Roadside breakdown
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,852
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From: Decatur, Alabama
Roadside breakdown
I stopped for another broken bike yesterday on the way home from work. I always stop. This time it was pretty interesting. The guy had a pan head. It was one of those "home brew" bikes that he had built and evidently he had just got it running. I think he said it was a '52 in a '58 frame. It was kick only and, among other things, had an electronic ignition. He found the problem, a burnt out wire in the ignition in between the tank halves. I gave him some wire I had in my tool kit and he patched it in. After it was fixed it still wouldn't start. We figured that the next problem was the coil. I didn't have one of those in my tool kit so he gave me a $50 dollar bill and I hauled *** over to the local bike shop. Our bike shop is neat in that he would rather work on old bikes than anything else. And by bikes I mean Harleys only. Not too many twin cams there either, mostly shovels, pans, and the odd ironhead. Anyway, I showed up at the shop and got the coil. The $50 wasn't enough to cover it but the guy didn't ask for the rest.
When I got back he got the coil on and kicked that bike until he was nearly give out. It finally caught and roared to life. I told him to square things at the bike shop for the rest of the money for the coil and off he went like a bat out of hell. That old bike really moved. He had told me that he put a different set of cams in it and it had a huge carb that was so big he had to put an electric fuel pump on it in order to keep up with the fuel demand.
While he was working on it I was watching all the bikes going by. Some were even waving. I couldn't believe that no one else stopped to help. Shame on them. I'm beginning to think that I'm the only guy left who will offer to help another biker.
When I got back he got the coil on and kicked that bike until he was nearly give out. It finally caught and roared to life. I told him to square things at the bike shop for the rest of the money for the coil and off he went like a bat out of hell. That old bike really moved. He had told me that he put a different set of cams in it and it had a huge carb that was so big he had to put an electric fuel pump on it in order to keep up with the fuel demand.
While he was working on it I was watching all the bikes going by. Some were even waving. I couldn't believe that no one else stopped to help. Shame on them. I'm beginning to think that I'm the only guy left who will offer to help another biker.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: Glen Burnie, MD
Let me just say that the other day I put new cams in my bike and I was out on a test run and my vacuum line came off my carb and the bike seemed like it ran out of gas. Well I drifted into a church parking lot that also has a school there. Needless to say it took me about 5 mins. to figure out what happen I guess that I knocked it loose working on the bike, But probably 20 people came and parked right beside me to pick up their kids and not 1 person said how are you doing, could I call someone or help in anyway. I was pretty much laying on the ground with 2 sticks trying to put the vacuum line back on, Finally got it after about 25 mins. The whole kicker is that the church parking lot I was in is the church I've went to from the age of 4 to the age of 18. I even seen about 5 bikes go by and no one stopped. I thought it was sad because I stop and try to help if I see a bike or a lady on the side of the road.
Last edited by madjimmax; Mar 24, 2010 at 07:15 AM.
Yep no one wants to stop anymore..Last night the wifes Softail blew a Power Commander on I 40 coming back from Nashville.I was able to bypass it and got back on the road in no time..did anyone stop ? No.. My biggest concern was for the wife to not stand behind the bike as I wanted to keep an eye on the traffic coming at us..
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Kingman, AZ
Yep no one wants to stop anymore..Last night the wifes Softail blew a Power Commander on I 40 coming back from Nashville.I was able to bypass it and got back on the road in no time..did anyone stop ? No.. My biggest concern was for the wife to not stand behind the bike as I wanted to keep an eye on the traffic coming at us..
Glad you got it diagnosed and bypassed quickly without anyone getting harmed. Interstates can be an ugly place to be working on anything!
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Queens, NY
a lot of sunday drivers think fixing their bike is bringing it to the dealer, thats probably why they don't stop...nothing helpful to contribute ahhhaha.
a slightly related situation. the girlfriend and i went to the mall in her car. like an ******* i left the lights on while we went inside. came out to the car in the pouring rain and it was dead as a doornail. now my pride takes over and i get out of the car determined to flag a car down. i'm standing outside the car in the pouring rain, throwing off the universal "hey i need help" signs. NOT ONE PERSON EVEN SLOWED DOWN. not that anyone has jumper cables in their car anymore, but again for that thought see above.
sad day when people don't want to help people.
a slightly related situation. the girlfriend and i went to the mall in her car. like an ******* i left the lights on while we went inside. came out to the car in the pouring rain and it was dead as a doornail. now my pride takes over and i get out of the car determined to flag a car down. i'm standing outside the car in the pouring rain, throwing off the universal "hey i need help" signs. NOT ONE PERSON EVEN SLOWED DOWN. not that anyone has jumper cables in their car anymore, but again for that thought see above.
sad day when people don't want to help people.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Driftless Area
Now it was reversed for me.......I was on my Shovel and stopped for a guy in the middle of nowhere that was on a brand-new Heritage. I've got points, condensor, plugs, tools, etc., and none of it could help him. All we could do was make sure he had help coming.
It's nice to feel like you can be self-sufficient. It's nicer if you have a cell phone.
It's nice to feel like you can be self-sufficient. It's nicer if you have a cell phone.