JB's Evening Adventure

[twowheelnut]

You are NOT gonna believe this! I rode the new tires home last night, and when I went to double-check the PSI this morning--there was a screw in the dead center of my brand new rear Metzer Z6! I crossed my fingers and pulled it out with a pair of pliers, and that tire flattened in about 30 seconds with a whoosh of escaping air.
F**k!

I plugged it and rode the Harley into work. After letting the glue cure all day, I got home tonight and put 42 PSI in. In the morning if it's holding the 42, I'll ride it to work, stopping at a couple of gas stations along the way to check PSI. If it loses anything on the ride in, I'll just continue right to the shop and get a new #$%&^*! tire installed on the back, and then we can go do it all over again--'cause I'm MADE of money. :angry:

See? I tol'ya Metzeler is no good! If you woulda bought the Avon's, you'd have a warranty to cover that tire.

(Sorry, dude. I know that totally blows and it's happened to me before only not quite so soon.)

 

[James Burleigh]

See? I tol'ya Metzeler is no good! If you woulda bought the Avon's, you'd have a warranty to cover that tire.
(Sorry, dude. I know that totally blows and it's happened to me before only not quite so soon.)

When I talked to Silent this morning he told me the same thing about the Avons. And I (unlike others on this forum) like Avons. I think I was meant by the Fates that it was preordained that I should have a flat for two days. And when I fixed it in one, (just like on LOST) nature has a way of getting back into the proper equilibrium, so it gave me another flat.

 

[7xray]

You are NOT gonna believe this! I rode the new tires home last night, and when I went to double-check the PSI this morning--there was a screw in the dead center of my brand new rear Metzer Z6! I crossed my fingers and pulled it out with a pair of pliers, and that tire flattened in about 30 seconds with a whoosh of escaping air.
F**k!

I plugged it and rode the Harley into work. After letting the glue cure all day, I got home tonight and put 42 PSI in. In the morning if it's holding the 42, I'll ride it to work, stopping at a couple of gas stations along the way to check PSI. If it loses anything on the ride in, I'll just continue right to the shop and get a new #$%&^*! tire installed on the back, and then we can go do it all over again--'cause I'm MADE of money. :angry:

Dang, thats a bugger. So did the plug hold OK?

 

[James Burleigh]

You are NOT gonna believe this! I rode the new tires home last night, and when I went to double-check the PSI this morning--there was a screw in the dead center of my brand new rear Metzer Z6! I crossed my fingers and pulled it out with a pair of pliers, and that tire flattened in about 30 seconds with a whoosh of escaping air.
F**k!

I plugged it and rode the Harley into work. After letting the glue cure all day, I got home tonight and put 42 PSI in. In the morning if it's holding the 42, I'll ride it to work, stopping at a couple of gas stations along the way to check PSI. If it loses anything on the ride in, I'll just continue right to the shop and get a new #$%&^*! tire installed on the back, and then we can go do it all over again--'cause I'm MADE of money. :angry:

Dang, thats a bugger. So did the plug hold OK?

I'll let you know tomorrow when I check the PSI in the morning.....

 

[dcarver]

..and, JB, I say with greatest respect..
don't you do a walkabout the bike prior to riding home?

I ALWAYS squeeze the sidewalls, make sure the rearward lights are lit, turn signals work, etc. before launching the cruise missile home.

I know, I know, you can't freakin squeeze, thump with a hammer, or otherwise make a valid indication of tire pressure without measuring with suitable pressure gauge, but, my mighty 10 oz hammer can easily tell a properly (enough) inflated tire from a deflated one.

Of course, since you're made of $$, a SmarTire setup is in your future JB!

Glad you made it back OK and for the good shop experience. Ride on JB and Thanks for posting.

Deerslayer, are you referring to after getting new tires, or just every single night before I ride home (or in for that matter)? No, I don't. I often (several times a week) do check my brake lights and signals before heading home, and sometimes in the AM. And I routinely check my tire pressure on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights.

Thanks for the note. How are things in the Magical Land of Creston? God I wish I were back there! You're so lucky. It's like getting to live in Disneyland....

Hey JB, sorry to hear of your bad luck with tires lately.

Yes, I actually do my pre-flight check pretty much anytime the bike has sat for a couple of hours. I've had too many tires go down to 15, 20 psi, they look ok as you walk up to the bike, e.g. not flat on one side only, then get thrilled in the first corner. After this happened not once, but 4x at work, I just decided to pre-flight pretty much every ride.

And yes, Creston in the winter is kind of magical. I happen to like the cold weather, the vacant roads, the siren song of 229 and FJR gear whine..

 

[Toecutter]

I plugged it and rode the Harley into work. After letting the glue cure all day, I got home tonight and put 42 PSI in. In the morning if it's holding the 42, I'll ride it to work, stopping at a couple of gas stations along the way to check PSI.

That totally BLOWS!!!

Especially the part about riding a Harley.

At least you know how to plug a tire now. I would have let the glue dry on the way to work, while keeping an eye on my SmarTire display to make sure nothing was wrong. I recently rode a plugged Avon the last 2500 miles of its life, including the trip to WFO and back, at desert-nighttime FJR Rally-Mode velocities.

Did you get the way-cool Slime pump?

I see we're learning....

 

[James Burleigh]

That totally BLOWS!!!
Especially the part about riding a Harley.

Man, I felt absolutely helpless riding that thing home tonight (a 1200 Sportster) on the freeway at night in rush hour. It's got no power, no brakes, no maneruverability. So I just get in the two right lanes and hope the SUVs don't go right over the top of me. But as I was coming home over the Bay Bridge and traffic started to slow because of an accident up ahead, a CHP motocop came up past me and between the cars ahead. Those guys on their Beemers are the coolest looking bunch a dudes. And you KNOW they are the top riders. I wished I had been on the FJR and not the Sporty so I could imagine that, wearing a 'stitch and riding an FJR, he'd see me as a real motorcyclist, worthy of a nod from him.

At least you know how to plug a tire now. I would have let the glue dry on the way to work, while keeping an eye on my SmarTire display to make sure nothing was wrong. I recently rode a plugged Avon the last 2500 miles of its life, including the trip to WFO and back, at desert-nighttime FJR Rally-Mode velocities.

I talked to Silent this AM, and I thought he had a good idea about letting it cure so that it could set, and not riding on it right after installing. Glad to hear about your plug experience. I hope to get the full life out of these tires. Tomorrow will tell....

Did you get the way-cool Slime pump?

Will look for that. Are there dangles you get for the FJR battery to make the terminals accessible? Same question for my non-working (see other post) battery tender .

I see we're learning....

In the last two days I've earned my MFTM (Masters in Flat Tire Management). :glare:

 

[James Burleigh]

Hey JB, sorry to hear of your bad luck with tires lately.
Yes, I actually do my pre-flight check pretty much anytime the bike has sat for a couple of hours. I've had too many tires go down to 15, 20 psi, they look ok as you walk up to the bike, e.g. not flat on one side only, then get thrilled in the first corner. After this happened not once, but 4x at work, I just decided to pre-flight pretty much every ride.

And yes, Creston in the winter is kind of magical. I happen to like the cold weather, the vacant roads, the siren song of 229 and FJR gear whine..

I will take your advice and be more atuned on a daily basis. Thanks for the tips, Don. Hg

 

[Toecutter]

Those guys on their Beemers are the coolest looking bunch a dudes. And you KNOW they are the top riders. I wished I had been on the FJR and not the Sporty so I could imagine that, wearing a 'stitch and riding an FJR, he'd see me as a real motorcyclist, worthy of a nod from him.

Those guys are way too cool to nod to anyone, even us....Perhaps a group outing to the cop contest would be a hoot! While the rest of you hooligans were out gambling and getting whored, I could lay in the room and watch The Masters reruns on TV.

I talked to Silent this AM, and I thought he had a good idea about letting it cure so that it could set, and not riding on it right after installing. Glad to hear about your plug experience. I hope to get the full life out of these tires. Tomorrow will tell....

Always a good idea, if you have the luxury of backup transportation, but designed to be able to use immediately.

Are there dangles you get for the FJR battery to make the terminals accessible? Same question for my non-working (see other post) battery tender .

It'll hook to the tender plug (if installed), but you'll need to boost the fuse to handle the current draw. Dangles included....

In the last two days I've earned my MFTM (Masters in Flat Tire Management). :glare:

Perhaps you're good to go for the next 30,000 miles or so, karmically speaking.

 

[James Burleigh]

Perhaps a group outing to the cop contest would be a hoot! While the rest of you hooligans were out gambling and getting whored, I could lay in the room and watch The Masters reruns on TV.

With my luck I ain't going anywhere near Las Vegas!

 

[James Burleigh]

After plugging the tire last night, this morning it registered what I inflated it to. Then rode today into SF [gave the thumbs down to a Hummer ] and home. Checked it on the way in, then when I got to SF, then in mid-afternoon. All good. Before getting on it tonight to come home I did the D-Carver boot kick of the tire. Still good.

And it's been wet all day, with tires demonstrating good traction.

I'm feeling optimistic..... B)

 

[madmike2]

Hans, I really enjoy living life vicariously through your adventures. :clapping:

Your "speed bumps" are like my projects, i.e., take a 2 hour project, multiply planned time X 3 (+ 4 hours at the home supply store) and the $$$ X 2= madmike2 nominal total expenditure.

You are not alone....scary, huh! :dribble:

 

[James Burleigh]

Hans, I really enjoy living life vicariously through your adventures. :clapping:
Your "speed bumps" are like my projects, i.e., take a 2 hour project, multiply planned time X 3 (+ 4 hours at the home supply store) and the $$$ X 2= madmike2 nominal total expenditure.

You are not alone....scary, huh! :dribble:

This tire thing has not been a speed bump but a major pain in the culo. But I take your point. It's why I don't want to get into FJR maintenenance--get the bike disassembled to the point where you have it in parts on the garage floor, then you snap something off, need to get a special tool, 8 trips to the hardware store.... and finally have to tow it to the dealer to put it back together.

Hey! When are we going to have an all-day regional bike maintenance workshop where some Mr. Wrenches teach us eggheads how to do a routine maintenance, valve check, etc.?

Hg

 

[painman]

Dude, items for tire repair to "keep" on the bike. 1. Slime mini compressor or equivilant to store under front seat, use pigtail off Battery tender with no lower than 10 amp fuse, (Slime pump comes with this plug)(Note: do not use the 3 amp cig plug on the bike or pump will not work or last). 2. "4" backup CO2 cartridges in case compressor doesn't want to work when your 100 miles out in the middle of nowhere. 3. Tire repair kit (string type) with glue. 4. Accurate tire pressure gauge, 3 to 10 bucks for one that works. Don't make me come over there now get these items on the bike! These are not maintanence items these are "tools" you need to carry everytime you ride just like that tool kit you have on the bike, right? Now, I would like to see a demo on the maintance part mentioned.....good idea. PM. <>< :download:

 

[Silent]

Glad to hear the tire is holding up Hans. When you're ready to add in an accessory "dangle" gimme a holler. Mines tucked into the right fairing, and you never see it unless it's in use.

 

[madmike2]

This tire thing has not been a speed bump but a major pain in the culo. But I take your point.

Yeah..."speed bumps", surprises in life! When you don't see them coming the do really bad things to your vehicle and/or your inner parts.

When you do see them they interrupt the flow of life, still upset your plans and schedule, must be navigated carefully, etc.

When are we going to have an all-day regional bike maintenance workshop where some Mr. Wrenches teach us eggheads how to do a routine maintenance, valve check, etc.?
Hg

I don't know anyone who is qualified. Maybe someone will do another "tech west"? To me, maintenance is changing oil and filter, lubrication, TBS, changing tires and brakes and other thins on the list of periodic maintenance. Deeper engine surgery is beyond what I feel able to do.

Besides, I have a KLR that is in dire need of repair, now that I'm relatively healthy. :blink: