new HD. Drove the old one down to Cycle Gear and all they wanted to do was give me a replacement POS but I was not having any. It took some convincing and pointing out I did not need a new battery as I already had one {the HD}. Told them I would accept store credit If I had to but eventually got a full refund.

About all a bro could have done for me would have been to provide a better cell connection but it sure would have been nice to have that help. I carry a compressor and tire repair kit along with a couple of different battery connection harnesses so that I can perform those functions for others as well as myself and have stopped several times to offer assistance.

 

I rode my motorcycle on a really hot day (98 degrees; high humidity) after having given a unit of blood. Bad idea as they even tell you to stay out of the heat, no work, etc. I also didn't rehydrate because in anticipation of my ride, I didn't want to have to stop to pee.

I'd been riding a couple of hours and was on a country two lane curvy road that had no lines, ditches for shoulders, and tree lines against the ditches.

My right hand started cramping and my chest was getting tight to where I couldn't breathe. I started to black out and couldn't control the bike. I was drifting all over the road.

I managed to make it to a driveway and didn't get off the road, but got the kickstand down and parked the bike in front of the gravel drive. I had to physically lie down in the driveway.

Two guys (African American; I'm white) stopped and asked what was wrong. I told them I thought I was dehydrated and needed some water. The driver got a thermos full of ice water out of his truck and gave it to me. Another guy in a truck (also African American) stopped to help.

The first guy went back to his truck and started honking for the guy in the house. This guy (a white guy) came out and they were friends and the two of them helped me to the house. I told the guy who owned the house I would just sit outside in the shade till I cooled off. He refused and insisted I go inside where there was air conditioning. I didn't argue.

He gave me, no kidding, at least 6 tall glasses of ice water and a candy bar. Somebody had called the sheriff's office and a deputy came out. He wanted to call EMS and I told him I'd be alright and the homeowner said he wouldn't let me leave till I was ok.

I stayed there about an hour or so and felt like I could make it home. I went outside and the guys in the pickup trucks had wheeled my bike off the road all the way up to the house. That was a considerable walk.

You might wonder why I mentioned the race of the gentlemen who helped. There's so much crap in the news about conflict among the races, well, those events don't always describe everybody everyplace.

These guys were tops. I bought everybody some gift certificates but was unable to find the guys in the pickup trucks.

 

Good hearts don't know skin color and glad you made it out alive man. But next time listen to the hot nurse drawing your blood. You could have killed yourself and/or hurt you or someone in your path.

 

I had almost the exact same thing happen to me. Guy with a high dollar chopper broken down on I-695. I took the next exit came back the opposite direction and stopped across the concrete barrier from him to see if I could help. He was on his phone just having a conversation with someone...on the inside shoulder of 695 at 2:30 in the afternoon, and looked at me like I was bothering him...yeah F you too buddy.

 

I was on my old Evo Sportster over the weekend on a curvy 2 lane mountain road about 12 miles away I guess from the nearest town when I saw a guy off on the side of the road with an Ultra. I pulled over in front of him and walked back to him. He said it was a 2017 that he bought new this spring and this was the first long ride he had been on with it. Everything had been going okay until it started severely losing power on him. To make matters worse, his cell phone provider had no service in that spot where he was broke down. Being aware of this same issue with my cell phone, I had my wife's cell phone with me, (different carrier) and he was able to try to call someone. I knew the area a little bit better than him. He had no idea what was wrong and I didn't either unfortunately. Strangely, although my wife's cell phone had roaming voice service I didn't have a data connection, and couldn't get an exact location with it. ? Fortunately I had an old GPS in my handlebar pouch that gave me a location so he could tell them exactly where he was at. No one else stopped during the time I was there, although there was only one other motorcycle I saw on that road after I stopped, and he was going pretty fast on a crotch rocket. Mostly an occasional car or truck pulling a trailer, although traffic of any kind was very light that day. At least none of the cars or trucks hit us, because you can't get very far off the road in that area. A great day to ride even though it was cooler than some people like it. It's also good that his m/c is still under warranty.

 

This is what I do now that most riders have a phone...... About 15 years ago I seen a 2 plastic Jap bikes on the side of a road, both of them was bent over working on one of them, I carry tools with me at all times. I puled up beside them no cars behind me for the moment,my bike was at idle. I said need any help?? the young guy turned around and looked like he hated me and said,, "just get your bike away from me, it's to loud and I cant hear mine" I said OK and took off. I went buy on my way back home about 2 hours later and it was setting there with no one around it. They must had drove off on the other bike for a trailer. I will never forget the look of hate in his eyes he gave me. I still slow down for a thumbs up to see if another biker may need help, always will.

 

 

Good for you for doing that.

 

Yep that's what I do now too.