Page 1 of 2
tire change story
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2002 7:22 am
by PhantomRider3@aol.com
I finally had an opportunity to go ride yesterday. Nothing much, just a
couple errands and a trip to Home Depot. I wasn't more than 15 minutes
inside HD (a record time for me) and I walk out to see my moto was taking a
nap in the parking lot. I thought it was strange since it usually sleeps
standing. It was a VERY windy day and I figured it was just blown over. I
picked her up and the guy next to me said "hey, you got a flat."
Craaaaaaaaap! I finally get a ride in and now I have to fix a flat. Yes, I
made a video how to do it but I never said I was very good at it.
I push the bike to the back of the building and start at it. I easily found
the tiny metal bit and removed it.
My mistakes:
I didn't know how my Moose hand pump worked and I only carried ONE air
cylinder. I wasted lots of time trying to figure the thing out.
I almost lost my dust cap and spacer since I wasn't careful when I started to
unseat the bead.
Tips that might help others:
I was unsure about the time needed for the glue to set up for my patch kit.
I took an extra patch, cut it in half and glued the 2 pieces together as a
test to see how things were bonding.
Carry paper towels to clean up the dirt that will get on stuff.
My latex gloves saved me from putting greasy hands back in my fancy Gore-Tex
riding gloves.
Learned:
I need more practice changing tires
As the back tire pressue escapes with the side stand deployed, the bike goes
very upright, falls down and go boom.
Lucky...
Bike didn't fall onto another person or car
Didn't blow out on the road
Nuth'n broke
I had all the parts and pieces to fix it
Didn't have to remove the tube, just the cut part.
It was dry, sunny and only a little cold
I didn't have the bike loaded up with camping gear
Last note:
I went to one of the Home Depot guys driving a lift truck in the back. I
asked if they had a compressor I could use to fill my tire. He said "NO!"
and was absolutely no help. NO one asked if I was OK or if I needed help.
I'd guess about 8 people saw me and no one offered assistance. I wasn't able
to get enough pressure in the tire for the bead to seat at Homo Dep.. I did
a huge no no and rode with an unseated tire to a gas station. I rode slow,
stayed to the far side of the rode and waved people by me until I got where I
needed. They let me use the air hose for free there.
Thanks to the list for all I have learned. I hope these comments will add
value to someone, someday.
Jay
Phantomrider3@...
Beverly, MA (about 25 miles north of Boston, on the coast)
'85 BMW K100 RS, '72 Yamaha CT1 175, Y2K Kawasaki KLR 650
Toss me an email to to purchase my KLR Valve Adjustment and Tire Change
VIDEO. Only 19.95 (4.00 S&H), Ah bahgin (MA speak for a great deal). You
can see stills from the actual video and all my nutty crazy mods at
http://2wheelerjay.tripod.com/jaysworldofinvention/
tire change story
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2002 8:21 am
by dooden
Is'nt that sad... Home Depot... ya know place were "men" go to get
manly things.. and not one single person would even offer help..
Goes into the same line that Jim Sherlock talks about kinda, that
most people have been bred to be self centered buttwipes thesedays.
I would have been there to help, weather loading bike into truck or
at least running wheel to air tank or something.
Broken down car I might just keep going, at least in a city, just
because there are so many weird people out there, but have been known
to stop along the road in the middle of nowhere ( its all like that
here, since I live in da U.P. eh) and check on a somebody at the side
of the road, in the middle of the night, cause frankly the next
street light or phone might be 10 miles in pitch black.
Bikes are pretty easy to load up and at least take somewhere, did
that couple months back, leaving city dump already had tandom trailer
on the back of the truck, see a kid pushing a little Honda XR, at
first was just going to let him push it, strange logic somehow when I
noticed he appeared to be riding without a helmet, that strange logic
gave way to common sense about 15 seconds later.
Back up and talk to him a bit, had a rear flat, his sister already
took his helmet home on the 4 wheeler, since the compressor was
useless to him (must have had a really big hole), his dad was at
work, the kid choose to push the bike via the pavement vice the
trails since there was lots of sand between there and his house.
Anyhow drop the gate on the trailer and lift his bike up and tie it
down, kid is really tired, just talking with him, find out he is like
12 yrs old, stopped along the trail and helped a small bird that was
in trouble, and keep pushing his bike. Drive him and his bike home
and remove from the trailer, tell this kid to call his parents and
tell them he his home, since he did'nt know if his sister had called
them or not and she was not home at that time.
Bottom line, if I did'nt help that kid, that would have ate at me
like a cancer. I guess living by big cities and having to worry
about weird people and car jackers and such (wife got carjacked once
at knife point, thankfully that guy just wanted a ride, when he got
close to where he wanted to go, he took her keys and tossed them into
bushes and left) just took 15 seconds to clear my head.
You city slickers can have your cities, im back to stay up here eh..
I like a town where the fancy shopping is at Walmart, or Menards..
But rumor has it Home Depot is attempting to setup a store too.
Dooden
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., PhantomRider3@a... wrote:
> I finally had an opportunity to go ride yesterday. Nothing much,
just a
> couple errands and a trip to Home Depot. I wasn't more than 15
minutes
> inside HD (a record time for me) and I walk out to see my moto was
taking a
> nap in the parking lot. I thought it was strange since it usually
sleeps
> standing. It was a VERY windy day and I figured it was just blown
over. I
> picked her up and the guy next to me said "hey, you got a flat."
>
> Craaaaaaaaap! I finally get a ride in and now I have to fix a
flat. Yes, I
> made a video how to do it but I never said I was very good at it.
>
> I push the bike to the back of the building and start at it. I
easily found
> the tiny metal bit and removed it.
>
> My mistakes:
> I didn't know how my Moose hand pump worked and I only carried ONE
air
> cylinder. I wasted lots of time trying to figure the thing out.
> I almost lost my dust cap and spacer since I wasn't careful when I
started to
> unseat the bead.
>
> Tips that might help others:
> I was unsure about the time needed for the glue to set up for my
patch kit.
> I took an extra patch, cut it in half and glued the 2 pieces
together as a
> test to see how things were bonding.
> Carry paper towels to clean up the dirt that will get on stuff.
> My latex gloves saved me from putting greasy hands back in my fancy
Gore-Tex
> riding gloves.
>
> Learned:
> I need more practice changing tires
> As the back tire pressue escapes with the side stand deployed, the
bike goes
> very upright, falls down and go boom.
>
> Lucky...
> Bike didn't fall onto another person or car
> Didn't blow out on the road
> Nuth'n broke
> I had all the parts and pieces to fix it
> Didn't have to remove the tube, just the cut part.
> It was dry, sunny and only a little cold
> I didn't have the bike loaded up with camping gear
>
> Last note:
> I went to one of the Home Depot guys driving a lift truck in the
back. I
> asked if they had a compressor I could use to fill my tire. He
said "NO!"
> and was absolutely no help. NO one asked if I was OK or if I
needed help.
> I'd guess about 8 people saw me and no one offered assistance. I
wasn't able
> to get enough pressure in the tire for the bead to seat at Homo
Dep.. I did
> a huge no no and rode with an unseated tire to a gas station. I
rode slow,
> stayed to the far side of the rode and waved people by me until I
got where I
> needed. They let me use the air hose for free there.
>
> Thanks to the list for all I have learned. I hope these comments
will add
> value to someone, someday.
>
> Jay
> Phantomrider3@a...
> Beverly, MA (about 25 miles north of Boston, on the coast)
> '85 BMW K100 RS, '72 Yamaha CT1 175, Y2K Kawasaki KLR 650
>
> Toss me an email to to purchase my KLR Valve Adjustment and Tire
Change
> VIDEO. Only 19.95 (4.00 S&H), Ah bahgin (MA speak for a great
deal). You
> can see stills from the actual video and all my nutty crazy mods at
>
http://2wheelerjay.tripod.com/jaysworldofinvention/
tire change story
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2002 8:29 am
by gpokluda
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., PhantomRider3@a... wrote:
>... finally get a ride in and now I have to fix a flat. Yes, I
> made a video how to do it but I never said I was very good at it.
>
> I push the bike to the back of the building and start at it. I
easily found
> the tiny metal bit and removed it.
At least you were able to fix it. I'm amazed at how many riders, who
would never think about driving a cage without a spare tire, hop on a
motorcycle without even carrying a tire repair kit. The key to tire
repair, as with any other aspect of motorcycling, is practice and
experience. Build a bike specific tool kit and carry it with you at
all times and do all of your maintenance with that tool kit when
possible.
Gino
Whose Ural Patrol has a spare wheel/tire, thank you very much.
tire change story
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2002 9:54 am
by monahanwb
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "gpokluda" wrote:
> Gino
> Whose Ural Patrol has a spare wheel/tire, thank you very much.
Gino, just curious.....does the extra wheel on the Patrol fit all
three corners?
tire change story
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2002 9:56 am
by dooden
Gino, gotta admit the Ural Patrol is a cool looking bike and have a
feeling someday I might even find room for one.
I guess anything that is not normal I like or something, could be why
when it was time to pick "a" bike I got the KLR, looks different and
does things that I needed it to do.
Dooden
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "gpokluda" wrote:
> --- In DSN_klr650@y..., PhantomRider3@a... wrote:
> >... finally get a ride in and now I have to fix a flat. Yes, I
> > made a video how to do it but I never said I was very good at it.
> >
> > I push the bike to the back of the building and start at it. I
> easily found
> > the tiny metal bit and removed it.
>
> At least you were able to fix it. I'm amazed at how many riders,
who
> would never think about driving a cage without a spare tire, hop on
a
> motorcycle without even carrying a tire repair kit. The key to tire
> repair, as with any other aspect of motorcycling, is practice and
> experience. Build a bike specific tool kit and carry it with you
at
> all times and do all of your maintenance with that tool kit when
> possible.
>
> Gino
> Whose Ural Patrol has a spare wheel/tire, thank you very much.
tire change story
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2002 10:23 am
by Don Dotson
--- PhantomRider3@... wrote:
>
> Learned:
> I need more practice changing tires
What I learned during my first tire flat, (40 miles
from another carbon based life form) was get real tire
irons. The six inch ones just leave ya wishing you
had the longer ones and cause you too spit out fowl
language.
don
Utah
=====
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo!
http://sbc.yahoo.com
tire change story
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2002 11:32 am
by gpokluda
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "monahanwb" wrote:
> --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "gpokluda" wrote:
> > Gino
> > Whose Ural Patrol has a spare wheel/tire, thank you very much.
>
> Gino, just curious.....does the extra wheel on the Patrol fit all
> three corners?
Since the Ural uses drum brakes, they splined all of the drums on
the wheels to fit as a drive wheel and they simply have the drums
setup so that a wheel will fit any axle. They also use a non-
directional tire. They actually recommend rotating the tires/wheels
on the sidecar bikes.
Gino
tire change story
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2002 11:34 am
by gpokluda
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "gpokluda" wrote:
> --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "monahanwb" wrote:
> > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "gpokluda" wrote:
> > > Gino
> > > Whose Ural Patrol has a spare wheel/tire, thank you very much.
> >
> > Gino, just curious.....does the extra wheel on the Patrol fit
all
> > three corners?
>
> Since the Ural uses drum brakes, they splined all of the drums on
> the wheels to fit as a drive wheel and they simply have the drums
> setup so that a wheel will fit any axle. They also use a non-
> directional tire. They actually recommend rotating the
tires/wheels
> on the sidecar bikes.
>
> Gino
One more note is that they use spacerless mounting on the wheels.
The axle has the spacer built into it so there is no worries of
losing spacers.
gino
tire change story
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2002 11:43 am
by Fred Hink
Be sure to ask Gino about that mysterious one armed stranger who was
changing tires at Arrowhead Motorsports using those short tire levers.
Fred
----- Original Message -----
From: "don dotson"
To: ; DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2002 9:23 AM
Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] Tire change story
>
> --- PhantomRider3@... wrote:
>
> >
> > Learned:
> > I need more practice changing tires
>
> What I learned during my first tire flat, (40 miles
> from another carbon based life form) was get real tire
> irons. The six inch ones just leave ya wishing you
> had the longer ones and cause you too spit out fowl
> language.
> don
> Utah
tire change story
Posted: Sun Nov 24, 2002 11:52 am
by Judson D. Jones
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., PhantomRider3@a... wrote:
>
> I went to one of the Home Depot guys driving a lift truck in the
back. I
> asked if they had a compressor I could use to fill my tire. He
said "NO!"
> and was absolutely no help. NO one asked if I was OK or if I
needed help.
> I'd guess about 8 people saw me and no one offered
assistance. I wasn't able
> to get enough pressure in the tire for the bead to seat at Homo
Dep.. I did
> a huge no no and rode with an unseated tire to a gas station. I
rode slow,
> stayed to the far side of the rode and waved people by me until
I got where I
> needed. They let me use the air hose for free there.
>
> Thanks to the list for all I have learned. I hope these
comments will add
> value to someone, someday.
>
I guess I'm surprised that no one stopped or offered help. Either
I or a riding partner has been down with a flat four times in the
last three years, and every time, someone has stopped to offer
aid, from the gas drillers in Spotted Horse who offered to throw
Craig's GS on their truck, to the member of the Bond Slaves MC
who helped me fix a flat betwen Pierre and Sturgis, to the guys
from Pierre who stopped after my first patch failed five miles
down the road, to Jim Peterson, an employee of Andy Goldfine's,
who lent a hand when my KLR went flat in West Duluth after the
trials. (This last was only after a couple of other west Duluthers
recognized the Aerostich riding gear and just stopped to tell us
what an evil guy Andy is. I guess he must have fired them, or
never hired them). Or the Mormon family in Pincher Creek who
put up me, my wife and a buddy for the night after his Honda 750
got a flat just around sundown. Then there was the repair shop
owner in Chamberlain, who rode out from town to lend me a
multimeter. I had gone into a store to use the phone, so he just
left the meter with my bike when he couldn't find me.
I generally find that people are willing to help a motorcyclist on
the road, but am sometimes astonished at the lengths they are
willing to go to.