We took a ride to Mesquite, NV today to align a Spyder and we were about 5 miles from home when I hit a giant chunk of metal with my rear tire. I was in the left turn lane and when traffic started to move in front of me - wham- there it was in the middle of the lane and I had nowhere to go. I turned the corner and within 100 yds my rear tire was flat. I managed to pull off the street into the parking lot of an auto repair shop. We had tools and a jack but the metal put a giant gash in the side wall of the tire so there was no way to patch it.
This happened at 4:30 pm. I called AAA and they took down all the info and said that they would call me with an eta. I made it very clear to them that I was on a 3 wheeled motorcycle and that I also had a pull behind trailer. I told her it was about as long as a full sized pick up truck and that I needed a flat bed. A short time later they called and said that a truck would be there in 30 minutes. 45 minutes later no truck so I call back and they said that the truck had come and they couldn't find me. Seems that the dispatcher was dyslexic and she had transposed the street number and the direction and she changed Blvd. to Pkwy. All of that put the truck about 20 miles south of where I was. Then she mentioned that the truck wouldn't have been big enough. She said wait and we will call you back with a new eta.
The auto shop people were very nice and they let us sit inside while we waited, it was 95 degrees outside, but it was closing time and they wanted to go home. We were getting nowhere with AAA, they insisted that my Spyder and RT-622 were too long for a flatbed, when the auto shop guy said he had a friend with a flatbed. He called his friend who came to the rescue. AAA finally called me at 7:45 to say that they had found a truck. It is never a good feeling to watch your Spyder be hoisted up on a wrecker.
While I was waiting for the wrecker I enjoyed a Diet Coke with Joe
The Good news was these were sitting on the front porch when I got home We got home about 9:30.
(Sorry the pictures are sideways but I didn't have the best evening)
Last edited by SpyderAnn01; 06-03-2015 at 12:21 AM.
2017 F3T-SM6 Squared Away Mirror Wedgies & Alignment
2014 RTS-SM6 123,600 miles Sold 11/2017
2014 RTL-SE6 8,600 miles
2011 RTS-SM5 5,000 miles
2013 RTS-SM5 burned up with 13,200 miles in 13 weeks
2010 RTS-SM5 59,148 miles
2010 RT- 622
You musta done something nasty to have brought that on yourself!!
Looks like either that or the pot-hole gremlins got you!!
Cos it's pretty obvious - as soon as they worked out you were replacing the tyre they'd taken some time to got comfortable with, they acted to stuff up your day!!
At least the auto shop people were nice about it, your day could've been a lot worse if they weren't!!
And the tyre didn't fail in a way that damaged anything else... (did it?) so with the replacements on the front porch & the nice auto shop people, it was a better day than it could've been!
Glad you were able to get off the road safely. Seems you found a good place to sit it out. Great guy to pitch in... Kinda ruins the mileage issue for that one...and it was doing well.. AAA is only as good as where you happen to be...
2012 RS sm5 , 998cc V-Twin 106hp DIY brake and park brake Classic Black
Sorry to hear about your problems with AAA. That is the one issue I have had with them is the other person on the phone. The last time I had one I finally told the woman to just tell the tow truck driver the mile marker number on the hwy after arguing with her for 10 min about where I was.
When he showed up I asked him if he had any issue finding me. He said no since I gave him the marker number.
Good timing on the tires arriving
What brand did you go with?
You should be set for Alaska now
Les
2021 Sea To Sky, 2020 RTL
Isn't it weird that in AMERICA our flag and our culture offend so many people...... but our benefits don't?
Too bad that they made you wait so long. I've talked to the drivers before and they aren't too happy to get the CAA calls because they get less money than if they take a call from someone who doesn't have CAA. Might be same thing happening in the states. I have an app for Android on my phone called "Where am I ". It will give you coordinates where you are and you can give that to AAA.
i'm a premium member with aaa & they have told me my spyder is not covered, it is a motorcycle
I called AAA about my membership when I bought the Spyder and was told I would have to upgrade my membership to cover it -- bummer. At least my B.E.S.T. warranty covers roadside assistance.
Artillery lends dignity to what would
otherwise be a vulgar brawl.
****************************** Cognac 2014 RT-S
We took a ride to Mesquite, NV today to align a Spyder and we were about 5 miles from home when I hit a giant chunk of metal with my rear tire. I was in the left turn lane and when traffic started to move in front of me - wham- there it was in the middle of the lane and I had nowhere to go. I turned the corner and within 100 yds my rear tire was flat. I managed to pull off the street into the parking lot of an auto repair shop. We had tools and a jack but the metal put a giant gash in the side wall of the tire so there was no way to patch it.
This happened at 4:30 pm. I called AAA and they took down all the info and said that they would call me with an eta. I made it very clear to them that I was on a 3 wheeled motorcycle and that I also had a pull behind trailer. I told her it was about as long as a full sized pick up truck and that I needed a flat bed. A short time later they called and said that a truck would be there in 30 minutes. 45 minutes later no truck so I call back and they said that the truck had come and they couldn't find me. Seems that the dispatcher was dyslexic and she had transposed the street number and the direction and she changed Blvd. to Pkwy. All of that put the truck about 20 miles south of where I was. Then she mentioned that the truck wouldn't have been big enough. She said wait and we will call you back with a new eta.
The auto shop people were very nice and they let us sit inside while we waited, it was 95 degrees outside, but it was closing time and they wanted to go home. We were getting nowhere with AAA, they insisted that my Spyder and RT-622 were too long for a flatbed, when the auto shop guy said he had a friend with a flatbed. He called his friend who came to the rescue. AAA finally called me at 7:45 to say that they had found a truck. It is never a good feeling to watch your Spyder be hoisted up on a wrecker.
While I was waiting for the wrecker I enjoyed a Diet Coke with Joe
The Good news was these were sitting on the front porch when I got home We got home about 9:30.
(Sorry the pictures are sideways but I didn't have the best evening)
Sorry to hear about your woes. It is very unfortunate, but customer service has almost disappeared from this world??? One question, how did you have a replacement tire at your door so fast when you got home????
BIG F
Sorry to hear about your woes. It is very unfortunate, but customer service has almost disappeared from this world??? One question, how did you have a replacement tire at your door so fast when you got home????
BIG F
I can answer that
Because in another thread she said she had ordered the tire a week ago or so to replace the Kuhmo that is about worn out.
There is way to much crap on the roads and you never know when something will take you down..
I have seen all kinds of things flying off trucks,cars etc.
It's the retreads laying in the road that scare the hell out of me e.g. I guess some call them Gator's.
I would not want to hit one of those on a Spyder! Would probably do a lot of other damage!
Ann, every flat bed Tow truck I've ever seen has a BED at Least 100 inches wide.( inside the rails ) and 20 ft. long. So dis-connecting the trailer and putting it on alongside and just behind the Spyder will give you plenty of room......Just a thought in dealing with this if you have to again. Glad you met some nice people............Mike
Glad you got home Ok. Looks like Joe has some work to do today. AAA does have a hard time with directions, sometimes you wonder if you are speaking clearly.
Glad you got home, safely, and weren't hurt . . . I carry the B.E.S.T. but also have roadside assistance with GEICO, just in case.
AAA was good when they were the only guy in town, but they have so much competition, now (like every insurance company) that they have slipped, a lot, unfortunately. Also, it sounds like the office idiot answered when you called . . .
AAA has gone downhill, quickly. Especially if out of area...I switched to Good Sam (haven't had to use yet...but others I talk to swear by them)....when I broke down in TN a couple years back...AAA gave me fits...but with enough coffee and time they came through...but not before I found a WA rep and he said...will you pay, save receipts as soon as you get home we will send you a check. I did and they did...but TN . AAA kept saying stuff I wasn't going to accept.
But the good news is you are home, new tire "in hand" and by now Joe busy getting that 'puppy' on!! See you soooooon...
Well the good news is that this didn't happen AFTER you had put the new tire on or a day or 2 before leaving on the trip to Alaska. The old tire was done anyway.
happens but it could have happened at a worse time and there was no other damage (I hope).
Relying on AAA or roadside assistance is a scarry proposition at best.
Happy it turned out as well as it did.