Almost didn’t make it through Trip!

[Bobcat54s]

Evening everyone,

Wanted to tell you all about a near disaster that occurred on my short bike trip last week. I am a school teacher in Moore, Oklahoma, and last week was our spring break. We didn’t get to take a bike trip last year, so my dad, uncle, and myself decided to take a quick trip over my break to southeastern Oklahoma and stay in the Kriver campground and ride the skyline drive from Arkansas to Oklahoma. On Wednesday, we were only about 12 miles from  Antlers, Oklahoma when it happened. At a certain point I felt the steering was acting odd, but I attributed it to some brisk crosswinds. There was a pavement change, and I thought the steering lightened back up, so I figured I was right. About that time, a loud growling noise started and steering got super heavy again. I knew I had a front tire failure and was in trouble, as I was at speed. The handlebars were shaking , but I was hanging on, while trying to slow her down and head to the shoulder. I was almost to the shoulder when the handlebars started shaking violently, which caused a sharp right off the road and into the soft dirt on the side of the road. The dirt was soft enough it caused the bike to come to rest on the crash bars on the left side. I guess my head hit the windshield, because I broke my windshield clean off. I was pretty shaken, but all good physically. Once my dad and uncle got back to check on me and the bike, we assessed the bike. It was in surprisingly good shape, except the front tire was flat, flat. We decided to try to put some air in the tire to get it up on the shoulder of the road, and then make a plan from there. We got the pump out and hooked it to the valve stem...that’s when we figured out what happened. The metal inner piece of the valve stem came straight out of the valve stem. That was my major point of air loss. We managed to get it up on the road, and started making some calls for towing, or possible bike shops. We soon discovered that there was no motor sports shops within 30+ miles that worked on or dealt with motorcycles, just atv’s and sxs. No towing around. We did find a car tire store that could work on the tire, but we had to take them the wheel. My dad came up with a great idea. We took our jackets off and placed them on the ground anywhere the paint might touch the cement. We then laid the Venture over on her side and unbolted and pulled the front wheel out that way. Worked awesome. We then strapped the wheel on the back of my dad’s bike and I rode my uncles bike into town to the tire shop. In about 10 minutes, the dude had the tire off, new valve stem I and tire remounted. They sprayed it all over with soapy water and everything was solid. We loaded the tire and went back to the Venture. Got the wheel put back on , with the bike laying over on its side, reinstalled the brake calipers, as the aired up tire was too wide to fit with them on the fork. We then reloaded all the bikes up, and slowly worked our way to Moyers, Oklahoma, where the kriver campground is. that’s Adam Sandoval’s campground. The tire never lost a bit of air on the way there. Once we got camp set up, I bent the left crash bar back straight, unbolted the lower and matched the lowers back up. Just some scratches on the bottom of the lower is all that you can see. The old bike carried me through the next days ride, and then the ride home safely. We dealt with lots of wind, which also lead to the demise of the chrome strip under the windshield getting ripped off by a big truck gush of wind. The old girl had a tough trip. I’m thankful to be all safe and healthy, and thankful we were able to finish the trip. It was crazy

 

[BlueSky]

Wow!  Glad you are okay and the bike didn't get so much damage!   

[saddlebum]

Wow that has to be the fluke of all flukes. Glad you came out of it ok as it really could have been a lot worse and within hair of being so. I hope you had spare underwear, jeans and boots cause I imagine they were not in the most sociable condition after that incident.

Edited March 23, 2021 by saddlebum

[Pasta Burner]

Glad to hear all is well with yourself and the bike.  I’ve often wondered what a tire blowout would feel like and how I’d respond, but unfortunately I’m sure I’d react.  Oddly I had a similar blowout situation 15ish years ago coming home from work driving my dads 91 Cheyenne.  I was on my way to picking my brother up to head to a musikfest concert when I could tell I lost a lot of air suddenly in the right rear.  Pulled over and short on time swapped out the spare and hit the road.  The next day I started to inspect the tire for a nail or whatever and couldn’t find anything wrong anywhere, figuring the next step was a soap test when I went to put air in the tire is when I discovered the entire valve stem was gone, just a hole in the rim.  Never heard of anything like it till now.

[slowrollwv]

Glad you didn't get hurt and back home safe. That is why I change my stems out every two years  even if they look good. Had too many come apart on four wheels to take a chance on the bike.

[cowpuc]

Sooo glad you made it thru that ordeal @Bobcat54s!!  Flat tires on motorcycles are one of the top causes for fatalities, riding them thru and surviving it takes skill that many riders simply do not possess,, obviously you are not one of those = GOOD ON YA!! Your story does bring to mind something of HUGE importance IMHO..  That being proper installation of the simple little valve stem in the 1st place.. Your story is also one of the very reasons why I simply do not trust and hands but those of my own in my tiring swapping needs.. Quite frankly, just the little art of valve stem installing seems to be a dieing art. Many unknowing, or uncaring, installers over look the need for extreme special focus/care when installing that stem. Overtightening of the stem is a very common mistake and one with the results of which you discovered (not saying this was the case in your example,, just a warning to someone reading this who is not aware of the danger of which I speak). Here is one of my corny youtube videos that I did years ago all about the little stemmer.. Ironically, this little vid is right at the top of views on my tube channel!! Take a peek and see what you think! 

Puc 

 

[uncledj]

Such a failure at highway speeds can be a really BAD thing.   Been there, done that....I'm very pleased that you survived it, and that you were resourceful enough to get her going again.   I'm sure you were shaken, but ya got right back up on that steed and rode it home.   Nice going !!!   

[Bobcat54s]

It was quite an ordeal. I told my brother, that I guess I know what it’s like to ride a bull now. New tires are on the list to buy, going to replace the rubber valve stem with a metal stem. My wife bought me a Tpms system for Christmas and I read tonight that running the screw-on sensors can cause failure of rubber valve stems. Not saying that was the cause, but interesting reading. 

[RDawson]

13 hours ago, Bobcat54s said:

My wife bought me a Tpms system for Christmas and I read tonight that running the screw-on sensors can cause failure of rubber valve stems. Not saying that was the cause, but interesting reading

I can tell you from experience that blaming anything on the wife will not end well. 🤣🤣🤣. Glad you’re ok. 

[djh3]

I have metal valve stems on my Vic. I added TPMS a couple years back and its been great. No more laying on the floor every week to check tire pressures.

[larrydr]

Tires , Tires ,Tires ......To me tires are like a life line , when they go flat or worn badly you just cannot ride ..When my tires reach 70 % wear .. I

I change them along with valve stem  , I take no chances .

For the design of the tire is important as to how well it will shed water and grab the road in all conditions .

To all out there ....It is the journey and not the destination that counts .....and always keep it between the lines and the rubber side down 

Ride safe and enjoy 

 

[BlueSky]

I need to listen.  I've been riding around town with a plugged tire on the rear of my RSV.  The new tire is in the garage........  And the front tire is the OE 07 with 23k miles on it.......  Yeah, I know.  I'm a BIG DUMMY!

Edited March 26, 2021 by BlueSky

[Bobcat54s]

I believe I’m getting ready to buy new Shinko 777 HDs for both ends. Probably going to purchase new metal valve stems. 

[ragtop69gs]

I have had a front rubber valve stem fail while on the highway,  it cracked around the circumference just above the rim. I was lucky in that it started leaking slow enough that i was able to slow down and get to the shoulder before a major deflation occurred.  The bike started handling like I was riding on marbles or ice! I knew something wasn't right as soon as the handling changed.

I will now only use steel one piece valve stems and check the compression nut often.

[Bobcat54s]

Where is the best placed to get the new metal valve stems for front and back? I’m not really sure what to look for.

[Marcarl]

10 hours ago, Bobcat54s said:

Where is the best placed to get the new metal valve stems for front and back? I’m not really sure what to look for.

Your local tire dealer, or one of the bike parts sellers. Bike Bandit, Pinwall,,,,,,,,, Amazon

[Squidley]

12 hours ago, Bobcat54s said:

Where is the best placed to get the new metal valve stems for front and back? I’m not really sure what to look for.

When you get the stem, make sure you buy a 90 degree stem. You can angle it out better so that it's easier to check the pressure and inflate it.

BTW I'm running the 777s on my 02 RSV and I think you'll like them.

[skydoc_17]

Gee Scott,

I am very glad that you can through this unscaved! Your ingenuity in a crisis situation was commendable. I am with Cowpuc on how important it is to change your valve stem EVERY time you mount your new tire! Because I work on more bikes than many, I have seen valve stem failure more than most. I fully understand that it is an extra expense, and in the case of a tire mounted at home, might be some added work, BUT I can not stress enough how important it is to replace that valve stem when you change that tire, EVERY TIME! Scott, you are a very lucky person, no doubt in part to your expert handling of your bike at a crucial moment in time. My hats off to you brother, I am not sure I would have been able to get my bike to the side of the road safely! Lets hope that this is as exciting as it gets for you for the rest of the riding season. Ride Safe seems like a forgone conclusion, but ride safe none the less!

Earl and Jean.

[Pasta Burner]

Man you guys are scaring me now.  I just put new 777 on last year and that was a pain in the ass and learning curve.  The old tires were from 1997 so the stem is at least as old.  Wish I had known this then.

[vzuden]

There’s no way I would ride with valve stems that old.  You don’t have to take the tire back off the rim to change it.  You should be able to break the bead seal and push the bead inward far enough to clear the stem