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Thread: So.... had my first tyre blowout....

  1. #1
    Join Date
    16th July 2018 - 02:38
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    So.... had my first tyre blowout....

    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"

  2. #2
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    28th January 2015 - 16:17
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    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

  3. #3
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    14th July 2006 - 21:39
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    I check mine every weekend.

  4. #4
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    9th May 2008 - 21:23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fresh Oats View Post
    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

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

  5. #5
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    6th June 2008 - 17:24
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    "(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.
    . “No pleasure is worth giving up for two more years in a rest home.” Kingsley Amis

  6. #6
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    8th January 2005 - 15:05
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    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.
    There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop

  7. #7
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    9th January 2005 - 22:12
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    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.
    I thought elections were decided by angry posts on social media. - F5 Dave

  8. #8
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    7th January 2014 - 14:45
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    Glad you are in one piece.

    I only hope you learn from this experience.
    Physics; Thou art a cruel, heartless Bitch-of-a-Mistress

  9. #9
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    13th July 2008 - 20:48
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    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.

  10. #10
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    14th July 2006 - 21:39
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    Quote Originally Posted by rastuscat View Post
    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.

  11. #11
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    8th January 2005 - 15:05
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    Quote Originally Posted by rastuscat View Post
    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.
    There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop

  12. #12
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    9th January 2005 - 22:12
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    Quote Originally Posted by pritch View Post
    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.
    I thought elections were decided by angry posts on social media. - F5 Dave

  13. #13
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    2nd March 2018 - 15:32
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    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.

  14. #14
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    8th January 2005 - 15:05
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    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.
    There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop

  15. #15
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    18th February 2005 - 10:16
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    A blowout on a bike! Jeez. You'd want to be wearing your brown pants that day!
    Grow older but never grow up

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