k...so you learned that not every one cares about your bad situation.


Maybe another lesson is that pre ride inspections are important even on new bikes (assume that is what you have because it is something that is engrained, or seems to be for most of the pan and shovel riders I know)

Maybe another lesson learned is that just filling up the tire without thoroughly inspecting it for the reason for the loss of air leads to failure as well. Had to be a pretty good leak to lose air in less than a mile.

Bottom line is you and the wife made it back in one piece with no accident due to the loss of air in the tire..that's the most important thing.

 

I have to disagree a little there, not all of us under 50 are with out that sense of brotherhood. I am not yet 40 and I have stopped for every biker I have seen along side of the road, and will continue to do so regardless of what brand of bike they ride, I also wave to anyone else riding along on 2 or 3 wheels (yup even the scooters - imo it takes some pretty big cajones to be seen riding around on a scooter LOL)

I don't know maybe it is the Navy that has instilled in me this sense of brotherhood.

I do however agree that there are not as many of us younger riders that are this way as there should be, but to that I blame the older riders for not teaching them

 

Lets see! I am in that under 50 generation you speek of and have been riding for about 25 years. I stopped for a guy one time and he didn't have any tools. No problem, I got mine out and handed them to him. The guy wouldn't even pull out his own spark plug. He lit up a cigarette and just stood there talking to his wife. He was expecting me or his buddy to pull his plug. We must have stood there looking at him for 5 minute before I asked him if he was going to do anything to his bike. He just looked at me like I was suppose to do it so I picked my tools up off the ground and left. I still don't know how long he sat there.

Several other times I've ridden past bikes on the side of the road and given them the thumbs up asking if all was well with them. Nobody ever signals one way or the other. I even had one guy want to borrow my bike while my wife and I waited alongside the road with his bike. Fat chance, numb knutts!

Danny, your under 50 theory is flawed.

 

+1 I am also under that half centry mark, and with no service record, but been riding since they invented dirt, so I guess it was instilled in my way back in the day

 

I have been riding for a very long time and have always stopped to check on a biker pulled off the road regardless of what brand of bike that he was riding. However, I think I am going to stop doing this unless the rider waves me down or shows some sign of distress.

My reason is this. Last week I returned from a six day ride in southern CO and NM. During that ride I stopped or came close to almost stopping for four different pulled over riders and not a single one needed my help. They either had stopped to take a leak, take off or put on their jacket, or had already called for help and said it was on the way. A fifth rider waved me on when he heard and saw me coming. The deal today is that everyone seems to have a cell phone and also a lot of riders seem to need to stop and stretch their legs more often than at gas stops.

By the way, the rider that waved me on had all his tools laid out neatly on the shoulder of the road. He, I believe, was a real biker.

 

I understand the thought of coming to the aid of a fellow biker. The problem is, as someone stated above, how do you know if they need help? You know how many bikes I pass parked on the side of the road during a ride? Quite a few.

If I stopped and checked on every bike parked on the side of the road when I ride, I'd never get to where I'm going. The fact is most bikers don't need any help at all and they're stretching, taking a break, getting something out of the bag, taking a sip of water, talking, checking directions and a million other reasons.

Keep a white rag or sock in your bike and maybe other bikers will recognize this as a distress signal. Hang it from the grip or something. Maybe you could signal yourself next time (crossed/waving hands above head) indicating you need assistance. I have stopped many times to help a biker but only because they were on the ground or looked like they needed help.

Understand someone is traveling at 55 or so cannot see clearly what is going on from a distance. To slow down everytime you see something you think could be a disabled rider would disrupt the flow of your own ride, especially when accompanied by other riders. Again, when it turns out that 99% don't need any help, then you're going to get discouraged to ever pull over again.

Riders today pull over for a variety of reasons. If they have a problem, many have cell phones or roadside assistance so they can get help immediately.

Most riders cannot read minds and a rider who's bike is disabled can't telepath their thoughts to the oncoming rider. Give a signal if you truly need help. Then someone will pull over.

 

Yeah well, I have both Honda and Harley and I don't care what you are riding.... if you are on the side of the road, I am going to stop and see if there is something I can help you with.

I only hope that the day I am on the side of the road, somebody will stop for me.

BTW - many riders do NOT know that helmet placement on the ground to the LEFT side of your rear tire is a sign of distress and a request for assistance. If you ARE broken down and do not have a helmet, then put your JACKET or other personal item on the ground in place of the helmet. This is a CLEAR signal to other motorcyclists (mainly bikers) so they know if you want them to stop or not.

 

Because the younger than 50 crowd, for the most part, don't have that same sense of brotherhood that the over 50 generation has. Remember, those of us over 50 are sons of WWII veterans. A special breed that instilled some of those values in us. Some time after that, someone dropped the ball.
__________________
BS!
Could it be that most of the 'younger' generation are deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq? Age has NOTHING to do with helping!

If you need help make it obvious-if ya see someone on the side of the road, check on them!

Enjoy your cook-outs!

 

I don't wave at anyone but i would stop for a guy with a flat. I carry a tire plugging kit and 12 volt air compressor in my saddlebag. Mighty handy thing to have around. I've had a flat up in the smoky mountains some 30 years ago and i wasted half a day getting the thing fixed. Oh yeah, back then the "dragon" was nothing but a deserted stretch of highway 129.

 

I would have stopped. I always stop. Sounds like the Honda guy was the only real biker on the road that day.