Punctures – Like When You Had You First Off [Archive]

Terminated

20th January 2008, 20:50

Well sort of remembering when we had our first whoopsie [off/drop], today it happened - the first flat tyre, rear.

Only got the two new tyres a month ago, and being 150km short of 3000km when the air vacated the residence. Well I suppose it had to happen sooner or later.

My first reaction, ‘that wind is strong’, then ‘oh heck the rear axle nut is loose’ and then when I pull over this morning on the way back from Ngawi to Martinborough the tell tale was there for all to see – the tyre flat as. Honestly the puncture scenario did not even register until I stopped – true.

Oh for carrying onboard puncture kits, mine, Stevedee’s and Andy’s we had enough gas bottles to have a party. Stevedee is becoming a master of the roadside puncture repair, having had one in Martinborough 6mths back, and yes on a new tyre too.

So what has been your experience with your tyres and having a puncture?

Heads Up and Enjoy

Trudes

20th January 2008, 20:54

Lucky really BB!!
Never had one personally (wishing already I hadn't typed that, cause Murphy loves me!!), but you have just reminded me that I should really buy a puncture repair kit, so thanks!!!:niceone:

Terminated

20th January 2008, 20:59

BTW I was lead bike of five in the group and well go figure...no one else got any debris. The spike plunger had little resistance in penetrating the puncture mark when we cleaned the damage up and before putting the glue and bung in, could have poked a pencil through it easily.

Mrs Kendog, on your shopping list this week for sure - an essential onboard item, else hours of inconvenience.

Also really enjoyed the Ngawi run, 260km round trip from the duckpond.

Heads Up and Enjoy

gijoe1313

20th January 2008, 21:02

The funny thing with puncture kits is that you don't know how to actually use one unless you see someone else using one! :lol:

I had my first puncture when my tyre was on its last few hundred kms before being replaced. Blairos knew exactly how to use the rasper/dogshit/adhesive etc. because he saw someone else doing it! :lol:

i did RTFM the instructions a while ago, but its always good to have someone in the know do it! I got to pay it forward on a trip out to Kaiaua and just did the same as Blairos showed me! :yes:

I guess the poll function needs to include "puncture near end of tyre's life!" :rofl:

Terminated

20th January 2008, 21:10

The funny thing with puncture kits is that you don't know how to actually use one unless you see someone else using one! :lol:

I guess the poll function needs to include "puncture near end of tyre's life!" :rofl:

G'day gijoe, you're right it does help watching somebody repair a puncture, fortunately stevedee, the brother-in-law fortunately was with me today, and I saw him do it last time. I stepped back and let him take over, him being an engineer type well he was having a ball getting the job done.

Second point, if I could amend the poll thingy-ma-jig, but what the heck, anything over 8000km is on the back end of the tyre's life I suppose.

Good to catch you up on hear. Cheers.

Heads Up and Enjoy

xwhatsit

20th January 2008, 21:15

If one punctures a tubed tyre out in the middle of nowhere, what are one's options?

Ixion

20th January 2008, 21:20

If one punctures a tubed tyre out in the middle of nowhere, what are one's options?

Depends if you carry tyre levers and a tube type puncture repair kit. Or a spare tube . Always wise to include one for each wheel on a long trip.

On your bike, I'd ride home on the flat tyre.

Done it before not (quite) as hard as you might think. You'll fuck the tube for sure though, and maybe the tyre.

Spuds1234

20th January 2008, 21:21

If one punctures a tubed tyre out in the middle of nowhere, what are one's options?

Tyre Pandy.

Make sure you tell the shop changing your tyre that you have used one otherwise it makes one hell of a mess.

Mr Triple

20th January 2008, 21:22

Well I'm almost to scared to say, but I've only had one on the road and that was back in the mid eightys. We were at a mates place out in the middle of nowhere and went to go home and you guess it.... Front tyre flat as :angry2:

I did have a tyre pando with me so abit lucky I guess, so filled the tyre up and had a slow ride home.

I've only had two other flat tyres but they been over night when at home so not to bad.

I just hope that saying this my luck doesn't turn :headbang:

Terminated

20th January 2008, 21:24

If one punctures a tubed tyre out in the middle of nowhere, what are one's options?

Sorry. Showing my ignorance here, but generally are motorcycle tyres nowadays tubeless?

A tube tyre, well unless you got the tyre irons and a special puncture kit [like bicycles], it might be a long walk, or the AA breakdown service.

Heads Up and Enjoy

Nick from the nick

20th January 2008, 22:55

I've only ever had one go flat in 22 years on bikes and that was on a 500 km old rear on a cbr1100, near crapped me pants it let go at 130 MPH i was still in the UK hence the MPH. By the time i pulled up (believe me it was fast) the tyre was way past a repair kit.

xwhatsit

20th January 2008, 23:24

You'll fuck the tube for sure though, and maybe the tyre.
More worried about the rim...?

Tyre Pandy.
Did a brief Google, seems many places (at least overseas) people are complaining because it's not sold any more. Anybody sell this goop here?

Sorry. Showing my ignorance here, but generally are motorcycle tyres nowadays tubeless?
I don't live in the nowadays.

Actually the real reason is that spoked rims (apart from fancy über-modern BMW ones) can't go tubeless without some modifications.

Ixion

20th January 2008, 23:34

More worried about the rim...?

,,.

On your bike, the tyre will be narrow enough and high enough and strong enough that the rim won't be affected. Unless you roll over onto it, in which case you'll go down , and the rim will be the least of your troubles.

Needless to say, riding on a flat tyre, you can't turn or lean or steer a straight line. So riding is , um, interesting.

But it can be done. But not on a sprotsbike, with their six foot wide rear tyres.

howdamnhard

21st January 2008, 00:52

Got a punture on the new rear tyre a week after fitting it.Staple through it.Pumped it up(was at work) and tried riding it to the nearest bike shop knowing there where a lot of service stations along the way and it appeared to be a slow leak.Checking at every stop,back started getting loose so pulled into service station and used my temporary puncture kit to repair it.Then limped to nearest bike shop and got proper repair.Also filled tyre with BLUE GOO(I think its called).Not recommended for the front tyre though as more sensitive to imbalances.So far working well.Lessons learned slow stationary leaks can become fast leaks while riding. Also always carry puncture repair kit.:shifty:

Gremlin

21st January 2008, 02:21

So what has been your experience with your tyres and having a puncture?
Tipping the bike into a bumpy corner at 110 ish, and finding out later the rear tyre was inflated to a third of its pressure (hadn't felt anything wrong before that). Needless to say... it was a wild ride. Was rather amazed to come out intact. :eek:

But not on a sprotsbike, with their six foot wide rear tyres
My dear Ixion, surely you jest. Sprotties have 6-6.5 inch rears... and you can ride on them. Sure, anything over 60kph ish is rather... unusual, but I have seen a mate manage it.

skidMark

21st January 2008, 02:25

no punctures ever, then 2 in two weeks. with less than 1000 k old tyres.

both times coming out to the garage in morning to discover she had gone down over night.

and going fuck...**out with ze Co2 canister and dog turdy thingy**

i have to replace my tyres every 4,000 k's anyways on the 250....

gets expensive at $450 per set...

my mate with a zx10r goes through a set just as quick sometimes quicker.

$650 a set or something silly....

owie.

it's commuting that fucks them.

i always wear out middle well and truely before the sides.

and no i'm not going to get some homo spec dual compound tyre.

i still have to replace them because the edges get severe stepping on the water drain channels (tread grooves) from accelaration out of corners.

rips the poor things up horribly...

same with my mates zx10r...rip up from acceleration then folds over and melts back onto the tyre...

yep hes nuts. lol

it's a nice toy too...

fastest n/a zx10r in nz w00t

Lucy

21st January 2008, 03:42

Sorry. Showing my ignorance here, but generally are motorcycle tyres nowadays tubeless?

A tube tyre, well unless you got the tyre irons and a special puncture kit [like bicycles], it might be a long walk, or the AA breakdown service.

Heads Up and Enjoy

You think THAT'S ignorant??? I didn't even know tyres could be tubeless! I've fixed punctures on pushbikes, and it was a pain, removing the tyre was the hardest bit. I can't even imagine doing it on a motorcycle, so I just pray that I don't get one. After riding the River road I bought a tyre panda can of stuff, which says 'don't use on motorcycles' so I am even more confused nowadays....

skidMark

21st January 2008, 03:53

You think THAT'S ignorant??? I didn't even know tyres could be tubeless! I've fixed punctures on pushbikes, and it was a pain, removing the tyre was the hardest bit. I can't even imagine doing it on a motorcycle, so I just pray that I don't get one. After riding the River road I bought a tyre panda can of stuff, which says 'don't use on motorcycles' so I am even more confused nowadays....

you are the reason bike shops stay in business :devil2:

i like you.:devil2:

Lucy

21st January 2008, 04:00

you are the reason bike shops stay in business :devil2:

i like you.:devil2:

Thanks!

If I could manage to get served in a bike shop I'd agree with you, and probably spend money. But I can't, so I got it from Repco and will keep riding my GN for a while.

skidMark

21st January 2008, 04:21

Thanks!

If I could manage to get served in a bike shop I'd agree with you, and probably spend money. But I can't, so I got it from Repco and will keep riding my GN for a while.

shes a hard road finding the perfect women boy....

wanna go halves on a baby?:lol:

Monsterbishi

21st January 2008, 05:56

The last puncture I got on the YZF was a minter, never found what holed it, happened on the way to work one morning, and discovered it once I went to go home, it was also the first time I found my Dunlops had strong enough sidewalls to act like runflats so I did the trip home like a beserk relay race - it would last for a minute or two from full of air to empty so I filled it using one of the work compressors, rode like a madman to the nearest servo and refilled, then onto the next, and the next, and you get the idea.

17km trip, considering the roads were dead empty at 3am, it still took freakin' ages to get home, almost a hour :doh:

Bikernereid

21st January 2008, 06:04

Was pillioning on back on mates Moto Guzzi TODAY (return trip of first ride back in the UK after NZ) and got 18miles into an approx 190miles rainy journey when the road surface started to feel a bit jippey. Then we got onto another road surface and it still felt crap. Dawning realisation crept in that f*ck it is the bike n not the road surface. Managed to to creep along for 1/2 mile into layby n sos stop to see bloody great bit nail in tyre.

Only got worse after that, never trust break down companies!! Bike still up north!!

Well sort of remembering when we had our first whoopsie [off/drop], today it happened - the first flat tyre, rear.

Only got the two new tyres a month ago, and being 150km short of 3000km when the air vacated the residence. Well I suppose it had to happen sooner or later.

My first reaction, ‘that wind is strong’, then ‘oh heck the rear axle nut is loose’ and then when I pull over this morning on the way back from Ngawi to Martinborough the tell tale was there for all to see – the tyre flat as. Honestly the puncture scenario did not even register until I stopped – true.

Oh for carrying onboard puncture kits, mine, Stevedee’s and Andy’s we had enough gas bottles to have a party. Stevedee is becoming a master of the roadside puncture repair, having had one in Martinborough 6mths back, and yes on a new tyre too.

So what has been your experience with your tyres and having a puncture?

Heads Up and Enjoy

DEATH_INC.

21st January 2008, 06:18

Depends if you carry tyre levers and a tube type puncture repair kit. Or a spare tube . Always wise to include one for each wheel on a long trip.

On your bike, I'd ride home on the flat tyre.

Done it before not (quite) as hard as you might think. You'll fuck the tube for sure though, and maybe the tyre.
Actually, just carry whichever tube is the smallest, they'll stretch heaps (a 13" car tube will reach around 6' diameter before it pops...:laugh:) so it'll do both in an emergency.
Try not to use Pando, it's shit and often won't fix the problem and it's near impossible to get a patch to adhere properly after you've used it.
The biggest trick to not pinching the tube is not pushing the lever right over when refitting the tyre, don't go past vertical (the tyre lying flat...) and push the tyre down that last bit to get it on....it's usually the end of the lever that wrecks the tube when it crushes it against the rim....
Ummm, where's the 'my tyres don't last long enough to get a puncture' option....

Usarka

21st January 2008, 06:39

2 of the bastards.

If the hole is small heating up the tyre can stop the leak. Fill it with air, do a burn out and jump on the motorway to get to the tyre shop. Feel like a smug bastard until it finally starts leaking and wobbling as you come down the harbour bridge. damhik.

Nasty

21st January 2008, 06:41

Sorry. Showing my ignorance here, but generally are motorcycle tyres nowadays tubeless?

A tube tyre, well unless you got the tyre irons and a special puncture kit [like bicycles], it might be a long walk, or the AA breakdown service.

Heads Up and Enjoy

for tubed tyres there is Tyre pandy ... you don't have a long walk unless you want one. Also best to check with your local motorcycle shop ... their information can be a bit more accurate and they can sell you what you need.

Swoop

21st January 2008, 11:48

Tipping the bike into a bumpy corner at 110 ish, and finding out later the rear tyre was inflated to a third of its pressure (hadn't felt anything wrong before that).
Someone posted, a while back, that speeds over 70kmh will centrifuge the tyre and keep it "working".

The guys at Cycletreads said that punctures only appear in rear tyres, from their experience.

jrandom

21st January 2008, 12:02

I picked up a fuckoff big rivet bang smack through the center of a Metzeler Sportec M3 only a couple of weeks after it was fitted. Walked back out into the carpark shortly after arriving at work and there's me bike with the rear tyre sadly spread out under the rim, flat as a pancake. I must have rolled over it very close to my destination, because I didn't feel any handling disturbances on the ride in.

Fortunately, Frosty lent me his van to haul the bike around with and Cycletreads plugged the hole later that day with a minimum of fuss. Apparently, repaired tubeless tyres are fine at any speed, just as good as the original, etc...

xwhatsit

21st January 2008, 12:09

Someone posted, a while back, that speeds over 70kmh will centrifuge the tyre and keep it "working".

The guys at Cycletreads said that punctures only appear in rear tyres, from their experience.

That 70kph centrifuge guy was the infamous knee-down-public-road Tom. I won't put too much stock in that tip.

My puncture was in the front. Rode over some broken glass scattered on the street next to mine (that really shits me when people throw bottles onto the road), pull into driveway, hear a hissing noise, tyre goes dead flat in about 10 seconds.

James Deuce

21st January 2008, 12:13

That 70kph centrifuge guy was the infamous knee-down-public-road Tom. I won't put too much stock in that tip.

My puncture was in the front. Rode over some broken glass scattered on the street next to mine (that really shits me when people throw bottles onto the road), pull into driveway, hear a hissing noise, tyre goes dead flat in about 10 seconds.

It's more like 140kph and Bike mag did an article on an English motorcycle courier who has done millions of miles on VFRs as a courier. He never let flat tyres interfere with his working day. He reckoned he was fine on the motorway with a flat rear, provided he maintained 80mph or so.

Nagash

21st January 2008, 12:16

I got a flat rear tyre on my 125 not too long ago, was only commuting back home and just felt the back sorta slid around a bit when I went round corners. Pulled over to see the tyre as flat as flat can be (or atleast heading that way) so I had to push this moto with a flat tyre the 30 minutes or so. give it some air so that I could atleas get it home and sort it out later..

Thing I learnt, if ever pushing a bike that still has gas, just walk along side it and use the throttle si it propels itself and you a wee bit!

banditrider

21st January 2008, 12:28

I was coming back from East Cape on the 2005 Southern Cross when I picked up a piece of wire in the rear tyre. On the road from Te Araroa to Hicks Bay the bike started sliding around under me so I got the message. Pulled into Hicks Bay, pulled out the wire, stuck in a 12 year old pando and then pumped the tyre up as high as possible with a brand new foot pump the people at the shop loaned me.

Road really quietly for a while but when the tyre appeared to be holding up I upped the pace up. The tyre pando held all the way to Whakatane where the guys at the Suzy shop fixed it properly. Lasted for the rest of the trip no worries.

A few weeks late the same tyre got another puncture (or the repair failed - who knows?) on a gravel road out the back of Marton. Rode on the flat to a gas station in Marton. Stuck a pando in it and pumped it up. Pando never sealed properly so gop ended up all over the bike but I made it home.

Now I carry a repair kit...

tri boy

21st January 2008, 12:34

Fixed a punctured tube at home this morning.(spare tube for the scramblers sth isld run).
Something every m/cyclist should know how to do. (Tube repair kits can patch the inside of large tubeless tyres also).

Peeling rubber off and on rims isn't that hard either with some practice. But "Dog Turd" plugs are the way to go for Road bikes for sure.

Pando/Tyre Goo/Slime only worth while on the farm bikes IMHO.
Carry two 250mm tyre levers, and a puncture repair kit for tube type tyres, and the Turds for Tubeless. CO2 cannisters if you like, but I use the good old foot pump with tube type.
Happy patching people.:2thumbsup

99TLS

21st January 2008, 12:38

have only ever had one in 22yrs riding, that was on mw motorway just before rosebank rd, got a friend to pick me up then took tyre to bike shop to fix

The Pastor

21st January 2008, 12:47

my can of tyre inflate says "inflates tube and tubeless tyres"

banditrider

21st January 2008, 12:52

But "Dog Turd" plugs are the way to go for Road bikes for sure.

How permanent are they? Should the tyre or repair still be looked at by someone in the know and be repaired professionally? I've heard that if you get a puncture in the front it's ok to repair to get you home but you should bin the tyre once you're safe & sound.

tri boy

21st January 2008, 14:15

How permanent are they? Should the tyre or repair still be looked at by someone in the know and be repaired professionally? I've heard that if you get a puncture in the front it's ok to repair to get you home but you should bin the tyre once you're safe & sound.

Always pays to have the tyre checked professionally after getting home.:yes:

One of the most reliable patches I did was one of the most dodgey. (wouldn't recomend it)
The daytona picked up a nail out the back of Sth Australia on a Sunday morning.
Peeled the tubeless tyre off the rear rim. Patched it with a push bike repair kit that a local home owner had, refitted it, and road it back to West Aussie like that, and left it that way until it was changed out about 1500km later.
Not the recommended thing to do, and the hole was a mere pin prick, but it shows what glue and rubber can do.

quallman1234

21st January 2008, 15:08

Had heaps on my old DT175.

All my bike's ive had have had tubed tyres tho.

DEATH_INC.

21st January 2008, 17:18