Author Topic: bizarre flat tire story  (Read 17937 times)

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Offline NinjaBob

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bizarre flat tire story
« on: August 15, 2018, 06:07:31 pm »

This is almost beyond belief. I could hardly beieve my own eyes. On the way to the gym on my Concours. was planning to stop and get some whisky and beer on the way. A block before the store I hear a loud "pop" and felt it in the front end. Started wouthing the dash and withen 1/8 of I mile it goes to 35 psi then the low pressure warning. I head for the nearest fuel station. On it's corner I get a red light. I put on my flashers and motion to the driver behind me. Agonizingly long wait for a green. I limp through the3 corner with 12 psi. At the Exoon I luck out and pull into the only spot of shade on the property.  With a flat tire I cannot get on the CS with the topcase on so I pull that off and dive into for my flat tire kit two plugs in and I hook up my Aerostich pump.Seems to be inflating. I left my gauge in my tank bag from last weeks trip so I go inside and buy one plus a quart of gatorade, it 91 F, left the pump running. Back ouside I check the pressure. Gauge says 28. I put the pump back on and switch it on. Poof! Pump dies from heat stroke, and I'm close behind.


Station has a coin op air pump. I rode over too it (in the hot sun). The damn chuck will not work with the Connie's valve stem - bad angle. my 90 degree extension is also back home in the tank bag. I ride a block to AutoZone and buy an adapter. It's a screw on type, no sure it will work but I'm desperate. No joy. Back to the shade to try my CO2 kit. I try all 5 cartridges. Thr chuck is leaking, I don't think any CO2 got in the tire. The console continues to say 24 psi.


Google Maps says a mechanic shop is 2.4 mile east. I limp over there. A young Asian kid asks if he can help, I ask if I can use his air pump. He says yes, he will fill my tire. A few minutes later I have 42 psi. "what do I owe ya"? "You don't owes us anything" "thanks, appreciate that".


25 miles to home. Console says 39 psi, 40 after a few miles. But eventually it sarts to fall. Halfway home I am at 37. Stop at a Valero and use a coin machine, this one fits! 45 psi. Roll into my driveway with 35.


Nothing really remarkable about my little adventure so far, right. Same has probably happened to most of us.
BUT WAIT TILL YOU SEE WHAT I PULLED OUT OF MY TIRE. I spotted brushed metal flush with the tread, I thout it was the head of a nail. I grabbed it with needle nose plyers.  and pulled. Pictures to come after dramatic pause.

09 Kawasaki KLX250S
13 BMW R1200 RT
15 Yamaha YZF-R3
17 Ducati Multistrada 950
22 Yamaha Tracer 9GT

Offline NinjaBob

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2018, 06:11:42 pm »
09 Kawasaki KLX250S
13 BMW R1200 RT
15 Yamaha YZF-R3
17 Ducati Multistrada 950
22 Yamaha Tracer 9GT

Offline NinjaBob

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2018, 06:16:27 pm »
09 Kawasaki KLX250S
13 BMW R1200 RT
15 Yamaha YZF-R3
17 Ducati Multistrada 950
22 Yamaha Tracer 9GT

Offline naustin

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2018, 08:29:01 pm »
Wow!   So this was still in the tire after you plugged it??  What the heck made the hole you plugged, then?

Offline HawkGTRider

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2018, 09:18:41 pm »
It's surprising how big an object can be forced through a tire with the impact of hitting the object at the right angle and speed. I've seen the round end of a "crescent" wrench punched through a tire.


My personal favorite experience was running over a piece of, maybe, 3/16" copper tubing. The tubing was a perfect outlet for the air, and the tire was completely flat in about 2 seconds. It was 5:45 a.m., dark, and I was on my way to an MSF class. It happened on my Hawk GT. Being a relatively lightweight bike, I was able to poke along the remaining 2-3 miles until I got to the range where there were lights and tools to address the issues.
Geoffrey Greene
MSTA Ride For Kids Coordinator, MSTA Secretary (retired), TN-STAR and Tri-STAR Coordinator (retired)
Difficult roads can lead to beautiful destinations.

Offline STLTHMSTA

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2018, 09:40:59 pm »
Sooo, I'm gonna say that's a 3/8" drive? That's pretty big. I always check the objects in the can on the counter at my auto tire store that they pulled out of customers tires. Amazing!

Offline DirtFlier

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2018, 04:31:15 am »
Some people will do anything to get a 3/8" shorty extension! 

Semi-related, I was driving my car home one day from running errands and heard a loud "poof" just a few seconds before turning onto my off ramp.  I checked the steering and felt nothing strange and also the same for the brakes so I safely parked the car at the curb, checked all four tires and found the left rear completely flat.

Crazy as it sounds, I drove it the rest of the way home (3 blocks) at 10 mph with people giving me strange looks..."damn Asians don't know about cars!"  From my viewpoint, it was hotter than blazes and I assumed the tire was a goner anyhow so stopping to mount the spare seemed a waste of time.

When I got home, I let that tire/wheel cool then dismounted it and mounted the spare for a run to the tire store.  What I found was a perfectly round hole, about 1/4" i.d. made as cleanly as possible as if I'd run over a hole punch or piece of steel tubing.  Nothing was in the tire.

ps.  my slow pace and the tire sidewall prevented any rim damage on the drive. 
« Last Edit: August 16, 2018, 11:41:57 am by DirtFlier »

Offline brider

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2018, 06:45:38 am »

There was a tire store in town that had display of things that they had taken out of tires that caused flats.  It was amazing.  Everything from a high heel to about every kind of tool you could imagine.  My last car flat was due to one half of a pair of pliers.  Not needle nose pliers.  Just one side of a plain old pair of pliers

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2020 Versys 300X

Offline NinjaBob

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2018, 07:55:18 am »
Wow!   So this was still in the tire after you plugged it??  What the heck made the hole you plugged, then?
Negative, the extension punctured the tire. it is a quarter incher.
« Last Edit: August 16, 2018, 07:58:24 am by NinjaBob »
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Offline bcd

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2018, 08:01:57 am »
Yay, free extension?
==BD

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Offline RichGrab

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2018, 09:40:06 am »
Yay, free extension?
Exactly Bryan. Silver lining to every cloud. What a story Bob.
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Offline stevegrab

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2018, 05:28:31 pm »
I once had a flat on my rear we found the item and when we pulled it out looked like a bolt from a brake caliper that holds the pads in. Was rounded and not a sharp point on the end that entered the tire, buried almost all the way in the tire with bolt head end sticking out slightly. I wondered how something so not pointy could do that.

My best flat tire story ever (sadly have too many of them in only 20 years riding) was a valve stem issue. Some here heard the story, as it occurred right before Mail Pouch one year. Dealer used longer stem, I had an after market metal cap on the stem, apparently it was hitting the rear brake caliper while spinning, which I didn't notice after mounting it.

Some of that special tape from Aerostitch (you stretch and wrap, can add heat to shrink tight) worked to hold air and get me home. (I had repair items, but quickly noticed the stem was torn near the rim base, and called a friend to come help.)

I went back to the dealer who fixed it, then when I got home and mounted I realized the real issue, went back to the dealer and told them about it recommending they inform customers if they change things like that.

I am lucky though I guess, with about 5-6 flat tire issues none of them ever stranded me completely. And ever since the first I carry a repair kits (mushroom and rope plugs with rubber cement) an compressor.
Steve Grabowski
2014 Interceptor, 98 VFR, 99 Triumph Sprint ST, 06 Ninja 650

Offline fartymarty

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2018, 03:22:44 pm »
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Offline NinjaBob

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #13 on: August 19, 2018, 05:11:38 pm »
Yeah, TWO free extensions. When I changed my tire this morning I found another short quarter inch extension inside.
now I have two.
09 Kawasaki KLX250S
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Offline RichGrab

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Re: bizarre flat tire story
« Reply #14 on: August 20, 2018, 09:45:31 am »
Yeah, TWO free extensions. When I changed my tire this morning I found another short quarter inch extension inside.
now I have two.

Now that's incredible. Are they at least a good brand you can use without breaking your knuckles??
Rich Grabowski;Jackson, MI; MSTA #12038
2016 BMW F800GT (STAR 2016 Raffle Bike)
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