Helping a Broken-Down Biker!

[SanPete_imp]

Figured I share this experience with you fine gentlemen. I was riding out of my neighborhood this afternoon when I noticed a motorcyclist stranded by the side of the road. The site of this man cought my attention, not so much for the look of dispair and confusion of this man's face. Nor the dripping sweat inflicted by a hot afternoon in the Sunshine State, but because of his bike. I recognize that motorcycle I say to myself. I have one just like it in my garage which also happens to be broken down. I stopped to ask him if he was ok, but from where I was standing all I could hear was a mumble. Obviously having ear plugs did not help either. I make a U turn to meet him. He tells me his battery is dead. He doesn't have jump cables either. What to do? I asked him where he lives. He tells me in the nearest appartment complex just down the road. I can see the building from here. We are talking 300-400 ft tops. I am sure he can push it there, he is a big fellow. I know I have pushed my bike before many times for running out of gas, and I don't remember anybody stopping to help me either. So I tell the guy "it is not that far, you'll get there". "BUT WAIT" he shouts, then asks me if I could help him push start the bike before I take off. Mind you this is a Honda VF1100C Magna V65 (1982). Dry weight 246 kg / 545 lb, and the rider at least another 240 lbs give or take. No way I can push this fellow! It is not like he is making an attempt to get off his saddle. Even if he did, he couldn't manage to jump back on the bike while in motion? Oh well! I stopped, so let me finish the good deed. It occurs to me that perhaps I could place my foot on his rear pegs and push him with my mighty CB1100. That did not work. He was too heavy and on top of that he had a gear enganged ready to release the clutch when needed. Having the gear enganged offers some resistance to the rear wheel preventing it to roll freely. Enough of this, let me park my bike and just push the dude. Here we go, I grab the sissy bar, bite my teeth and give it a good push down the street. Say about 25 feet. Hooray! The bike starts and the dude takes off... Yes he is gone. There was no turn around to say thank you. No friendly hand gestures as he departed. Nothing! He just took off. Fine, that's ok. I don't need a thank you. After all I volunteered. Needless to say, tonight, I have a sore back. A painful reminder of my Samaritan gesture, and questioning if I should ever stop to help a fellow rider in need again.

Lesson learned: I am not saying I will never help another motorist again, but my pushing days are over. Next time I will be the one on the bike being pushed if that is what it takes.

As my fellow Australian friends would say... Cheers!

 

[Jayimpalaman_imp]

Figured I share this experience with you fine gentlemen. I was riding out of my neighborhood this afternoon when I noticed a motorcyclist stranded by the side of the road. The site of this man cought my attention, not so much for the look of dispair and confusion of this man's face. Nor the dripping sweat inflicted by a hot afternoon in the Sunshine State, but because of his bike. I recognize that motorcycle I say to myself. I have one just like it in my garage which also happens to be broken down. I stopped to ask him if he was ok, but from where I was standing all I could hear was a mumble. Obviously having ear plugs did not help either. I make a U turn to meet him. He tells me his battery is dead. He doesn't have jump cables either. What to do? I asked him where he lives. He tells me in the nearest appartment complex just down the road. I can see the building from here. We are talking 300-400 ft tops. I am sure he can push it there, he is a big fellow. I know I have pushed my bike before many times for running out of gas, and I don't remember anybody stopping to help me either. So I tell the guy "it is not that far, you'll get there". "BUT WAIT" he shouts, then asks me if I could help him push start the bike before I take off. Mind you this is a Honda VF1100C Magna V65 (1982). Dry weight 246 kg / 545 lb, and the rider at least another 240 lbs give or take. No way I can push this fellow! It is not like he is making an attempt to get off his saddle. Even if he did, he couldn't manage to jump back on the bike while in motion? Oh well! I stopped, so let me finish the good deed. It occurs to me that perhaps I could place my foot on his rear pegs and push him with my mighty CB1100. That did not work. He was too heavy and on top of that he had a gear enganged ready to release the clutch when needed. Having the gear enganged offers some resistance to the rear wheel preventing it to roll freely. Enough of this, let me park my bike and just push the dude. Here we go, I grab the sissy bar, bite my teeth and give it a good push down the street. Say about 25 feet. Hooray! The bike starts and the dude takes off... Yes he is gone. There was no turn around to say thank you. No friendly hand gestures as he departed. Nothing! He just took off. Fine, that's ok. I don't need a thank you. After all I volunteered. Needless to say, tonight, I have a sore back. A painful reminder of my Samaritan gesture, and questioning if I should ever stop to help a fellow rider in need again.

Lesson learned: I am not saying I will never help another motorist again, but my pushing days are over. Next time I will be the one on the bike being pushed if that is what it takes.

As my fellow Australian friends would say... Cheers!

I know how you feel SanPete. I help a guy with a flat, I went to my house and got everything needed to change his flat and when i got back (20) mins, he was gone!! He lied to me. Hurt my feelings. I always help other riders when I can!! Jayimpalaman

 

[Powerdogg55]

Some people never cease to amaze me. This is simply rude and inconsiderate of someone nice enough to stop and take the time to assist someone and they can't even respond with a simple thanks....this guy's attitude is simply a part of a much larger problem in today's society. SanPete if you see me broke down on the side of the road somewhere please stop....I'll buy you lunch.

 

[Cormanus]

SanPete, we all know how you feel. What a grub.

In the brilliant film A Fish Called Wanda Kevin Kline played a not-very-smart character called Otto. In that circumstance he would have relieved his tension by yelling "AS%*HOLE!" after the receding biker.

Powerdogg is right. It's part of a much wider problem. It's like letting people into to traffic. All it takes is a wave or some form of acknowledgement and you're glad you did it. When you get nothing, you wonder why you bothered.

 

[rboe]

The fellow was very rude. But you made Karmah points. :worship:

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Geezaloo (yeh, must be infectious). If I had known that all those blokes who have pushed my bikes needed was a wave I woulda done it. Ah well, too late now. Maybe next time.

Cheers

 

[gossman_imp]

We shouldn't do things for others expecting a thank you or acknowledgements, we do them to make ourselves better people. You are a better person for it. Yes, I believe this.

 

[SanPete_imp]

Thank you all for the kind words and display of support. I am over it for now. Maybe my back will be too after a good night sleep.

I also have to agree with Powerdogg statement of this being "part of a much wider problem." I grew up with values like being polite and respecting your elders was the thing to do. Unfortunately I don't see this in our society anymore. It is all about "Me Me Me", this self-centeredness that has plagued us like a religious cult.

Listen! I don't want to open a can of worms here (ain't that right Cormanus?) This is all about the broken-down biker dude. Maybe he was having a really bad day and couldn't wait to get home. God bless him, and I hope he gets his bike fixed. I also hope the bike wasn't stolen and I became part of a crime.

 

[Cormanus]

Mate, I'm not sure whether you should test your mighty command of the Australian vernacular with me or Pterodactyl. But, you're right, it would be much better not to open a can of worms. Aside from anything else it would draw the attention of the moderators and we'll all be in the sh*t.

 

[lola_imp]

Never Offer to hop on a strangers bike to jump start just because you don't want to be the one pushing.. he might just ride off with your bike instead, just a tip. Good on you for helping though.

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Never Offer to hop on a strangers bike to jump start just because you don't want to be the one pushing.. he might just ride off with your bike instead, just a tip. Good on you for helping though.

On the other hand, if his, or her, bike is better than yours, a CB for instance ............



Cheers

 

[SanPete_imp]

Never Offer to hop on a strangers bike to jump start just because you don't want to be the one pushing.. he might just ride off with your bike instead, just a tip. Good on you for helping though.

Good observation. Glad that didn't happen.

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Mate, I'm not sure whether you should test your mighty command of the Australian vernacular with me or Pterodactyl. But, you're right, it would be much better not to open a can of worms. Aside from anything else it would draw the attention of the moderators and we'll all be in the sh*t.

This is not a test, but a reference to a year old post in which you asked me what this "can of worms" meant. Perhaps you don't remember. At first I thought you were joking. Then I realized I was not in Kansas anymore.

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[Henrik_imp]

It is true that society today has changed quite a bit from what it was. Certainly helping out a stranger is something that is becoming more and more rare, and I think the reasons for this change are many. What I find here in Europe though is that helping out is a trait that is still reasonably common among bikers, even though perhaps less and less so. I know that over the years I have stopped to help out on many occasions, and I never think twice about it. It is second nature to me; I see a fellow motorist with trouble and I stop to see if I can help. Some might say that this can get me in to trouble because you don't know who you might encounter, but I am too old to change my ways, and motorcycle riding is already dangerous to begin with.

There have been some funny moments too when I have stopped to help out people in broken down cars. There was one time a lady in a flashy BMW that was clearly having car issues, stranded at the side of the road. I pulled up behind her with my bike, and proceeded to walk up and ask if I could help. As she spotted me, she rapidly closed her window, and I was greeted with a look of fear. That's when it hit me that on top of the black leathers I was wearing, I had not taken of my helmet either! I was like "no, no! I just want to see if I can help!" and proceeded to take of my helmet and present her with my best smile. I probably looked creepy as hell! She cracks her window open a couple of centimeters, and I can ask her what is going on.

To make a long story short, I couldn't help her with her car trouble, but at a time when mobile phones were not too common, I was able to call for help and waited with her until a mechanic showed up. She did end up trusting me enough to eventually get out of her car and we had a really nice conversation as we waited together.

I would do the same tomorrow, but then I am also somebody who tries to tell young riders to mellow out a bit on the roads too. I doubt it will ever have an impact, but you just never know...

 

[redbirds_imp]

A shame that you had this bad experience SanPete. I wouldn't allow it to stop me from helping a stranded motorcyclist or motorist again though. You did a good thing and sometimes that has to be enough. Ungrateful louts like this have always been around
but most folks you help are glad for the assistance and express their gratitude with a "Thank You".

 

[Cormanus]

Never Offer to hop on a strangers bike to jump start just because you don't want to be the one pushing.. he might just ride off with your bike instead, just a tip. Good on you for helping though.

Good observation. Glad that didn't happen.

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Mate, I'm not sure whether you should test your mighty command of the Australian vernacular with me or Pterodactyl. But, you're right, it would be much better not to open a can of worms. Aside from anything else it would draw the attention of the moderators and we'll all be in the sh*t.

This is not a test, but a reference to a year old post in which you asked me what this "can of worms" meant. Perhaps you don't remember. At first I thought you were joking. Then I realized I was not in Kansas anymore.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk [url=http://'http://tapatalk.com/m?id=10']now Free

This is not a test, but a reference to a year old post in which you asked me what this "can of worms" meant. Perhaps you don't remember. At first I thought you were joking. Then I realized I was not in Kansas anymore.
SanPete, you've got me on the reference to Kansas. And you've a much better memory than me. Was [URL=https://cb1100forum.net/posts/735601/]this the post?

 

[emptysea]

SanPete, the other guy's lack of gratitude shouldn't keep you from a feeling of satisfaction for doing what was right.

 

[The Spaceman_imp]

I think the guy was terrified the bike would die on him, and that's why he kept going. Good for you to help either way.

"Pegging" a bike home is a technique we used many times back in the bad old days of AMF Harleys. The rider on the running bike puts his right foot on the left peg of the dead bike and eases forward till both are rolling. It's hard to get going, but a cinch once under way.

Another trick is to swap batteries from a running bike to a dead bike. We got my friend's XL home from Key West that way when his bike stopped charging. The battery would last 70-80 miles, then we'd pull the charged battery from my bike and put it in his. My FSX would keep running without a battery, but I'm sure that wouldn't work these days with FI systems.

 

[the Ferret]

SanPete, the other guy's lack of gratitude shouldn't keep you from a feeling of satisfaction for doing what was right.

+ 1. Doing the right thing is it's own reward

 

[Rocky_imp]

I agree. You did the right thing, but that still doesn't excuse such behaviour.
Maybe he was such a bad rider he was afraid to take one hand off the handlebar to make a quick wave

Not to hijack this thread, but it reminds me of an incident about 15-16 years ago.
I was out for a day ride on my Honda Hawk when I came upon a Harley rider by the side of the road. As I approached I could see that it was an older model with a kick-starter and there was a deep impression in the gravel shoulder of the road made by the foot that wasn't doing the kicking. He had obviously been stuck there for some time and was covered in sweat from the effort to start the bike.
I told him to jump on and I would take him to the nearest telephone to call for help, but he refused my offer, and again quite obviously, would rather stay stuck by the side of the road rather than get on a Japanese bike.
I simply rode away and left him there.
Idiot!!

 

[SanPete_imp]

Never Offer to hop on a strangers bike to jump start just because you don't want to be the one pushing.. he might just ride off with your bike instead, just a tip. Good on you for helping though.

Good observation. Glad that didn't happen.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk now Free

Mate, I'm not sure whether you should test your mighty command of the Australian vernacular with me or Pterodactyl. But, you're right, it would be much better not to open a can of worms. Aside from anything else it would draw the attention of the moderators and we'll all be in the sh*t.

This is not a test, but a reference to a year old post in which you asked me what this "can of worms" meant. Perhaps you don't remember. At first I thought you were joking. Then I realized I was not in Kansas anymore.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk [url=http://'http://tapatalk.com/m?id=10']now Free

This is not a test, but a reference to a year old post in which you asked me what this "can of worms" meant. Perhaps you don't remember. At first I thought you were joking. Then I realized I was not in Kansas anymore.
SanPete, you've got me on the reference to Kansas. And you've a much better memory than me. Was [URL=https://cb1100forum.net/posts/735601/]this the post?

This is not a test, but a reference to a year old post in which you asked me what this "can of worms" meant. Perhaps you don't remember. At first I thought you were joking. Then I realized I was not in Kansas anymore.
SanPete, you've got me on the reference to Kansas. And you've a much better memory than me. Was [URL=https://cb1100forum.net/posts/735601/]this the post?
That's the one.

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