Now that we are able to post message again.

About 7 weeks ago I bought my first Harley Davidson (2000 Road King). All through my life I have always heard great things about the Harley's and the people that ride them. I turn 40 in November and I guess you could say this is my mid-life crisis purchase. After talking to a friend of mine over the past year I went and bought my Road King. He always talked about his experiences and I envied him on every story that he told. Some stories to include were the local "Toy Runs", memorial and fund raiser rides that he had done. And one particular story he told me was that he was riding on the Parkway one day and he had to pee really bad. So he found a pull off and went over the knoll and into the woods to do his business (don't tell the Rangers, hehe). As he was peeing he heard the rumbling of motorcycles. As he came back over the knoll he found there to be about 15 to 20 bikes pulled off and stopped by his bike. One of the riders spoke out and asked if he was ok and if he needed any help. Cool huh. Well as my friend finished telling the story he said yeah man that's one of the cool things about Harley riders along with the traditional hand wave as your riding down the road.

Now, here is the part that ticked me off. Myself and the friend above went on a memorial ride on Saturday the 26th of July for a slain NC Trooper. On our way back home my bike broke down, we pulled off the side of the road, turned on hazards and my friend put his helmet on the ground next to his kick stand. As we had the seat off my bike and down on our hands and knees looking under and around the bike, NOT ONE RIDER STOPPED BY, to see if we needed any help. So, while sitting on the side of the highway for 2 hours waiting on a tow truck, everyone however did ride by and throw there hand up and wave but, not one stopped.

Now I don't know a thing about fixing a motorcycle engine, (yet) but you can bet your sweet butt that if I see some stopped on the side of the road, on their hands and knees looking at their bike, I will stop and see if I can at the least call someone for them.

1st this did not look good to/on my friend for the previous story he told of riders stopping by to check on you but,
2nd this did not leave a good impression on a new rider.

 

Take heart, of the few that passed you by, there are a thousand that would stop.
Unfortunately for you, they were riding somewhere else that day.
Keep the faith, keep riding, you'll meet some great people.

 

It ain't the brotherhood comaraderie it once was it just isn't.

Similar thing happened to me a year or so ago. Broke down at a busy intersection, pulled off to the grassy knoll and commenced to poke aruond till the cavalary arrived. You know who stopped...2 old ladies in there late 70's driving in a car together because there dad use to have a harley and thats what he used to tell them (always help out a motorcycle rider if he looks broke down). I really thank them and by then my son was on his way to the HD shop to pick me up some stuff to get the bike going again.

No motorcycles just two old ladies whose dad happened to have a harley when they were growing up. And believe me tons went by.

Harley's are a status symbol to most, to a few it represents the definition of how they live there life and who they are as a person. When you said "I'm a Harley guy" it meant you were a man of your word, someone who could be trusted someone you could depend on. Someone you would want as a freind. The rest of the aholes rode Hondas (follow the leader he's on a honda) Now in most but not all cases it means "look at me don't I look cool, mean and tough?"

Something has been diluted in the generational transsion of owning a Harley. There will be many who read this and think I'm nutts. I don't care, maybe I am.

This subject has been bounced around on a number of threads so I will stop. And its just my opinion and opinions are like assh*les, everyone has one.

 

I disagree. Its the thousand who won't stop and the few who do has been my experience. I do agree with keeping the faith, keep riding and you'll meet some great people, eventually.

 

I have stopped a couple of times to offer assistance and I know that a few of my friends have stopped also. I have fetched gas and offered my cell phone. I have helped push someone else's bike off of the road and out of harms way. I have lent tools. I have had tools lent to me. I don't know what is up where you are but it sucks.There are a lot of new riders out there and maybe they don't know how to act, but they will learn for the most part.

 

I dont know...... It seems like every time I pull off to the side of the road to take a ****, smoke a j or whatever......9 out of 10 times at least one car or bike will pull and yell out the window to see if I need some help or something.
batmanofasheville .....I think either you were just having a bad day, or because it was two bikes there, people just assumed that you had everything under control.

Anyhow.......so tell us what was the problem with your bike, and what was done to fix it????

 

I for one have always offered help to anyone stranded 2 or 4 wheels.It also happened to me several years ago.No one stopped to ask me anything, some never even turned their heads.After calling my wife she stayed with the bike until I got back with a small part.Guess what! there were two different people with her when I got back.Go figure,Some people might not like men with beards?

 

There was 2 of you, that's why. If I was riding by, and seen 2 bikes with 2 riders, I assume that they're gonna be ok, because 1 or both most likely has a cell phone, one of the bikes probably runs fine, so it's not like your stranded or something.

 

I'd say thats probably it. When ever I've stopped while alone I've had plenty of people stop to see if they could help me. Last time is was stopped with a flat on the side of the road I had everyone from people on HD's to a scooter rider stop and ask if they could help. Even after telling them no that I had help coming I had one guy come back and give me some water he'd gone up the road to buy for me. No reason to lose faith over this.

 

Take heart not everyone is that way.