Don’t get caught stranded and branded -a fool- on the side of the highways and byways. Get yourself some roadside smarts, girl! HH gathers up a few useful tips that may help get you up and rollin’ before you have to break out the ol’ cell phone.

These days newer motorcycles are better built and more reliable. But there is that chance that you may be caught off guard traveling down your favorite road. Or your ride is of a vintage version, that may be more prone to breakdowns. Be ready for those moments and have the confidence to help troubleshoot your situation.

First, be safe and be seen. Safely make it to the shoulder of the road. Place yourself and motorcycle as far away from moving traffic and dangerous conditions as possible. At night be sure to alert other vehicles that you are there by placing road flares out or using your hazards. If the area you are in is too congested or busy to remedy the problem by yourself, use your cell phone to gain help. Never endanger yourself to protect your bike.

The most common problem…no gas. Check to see if you switched your motorcycle into reserve position. If you have not done so, switch it over and wait a few seconds to let the gas flow then restart your motorcycle. And then make sure after you fill your tank up, switch the reserve to off. If indeed you did run completely out of gas, you have your emergency fuel bag that is stored in your “breakdown” bag. Get gas by foot or from outside help (cautiously) such as another motorcyclist or passerby. In this case you may have to leave your bike briefly, so make sure you have your locks in place for an added measure of security.

Also loss of power may be due to detached fuel or vacuum lines. Check to see if some may have come loose, if so reattach. If lines came off due to dry-rot or cracking, you can replace with your spare line in your “breakdown” bag or cut the damaged end off your line with an army knife and reinsert fresh end. Duct tape is also a remedy to cover cracking to get you to your next destination.

Are you getting any spark? Look to see that all your sparkplug and electrical wires are not damaged or need to be reconnected. Areas of exposed wires due to rubbing or wear & tear can be temporarily salvaged by wrapping with electrical tape. Spare wire in your breakdown bag, comes in handy if you need to replace it completely or in parts. Splice ends with your army knife to expose new wire, twist together and mend with electrical tape.

The battery is another part to check if you have loss of power. Begin checking the strength of your battery by turning the headlight on, if your headlight shines dim or not at all, you definitely have battery trouble. Start by checking your cables to see if they may have shimmied off. If that is the case, tightened them back on. Often for older models the battery requires water, so in this instance you may want to check your battery fluid level. Due to the small size, faster evaporation of battery water may be caused by the constant heat and vibration. Refill with water bottle that is stored in your breakdown bag. If neither option helps, sister, your battery is dead and is in need of a jump, break out the cell phone if a good Samaritan is not around.

Last but not least, the old flat tire. Most obvious of all - roadside conditions. If you have a slow leak or a tiny hole, usually your self inflating repair kit will sustain you until the next service station. A massive blow out you can't repair  will have to be taken in. Most riders don’t carry the tools or lift it takes to remove a tire and wheel, so you are at the mercy of your cell phone to call for a tow.

These are just a handful of tips that may help you when your “stranded and branded”. Keep in mind that sometimes it is a more difficult problem that needs to be addressed by a mechanic, than just a simple fix. Mental note: Engines need spark, compression and fuel to work, to get back on the road you have to figure out which one is missing. Be prepared and aware. Follow the age-old wisdom of always letting a friend or family member know where you are going, in case you don’t return in a fair amount of time. Cell phones are a blessing when your battery is charged and you are in range.