Roadside assistance is fine for those folks who can no longer 'do it themselves', or are unable to do it for what ever reason. I prefer not to have to rely on others and I sure as hell am not going to wait out in the middle of nowhere for someone to come do something that I can do myself.

Where am I going to get a cold or a hot drink out in the middle of nowhere?

"With AAA and "Slime" I haven't personally changed a flat for decades"

I haven't changed a flat either but it's only because I haven't had one in many many years, I probably just jinxed myself...

 

I never said I didn't have a mini spare I just said they are crap and won't use one.
Apparently, you know little of us worldly old geezers. Being retired I now have the time to go as far away from my homestead as I wish and do so frequently.
I live in Maine where directions often start with "you can't get there from here" which means it can take hours to get roadside assistance.
And yet I freely choose to wait as time has relatively little meaning for us retired folks.
I can honestly say that I would never be in the middle of a Nevada, New Mexico or any desert.
Paddle shifters and exhilarated handling are rather useless on miles of endlessly flat roads as I found out in the corn fields in Kansas.
Unlike my younger days, I never venture out alone for long road trips now, I always carry a spare "driver".
That way I can enjoy my choice of "beverage" and snacks (which are part of my emergency kit) while waiting for assistance should I ever need it.
The last flat tire I ever had was 11 years ago when a bolt went through the sidewall of my Hayabusa while I was dragging a knee.
And you'd be right, the Slime couldn't take care of that one.
Luckily, I kept it upright and was only 1/2 mile from my "homestead". .

 

Nice read up to this point. about the bolt in your hahaha in the side wall, auh ok, and while negotiating a high speed turn necessitating (in your riding ability) imitating Kenny Roberts????
Even on mt RG I seldom on the street "dragged" a knee, I believe you forgot push pull the bars and push rotate the ***** of the foot first... LOL

I hate to ask but an old gizzer to me is a person in their 80"s .... would that be you then? If not 65 is not old even low 70's if your are healthy?

 

I suppose an old geezer is in the eye of the beholder. To somebody in their 20's and 30's, 65 is an old geezer. 70's & 80's are getting real close to check out time.

 

More like the "Doctor" - Valentino Rossi, at least in my head
It's a turn close to my home if you're on a sport bike you have to lean into it.
But once you do your committed and that was when I saw the bolt, 2" x 1/2", and I couldn't avoid it.
I know it was that size because I picked it up off the road after I came to stop.
It sliced the rear side wall I was leaned over on but luckily it didn't blow out probably because I was riding it home from shop where I had just had it installed.
Two $160 rear tires in two days and new left knee puck really sucked but I had no injuries other than a sore knee for a few days.
I turned 69 a couple months ago, healthy is very subjective; I had major heart issues when I was born, the docs gave me week, so I'm definitely on borrowed time.
I did my last track day knee dragging back when I was 64 in Millville, NJ on a Suzuki SV1000S.
I used to go to several places for track days every year during my solo 2 week "motorcycle vacations".
One regret is I didn't do it much earlier in life as I appear to have an innate ability for it but my reflexes no longer allow it, so I no longer have any motorcycles.
I can't bring myself to slowly going down the road on a cruiser and once I can no longer use my boat, I won't need the CX-5.
Then I'll move on to a Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut. I'll just need to win the lottery and find a way to get me in and out of it.

 

Well its a good response , my dad is 92, still driving and no serious health problem. However his mind is not as sharp anymore. Thats sad because he flew Jets, multi engine turbo props and heavies. Tac, Mac and SAC. I would call him an old geezer... LOL But 69 not yet. Maybe when Lobstah turns 70? hahahaha


Lobstah when I use to go on a week end "burn" up in the mountains on the GSXR,CBR or RG more often then not would need to change the rear tire sometimes front tire out. I give them to my friend because the center tread is almost perfect but the outer 3/4 inch of tread is blued and has stnot *****. A little understandable bragging, no one on any kind of bike ever got close to me on me RG.(unless it was another RG and better rider) And it was only a 500.Oh and it was built engine with a full set of Jolley Moto's with cans. Busa's are to heavy like most other 1000cc bikes not the best for tight mountain roads. You have to fight with them constantly and that just plain tires you out.

 

Definitely sucks to see the "light" slowly go out in one's father (or any loved one).
We could be clones and yes, the Busa was heavy but surprisingly nimble but for the mountain twistiness I had this.

And now I have this

 

Of course. It's common sense.

 

Well in all fairness that really depend about the common sense verbiage. If the drive train is a peg leg then I would say sure but if not than NO it is NOT common sense!

 

Common sense is also following the manual. It says it is safe to use the emergency spare for the rear.