What happens when you get a flat on the front?
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4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Jackson MS
What happens when you get a flat on the front?
Hello folks. I am new owner of the FLHTK and I am wondering how does it feel to get a flat on the front when you ride?
Its a serious question. I am not new to riding but this is a first heavy bike I ever owned. Would love to hear the best technique to handle the bike should the front go.
Its a serious question. I am not new to riding but this is a first heavy bike I ever owned. Would love to hear the best technique to handle the bike should the front go.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 11,226
Likes: 3,049
From: St.Louis Mo.
Tank slappers come to mind. If it goes down slow it will start to feel mushy, but when it goes down fast it can become a handfull very quickly. Let off throttle and do NOT use the front brake.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 456
Likes: 205
From: Manchester, MI
I always wondered why they do not have a run flat motorcycle tire. I know the newer designs for cars use a stiff side wall which would not work on a motorcycle due to lean angle. However, an older design had a hard rubber donut on the rim so the flat tire can only collapse so far.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,268
Likes: 3,085
From: Westchester, NY
Depends completely on if its a blow out/rapid deflation or a slow leak
I had one a month or so again when I drilled a pothole and bent the rim a bit. It took a few miles to go flat, but it progressively got "heavier" turning into corners. Like the bike didnt want to lean over to take a turn. It felt fine going straight.
Never had a blow out. Id imagine it isnt fun.
I had one a month or so again when I drilled a pothole and bent the rim a bit. It took a few miles to go flat, but it progressively got "heavier" turning into corners. Like the bike didnt want to lean over to take a turn. It felt fine going straight.
Never had a blow out. Id imagine it isnt fun.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,182
Likes: 719
From: Indianapolis
The first time it happens, you **** your pants. But, unless you're leaned over in a turn it's not that bad. Steering gets sloppy and heavy. It's kind of like driving on ice. Just make your way over and don't touch the front brake.
As for the run-flat idea, car tires are square. It's easy to make a really stiff sidewall. A cycle tire is round and you need some suppleness on the entire tread surface. But, I have seen some innovations where there's a very stiff foam "noodle" insert to keep the tire somewhat up. Recommended only for TPMS equipped bikes. Think I saw it at a show.
As for the run-flat idea, car tires are square. It's easy to make a really stiff sidewall. A cycle tire is round and you need some suppleness on the entire tread surface. But, I have seen some innovations where there's a very stiff foam "noodle" insert to keep the tire somewhat up. Recommended only for TPMS equipped bikes. Think I saw it at a show.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 119
Likes: 29
From: sacramento
the stock Dunlop on my Ultra Classic had a leak, the front end wanted to wash out from under me. be very careful making any turns. try to keep as much weight as you can off the front.
i a dyna years ago that blew out the rear tube. even though the dyna is lighter I still had to walk along side of bike feathering the clutch, the tires sidewalls couldn't support the weight to roll without power applied. be safe.
i a dyna years ago that blew out the rear tube. even though the dyna is lighter I still had to walk along side of bike feathering the clutch, the tires sidewalls couldn't support the weight to roll without power applied. be safe.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
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From:
I had a front tire tube blow out on my Shovelhead on a interstate 55 mph ramp going on to a state 6 lane state highway. I was doing 55 when it blew. I thought I hit a hot tar snake on the road. it shook the front end some but I was able to keep control. I had to ride it to the next exit (about 3 miles)because I didn't want to sit on the side of the road in that kind of traffic and I figured it wasn't goin g to get any flatter. when I was able to stop the front tire was smoking. it really wasn't all that bad. I was about 4 miles from home so my wife picked me up and then I got the trailer and picked the bike up with that.
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Joe Kucinski
Cruiser
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 140
Likes: 87
From: England
I've had a few fronts go slowly, yes it just gets heavier on the steering.
I had a rear blow out many years ago on a light bike, with a passenger. Even at 40mph it was scary, luckily it was on a straight stretch and easy to control. it would have been messy on a twisty road at a higher speed. I don't like tubed tyres for this very reason, tubeless tyres tend to deflate slowly while tubed tyres go bang!
I had a rear blow out many years ago on a light bike, with a passenger. Even at 40mph it was scary, luckily it was on a straight stretch and easy to control. it would have been messy on a twisty road at a higher speed. I don't like tubed tyres for this very reason, tubeless tyres tend to deflate slowly while tubed tyres go bang!
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,191
Likes: 2,423
From: USA
If the front tire gradually goes flat, you've got a good chance of successfully pulling over. If it blows out catastrophically, you're far more likely to go down. A good reason to watch tire pressure and not run ancient tires.
A lot too depends on the tire carcass. The OEM Dunlop tire has a very stiff sidewall. Others are far softer and floppier. The oem Dunlop will not react as dramatically badly to a loss of pressure as a floppier sidewall tire will. I'm not saying the oem tire is a great tire, just that with that stiff sidewall, it'll handle a flat better than many other tires will.
A lot too depends on the tire carcass. The OEM Dunlop tire has a very stiff sidewall. Others are far softer and floppier. The oem Dunlop will not react as dramatically badly to a loss of pressure as a floppier sidewall tire will. I'm not saying the oem tire is a great tire, just that with that stiff sidewall, it'll handle a flat better than many other tires will.