Helping a Broken-Down Biker!

[rboe]

It has occurred to me that I should thank you for stopping. So, many thanks for helping him out. Because next time it just might be me that needs help and I'll need you to know that it would be greatly appreciated if you did stop; if only to do a welfare check.

 

[Guth_imp]

It has occurred to me that I should thank you for stopping. So, many thanks for helping him out. Because next time it just might be me that needs help and I'll need you to know that it would be greatly appreciated if you did stop; if only to do a welfare check.

+1

 

[flynrider]

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.

Depends on the type of alternator and voltage regulator design. Some bikes run just fine without a battery, others not so much.

One of my old KZ750s hadn't been started for awhile and there was no battery installed. I thought I'd just jump it from my truck by attaching the cables to the bike's positive and negative cables. The bike started fine. When I removed the cables, I thought I detected the lights getting brighter. I gave it a quick rev and all the lights (head, tail and instrument) suddenly went super bright,,,,just before they all burnt out.

Turns out the regulator design used the battery to sense system voltage. With no battery, the regulator just sent all available electrons from the alternator into the system. That was an expensive lesson in electronics

 

[OldF7Guy_imp]

It has occurred to me that I should thank you for stopping. So, many thanks for helping him out. Because next time it just might be me that needs help and I'll need you to know that it would be greatly appreciated if you did stop; if only to do a welfare check.

+1

+1
+2 It could be any of us. ONe time I stopped to help a broke down car on my Harley and the guy would not roll down his window. I guess he was afraid of me I dont know. Im pretty clean cut with no tattos ect but the loud pipes may have scared him off. I dont know.

 

[Cormanus]

The other day I stopped, got off the bike and went across the road to take a photo of the CB with mountain behind it (yes, I had my forum responsibilities in mind). I was on a quiet country road and squatting in the grass on the opposite side to the bike when a car came along, slowed down and the passenger checked that I was OK. I was, but I was also very grateful they'd taken the trouble to be concerned.

The photo's already been posted here.

 

[the Ferret]

Same here Cormanus..when I was stopped to take a picture of the splattered deer the other day, an older couple in a car pulled up, rolled down their window and asked if I was OK. I explained I wasn't the one who hit it, was just documenting it. Sure was nice of them to check, in case there was a problem. I appreciated it.

I always stop when I see another biker stopped on the side of the road. It's usually nothing, but you never know.

 

[CA200_imp]

I try to stop when it looks like some one has a problem. Some time
I get a thank you wave and some times not.
One time back in the early 90s ( or maybe late 80s) we decided to get in some early spring riding so we trailered a couple small bikes
on my 3 rail trailer to southern Il. , northern Ky. because the weather
was warmer there. This was before cell phones etc.. As we crossed a
overpass in central Il. I saw someone pushing a bike along side the
road. We swing around at the next exit and caught up to him and pulled over behind him. He was striped to the waist and covered in
sweat , it was still cool out. It looked like he had a bunch of stuff just
bungeed to the back of the bike. He had lost his oil plug and the bike has stopped. I think he said he had pushed it a few miles, he didn't
know. I said I got extra place on the trailer ,lets load her up. He would
have none of that - He was sooo focused to get to the next exit he would not stop. We walked with him a while and even some other
people stopped but he just refused any help at all. Some times you just don't know what people will do when you stop. We went the
way he was going and took our time going back to the interstate and
he did make his exit. :dodgy:

 

[gossman_imp]

I have tow insurance

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Same here Cormanus..when I was stopped to take a picture of the splattered deer the other day, an older couple in a car pulled up, rolled down their window and asked if I was OK. I explained I wasn't the one who hit it, was just documenting it. Sure was nice of them to check, in case there was a problem. I appreciated it.

I always stop when I see another biker stopped on the side of the road. It's usually nothing, but you never know.

Me too. Except for those bikers whose-name-shall-not-spoken. You know, the ones-who-do-not-nod. Slick shift down a cog, gun it, and give them a cheery wave.

Cheers

 

[Blockhead_imp]

A couple summers ago while driving my pickup along a back road I came over the crest of a hill and found a man and his wife pulled to the side of the road. I noticed some debris in the road but they appeared to be ok and the bike was on its side stand. I stopped to check on them, they were riding an older Kawasaki Voyager and the passenger backrest support had snapped in two and fallen off at about 45 mph. The woman on the back said she almost came off the bike when it happened; she was pretty shaken up as to what could have happened.

I followed him home with her riding in my truck and the remnants of their bike in the back....was about a 20 minute ride. They couldn't have been more appreciative, invited me into their house for a beer etc...

 

[Razorbacjac_imp]

Good for you. A True gift is....When you want nothing in return or exspect anything in return.

 

[silverbub_imp]

buuuuut....theeeeeen...this can/did happen:... back in August... on a planned "overnighter"...with camping essentials lashed onto pillion seat...I was off on a two day "adventure"... looking forward to the camp night listening to the bard owls & nightingale calls while watching for meteor streaks across the heavens..:banana:. when riding "memory-bank" trickled into my attention that there was a "squirrelly" slight shimmy of the rear wheel... yep... the dreaded low tire pressure wiggle that precludes serious wobble & probable lay-down... due to large carpenter nail picked up about ten miles before... fortunately I was able to exit immediately at a turn-off...kickstand down & noted the rear tire(on ST1100) was just beginning to de-bead itself...(this describes the background for the next phase of episode)... peeling off my riding suit... knowing I will have to detach my massive web of bungee cord tie-downs to get into the camp bag for the tire plug kit & co2 little "bombs"...I look up to notice a quite well used, quite old bike with those loud pipes "saving lives" transporting a very sizeable fellow well into the 300 pound(weight) category who could easily been taken for someone who has lived in the deep woods in self-sufficiency for at least two decades... many zip ties & duck tape keeping the bike bits from falling off... my initial contact with this fellow was to politely thank him for stopping...& to inform him that I was sufficiently prepared to attend to my current flat tire plight... however... he insisted to pull out his cell phone & call in his son as additional assistance..bringing to my coordinates an amply filled air tank(of which I was grateful so I would not have to deal with multiple little co2 "bombs" for partially filling rear tire..:-/. now I will compress this incident... biker dude's son shows...I get two gummy worms into large carpenter nail hole... the son & I get tire bead reseated with air tank at about 100psi...and tire about 50psi for plug testing... plug leaking air some... but I cut off the worms with some extending beyond tread to get them to mash down & hopefully better seal... I offer up some reasonable cash from wallet for dude & son's providing me with welcomed air tank fill for tire... dude inquired in pretty direct fashion as to just how much $$$$ I might be carrying (on such a trip with a camping bag, etc)...biker dude waves off quickly another stopped pickup driver who is rather aggressively told "WE have this in control, REALLY in control!"... (insert a deeply aggressive chuckle or two from him here)... situational awareness/intuition takes over from my standpoint in this rapidly developing scene... as I decide it is time to make my exit from the roadside drama as quickly as possible without panic...I walk towards dude's son who is beside rear wheel well of his pickup to say, "Thank You for help"... when I notice he is crouched beside rear wheel in something like a "CROUCHING-TIGER" ninja move... staring up at me just like a cougar about to pounce...WTH??!!...I back away... speechless... and know that I am in deep into a scene of highway robbery, or worse... now...to quickly finish this roadside "help-session" ...the son tried to put a neck hammer-lock on me as I moved toward bike... son got confused just enough from his biker dude father's "commands" that I was able to make my get away as son was trying to find his opening to grab me as I feathered the friction zone to control the elevation of turnoff as I made my left hand u-turn to cross between son & dad dude still sitting on his rat bike... whew!...I made my getaway!...best I can surmise: they were intent on a complete "score" of my bike & wallet & camp stuff...& I do not want to speculate as to what they would have done with me!... so... in summary... some who stop to "help" are in fact those who we most want to avoid!... obviously,... since I am posting this after all...I made it back home... had to spend night in only motel in a town... limped back home next day with numerous checking rear tire leaks & re-fills at air pumps along way... thankful to have barely avoided a roadside heist (or worse)... be vigilant & listen to your intuitional voice... it just might save you & me in our future outings!:hello:

 

[SanPete_imp]

buuuuut....theeeeeen...this can/did happen:... back in August... on a planned "overnighter"...with camping essentials lashed onto pillion seat...I was off on a two day "adventure"... looking forward to the camp night listening to the bard owls & nightingale calls while watching for meteor streaks across the heavens..:banana:. when riding "memory-bank" trickled into my attention that there was a "squirrelly" slight shimmy of the rear wheel... yep... the dreaded low tire pressure wiggle that precludes serious wobble & probable lay-down... due to large carpenter nail picked up about ten miles before... fortunately I was able to exit immediately at a turn-off...kickstand down & noted the rear tire(on ST1100) was just beginning to de-bead itself...(this describes the background for the next phase of episode)... peeling off my riding suit... knowing I will have to detach my massive web of bungee cord tie-downs to get into the camp bag for the tire plug kit & co2 little "bombs"...I look up to notice a quite well used, quite old bike with those loud pipes "saving lives" transporting a very sizeable fellow well into the 300 pound(weight) category who could easily been taken for someone who has lived in the deep woods in self-sufficiency for at least two decades... many zip ties & duck tape keeping the bike bits from falling off... my initial contact with this fellow was to politely thank him for stopping...& to inform him that I was sufficiently prepared to attend to my current flat tire plight... however... he insisted to pull out his cell phone & call in his son as additional assistance..bringing to my coordinates an amply filled air tank(of which I was grateful so I would not have to deal with multiple little co2 "bombs" for partially filling rear tire..:-/. now I will compress this incident... biker dude's son shows...I get two gummy worms into large carpenter nail hole... the son & I get tire bead reseated with air tank at about 100psi...and tire about 50psi for plug testing... plug leaking air some... but I cut off the worms with some extending beyond tread to get them to mash down & hopefully better seal... I offer up some reasonable cash from wallet for dude & son's providing me with welcomed air tank fill for tire... dude inquired in pretty direct fashion as to just how much $$$$ I might be carrying (on such a trip with a camping bag, etc)...biker dude waves off quickly another stopped pickup driver who is rather aggressively told "WE have this in control, REALLY in control!"... (insert a deeply aggressive chuckle or two from him here)... situational awareness/intuition takes over from my standpoint in this rapidly developing scene... as I decide it is time to make my exit from the roadside drama as quickly as possible without panic...I walk towards dude's son who is beside rear wheel well of his pickup to say, "Thank You for help"... when I notice he is crouched beside rear wheel in something like a "CROUCHING-TIGER" ninja move... staring up at me just like a cougar about to pounce...WTH??!!...I back away... speechless... and know that I am in deep into a scene of highway robbery, or worse... now...to quickly finish this roadside "help-session" ...the son tried to put a neck hammer-lock on me as I moved toward bike... son got confused just enough from his biker dude father's "commands" that I was able to make my get away as son was trying to find his opening to grab me as I feathered the friction zone to control the elevation of turnoff as I made my left hand u-turn to cross between son & dad dude still sitting on his rat bike... whew!...I made my getaway!...best I can surmise: they were intent on a complete "score" of my bike & wallet & camp stuff...& I do not want to speculate as to what they would have done with me!... so... in summary... some who stop to "help" are in fact those who we most want to avoid!... obviously,... since I am posting this after all...I made it back home... had to spend night in only motel in a town... limped back home next day with numerous checking rear tire leaks & re-fills at air pumps along way... thankful to have barely avoided a roadside heist (or worse)... be vigilant & listen to your intuitional voice... it just might save you & me in our future outings!:hello:

Good Lord Silverbub! I was deeply entertained by your writing style until I reached the end. The mood changed and all I can picture coming was "Deliverance". I am glad you escaped the encounter unscathed.

 

[Elipten_imp]

Very sad to hear this happened but it does occur all to often. Glad to hear it worked out but must have been beginners. Pros would be armed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SanPete_imp]

Very sad to hear this happened but it does occur all to often. Glad to hear it worked out but must have been beginners. Pros would be armed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have thought about riding with a piece on me, but as the saying goes "when push comes to shove" will I be up to the task?

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

buuuuut....theeeeeen...this can/did happen:... back in August... on a planned "overnighter"...with camping essentials lashed onto pillion seat...I was off on a two day "adventure"... looking forward to the camp night listening to the bard owls & nightingale calls while watching for meteor streaks across the heavens..:banana:. when riding "memory-bank" trickled into my attention that there was a "squirrelly" slight shimmy of the rear wheel... yep... the dreaded low tire pressure wiggle that precludes serious wobble & probable lay-down... due to large carpenter nail picked up about ten miles before... fortunately I was able to exit immediately at a turn-off...kickstand down & noted the rear tire(on ST1100) was just beginning to de-bead itself...(this describes the background for the next phase of episode)... peeling off my riding suit... knowing I will have to detach my massive web of bungee cord tie-downs to get into the camp bag for the tire plug kit & co2 little "bombs"...I look up to notice a quite well used, quite old bike with those loud pipes "saving lives" transporting a very sizeable fellow well into the 300 pound(weight) category who could easily been taken for someone who has lived in the deep woods in self-sufficiency for at least two decades... many zip ties & duck tape keeping the bike bits from falling off... my initial contact with this fellow was to politely thank him for stopping...& to inform him that I was sufficiently prepared to attend to my current flat tire plight... however... he insisted to pull out his cell phone & call in his son as additional assistance..bringing to my coordinates an amply filled air tank(of which I was grateful so I would not have to deal with multiple little co2 "bombs" for partially filling rear tire..:-/. now I will compress this incident... biker dude's son shows...I get two gummy worms into large carpenter nail hole... the son & I get tire bead reseated with air tank at about 100psi...and tire about 50psi for plug testing... plug leaking air some... but I cut off the worms with some extending beyond tread to get them to mash down & hopefully better seal... I offer up some reasonable cash from wallet for dude & son's providing me with welcomed air tank fill for tire... dude inquired in pretty direct fashion as to just how much $$$$ I might be carrying (on such a trip with a camping bag, etc)...biker dude waves off quickly another stopped pickup driver who is rather aggressively told "WE have this in control, REALLY in control!"... (insert a deeply aggressive chuckle or two from him here)... situational awareness/intuition takes over from my standpoint in this rapidly developing scene... as I decide it is time to make my exit from the roadside drama as quickly as possible without panic...I walk towards dude's son who is beside rear wheel well of his pickup to say, "Thank You for help"... when I notice he is crouched beside rear wheel in something like a "CROUCHING-TIGER" ninja move... staring up at me just like a cougar about to pounce...WTH??!!...I back away... speechless... and know that I am in deep into a scene of highway robbery, or worse... now...to quickly finish this roadside "help-session" ...the son tried to put a neck hammer-lock on me as I moved toward bike... son got confused just enough from his biker dude father's "commands" that I was able to make my get away as son was trying to find his opening to grab me as I feathered the friction zone to control the elevation of turnoff as I made my left hand u-turn to cross between son & dad dude still sitting on his rat bike... whew!...I made my getaway!...best I can surmise: they were intent on a complete "score" of my bike & wallet & camp stuff...& I do not want to speculate as to what they would have done with me!... so... in summary... some who stop to "help" are in fact those who we most want to avoid!... obviously,... since I am posting this after all...I made it back home... had to spend night in only motel in a town... limped back home next day with numerous checking rear tire leaks & re-fills at air pumps along way... thankful to have barely avoided a roadside heist (or worse)... be vigilant & listen to your intuitional voice... it just might save you & me in our future outings!:hello:

Good Lord Silverbub! I was deeply entertained by your writing style until I reached the end. The mood changed and all I can picture coming was "Deliverance". I am glad you escaped the encounter unscathed.

Suffering tomcats! You're right SanPete, I could hear duelling banjos morphing into piggy squeals there. Silverbub, how did that affect your attitude? Or is it just "one of those things"?

Cheers

 

[Blockhead_imp]

buuuuut....theeeeeen...this can/did happen:... back in August... on a planned "overnighter"...with camping essentials lashed onto pillion seat...I was off on a two day "adventure"... looking forward to the camp night listening to the bard owls & nightingale calls while watching for meteor streaks across the heavens..:banana:. when riding "memory-bank" trickled into my attention that there was a "squirrelly" slight shimmy of the rear wheel... yep... the dreaded low tire pressure wiggle that precludes serious wobble & probable lay-down... due to large carpenter nail picked up about ten miles before... fortunately I was able to exit immediately at a turn-off...kickstand down & noted the rear tire(on ST1100) was just beginning to de-bead itself...(this describes the background for the next phase of episode)... peeling off my riding suit... knowing I will have to detach my massive web of bungee cord tie-downs to get into the camp bag for the tire plug kit & co2 little "bombs"...I look up to notice a quite well used, quite old bike with those loud pipes "saving lives" transporting a very sizeable fellow well into the 300 pound(weight) category who could easily been taken for someone who has lived in the deep woods in self-sufficiency for at least two decades... many zip ties & duck tape keeping the bike bits from falling off... my initial contact with this fellow was to politely thank him for stopping...& to inform him that I was sufficiently prepared to attend to my current flat tire plight... however... he insisted to pull out his cell phone & call in his son as additional assistance..bringing to my coordinates an amply filled air tank(of which I was grateful so I would not have to deal with multiple little co2 "bombs" for partially filling rear tire..:-/. now I will compress this incident... biker dude's son shows...I get two gummy worms into large carpenter nail hole... the son & I get tire bead reseated with air tank at about 100psi...and tire about 50psi for plug testing... plug leaking air some... but I cut off the worms with some extending beyond tread to get them to mash down & hopefully better seal... I offer up some reasonable cash from wallet for dude & son's providing me with welcomed air tank fill for tire... dude inquired in pretty direct fashion as to just how much $$$$ I might be carrying (on such a trip with a camping bag, etc)...biker dude waves off quickly another stopped pickup driver who is rather aggressively told "WE have this in control, REALLY in control!"... (insert a deeply aggressive chuckle or two from him here)... situational awareness/intuition takes over from my standpoint in this rapidly developing scene... as I decide it is time to make my exit from the roadside drama as quickly as possible without panic...I walk towards dude's son who is beside rear wheel well of his pickup to say, "Thank You for help"... when I notice he is crouched beside rear wheel in something like a "CROUCHING-TIGER" ninja move... staring up at me just like a cougar about to pounce...WTH??!!...I back away... speechless... and know that I am in deep into a scene of highway robbery, or worse... now...to quickly finish this roadside "help-session" ...the son tried to put a neck hammer-lock on me as I moved toward bike... son got confused just enough from his biker dude father's "commands" that I was able to make my get away as son was trying to find his opening to grab me as I feathered the friction zone to control the elevation of turnoff as I made my left hand u-turn to cross between son & dad dude still sitting on his rat bike... whew!...I made my getaway!...best I can surmise: they were intent on a complete "score" of my bike & wallet & camp stuff...& I do not want to speculate as to what they would have done with me!... so... in summary... some who stop to "help" are in fact those who we most want to avoid!... obviously,... since I am posting this after all...I made it back home... had to spend night in only motel in a town... limped back home next day with numerous checking rear tire leaks & re-fills at air pumps along way... thankful to have barely avoided a roadside heist (or worse)... be vigilant & listen to your intuitional voice... it just might save you & me in our future outings!:hello:

Good Lord Silverbub! I was deeply entertained by your writing style until I reached the end. The mood changed and all I can picture coming was "Deliverance". I am glad you escaped the encounter unscathed.

Suffering tomcats! You're right SanPete, I could hear duelling banjos morphing into piggy squeals there. Silverbub, how did that affect your attitude? Or is it just "one of those things"?

Cheers

Suffering tomcats! You're right SanPete, I could hear duelling banjos morphing into piggy squeals there. Silverbub, how did that affect your attitude? Or is it just "one of those things"?

Cheers
Honest to God 'Deliverance' was on Cinemax when I woke up this morning! Yikes....

 

[silverbub_imp]

Yeah... fellows...i thought of working in the "Deliverance-theme"... but I did not want to "humorize" the starkness of the episode as it unfolded from beginning where I was feeling somewhat the bond of the friendly fellow biker(regardless of what we ride) stopping to help me out in anyway possible... even to just hanging around for the companionship until I got back on road... to me becoming more dubious about the "help" when the "fishing-questions" began about what $$$ resources I had in possession... and then the signal(s) that warned me the situation had become "on the edge of becoming criminal in intent" with the son in the "Ninja-crouch"... and the dad dude waving off another person in pickup (who seemed to be asking questions of dad dude with similarly sounding intent) being waved off by biker dad with chuckes/grunts of sinister nature...DEFINITELY knowing I was in a situation that was rapidly deteriorating when son made a couple attempts to get a neck hammer-lock on me as I made way to mount bike & make my hasty exit... yes, thankfully they were not very versed on taking advantage & making the most of being vultures to pick me clean on side of highway (my apparently deep withdrawal from my "karma" bank account)... had they been more hardened/experienced...I might not have been able to make the above post... so... yeah...I might have heard some banjo picking since I did not put in my ear plugs in the hasty exit ...along with the "thump-thump-thump" of rear tire plug seating itself as I extracted myself from the "place where piggies squeal"... I much prefer the sound of a banjo dueling with a flat-top anyway!... I do not want to comment on carrying a "piece" as that topic is way beyond my intent to share that those who stop are not ALWAYS our friendly, helpful buddies with goodness in their hearts!... at the start of episode I felt that the "mountain-man" hearty fellow was my two-wheel brother... but, in the end he revealed his true nature and that of his muscular son to be bumbling opportunists who just could not quite pull off their evil intended heist(+ whatever else?)..." luck" was with me this time... but that too is subject to a personal philosophy... hope my sharing this roadside drama helps someone in their future situation... passive-aggression behavior saved me that time by my making decision to escape with all due haste while not appearing to be "fleeing in fear" to trigger more aggression from them... ok, guys,... end of my post... except I must soon once again see Burt Reynolds get vengeance served with his bow/arrow skills!...:hello:

 

[12cb96vfr_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.

gotta agree with this....I had 2 strange roadside encounters:

1) Guy had tipped over his goldwing, so i pull over to give him a hand; he wants me to pick the bike up - he didn't want to lift a finger. He was acting REALLY sketchy.....honestly I got a gut feeling after i picked the bike up he was going to blame me for some of the damage. The whole thing just felt weird so I told him I'd help him pick it up but i wasn't doing the heavy lifting.

2) I see a lady in an intersection next to a toppled, absolutely stunning, brand new, custom painted (the tank was numbered on the bottom, I had a perfect view since it was practically upside-down lol) Screamin' Eagle Harley. I rush to pick the bike up and I notice her husband walking towards me ANGRY. I decide to help and I hear him scream at her "that's the second one you dropped today!!" then I see their other bike, another brand spankin' new Screamin' Eagle HOG pulled over on the side of the road all tore up. She starts crying and saying she didn't want to ride it anymore and she wasn't getting back on it. He never offered a thank you and I was ready to get the heck outta there lol. I had a feelin' they had a LONG afternoon ahead of them and I wanted no parts of it. Funny ending, when I pulled off I forgot to buckle my helmet so it went flying off my head about 30yd down the road. Oh well....luckily i was one block from home.


That being said I've helped about a half-dozen awesome people and I still help everyone I see