[dsn_klr650] nklr: need information on tire failures.

[Sarah Barwig]

At 10:03 PM 6/9/00 -0400, tebklr@... wrote:

>Tubed tires (like our KLRs) tend to deflate pretty quickly, while tubeless >GENERALLY deflate a bit slower. The tubless tire has an inner liner that is >somewhat self sealing (at least for reasonably sized holes). If you puncture >a tube, even if it in a tubeless type tire, the air leaks out of the tube and >out through spoke holes in the rim, the valve stem hole, etc. Hope that helps >a little.

Well, speaking from bitter experience here, I'd have to say that a puncture is not to be entirely feared on a tubed tire. On my way up to SF 3 weekends ago, I caught a self-tapping wood screw, and on my way out to Ojai last weekend, I caught a finishing nail that drove itself into my tire head first (not the pointy part). I have tube type Avon Gripsters -- AM24, I think. Both times I was riding at about 75 on straight freeways. Both times I noticed a definite, pronounced rear end waggle that was not something you could mistake as being due to a passing truck or a gust of wind. Both times I pulled over using only the front brake (don't use the brake on the tire you suspect of being flat). Neither time did I ride far enough to break the bead. *sigh* In SF, I used HRCA to summon a tow truck, and had it towed to a Honda shop where they replaced my tube and showed me how tire irons work. On the way to Ojai, I was with some friends, but was thinking of resorting to renting a U-Haul pickup to get it off the freeway, when the friendliest goldwing rider stopped, offered fix-a-flat (didn't work), left, and then came back with a pickup and a trailer!!!!!!!, took me and my friends back to his house, let us use his tools (I now own my own tire irons, the one thing he didn't have), gave us sodas, cheese and crackers, kept one of my friends entertained while I broke the bead and my other friend helped me in general with getting the wheel off, putting the tube in, etc. I believe that if you lock up your bike with a disk lock, you'll be down around your tires every time before you ride, and you'll see a tire degrading long before you get to the point where you may have a blowout. But, it's something to think about every now and then when you get bored on a slab trip -- "What would I do if _right now_ the rear tire went flat?" If you plan for bad things, at least you're prepared when they happen. ---o&>o--- Sarah Barwig sarah@...