5th gen rescue

My wife and I were driving along yesterday afternoon after dropping our daughter off at a friends house when I spotted a nice red 5th gen VFR sitting in the middle of a parking lot. It was a big holiday here in canada yesterday so most of the stores were closed including the one where the VFR was parked. I saw the owner seeking shade under the businesses entry way and something just didn't make sense so I turned around and went back to see if everything was OK.

As it turns out the owner was a victim of the classic RR unit failure and the battery was completely depleted. I offered him shelter and storage in my garage which was about four miles away till he could arrange to get parts or at least have time to think about it a bit. He had called for a tow and they had a truck dispatched so he felt obligated to follow through with that path of action. I stayed with him till the truck arrived just in case something went wrong and of course it did. The flatbed truck had no way to safely move the bike so I extended my offer again, which he accepted with gratitude.

I went home, grabbed the trailer and returned to load the bike. Of course I provided him with my ID and information so he have complete confidence that the bike was in good hands. I explained what I and many others had experienced with the VFR charging system and that what he had experienced was a classic failure which could not have been predicted or prevented (others may contest that last statement but I didn't want him to feel like he wasn't maintaining the bike properly). His wife came to pick him up and I headed home with his lame interceptor.

Once home I charged the battery and checked the charging system as well as all connections and connectors to be sure that it was the RR unit. I called him to confirm my suspicions and reassure him that it was safe and sound as long as needed.

So now I have two lovely VFRs in the garage and I have a new friend / brother in the VFRworld.

I'll let you know how it all turns out when the RR unit arrives.

 

Now, that's the true spirit of the vfr brotherhood!

 

She looks right at home! Thanks for being a stand up guy and helping a fellow rider in his time of need.


Rollin

 

Hey Reg you are correct,
Since joining the VFR fraternity I have had a 3rd gen, two fifth gens, a Ducati 748, rebuilt a Hypermotard and then as of three weeks ago a 6th gen. The Hyper left last Saturday.

Now that I look at my post I feel that I was stroking my ego a bit. I mean who needs a pat on the back for helping others?

Then again, it would be good to hear similar stories from other members who have gone out of their way to assist the Interceptor challenged and or misfortunate fellow riders. This just fell in my lap and I would have been a total ass if I had not stepped up to offer assistance.

Please share your stories if you have them.

B.

 

Jethro911
Dude did you also wash and polish his bike? It sure looks clean in the picture. While you're there go ahead and order your new friend the wire my bike VFR harness and change his oil while your at it.
Just kidding, Don't have my own motorcycle story but I have helped many stranded cars over the years. Different thread.
Keep up the good work
Tom

 

God.... I really should buy a spare R/R to ride with, shouldn't I?

 

VFR members are awesome.

 

My thoughts exactly!

 

Thanks Tom!

The bike looks really good in the pics but it is dirty and I was tempted to clean her up a bit but I didn't want to offend the owner. It still has the warning stickers on the fuel tank, it is soooo stock!

Looks like he should have a new RR unit tonight so she should be heading home soon.

 

Just to complete the story, the new RR unit was installed this evening and she is back on the road again!

These things are funny. To fail after 11 years but only about 8000 miles on the part.

 

Don't think of it as stroking your ego.
Think of it as setting a good example.
Thanks for helping out a fellow rider. Being stranded in a car is one thing.
Being stranded on a bike is about 10x worse IMHO.
Good job, and thanks for sharing.

 

Yep, when I am riding my bike and break down on the road I hope a good samaritian gives me a helping hand. Keep up the good work, it is always the right thing to do.
By all means get an extra RR and carry it under your seat. I have mine wrapped in bubble wrap and stored there as Murphy's law insurance.
Tom