So.... had my first tyre blowout....

[Fresh Oats]

My own stupid stupid stupid fault. I knew the tyre pressure was getting low, I was meaning to check it. I could even feel it slipping when going around corners so I had a conscious decision that today was going to be the day.
Complete forgot, nek minute *boom* followed by a hefty fishtail on a near-300kg bike through an intersection up a hill.

I've been riding 60km twice a day every week day for the last 3 and a bit weeks for work on that new 110km expressway out of Hamilton. Fuck me, if it happened even 5 minutes earlier I would have been going like 130ish. I don't know what a blowout at 130 looks like (I didn't entirely have on all my protective gear either), but I don't imagine it's very fun. Because 50ish wasn't very fun.

Point being, please check your tyre pressure.
Talk about a wake up call.


queue all the old people ramblings about these "youngster millennial yobo's on their hipster racers not taking proper care of their bikes"

[OddDuck]

Good on you for posting that.

I keep a gauged mountain bike pump in the garage, one of the floor column T-handle types. It's been great over the years, yes it's work but it does work if that makes sense.

god-damn hipster racers everywhere ruining everything with their brown seats and pipe wrap

[AllanB]

I check mine every weekend.

[caspernz]

I knew the tyre pressure was getting low, I was meaning to check it.

Someone will say it, may as well be me...you choose which applies in this instance :bye:

Motorcycling is not, of itself, inherently dangerous. It is, however, extremely unforgiving of inattention, ignorance, incompetence, or stupidity.

[slofox]

"(I didn't entirely have on all my protective gear either),"

I hope your experience might change your mind on this one...ATGATT as they say.

[pritch]

Plus one on the bicycle track pump, I use the same one on the pushbike and the Triumph. Also sometimes on the car, wouldn't want to do it from flat but it's OK just adding a few psi.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I'm another track pump user from my mtb days. Even though mine is a blackburn I dont trust the gauge on it. I've got an accu gauge (a couple actually) which is excellent.

[TheDemonLord]

Glad you are in one piece.

I only hope you learn from this experience.

[rastuscat]

Think about what's going on at your contact patch when you are going around a corner. The rear contact patch is trying to keep you going at the speed your right wrist has decided, and trying to stop you from low siding.

The sidewalls are twisting while this is going on. They are designed to twist, to keep the best contact patch on the surface, as much as possible.

The design of the tyre, and the design of the bike, are all predicated by the assumption that you, the rider, are going to keep the right tyre pressure.

Tyres lose pressure. If you want to know why, look at a bunch of party balloons the morning after a wedding. Some are half flat. Because rubber is porous, and loses pressure. Some tyres are worse than others.

The only way to have the correct tyre pressure is to check it frequently.

I harp on about this on Ride Forever courses. Around half of people who attend don't even know what their tyre pressures should be, let alone check them. They are pleasantly surprised to learn what that little sticker on the swing arm is for.

The guy who makes the tyres puts a range of pressures on the side wall. Thing is, when he made that tyre, he didn't know if it was going on a 120 kg bike, a 140 kg bike, or a 180 kg bike. So his range has to cover all eventualities, and is vast.

The guy who made your bike, he knows how heavy it is. What he doesn't know is how heavy you are, and whether your oompah loompah partner rides pillion. Even the bike manufacturer gives you , likely, a range of pressures at the rear, to compensate for this. But it's far narrower range.

Until you know a lot more about tyre dynamics, compounds and structure, I always recommend going with the bike manufacturers recommendations.

[AllanB]

I always recommend going with the bike manufacturers recommendations.

It is a very good starting point - then you can make small adjustments from there. A couple psi either way can make a surprising difference.

[pritch]

I always recommend going with the bike manufacturers recommendations.

The tyre manufacturers say that most riders run their tyres under inflated but while they don't approve of this, they are compensated by the increased business these riders bring in because of shortened tyre life.

The tyre manufacturers recommendations seem often to be slightly higher than the bike manufacturers: 36 front and 42 rear is common. I'd go for the manufacturers recommendation on the basis that if the owner is a bit casual with their maintenance the tyre will be inflated to an acceptable level for longer.

Now that I am normally riding once a week or sometimes less, the tyres are checked every ride.

[HenryDorsetCase]

The tyre manufacturers say that most riders run their tyres under inflated but while they don't approve of this, they are compensated by the increased business these riders bring in because of shortened tyre life.

The tyre manufacturers recommendations seem often to be slightly higher than the bike manufacturers: 36 front and 42 rear is common. I'd go for the manufacturers recommendation on the basis that if the owner is a bit casual with their maintenance the tyre will be inflated to an acceptable level for longer.

Now that I am normally riding once a week or sometimes less, the tyres are checked every ride.

I like 32F and 36R in the M7RR's on the Street triple for road use. Last trackday that was 28F and 27R cold. I think because I am lighter than average, only ride solo and i like the feeling, slightly less is more. I may or may not have experimented with a bit of road I knew well doing the same run at the same pace with different tyre pressures (and ditto for suspension settings) at one point.

[SaferRides]

Those little digital gauges that they give away on the Ride Forever courses appear to be very accurate, although not so reliable. From a sample of 3, all were within 0.5 psi of my reference gauge, but only one lasted longer than a few weeks.

[pritch]

Digital guages are good but there was one being sold here for $90 that could be had for as low as $10 on EBay. DuckDuckGo is your friend.

Accu Guage make a range of analogue guages and motorcycle dealerships sell them. If you get one with a rubber casing and look after it, it should last many years.

[Oakie]

A blowout on a bike! Jeez. You'd want to be wearing your brown pants that day!

[Owl]

Tyres lose pressure. If you want to know why, look at a bunch of party balloons the morning after a wedding. Some are half flat. Because rubber is porous, and loses pressure. Some tyres are worse than others.

Technically true, but closer to bullshit. I believe the average figure for air permeation through tyres is 0.067psi per week, or 1psi every 15 weeks. Any more than that is an integrity problem, not a permeation problem.


The only way to have the correct tyre pressure is to check it frequently.

Now that's true.

[Katman]

Unless you're trying to shave seconds off your Coro Loop or Akoroa GP times, exact figures are a load of shit.

Ball park figures are all that are required for conservative riding.

[Temporary-Kiwi]

I had a fast deflating front tyre puncture on a xr500, it went flat while I went down a 400mtr straight downwards incline leading to a moderate corner (tarseal) as I flicked the bike over into the corner at approx 100kph, I felt the odd sensation of the tyre trying to fall off the rim, even remember the sound of the rim scrapping the tarmac , just before I slammed shoulder first into the tarseal, lost a fair bit of skin that day as I only had track pants and a short sleeved shirt, + sunnies , but no helmet, even skinned my back around the shoulder blades,
no thought of consequences when I was young ...

[rastuscat]

Technically true, but closer to bullshit.

I hear you. I use that story merely to highlight a point.

[F5 Dave]

I had a fast deflating front tyre puncture on a xr500, it went flat while I went down a 400mtr straight downwards incline leading to a moderate corner (tarseal) as I flicked the bike over into the corner at approx 100kph, I felt the odd sensation of the tyre trying to fall off the rim, even remember the sound of the rim scrapping the tarmac , just before I slammed shoulder first into the tarseal, lost a fair bit of skin that day as I only had track pants and a short sleeved shirt, + sunnies , but no helmet, even skinned my back around the shoulder blades,
no thought of consequences when I was young ...

Your story reminded me of a vivid memory although totally different as the tyre didn't go flat and was the rear but it must have been 1980 coming down from Wrights Hill mx track area I was dubbing a mate, neither of us were wearing and helmets let alone long sleeves I decided last minute to turn left , an off camber corner- and I felt the suspension compress and the hugely square tyre roll over like it wanted to peel off, we did a great broadside, as they were called back then. Pretty cool.

Somehow I didn't crash into the parked cars and I peddled off both maniacally laughing at our fortune and my stupidity. But that's 12 yr Olds for you.

The suspension bike was American import that I think came with a fake engine before I got it. Was very badly made and too heavy. Well ahead of its time though.

[rastuscat]

The suspension bike was American import that I think came with a fake engine before I got it. Was very badly made and too heavy. Well ahead of its time though.

Harleys are ahead of their time?

[F5 Dave]

Well not now but some of those Boardtrack racers were. Or was it the Indians?

But not since then.

[husaberg]

Well not now but some of those Boardtrack racers were. Or was it the Indians?

But not since then.

For some time in the 90's they lead the world in turning recycled woks into profit.
They also were pretty awesome at turning hydrocarbons into potato potato noises rather than HP

[Laava]

Years ago, touring in Ireland, had a blowout on my Laverda, two up with luggage. Scary! Lucky it was the rear wheel! Nowadays the tyres are so much better, I haven't met anyone who has suffered one for more than twenty years...

[sidecar bob]

Years ago, touring in Ireland, had a blowout on my Laverda, two up with luggage. Scary! Lucky it was the rear wheel! Nowadays the tyres are so much better, I haven't met anyone who has suffered one for more than twenty years...

Yeah, these days is usually only caused by completely ignoring a known problem for an extended period. :facepalm:

[F5 Dave]

Inner tubes had a lot to answer for.

[AllanB]

Yeah, these days is usually only caused by completely ignoring a known problem for an extended period. :facepalm:

That's what a car is for :lol:

[pritch]

That's what a car is for :lol:

Company cars particularly.

[spanner spinner]

Inner tubes had a lot to answer for.

so do cold chisels left laying in the road, as can be seen by the attached picture straight trough the rear tyre of my then CBR900 and then exited out through the rim instant blowout.:angry:

Murphy's law was operating at its most perverse when this happened, not just the cold chisel through the tyre and wheel but it also happen in the worst possible place. The crest of the Auckland harbour bridge at 8.30am on Monday morning. thank goodness for advance rider training that I had done as this allowed me to control the bike with an instantly flat rear tyre. Remained upright so at least i didn't have to add falling off to my collection of woes on that Monday morning.


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[Laava]

Whoa! That is a serious hole dude! Also lucky in the rear not the front, well done for keeping it up!

[F5 Dave]

That is freaky shit right there

[OddDuck]

Damn that's a worry. Good on you for keeping the bike upright!

[Fresh Oats]

That is freaky shit right there

Yea I certainly don't recommend it.

0 out of 10, wouldn't do again.

[F5 Dave]

Clearly I was talking about the cold chisel incident.

[Fresh Oats]

Clearly I was talking about the cold chisel incident.

Well ex-fucking-cuse me princess.

[skippa1]

My own stupid stupid stupid fault. I knew the tyre pressure was getting low, I was meaning to check it. I could even feel it slipping when going around corners so I had a conscious decision that today was going to be the day.
Complete forgot, nek minute *boom* followed by a hefty fishtail on a near-300kg bike through an intersection up a hill.

I've been riding 60km twice a day every week day for the last 3 and a bit weeks for work on that new 110km expressway out of Hamilton. Fuck me, if it happened even 5 minutes earlier I would have been going like 130ish. I don't know what a blowout at 130 looks like (I didn't entirely have on all my protective gear either), but I don't imagine it's very fun. Because 50ish wasn't very fun.

Point being, please check your tyre pressure.
Talk about a wake up call.


queue all the old people ramblings about these "youngster millennial yobo's on their hipster racers not taking proper care of their bikes"
The only reason for low tyre pressures is a puncture or laziness.
Yours was laziness....so no excuse. Get your shit together before it costs you more than a tyre

[caspernz]

The only reason for low tyre pressures is a puncture or laziness.
Yours was laziness....so no excuse. Get your shit together before it costs you more than a tyre

Try instructing/licence testing :rolleyes: as we do a basic bike check prior to rolling out.
I ask a chap what his rear tyre pressure should be. Answer is 38 psi.
Pointed out bulge and asked when did you last check pressure? Yesterday he says.
Out comes my pressure gauge, tyre reads 21 psi.
Checked yesterday? Yeah right...:devil2:

[F5 Dave]

Well ex-fucking-cuse me princess.
It. Put. A . Hole. In. His. Rim.

Yours was just stupidity. Hey I considered responding first reply but decided to just let you be.

But that chisel story was actually something.

[husaberg]

It. Put. A . Hole. In. His. Rim.

Yours was just stupidity. Hey I considered responding first reply but decided to just let you be.

But that chisel story was actually something.

Dont defuse the stoush
Its KB fighting time:argue:

[Katman]

Dont defuse the stoush
Its KB fighting time:argue:

Until such time as someone's mean to you - at which point you'll go crying to the moderators.

[husaberg]

Until such time as someone's mean to you - at which point you'll go crying to the moderators.
Cool story bro. Already onto to another conspiracy, only this ones against you. One can only assume the mods must be in on it as well.
What other reason could there ever be, as to why you keep getting sin binned, other than its my fault.:whistle:

[Taxythingy]

Cross fingers that never happens to me.
Had a cord let go inside my front tyre last year. Riding this to the bike store after work was squeaky bum time. :crazy:

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[Daffyd]

I had a similar experience about 11-12 years ago when I had the Virago. It had been imported form the UK about 8 years previously and, although low mileage, was still on the original tyres. My son and I were heading to a rally and were winding around the Catlins lake when the rear blew. Turned out the tyres were just plain perished. Not obvious from looking at them.

So, if you buy a used bike with low k's, but an older model change your tyres sooner rather than later.

[pritch]

I had a similar experience about 11-12 years ago when I had the Virago. It had been imported form the UK about 8 years previously and, although low mileage, was still on the original tyres. My son and I were heading to a rally and were winding around the Catlins lake when the rear blew. Turned out the tyres were just plain perished. Not obvious from looking at them.

So, if you buy a used bike with low k's, but an older model change your tyres sooner rather than later.

IIRC the manufacturers say four years is the life of a tyre. On reaching that age tyres are supposed to be returned to the manufacturer for testing. Obviously geography is not our friend in this instance.

The week and year of manufacture is written on the sidewall. This is for cars but bike tyres are the same.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/how-to/10154805/How-to-check-when-your-tyres-were-manufactured.html

[Daffyd]

IIRC the manufacturers say four years is the life of a tyre. On reaching that age tyres are supposed to be returned to the manufacturer for testing. Obviously geography is not our friend in this instance.

The week and year of manufacture is written on the sidewall. This is for cars but bike tyres are the same.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/how-to/10154805/How-to-check-when-your-tyres-were-manufactured.html

I guess there would be some leeway here... eg, a light cruiser used mainly for pootling as opposed to a full on sprotsbike being ridden at full noise.

[Yokomama]

Was that terrifying?

It’s me who gets those tyres out of the container. Kinda fun to roll into the warehouse.

[Taxythingy]

Saw one of those rubber tyred road rollers last week with a blow out. Inner front wheel, just to be extra fun to change. The other tyres weren’t happy about carrying the load. I bet it wasn’t something to be standing near when it let go.

[Daffyd]

Was that terrifying?

It’s me who gets those tyres out of the container. Kinda fun to roll into the warehouse.

Yes, it was a bit alarming. It happened just as I was entering a left hand bend. I knew I couldn't lean into the bend, then I noticed a gateway directly in front

of me and headed for that. I managed to pull up right in the gateway. Somebody was looking out for me.

[F5 Dave]

Well it wouldn't have been God watching out for you, else he would have stopped all those catholic boys being raped. Hundreds and hundreds. He didn't stop any of that.

So don't think he helped a wobbly wheel if ne couldn't stop paedophilia being his largest churches staple reason to exist.

Just saying.

[Swoop]

Also lucky in the rear not the front, well done for keeping it up!

That tends to happen as the front wheel kicks up any crap on the road and biffs it into the rear. Most punctures are on the rear tyre.

[R650R]

I cut a pilot sport in half awhile ago just to show a canvas riding mate how thin tyres are these days. Also had a 80/20 tyre on the DR suffer an internal failure that was only evident when I took it off the rim. Big internal split.
Never run tyres too low after seeing several delaminate on high horsepower bikes.