Motorcycle salesmen credited with saving rider's life

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A pair of motorcycle salesmen in Eden Prairie are being praised for their life-saving action, after insisting a customer wear a helmet moments before he crashed.

Ryan Degroote and Dave Grimme sold the man a bike last month at Simply Ride in Eden Prairie. The pair says the customer had ordered a helmet but it was on backorder when he came to pick up the bike. They say the man was planning to ride off without it when they insisted he borrow one.

"I said if they don’t have one for you, I’ve got three of them sitting back here you can use one of my personal ones," said Grimme. "I’d rather you have a helmet on if you’re going to take a ride."

Degroote says the man initially pushed back but quickly relented, pulling away from the dealership with his head protected.

Only minutes after leaving, the man crashed the bike sending him flying over the handlebars and hitting his head. First responders told those on the scene that had the man not been wearing a helmet, his injuries could have been grave.

"If Dave and Ryan wouldn’t have insisted that this gentleman wear a helmet it would have been a bad outcome," said the store’s general manager. "I think they saved his life."

Degroote and Grimme were honored with Challenge Coins by the city of Eden Prairie this week for their life-saving action. The Eden Prairie Chief of Police and Fire Chief delivered the coins in person Tuesday and thanked the men for their action.