- This topic has 11 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 10 months ago by madjak30.
1st Flat!!
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June 9, 2010 at 1:26 am #4030gitchy42Participant
I was taking the long way home from work today, which included some fast, tight twisties. I got through about 40 miles of back road riding, went down a pretty straight road, through some comcast utility service, and turned onto a road that goes around the backside of a hill towards home.
When I turned down the road I noticed that something was feeling funny. When I turned though the corners the handle bars were fighting my steering inputs. I got to a straight, and the whole bike was upset, felt a lot like a flat front would in a car. I took a peek at the front, and it looked fine. I couldn’t get a good look at the back while I was on the bike, and had to ride a ways till I got to a safe place to stop. Hopped off the bike and the rear was FLAT, not low, but flat. Crap! I noticed that the cap was off the stem, and thought it was just a slow leak that I didn’t notice. So I went to a near-by house and asked if they had a tire pump, no luck. Pushed over to a nursery that was around the corner, hard to push a bike with a flat….I figured that they would have something, but no. I ended up calling for help. The neighbor came out with a tire pump. I started pumping and heard hissing….we found a nice slice through the tread. Ended up coming back to get my truck, loaded it up, and took it home.
I don’t feel like attempting to patch it, but from now on I think I’m going to carry a patch kit and a tire pump….even if it is only one that runs off CO2 cartridges. So, it’s time for new rubber, wondering if anyone has suggestions.
It has shenko’s on it right now, I would like to get something that can take some abuse, but give me good millage before they need replacing. I’ve looked at the Metzeler Z6 and Pirelli Diablo Stradas. One of the guys at work is suggesting Michelin Pilot Power, wondering what you guys all think.
June 9, 2010 at 4:16 am #26937Gary856ParticipantWhat kind of bike is that?
June 9, 2010 at 5:35 am #26938gitchy42Participant’07 SV650
I knew I forgot something…..
June 9, 2010 at 11:00 am #26939Jeff in KentuckyParticipantSV650.org recommended these tires:
“The correct pressures for Avon Av35/36 tires are 36psi front and 42psi rear.”
The Shinko tires cost less, but likely have a little less traction at full lean.
June 9, 2010 at 3:41 pm #26941IBA270ParticipantLot’s of good tires out there in that size…Bridgestones, Michelin Power Roads are nice…Your bike is relatively light and lacking gobs of HP so getting a tire that will last reasonably well should be no issue at all. I just spooned some BT-021’s onto my wife’s Duc and I like them pretty well. Basically, just find a tire with a price you like and go for it. Modern rubber is all pretty good and unless you’re doing serious time at the track, it’ll all work equally well for you.
June 9, 2010 at 4:05 pm #26943Gary856ParticipantI have the same bike – an ’07 SV650 – and I recently changed my OEM Dunlop to Dunlop Road Smart, a sport touring tire. Lots of people on svrider.com like the Road Smart. Another tire I considered was the newly designed Perilli Angel ST, but they cost a little more. I have Bridgestone BT-021, which are a little cheaper, on my YZF600R, and they work pretty well. The bottom line is I feel all the major brand sport touring tires are more than good enough for general street riding, so it comes down to cost and personal preference.
Most people feel the new generation sport touring tires can handle anything you do on the street, even beginner track days, and they’ll last 8-10k miles. Sport touring tires may actually have the advantage in bad weather riding – including cold and rain. For people who ride very hard on the street and do more track days, a stickier sport tire, such as Michelin Pilot Power, would have more grip, but they may last only 3-5k miles.
Do a “tire” search on svrider.com and you’ll have a lot to read about.
June 9, 2010 at 6:10 pm #26947madjak30ParticipantWas the tire worn? Or midlife?
I would have to call a tow truck, my truck is too high (lifted 5″ and with oversized rubber) and has a topper on it…maybe I should concider getting a trailer…
June 9, 2010 at 11:27 pm #26962gitchy42ParticipantLOL….5″ lift, plus over-sized tires….compensating for anything??
Good thing I drive a Ranger, low bed-height, even though it is a 4×4. I have a hard tonneau-cover on it, but it is easily removed.
The tire was past half-way through the it’s life, but had decent tread left.
I talked to one of the guys at work, and he told me that next time instead of trying to push it, to start it and let it idle as I walk beside it…the bike will push itself, and there won’t be any more wear on the tire than if I push.
June 10, 2010 at 2:01 am #26963madjak30ParticipantI needed a truck to pull my trailer, and for work I have to have a “crew cab with 4wd”. It was the best deal on a diesel that I could find…found out later why, needed a new computer, the front end was shot, and needed a new steering box with a stabilizer…nothing an extra $3500 couldn’t fix…so much for the good deal. I’m getting used to seeing over everyone though.
I want to take my bike for some rides down some “back roads” that are gravel…now I am not so sure if I want to chance it with street tires…
Thanks for pointing out, um my…um compensation issue…lol
Later.
June 10, 2010 at 3:05 am #26967gitchy42ParticipantCrazy thing is that your big-ass diesel probably gets about the same mpg as my Ranger. Unfortunate that it needed so much work when you got it. And truth be told, if I had a big diesel, it would probably look a lot like yours…..anyways, late
June 10, 2010 at 3:17 am #26968gitchy42ParticipantSo, I decided on getting the Michelin Pilot Road 2’s, mainly because they are available locally, in stock and I can have the shop do the work fairly inexpensively. Thanks for the input, I was getting my head all wrapped up in reviews, and forgot that I probably won’t be able to tell the difference from one tire to the next for quite a while still. Anyways, thanks again.
June 11, 2010 at 4:30 am #26983madjak30ParticipantI picked it up for $5000 cheaper than I could find another one with similar mileage…so I’m still ahead, but just.
It actually does pretty good if you are driving down the hiway…I quite often see around 11L/100kms (26mpg imperial, I don’t know how to quickly convert to American gallons…), but around town…well, it could be better…I use it for work, which is mostly hiway…long road trips, oilfield electrician.
That’s why I got the GS, it uses 5L/100kms or less…(around 60mpg imperial)
Anyway, I’ll quit blabbing about my truck…this is a site about the love of biking…lol
For me it’s anything with a motor!!
Later.
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