klr project bike...

[quazog3]

I have a '99 klr650 and use it only a little--1500 miles per year. I've tried to get some information from this users group about the close call I had with a flat tire and have had a hard time finding anything about it, so here's the story. While in Daytona for Bike Week a few weeks ago I had my first flat. I was alone in Bunnell, a small town 25 mi N. of Daytona, at a restaurant making phone calls for 15 minutes. When I came back to the bike the rear tire was completely flat. Lucky, since I had been cruising at 70+ from Daytona. What to do? I was camping with friends 11 miles away on farm roads, where I had a trailer. I walked the bike to a gas station a filled the tire to 35 lbs, which seemed to hold the air pretty well. I saw that there was a sheet metal screw in the tire, but left it there. There was no slime in the tubes--this was a stock newish tire. I rode to a mechanics shop and asked if they fixed m/c flats---no. I then rode to a hardware store and bought a long red bicycle pump for $8, and started out with the idea of re-filling the air every 3 miles or so. After 3 miles or so, going slow (30-40), I stopped and pumped the tire up. I then found myself on a two-lane farm road, and was going along maybe too confident, when SUDDENLY the tire went flat and I "squirmed" pretty much out of control across the left lane and onto the left shoulder before I got it stopped. Luckily there was no oncoming traffic. I hitched a ride to my camp ground and picked the bike up with my trailer, so no problem. The question I have is this. Does the tire bead cause the tire to act like a tubeless tire, holding the tire pressure pretty high until the tube is really flat, then give way all at once like a blowout? I think that's what happened in this case. If so it's really pretty dangerous. I want a slow leak to show itself slowly. I'm thinking of drilling holes in the rims to be sure this happens. But also buy some moto- cross style heavy tubes and slime. Or go tubeless totally. One guy I met in Daytona on a KTM dualsport changed his wheels to tubeless with silicone around the spokes and drilled out a hole for a tubeless valve, which is another way to go I guess. Any experience/ideas on this? Also, if there's a way to scan all of the history of this message board at one time instead of just a few days messages that would be good to know about. Phil

[monahanwb]

Phil, when you leave the screw in a tube tire it just tears up the tube as you ride along. You would have had a better chance by pulling it out and sticking a plug in there, like you would with a tubeless. Sometimes that works for a little while. At least the hole wouldn't be getting bigger every time the wheel turns.

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "quazog3" wrote: > I have a '99 klr650 and use it only a little--1500 miles per year. > I've tried to get some information from this users group about the > close call I had with a flat tire and have had a hard time finding > anything about it, so here's the story. > > .....

[Devon Jarvis]

I have a few observations. First- You are really lucky that you didn't get hurt, or end up under an oncoming truck. Second (not trying to be a dick, just honest) you knowingly got back on the highway with a screw in your tire. This was stupid, or lazy, or both. The slow leak DID show itself slowly the first time. The second time the tube tore. I've done many dumb things myself, which is why I recognize this as a dumb thing to do. Third- I carry a spare tube and tire irons. I can change the tube in about 30min. Usually, it will take twice this long before the tow truck even shows up. Fourth- tubeless is nice, but when you get a flat on a tubeless tire, if it comes off the rim then you can't fix it roadside. You need a compressor. Last- Slime MIGHT have helped if you removed the screw promptly. I got a flat a few months back, and the tube had a 1/2" tear in it. Heavy duty inner tubes seem to be a better bet. Good luck. Devon quazog3 wrote:

> I have a '99 klr650 and use it only a little--1500 miles per year. > I've tried to get some information from this users group about the > close call I had with a flat tire and have had a hard time finding > anything about it, so here's the story. > > While in Daytona for Bike Week a few weeks ago I had my first flat. > I was alone in Bunnell, a small town 25 mi N. of Daytona, at a > restaurant making phone calls for 15 minutes. When I came back to the > bike the rear tire was completely flat. Lucky, since I had been > cruising at 70+ from Daytona. What to do? I was camping with friends > 11 miles away on farm roads, where I had a trailer. I walked the bike > to a gas station a filled the tire to 35 lbs, which seemed to hold > the air pretty well. I saw that there was a sheet metal screw in the > tire, but left it there. There was no slime in the tubes--this was a > stock newish tire. I rode to a mechanics shop and asked if they fixed > m/c flats---no. I then rode to a hardware store and bought a long red > bicycle pump for $8, and started out with the idea of re-filling the > air every 3 miles or so. > > After 3 miles or so, going slow (30-40), I stopped and pumped the > tire up. I then found myself on a two-lane farm road, and was going > along maybe too confident, when SUDDENLY the tire went flat and > I "squirmed" pretty much out of control across the left lane and onto > the left shoulder before I got it stopped. Luckily there was no > oncoming traffic. > > I hitched a ride to my camp ground and picked the bike up with my > trailer, so no problem. > > The question I have is this. Does the tire bead cause the tire to act > like a tubeless tire, holding the tire pressure pretty high until the > tube is really flat, then give way all at once like a blowout? I > think that's what happened in this case. If so it's really pretty > dangerous. > > I want a slow leak to show itself slowly. I'm thinking of drilling > holes in the rims to be sure this happens. But also buy some moto- > cross style heavy tubes and slime. > > Or go tubeless totally. One guy I met in Daytona on a KTM dualsport > changed his wheels to tubeless with silicone around the spokes and > drilled out a hole for a tubeless valve, which is another way to go I > guess. > > Any experience/ideas on this? > > Also, if there's a way to scan all of the history of this message > board at one time instead of just a few days messages that would be > good to know about. > > Phil >

[quazog3]

Devon- You're right it was dumb--no offense taken. But it was only 11 stupid miles....also lazy.... I've been riding 55 years including 2 years in Africa, so have ridden down and fixed dozens of flats--once 7 in 1800 miles from Portugal to Naples--but didn't have any tools this time and thought I could make it limping along with the pump. I didn't expect the sudden "blowout". When I finally fixed the flat here in Virginia, no-one knew at two autoparts stores what tire-irons were, so I had to fabricate two from pieces of iron, plus two big scredrivers. I found the tires much tighter than the old ones I used to slip on and off easily 30-40 years ago. It was especially hard for me to get the tire back on-- soap etc... didn't work. I finally figured out that you have to keep the bead of the tire opposite the irons in the narrowest part of the rim (least diameter)---and therefore can't have the valve opposite since it interferes with this--- to loosen the tension on the bead. These tires are like tubeless tires---very tight beads. I should have pulled the screw out too--there was a 1/2" tear in the tube, maybe caused by riding on it. Everything's much more dangerous now on the roads than when I was riding a lot---more traffic, more aggressive drivers and more powerful machines. The two bikes I had in Africa were a 250 NSU (1959) and a 175 Kawasaki enduro (1971)--light and not too powerful. And traffic was generally slow and friendly. Phil -- In DSN_klr650@y..., Devon Jarvis wrote:

> I have a few observations. > > First- You are really lucky that you didn't get hurt, or end up

under an

> oncoming truck. > > Second (not trying to be a dick, just honest) you knowingly got

back on the

> highway with a screw in your tire. This was stupid, or lazy, or

both. The

> slow leak DID show itself slowly the first time. The second time

the tube

> tore. I've done many dumb things myself, which is why I recognize

this as a

> dumb thing to do. >

[Ryan Newman]

> The question I have is this. Does the tire bead cause the tire to act > like a tubeless tire, holding the tire pressure pretty high until > Or go tubeless totally. One guy I met in Daytona on a KTM dualsport > changed his wheels to tubeless with silicone around the spokes and > drilled out a hole for a tubeless valve, which is another way to go I > guess.

The problem with going totally tubeless is that the air will leak out of the spoke holes. Akront makes tubeless spoked rims for BMW and MotoGuzzi. The spokes go to the outer edge of the rim, beyond the bead. I guess that theoretically you could epoxy the spokes from the inside and go tubeless. But I'm not going to be the one to try it. But the nice thing about tubeless is that when in a pinch, you can just use a simple plug kit to patch up a nail hole. I did on my BMW, and it lasted me a good 5 months until I just ended up replacing the tire because it was bald. Use slime next time, because the slime will seal around the nail so you should be able to make it back home ok. Ryan

[jazranch]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "bsetliff" wrote:

> Yes, I do have a whole bunch (almost all) of the back issues of > DualSportNews, and they have tons of great info. I just recently > heard about Fraziers project bike in MCN though, and thought it

would

> make a good read.

Frazier project articles are in the March, April, May MCN issues.