I just posted this to my blog and thought you all would like to read it too. See you folks tomorrow!

[quote]I was riding to my favorite leather store Monday afternoon, Open Road Leathers. I bought some gloves there last week and got the wrong size. I was really looking forward to riding for the rest of the day. It was only 2 in the afternoon and about 75 degrees out. I needed this. It'd been a while since I really did any solo riding.

I got about 15 miles from my house and came up on a biker and his wife stranded on the inside shoulder of the inside lane on I-95. I stopped to offer them help and noticed that they were riding a Kawasaki Nomad. I pulled up on my '99 HD Police Electra Glide and made the joke that I thought those bikes didn't break down.

The guy chuckled and informed me he had a blow-out. He said at about 80 mph, he heard a loud air sound and the bike started to fishtail. He was lucky to get it to the side of the road without dying. He and his wife were riding back from South Carolina to their home in Lakeland, FL and could’ve never made it.

I asked if he had anyone coming to help out or had called anyone. He said that they had called BAM and were waiting to hear back. I said that about ten miles up the road there were a couple of metric shops that may be able to pick him up and fix his bike.

I pulled out my little black book and called a couple of them. One of them had the tire, but wouldn't be able to make the repairs until the next day. The other shop didn't have one and even if they did, they wouldn't be able to get to it until tomorrow. Neither shop had a trailer.

I know what it’s like to be stranded on the interstate. It’s no fun. I wasn’t on a bike, but it still wasn’t any fun. Plus they were in a very unsafe place on the freeway.

That’s when I made the decision to drop what I was doing and get that bike to a shop. I hopped back on my bike, went home, and picked up my trailer and SUV. I then went back to the spot on the freeway where the guy and I (forget his name) loaded up his bike on my trailer. I took ‘em to the shop and since the shop couldn’t get the work done ‘till the next day, I took ‘em to a nearby hotel.

I offered to give them a place to sleep. Actually, I thought that Open Road Leathers closes at 6 and I would miss the chance to take the gloves back before a cold spell came on. I figured I could head down there to get the new gloves that day and then take them to the shop the next. They didn’t want to do that. I guess just meeting me and all, or maybe the felt like they were imposing.

So, now it was 5:30 and I wasn’t going to make it to Open Road Leathers. The sun had set and my riding day turned into riding night. Was I upset? Not at all. The guy apologized to me for making me miss the shop and all that riding I was planning on doing that day. I insisted that I stopped of my own free will and offered the trailer all by myself. They didn’t ask for any help.

This whole incident could have been avoided, though. I’m not talking about riding right past them like they weren’t there! His blow-out could’ve been avoided. After we got the bike loaded on the trailer, it was clear why he had a blow-out.

His rear tire was bald. I asked him how many miles he had on it. He said only 8,000 and that they tire was rated for 10k. I asked him if he burns the tire up a lot with fast starts and stops. He said he didn’t do that. The guy was heavy and I imagine that he does most of

 

Good Story!

 

I checked my rear. Looks pretty good if I do say so myself!!

 

Great story, I can't pass a brother or sister on the side of the road stranded, NO matter what they ride. More oftem than not their just taking a break and you wasted a stop, but that one time someone really needs help, makes it all worth it.

 

Your a good man. Boy I hope if I ever get in trouble out there that someone like you happens by. Also hope those folks "Pay it forward"!! Thank you for helping them.

 

You're a good guy I checked PG's rear, it looks good![sm=happy046.gif]

 

Good story, Thanks for being there for the couple.
capt42a

 

I'm a firm believer in what goes around comes around and if you stop for someone along the side of the road, even it if they don't want/need any help, you're doing the right thing. I've stopped for every broken down biker on the side of the road that I can possibly stop for and have done what I can, from offering cell phone use, to going to get parts, gas, etc. Most people are happy with just having someone stop to make sure they're okay, some wave you off because they're just taking a break, but you never know. It's all good because the one time your bike has a problem, you don't want to be ignored standing on the side of the road. From experience, it's not much fun.

You should be proud of yourself for not only stopping, but going above and beyond on this one.

 

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I really appreciate it.

 

You done good Mike.