I was riding home today and saw two HD's on the side of the highway. I stopped and a guy came up. I asked if they were okay. He said yeah, how are you? I rode on thinking to myself what a dumb answer. As I got on the overpass, I looked over and that guy was getting in a pickup truck and driving off. Man, he wasn't even one of the riders. Since I was so close to home, I went on home, opened the garage and got an ice cold water bottle out of the fridge. Stuck it in the gun pocket of my vest (my vest has two) and took off. When I got back the guy was there by himself just sitting there. His partner had took off on his bike to go get some jumper cables. I introduced myself and offered the water. His friend got back and we got it started but it would not stay running. We decided it was out of gas. I went back to my house and got my gas can that had about two gallons in it, left the bike and jumped in the truck. Went back, poured it in and it fired up and ran good. He tried to pay me and I said no way, I live by the code, just pass it on. Now, I wrote all of this to give you all an idea of how much effort I put into helping a rider, not because I want the recognition, but to make a point that I will get to in a minute. Not my brother, my brother's wear the same rockers and patches on their back that I do. No, not all riders are my brothers, but they are part of the riding community. I help all riders, no matter what they ride. Now, I stress this also to point out that the 1 1/2 hours I was on the side of that blazing hot highway with these two HD riders, I must have seen 2 dozen HD riders go by. Not one so much as even glanced in our direction. Many of them went right by us on the off ramp and never even looked over. To be fair, I saw one Roadie go by as well.

When I first stopped, they seemed a bit apprehensive. I guess they couldn't believe a metric stopped to help or maybe it was because I was flying my colors. Seriously, I doubt they even knew what that stuff on my back meant. But after they realized I was in it for the long run, they started to seem more appreciative. I told them I was not going to leave until I was sure they were on their way. Just in case they needed me to help load it in the pickup truck that the other guy's wife had driven up in. I hope that they will tell the story to other HD riders of how a metric stopped to help when none of the other so called brotherhood would. This subject is a peeve of mine. The bike does not make the man or make you my brother, or bro and this works both ways. My MC brothers are the only brothers I have, but I will help all riders in need because I am old school and I live by the old school bikers code. Where we may not be brothers, we are part of the same community. I hope these guys learned a little about what it is really about today.