Step Two Complete

This time from my yard (is it a yard if it is made of concrete?) to class.

Last Wednesday day a guy I met in class by the name of Frank called me to let me know that if I was available he could stop by with his truck to help move my Interceptor to class, a nice 6.3 mile jaunt. The first issue was that it seems that not only were both tires totally flat (and both of which will need replacing as they are mealy*) but the breaks seemed seized, which is to say locked, both of which made rolling the bike a pain in the arse.

We managed to set the truck up on a slope and set my trusty 2X6 in place and tried rolling the bike up, only getting about half way up the ramp. Right before our second try a guy walking his dog offered to help (sans the dog which was tied up momentarily). What is worth noting is that this has happened before. I’m not sure what the draw is about people loading a motorcycle onto a truck that makes people want to help out but this happened the last time I had to load up a bike. It warms the cockles I tell you. In any case the three of us with some help from gravity got it up on the truck.

When we arrived at the campus shop it was a whole other story. I asked in the office if any of the Moto teachers were in and barring that if I might be able to leave the bike in the shop, no on both accounts. I then went looking for Ron who runs the tool room where students can check out tools, and asked if I could borrow the metal ramp to take the bike off the truck.

See, wood ramps are fine for getting stuff up, because when they slip (and the always do) they slip in the direction of movement. In the case of putting a bike on a truck they slip a little up into the bed of the truck, to little or no harm. However, when removing a motorcycle they slip off the tailgate onto the ground leaving you with an 800lbs bike in midair which is sort of a pain in the, well body, to deal with. Hence the need for a metal ramp.

Ron was not only happy to loan it out, but he also Dave Miller up (the teacher for the class) and asked if it was okay if we placed the bike in the cage under his supervision. Dave was cool wid it (cuz Dave is cool like dat), and Ron helped get the bike off the truck and we wheeled it in to the cage to be worked on that Saturday.

I’d like to note that Ron might have actually saved me bike for me. I hadn’t thought about it till later but about three blocks away is a scrap yard. Ron mentioned that derelicts will come by and grab anything that rolls (or sort of rolls) and take it down to be scrapped. Leaving my bike on the street even for a couple of day might easily have meant it annihilation.

So in conclusion, this posting is dedicated to cool humans like Frank, Ron and the dude with a dog that are out to make everyone of our lives easier. Remember kids when you see some one that needs a hand, err on the side of helping, it’ll easy you heart on your death bed.

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*Interestingly, the tread of the tires is in good condition but rubber, especially in sunlight, will just go bad over time even if it is not used. It gets 'mealy'. That should cost me another $100 or two. But skimping on tires is about as smart as skimping on replacing you break fluid. (Return above)

Step Two

Step two is getting a non running motorcycle to class which is turning into a pain in the ass. As some of you know, all I need is a truck, a old 2X6 and a flock of delinquents to move this thing. However you'd be surprised how hard that is.

So far I've placed and ad in craigslist asking for truck to help move the pick but I think I may need to offer more $. More when something actually gets done.