Wasn't really the way I wanted to spend my afternoon

[gibvel]

Well, I've been eying an 06 in Denver and made plans to go down and check it out yesterday. Start off and get about 20 miles down, to Longmont, and here a loud pop at the back of the bike... You know, the kind of pop that you here if your back tire catches a rock just right. Bike seemed to handle okay and nothing seemed to be wrong so I continued.

 

About 10 miles later, at the Lafayette/Brighton exit, I feel the bike getting, kind of squirley... Hmmm could be the rain grooves but I've never had a problem with the Avons on rain grooves before. I push right on the handle bar just a hair and the back end starts to fish tail and scared the crap out of me. I think "I've heard enough flat tire stories on the VentureRider forum to know that this is how the bike handles when you have a flat rear tire. I immediately pull over to the shoulder and try to assess the situation. Sure enough flat tire.

 

Rolled the bike forward and kept looking for a hole but I really couldn't see much of anything. Then the tire went completely flat. You think pushing this thing is hard with 2 good tires? Try it with one flat.

 

I had called Leland and, when he got there, we used his Slime pump and pumped it up some (I had also called progressive for Roadside assistance) We determined that there was a slit, about 1.5" to 2" long on the right middle of the tire about half on the surface of the tire and the other half going down into one of the grooves. I wasn't too sure his patch kit would be of much use and, about the time we were going to try, the tow truck showed.

 

Had it towed to a local Royal Star shop and had to order another Avon (Thanks Goose for the confirming that I wanted the H Venom... The people on this site are a Godsend!!). While I waited for transportation home Leland and I went to the dealer where the 06 was. Nice bike but it had been sitting and the guy thought it was running funny so he pulled the plugs and found the fronts fouled. So I didn't get to ride it but it looks sweet. May have to run over for a test ride when I go back to get my bike.

 

Don't know if the man upstairs is trying to tell me I shouldn't get the 06 or if my bike was jealous and doesn't want me to get it but I really don't like the way either of them told me.

 

I think the Ride-on allowed me to go the 10 miles at 75mph. but it did come out all over the mudflap and the swing arm. As I think back on it, that 10 miles bought me a lot less, dense traffic so I could pull over more easily and an extra lane as the road adds another lane about 3 or 4 miles up the road. So I'm thankfull for that.

 

Tire had, almost exactly, 10,000 miles on it and it looked about 1/2 used up. But then it was a V tire and they wear faster than the H.

[hunter 1500]

IMO 10k is pretty good for a back tire. On my LC I never had one go much more than 8k. Of coarse I like to change them before the tread gets worn off. I never liked the Brickstones on the LC but these tires feel pretty good so far. Last set I had on the LC were the Dulops 404 on the front a k555 on the back. They were the best handling tires I ever had on it. Anyone try these tires on the RSTD?

[Squidley]

I know about flat rear tires, glad you got it handled without a trip to the hospital, we weren't that luck

[gibvel]

I know about flat rear tires, glad you got it handled without a trip to the hospital, we weren't that luck

 

Yeah, I know!!!! Believe me, I thought about you guys while I was standing there on the side of the road.

 

I don't know what I hit but it made more of a slice than a puncture. Just before it happened I was wondering which direction the wind was blowing and how hard. I turned my head to look at some flags at a car dealership and then heard the sound. Don't know if I'd have seen the offending object, had I been looking, but I was glad that it happened as "gently" as it did.