Tire problems in New Mexico and why I don't bash Harley riders. (Long)

[Normandog]

On Memorial Day Lucky 13 and I headed for the southern Rockies up in the Taos area of NM after having a blast that weekend in Tucumcari. We were having a good day digging on the roads and scenery even after my rear tire went down. We had put a mushroom plug in and it was holding good for about 150 miles. We stopped in Taos for lunch and when I took my helmet off I heard the air exiting my tire.  Lucky found an auto parts store and bought some string plugs. We put a couple in, waited on the cement to dry, aired it up and were on our way again. We were about 12 miles or so south of Taos when the string plugs failed. Now we were out in the boonies and the sun was about to kiss the western horizon. I had given up on getting a plug to hold and I did not want to spend the nite on the side of the road in the boonies so I called AMA roadside assistance and they lined up a tow truck to take me and the bike to Santa Fe. Misfit had been on his PC at home trying to locate a Honda shop for me but had no luck so we settled for a Yamaha/Kawi dealer he located in Santa Fe. THANKS Misfit.
Several bikes had passed by while all this was going on and not one stopped to see if we needed help. Not even the one Lucky 13 tried to flag down. Just after sunset a Harley rider pulled in to see if we needed help.
"Blade" was the name on his vest and I gotta tell you that didn't exactly give me a warm fuzzy feeling wondering how you get a nickname like "Blade". Turns out Blade was one helluva nice guy. A member of the Black Berets and trying to get home from a weekend rally in Red River. About 15 - 20 min. later Blade's Dad pulls in driving a Pick Up and pulling an enclosed trailer. Dad is a HD master tech and asked several questions as to what all we had done to the tire before determining there was nothing he could do with what he had on the truck. But, they said they would stay with us 'til the tow truck arrived. Now they had already said they got away from the rally much later than they had thought and were anxious to get home to their respective families. But they were gonna stay with us anyway.
Dad wanders off in the dark and when he returns makes a quick visit to the trailer and returns with two bundles of sage. One for Lucky and one for me.Tells us to keep 'em on our bikes and they'll bring us luck. This man walked around in the bushes in the dark just to get us a good luck charm!!!!
I'm guessing a half hour or more after Dad arrived on the scene the tow truck driver called to say he was running late but was now only 10 min. away. I tell these good Samaritans to go on home but Blade says, " there's 2 things we don't do. We don't desert veterans and we don't desert bikers." They stayed 'til my bike was secured on the tow trailer and wished us well. Blade gave me a phone # to call when I was home to let him know we'd made it home safe.
I know many HD riders (and a growing # of Wing riders) have an attitude. However, I resolved several years ago to not hold this against all members of any group and to quit bashing folks for what they ride. After all, isn't that the biggest knock on HD riders (that they bash those who do not ride a HD).  Now I'm glad I made that resolution. Those were two fine gentlemen and I'm grateful for what they did for us.
Also gotta say there were a lot of VRCC folks sending good thoughts our way that evening and a few offering to travel many miles to help a brother out. Misfit, Bandit and Gary, many thanks to you gentlemen as well.
Santa Fe Motorsports installed a new tire on my bike Tuesday morning and by 12:30 I was packing my chit on the Valk. Had to settle for a Dunlop Gold Wing tire but that was not a problem as I had run wing tires on my Valk before with no problems. They are actually a better fit for us vertically challenged guys as they are a bit shorter than a Valk tire.
Again, thanks to all VRCC members for the help, offers to help and the moral support. You folks ROCK !!!!!
And thanks to Blade and his Dad.       

[Lyn-Del]

I don't have any problems with Harley Riders, it's just the attitudes of a few that I have trouble with.  Like the guys we stopped to help on the way to Tucumcari -- they'd rather wait almost 2 hours for a trailer from the HOG chapter than accept a quicker ride from our group.

Oh, well, their choice. 

[Normandog]

Like the guys we stopped to help on the way to Tucumcari -- they'd rather wait almost 2 hours for a trailer from the HOG chapter than accept a quicker ride from our group.

Oh, well, their choice.  

That's taking "attitude" to a new height.
 

[Normandog]

Hey Lyn-Del, you feelin' better ?

[T-Bird]

Blade.....

[fstsix]

Well ya know what they say?.....i have heard it time and time again...I would Rather push a Harley than Ride a Honda.....this saying has a lot of truth to it......we didn't make it up to bash Harley's, been around for as long as i remember. i have fixed and repaired or helped many HD's along my journeys and will continue to help, has nothing to do with my ride, i am the same person in person as i am when i go riding, not trying to be something i am not.

[sugarbee]

 

[Thunderbolt]

You should have called, I gave Gordon our number.  We could have loaded that old standard up in the rv and you could have ridden mine.  I know it was after we had headed East, but we got home on Wed.  and had a few days to spare.

[Hoosier Valk]

Normandog: Good read! Good lesson! Thanks.

[chip]

Normandog ,I ride with mostly Harley riders. Its not about the brand to me.With the increase in Harley riders in the past 10 yrs, I know well over 100 HD owners with in maybe 20 miles of my home. I only know 4 Valk riders in my area. I can pick up the phone line up a ride with one of my HD buds pretty quick.They would do whatever was needed to help me out. as I would for them. Or my 4 local Valk riding friends. My friend Dave who rides a 08 Road Glide with just over 50,000 miles on it will be ridding on the Whiskey ride this weekend with me . I hope my Valk ridding friends give him the same respect my HD ridding friends show me.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Normandog: Good read! Good lesson! Thanks.

Yep.

[Lyn-Del]

Hey Lyn-Del, you feelin' better ?

Much better.  Getting good drugs after it early paid off.  As did the extra day of sleep.

Thanks for asking. 

[Lyn-Del]

Well ya know what they say?.....i have heard it time and time again...I would Rather push a Harley than Ride a Honda.....

Don't forget the "other" side ..... I'd rather Ride than Wrench!

[ChromeDome]

Good read Ronnie .... and you are right, the brand don't matter it's the rider.

Had them put a Wing tire on the rear when I was in Montana .... just a wee bit of difference from the stock Valk tire. Took a little while to get use to it.

[Misfit]

Some of the best people I know ride HD. Glad your home safe. I hope you can use some of that new rubber to get to Mi in July.

[Normandog]

Some of the best people I know ride HD. Glad your home safe. I hope you can use some of that new rubber to get to Mi in July.

  Big Al, Hotglue and T-Bird come to mind. And I believe Lyn-Del has a Harley.

[Normandog]

You should have called, I gave Gordon our number.  We could have loaded that old standard up in the rv and you could have ridden mine.  I know it was after we had headed East, but we got home on Wed.  and had a few days to spare.

Another offer of exceptional generosity. Thanks Terry.  I think things worked out good in the end.
Gordon and I agreed that 30 yrs ago we would have thought nothing of sleeping by the bikes there on the side of the road and getting a fresh start in the light of day. But time and arthritis have changed many things in my world.   

[Dragonryder2]

The guys couldn't help fix my problem because they don't use the same kind of fuses we use, but they did show me where the problem was and told me where to go to get a fuse.  Then a father and son on a trip to Salinas, Ca to spred the wife/mother's  ashes gave me a ride to get the right fuses.  Now I just have to get the bike to the shop for the fix.

I installed them myself and put the seat back on, but they were so helpful. 

I don't bash HD riders either.  It isn't what your ride, it is THAT you ride.  Stay safe and upright this summer.

[Walküre]

It isn't what your ride, it is THAT you ride.

I've always felt that. I have probably a million miles on two wheels, spanning 43 years or so, ALL kinds of bikes - dune-diggers, motocross, Honda's, Kaw's, Yammy's, Harleys - you name it. I seem to only have trouble with the "credit-card wanna-be's" - you know, the guy who put his first motorcycle on a credit card, at 50 years old. Five years old, 500 miles on it, $5,000 worth of chrome. Thinks it's worth $20K more than he paid for it. Tired of paying the $600 a month payment for a garage-queen. BUT, HE'S the biker, and YOU ride "Jap-Crap" or a "Rice-Burner". But defends his, because his is "Made in America". Of course, I tend to pi$$ them off, when I point out that virtually ALL his chrome is made in China. As well as a lot of the Harley parts made in China and Japan, particularly all the electrics and electronics. So, it's basically assembled in the US, rather like the Wing...

I used to wave at all bikes, if they seemed interested in me riding (you know the one, looks at you, instead of away from you). If they waved back, cool, if they didn't, cool. But now, I see a lot more HD riders, particularly in a group, ignoring me, and have had more than a few, if I wave, give me the single-fingle wave...so now, I just return waves. I do give a nod of the head, though, regardless, and the ones ignoring me, well, they don't have to even "lift a finger" towards me.

I enjoy riding...I always have. 25 years in SoCal gave me the opportunity to put 40K miles a year on a bike. Not so much here in Indiana, but I ride as much as I can. And I will continue to give ALL bikers the benefit of the doubt, unless they show me they don't want/deserve it. And I will continue to stop and offer assistance, no matter what.

I do have a guy at work, who the HD seems to be a p*n*s extension - I'm always kidding him. Our last Harley, was my wifes 1200 "Skirtster"...when he chides me for not buying a HD, I tell him I would, if it wasn't a "girl's bike"...just ask my wife...or the girl she sold it to! Shuts him up.

Ride on! That's the MOST important part! I don't care WHAT you ride, but THAT you ride.

Keep it shiny side up!

[Rowdy]

  I ride with the Leathernecks and yes most ride Harley's and we interact with lot other clubs that also ride mostly Harley's    We poke fun at each other  they have to wait until I start my bike first so I can hear if mine is running 

Road names are interesting - they tagged me with "U-Turn"  unfortunetly it fits  on numerous occasions I have missed the turn off, or was in the wrong lane ect ect to make the turn with the group safely - consequently a U-Turn was in order 

I tell them it was left over from my flying days - I would make a pass over the airport to make sure it was safe to land, then cirle back around and land 

[Walküre]

Road names are interesting - they tagged me with "U-Turn"  unfortunetly it fits  on numerous occasions I have missed the turn off, or was in the wrong lane ect ect to make the turn with the group safely - consequently a U-Turn was in order 

Love it!! I can't tell you how many times over the years, I've seen myself or other people in that position. And all too often, they just go ahead, and make the turn anyway, safe or not! One of my only two times leaving the road, was due to someone cutting back over, and forcing me off. Not a fun predicament, at 60 mph! The other was gravel.

Thanks to all, for driving safely!

R