What to do if bike dies on the road.

[makr]

AMA set on renew gives you tow service for nothing.

I haven't had a need for it so I have no idea how it works, but it is the AMA.

You are all members..right? Silly not to be.

 

[Steve314159]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I've got a tire plugging kit - I can throw that under the seat. You know what's funny is when my brakes locked up I thought "if only I had some tools" completely forgetting the tool kit under the seat. And I think I'll go ahead and change the throttle cable. My clutch cable broke once a long time ago and I learned that you can get home without a clutch if you have to.

But I just looked up U-Haul prices and guess what, it's only $14.95 to rent a motorcycle trailer for a day. What a deal. I can handle that.

Thanks again.

 

[1948man]

My Geico insurance policy has towing as an ad-on for like $10 a year. As posted earlier, the guy who shows up to tow might be an idiot but maybe you can make sure he doesn't do any damage and it sets your mind at ease as a last resort.

 

[Danjal]

Your insurance should have towing in it too as an option. Im paying the ultra high rate of $.67 a month for towing added on to my policy. While its not as friendly as calling a friend, its still peace of mind. After that.. carry a light tool set and common parts. I just did a total revuild on most things for this bike last fall.. my little tool box compartment is jammed full of iny little parts and such.

 

[jwhelan65]

Bikes break down, bikers fall down. The old adage; once burnt twice shy, comes to mind.
Steve's original question was if something real bad happens what do I do next? Being prepared is a good idea, but other than haveing a complete second bike with you it's hard to know what you are going to break while out for a ride.
Riding with thought of what is going to break, or how much it is going to hurt to fall down here distracts a rider. But putting these thoughts out of ones mind isn't any too easy. At some point it is the rider who has to ask himself, do I ride anymore or not?
If the answer is I ride, then prepare, put the best with the best and hope for the best. Have a on bike tool kit, bulbs, fuses, duct tape, bunge cords, an extra bit of fuel line, some wire and wire connectors and other parts to replace any on the bike you feel may fail at anytime. Most important bit in this kit may be a charged cell phone w/ gps.
However if the answer is I'm too concerned about falling, failing or whatever, park the bike and put a for sale sign on. No one can do anything well if they are overly concerned with the 'what ifs'.
In the end it is a balancing act; confidence/fear. I've seen someone's signature line to says something like go fast until your fear of speed is replaced with your fear of death. There are no do overs, go all out for it or stay home and be safe.
Steve, remember why you got the bike... and ride! If it breaks call someone to get you home and fix it!
Bill

I could not agree more...

 

[rphillips]

$14.95 for a motorcycle trailer is pretty cheeeep, but you will be completely exausted by the time you pull it all the way home. if your brake down is more than 4 or 5 miles from home, or less than that if it's up hill, you will never make it back to the house.

 

[duaneage]

I leave boards in the back of my truck and the keys hanging in the house. With a phone call I can have one of several neighbors around me come rescue me off the road.


I also have roadside assistance for 15 bucks a year through my insurance. Worth it. They bring fuel, a battery, and will even front up to 100 dollars towards a new tire. And to top it off they include return trip insurance and a 25 mile tow.

That's for when I'm really out in the boonies.

 

[Carter Turk]

I'm not trying to be unkind, but a paranoid attitude is no way to ride a motorcycle. I couldn't enjoy going for a ride if my thoughts are telling me, before I leave, I'm going to get stranded.

I've thrown a chain, lost masterlinks, crashed, blown oil cooler lines, blew two pistons, had charging issues etc, but that never kept me from going for a ride or a road trip.

I carry tools and extra cables and try to freshen up the bike with fluids and do a once over the bike to make sure everything is in order. Stuff happens out on the road.

When I went to meet the unofficial PNW GS group at Mt St. Helens, I lost the air cap on my right fork. I was 400 miles from home. I just put a loose ziptie on the fork and wrapped a new paper towel at every gas stop. I thought it was a seal, but when I arrived home 1200 miles later, I discovered a hole in the fork where fluid was pumping out.

 

[Steve314159]

I'll take the advice of the towing insurance. I have 4 vehicles with a total of about 600k miles - 620k including the 550 so for that price it sounds like a good deal.

My newest vehicle has taken a little bit of my time and kept me away from the bike. I must say that while the Jeep is a lot of fun it does not surprise me that Chrysler went bankrupt. The technology for a 1998 mind you is way too close to my 1980 Suzuki. Actually the Suzuki engineers had the common sense to put the intake and exhaust on the opposite sides of the head.

I did ride my bike today and everything seemed OK. It's been 18 years and I was a little nervous but everything seemed to work.

I guess I'll have to go and pay for a license plate. What have I gotten myself into?

 

[bonanzadave]

I have a truck....with a topper. Wouldn't matter. Cant lift a 500lb bike into a truck. Ya gotta have really good friends if youre broke down 100 + miles from home. Im sure my wife wouldn't even come get me. Tire plugs or Fix-a-flat don't work on tires with tubes. What is a AAA, AMA, or insurance tow milage limit ?

 

[duaneage]

First 25 miles is free, after that it's pricey but the idea is to get off the highway to a business parking lot where the odds of your bike being lifted off are less.

I keep the boards in the truck to use as a ramp. I can get mine in the truck no matter what. I also keep rope in the truck box to tie it down with.

Ratching tie down straps are real handy too.

I agree with Carter that if you worry about everything nothing is worth doing. I've broken down before and met good people everytime that were glad to help. Most people aren't jerks, in fact everyone has been in a jam before.

I don't know if this applies to big cities where the cops are afraid to get out of the cars.

 

[bakalorz]

Well guys I got my bike (1980 550) running last fall and the first time I rode it the rear brakes locked up and I barely made it home. Over the winter here I have done a lot of work on it, and it is certainly looking good and running good , at least in the garage, and I think it is ready to go. There have been a couple of nice days here in Indiana lately but I've been reluctant to get out on the road because I'm not sure what's the best way to get it home if something goes wrong.

Say I'm 20 miles from home and the chain breaks, what would you do?

Steve

One of the tips I read somewhere that has helped me figure out the right stuff to put in a toolbag; so it has what you need, but not a ton of extraneous junk you don't is this:
Start with an empty toolbag.
Whenever you do maintainence on the bike, put the tools you use in the bag.