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Around 8:30am this morning, I’m driving down Highway 17 in the left hand lane on my way to work in Saratoga. As I’m approaching the Downtown Los Gatos exit a motorcycle passes me in the right hand lane. Now, being an old school scooterist, I’m not real familiar with ALL the makes and models of motorcycles, but I would say it looked to be an early to mid 90’s Honda that looked more like a cross between a motorcycle and their Honda Helix. It was that cherry red with the matching painted burger boxes.
Now, there wasn’t anything to unfamiliar with this scene. Most of us have seen that middle aged white guy, boppin’ along down the highway on one of the ugliest motorcycles ever designed in short sleeves and a ¾ shell helmet and this guy was no exception, except….
HE WAS WEARING A MOTORCYCLE TIRE AROUND HIS WAIST!!!!!
An honest to God motorcycle tire around his waist! WTF???? Of all the bizarre things that I have seen people do while riding a motorcycle, this has got to take the cake. What safety feature did this guy think the tire would offer him? A smooth roll down the side of 17 in to the reservoir if he got pitched off the edge? Practice at being a human pinball as he bounced off the cars racing down 17 at 60 mph? Is this what they’re teaching people in the MSF course these days???? (“Now a safe rider never forgets to put on his motorcycle tire before a day of riding.”)
The only logical thing I can think of is that this guy had no other way to carry his tire to a repair shop to get it fixed. But, it's really no fun to be logical when you see something so comical!
My only wish is that I had a camera in the car with me. Not sure if I would have gotten a good photo or pitched off the side of Highway 17 myself, but I must admit, something gets lost in the translation without a classic photo to accompany such a story. So, on that note, I would appreciate any Photoshop entries you may have for the delight and amusement of other readers to help give this story the full effect of a photo that it deserves!
Now, there wasn’t anything to unfamiliar with this scene. Most of us have seen that middle aged white guy, boppin’ along down the highway on one of the ugliest motorcycles ever designed in short sleeves and a ¾ shell helmet and this guy was no exception, except….
HE WAS WEARING A MOTORCYCLE TIRE AROUND HIS WAIST!!!!!
An honest to God motorcycle tire around his waist! WTF???? Of all the bizarre things that I have seen people do while riding a motorcycle, this has got to take the cake. What safety feature did this guy think the tire would offer him? A smooth roll down the side of 17 in to the reservoir if he got pitched off the edge? Practice at being a human pinball as he bounced off the cars racing down 17 at 60 mph? Is this what they’re teaching people in the MSF course these days???? (“Now a safe rider never forgets to put on his motorcycle tire before a day of riding.”)
The only logical thing I can think of is that this guy had no other way to carry his tire to a repair shop to get it fixed. But, it's really no fun to be logical when you see something so comical!
My only wish is that I had a camera in the car with me. Not sure if I would have gotten a good photo or pitched off the side of Highway 17 myself, but I must admit, something gets lost in the translation without a classic photo to accompany such a story. So, on that note, I would appreciate any Photoshop entries you may have for the delight and amusement of other readers to help give this story the full effect of a photo that it deserves!
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