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But......this is exactly why I won't ride a motorcycle with spoke wheels and inner tubes. Rapid deflation.
So, you're saying that tires with inner tubes deflate faster in situations like this, than tubeless tires do? Seems backwards to me, but what do I know? Mine are tubeless so if that's the case, I'll be glad. Sounds like a pretty scary experience for OP.
Thanks all for the well wishes! I realize that I am a lucky guy that I wasn't hurt worse. I am still very disappointed that my ride in the Rockies has to be put off for another time. It was really coming together as the perfect trip.
On the other hand, I'm sitting here talking about it. I realize very well that might not have been the case.
Glad you are relatively OK, seems weird the tire came apart. Rear tire failures really suck I've dealt with them on standards, once on my CBR(steering damper actually made that one relatively easy to deal with), a couple of times on my old goldwing and the last one was on my street glide with my wife as a passenger on back. If you don't mind me asking what brand? And as someone else pointed out I would much rather deal with rapid deflation on front than on a rear, that front just feels sluggish and hard to turn, it doesn't get squirrly until you are almost stopped.
I had flat in the dark riding to Mesquite from Las Vegas in the rain. Traveling 70 mph felt like front end falling off. Got pulled over ok. My cousin came with a trailer got me, I had a light he found me. There was a screw in the rear tire. Only 1/2 long sheet metal screw. My plan was to get new tires when got home. This was on 2001 Road King Classic with a tub. The screw just went through a little, then slowly tore the tub up. If the tire was newer no flat, screw bigger maybe blow out. If any of you see something in a tire with a tube pull it out right then no matter where your at. Had two flats on the Avons, to soft, grabby. When back to Dunlop, no trouble. I don't try to get every mile out of a tire anymore.
Two points.
One, tubeless tires blow out too. Catastrophic failure of the tire will show you no mercy. As for tubes, the type of material makes a huge difference. I have patched bicycle tube punctures that showed a simple, small hole, where some types of tubes punctures present a "Spider Web" effect where the tube material just rips and tears, not worth fixing even with a hot patch. It doesn't take long to learn which tubes do good, and which tubes to stay away from. My experience with HD/Dunlop Tubes find them to be extra tough, if they are not really old. Some folks re use tubes, but for my money, I go with new tubes with new tires. Use the old tube for a "Cooler Tube" to tow along behind you as you float down a stream - I have a 12 pack Coleman Cooler that fits it perfect.
Second point, I read once that a front mud flap can reduce rear punctures by working as a "Sweeper". Some claim the front tire flips up the nail, screw, or whatever and the back tire often takes it in. The Flap might be worth considering.
Best wishes on recovery to you, Kurt!
Here you go Kurt, in the "Road King Classic" basket weave design!
(They make fronts, these are the rears)
Last edited by TheGrandPoohBah; Aug 23, 2016 at 02:24 PM.
Reason: Spelling
So, you're saying that tires with inner tubes deflate faster in situations like this, than tubeless tires do? Seems backwards to me, but what do I know? Mine are tubeless so if that's the case, I'll be glad. Sounds like a pretty scary experience for OP.
It is an absolute fact that tires with inner tubes have a greater potential for rapid deflation (blow outs) because (as probably is in this case) when a foreign object like a screw or nail punctures the tire and then the tube, air starts to escape. A few more revolutions of the wheel or uneven road surfaces can cause the foreign object to move in the the tire case and tear the tube causing the air escape rapidly.
With a tubeless tire the tire itself is the air vessel and is more robust making rapid deflation because of a foreign object much less likely. I get a chuckle out of die hard "I won't ride a bike without ABS" guys who have spoke wheels and inner tubes
One more thing, once a tire suffers rapid deflation at speed it becomes almost impossible to determine if the air vessel failed (the inner tube) or the tire failed and caused the air vessel to fail. This is because once the tire has lost air pressure (on a non run flat tire) the tire casing is damaged during the attempt to get the vehicle to the side of the road.
Last edited by Campy Roadie; Aug 23, 2016 at 02:30 PM.
I put on mudflaps on my front wheels. If a bike doesn't accommodate that. I have made a 'mudflap' about 14 inches long, mounted at an angle under the motor. Looks odd, but I was shown that trick in the early 80's when I started touring.
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