Roadside breakdown
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,920
Likes: 264
From: Deep in the heart of New Jersey
The last time I stopped for a bike, the guy was standing in road with that "what am I gonna do now look". As it turned out he was just waiting for his buddy to go riding.,,
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 6
From: Omaha Nebraska
Since cell phones have become common place I don't think people are as apt to stop, thinking that help is probably on the way. I carry a clear plastic fuel siphon hose and a small set of home made jumper cables that have helped many stranded bikers get rolling again. Last year my bike suddenly quit and rolled to a stop along the interstate and within 5 min a biker stopped, stayed with my bike while my wife came to pick me up so I could get my trailer and he helped me load it as a rain shower suddenly came up. This guy had to call his girl friend to tell her that he was going to be late for their date, my wife and I had to insist that he take our cash offer so they could have a great night on the town. There are still some great people out there, hope his girl friend figures out that she has a keeper.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 948
Likes: 1
From: Worth, Illinois
Since cell phones have become common place I don't think people are as apt to stop, thinking that help is probably on the way. I carry a clear plastic fuel siphon hose and a small set of home made jumper cables that have helped many stranded bikers get rolling again. Last year my bike suddenly quit and rolled to a stop along the interstate and within 5 min a biker stopped, stayed with my bike while my wife came to pick me up so I could get my trailer and he helped me load it as a rain shower suddenly came up. This guy had to call his girl friend to tell her that he was going to be late for their date, my wife and I had to insist that he take our cash offer so they could have a great night on the town. There are still some great people out there, hope his girl friend figures out that she has a keeper.
Supporter
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,245
Likes: 69
From: Northford, CT
Last year coming home from a big charity ride my throttle cable broke. Now I have a trailor and my wife is sitting in a wheelchair on the side of the road. The ride had 3,000 bikes. A cop stopped asked if I needed help and asked me questions about the trailer. One bike stopped and asked the cop or me for directions! Cop had a call and left, I waited for an hour for the tow truck and no other bike even slowed down.
Next time I was slowing down to stop for a bike on the side of the road my wife said why no one stopped for us. She was right but I stopped anyway.
Next time I was slowing down to stop for a bike on the side of the road my wife said why no one stopped for us. She was right but I stopped anyway.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Olathe, KS (KC)
I always stop, last thursday I was on the side of the road oil cap blew off the oil plug there is a small hole in the plug blew oil all over my leg and my bike. While my buddy went back down the road to find the cap I have my toolkit out trying to figure out how to get the small hole plugged, 6 different bikes go by and countless cars, nothing, nobody stopped. Luckily my buddy was able to find the cap and I taped it on til I could fix it better later.
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Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 38
Likes: 1
From: San Diego
Two Sundays ago I had just slowed and waved to ensure a stopped rider was okay. He gave me the thumbs up and off I went. Then about a half hour later and only about 3 miles away (after a smoke a restroom stop) my bike quit on me. So there I am on the sloped gravel shoulder (obviously not just hanging out for a break) with my helmet off, tools out, you know - wrenching away trying to get back on the road. There must have been at least 50 Harleys that streamed by. At least. Probably more like 100 as there were numerous groups of bikes. Not one person stopped. And to top it off I was far enough into the mountains to get the wonderful "no service" message on the cell phone. Pretty disappointing to say the least.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,380
Likes: 9
From: Texas
A couple years ago the opposite happened to me. My wife and I were headed home about 1:00 am and stopped to help a couple riding 2-up on a rented Ultra. Not sure how they did it, but the rear wheel was dragging against the frame and it you could get it realigned again, that tire could not be trusted. He had called for a tow but at that time on a Sunday night in the middle of nowhere they wanted $800. We managed to get the bike off the road into a retirement center parking lot however. The guy was down here from Boston visiting his girlfriend.
My wife volunteered her bike to them and she climbed on mine and they followed us to our house which was about 50 miles, and then we drove them to their house another 50 miles in the cage. While I would have never taken any cash or anything, my wife commented on the way home that they never even said "thanks" or anything.
My wife volunteered her bike to them and she climbed on mine and they followed us to our house which was about 50 miles, and then we drove them to their house another 50 miles in the cage. While I would have never taken any cash or anything, my wife commented on the way home that they never even said "thanks" or anything.