First flat tire

[05nomader]

I had my first street bike flat tire on my 05 nomad yesterday coming back from Laughlin Nevada to Saint George Utah as I picked up a screw in my back tire a Vredestein Comtrac 175/75R 16 car tire. I first noticed it handling strange while passing a 1 ton trunk pulling a trailer, I was passing pushing about 85 mph when the bike started to wobble pretty bad so I eased off the throttle and eased on the front brake slowing down to 70 mph and everything came back to normal, my wife was ridding her bike behind me so when we stopped in Mesquite Nevada for lunch I asked her if she seen the bike wobble, she didn’t but was wondering why I slowed down. Now this is where my stupidity comes in, instead of checking the bike over while we were in a town I told my wife lets just ride the interstate back home about 40 miles and I will keep it under 75 mph as it handles ok up to around 80 mph, well we made it home without any problems and the bike handled fine, I consider myself very lucky. I went out in the garage this morning and checked the back tire pressure and it had zero psi. Now I know some of you are going to criticize me but I took the tire off and had it plugged and booted and put it back on, keep in mind this is a car tire and I have no problems putting a boot in a car tire it is very acceptable.

[recumbentbob]

you were lucky............

[ringadingh]

With that stiff sidewall, it would be hard to notice that its flat sometimes. Your lucky the bead stayed on the rim, that could have been a problem if it started coming off.

[macmac]

I bet you remember that feeling from now on...

I has a much slower tire failure and didn't know riding 2 up. My first thought coming off a red light was i blew my clutch. The wheel was spinning in the tire, with the tire going no where.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

I would say you were very lucky. Low tire pressure at high speeds creates a lot of heat, could have blown.

[blowndodge]

fortunately car tires add a margin of security. I took all the air out of my Nomad's truck tire and all I looked like with me sitting on it was just a little low! I'm sure I could slow cruise it home if absolutely necessary. I too have a car tire plug and will do the same if I ever get a flat on that 8ply tire..

[johnb]

I got a flat in my brand new Avon Cobra rear tire. Being the third time I've had a flat, and second time in a new tire, I went out and got a bead breaker and the other tools to change a tire along with the Stop n Go patch plugs. These are permanent patches that get put on the inside of the tire. They have a plug that is inserted through the hold (lubed with glue of course), then you pull off the metal sleeve. Also get a patch stitcher to get the patch to stick throughly. Since I dismounted the tire, I used dyna beads to balance the tire. Have a couple thousand miles on it now and I feel safe with it.

[Jared]

Wow. Very lucky. I've got two screws in my Dunlop SP 5000 last summer. I had them patched from the inside and I'm still using the same tire with about 26,000 miles on it.

[cocheese72]

I plugged mine with the strips from harbor freight, with 200 miles on it, still brand new, while still on the rim and bike. I decided if I was going to go through the PITA of removing the whole tire, I would just replace it. It now has over 1000 miles on it of highway, twisties, up to 90 mph and is still holding. I took it easy at first but after a while you about forget about it and just ride. I have heard that a sudden loose of air on a car tire is much less worse than on a bike tire. Everyone plugs cars this way and it seems to hold. I'd say if your going to have an issue with air leaking, you will see it the next day.

[Top Cat]

What is booted, as in " I had it plugged and booted"

[05nomader]

Plugged is a rubber plug that is installed in the hole where the screw went in and a boot is like a heavy duty tire patch or tube patch that is put on the inside of the tire where the screw came through to cover the hole.

[skeeter]

Originally Posted by johnb

I got a flat in my brand new Avon Cobra rear tire. Being the third time I've had a flat, and second time in a new tire, I went out and got a bead breaker and the other tools to change a tire along with the Stop n Go patch plugs. These are permanent patches that get put on the inside of the tire. They have a plug that is inserted through the hold (lubed with glue of course), then you pull off the metal sleeve. Also get a patch stitcher to get the patch to stick throughly. Since I dismounted the tire, I used dyna beads to balance the tire. Have a couple thousand miles on it now and I feel safe with it.

I like this kind of patch. Feel much safer with it than just a plug or just a patch.