Subject: On Second Thought
Author: Patrick Hayes
Date: Sep 18, 2002, 5:36 PM
Post ID: 1711039733
Recently I posted to the list seeking opinions about emergency road services.
I have been an MTS member for 8 years with only two tows. At the end of
August, I jumped ship and converted to the new AMA MoTow service mostly for
lower price and better features. I have already had my first experience.
You be the judge.
I ride a new (4 months ago in May) 50cc Aprilia scooter for my short daily
commute. Started fine this morning. Started again at noon for a lunch
errand. Came out of the store after 5 minutes and it was dead. Key would
light the dash lights and prime the fuel pump slowly, but hit the starter
button and everything went black. Everything goes off with the key, so it is
not possible to inadvertently leave something on and drain the battery. Had
a passerby help me jump start with battery cables. Starts and runs fine
until you take off the cables and it instantly dies. Is strongly suspect an
internal battery failure. Diagnostics tonight.
I called the AMA service. The people were very nice. Truck was there in ten
minutes. A regular hook truck with some big nylon straps. How are you going
to hoist this, I asked? Oh, I do this all the time to full-dress Harleys.
OK, I'll watch. This scooter is about 10% metal and 90% plastic panels. He
starts by wrapping the strap around my little 3/4" hollow exhaust header pipe
and my rubber water hose for the liquid cooling. That's no good. Now he
wraps the straps around my luggage rack that has an 11 pound carrying
capacity label. That's no good. Well, he says, you obviously don't want us
to tow it. Tosses his straps in the truck, hops in and leaves. WTF?
I called AMA back and said the only way to haul this was with a flat-bed
truck and NOT a hook. First, a 5 minute hold to seek a supervisor. They
don't allow you to have two services within 72 hours. Huh? Never saw that
in the fine print. Anyway, I still haven't had the first service. The
supervisor authorizes and I discover that the flat bed service will be about
45 minutes away. I wait. He shows. No special motorcycle restraining
straps such as bar end straps, etc. After it is loaded onto the bed, he
wants to wrap his nylon ties around my mirror stems to anchor the scooter.
We finally got it fairly secure for the 5 mile ride to home. A very rough
ride since we weren't compressing his suspension springs much at all. Three
hour delay because I was running an errand over my lunch break. Thankfully,
my boss is out of town.
Looking at the remaining bikes in my garage, I can't imagine any of them on a
sling hook. My SPII with those plastic lowers? Regina's Centauro with all
those voluptuous bulbous protrusions? If you call, INSIST that they arrive
with a flatbed. Maybe you could even lie and tell them you have a sidecar?
I could have gotten a ride home and come back in the evening with my own
trailer. Probably should have in retrospect. But, I paid for the service
and I expect it to perform when I need it.
Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA