Every Last Mile

[Chrisj CMA]

I helped a friend of mine get his bike home today after having a flat rear tire. First we planned to just air it up hoping it would hold for the two miles he had to go. Nope. He wore through the belts, which were exposed all the way around. Didn’t stop there, they were so worn the air was just escaping through the belts at various places. He literally rode to the air.

I don’t understand how someone can know they’re needing a tire but fail to check and go that far. This was the worst I’ve seen, ever!

But, we got it up my ramps into my truck and back to his home.

[Avanti]

I have seen a few bikes with air ride.

Had a friend ride over this summer to visit and I could see the belts on the rear tire. I push his bike in my garage and closed the door. I told him he had two choices walk home or l would give him a ride. I should have made him walk. I put a new tire on the next day. Some people never look, unbelievable.

[Chrisj CMA]

I have seen a few bikes with air ride.

Had a friend ride over this summer to visit and I could see the belts on the rear tire. I push his bike in my garage and closed the door. I told him he had two choices walk home or l would give him a ride. I should have made him walk. I put a new tire on the next day. Some people never look, unbelievable.

Ya, friends don’t let friends ride on chords

[sandy]

If you don’t look at tread, how often do they check pressure?

[Jess from VA]

I was once taking a break in a motorcycle repair shop parking lot, and a guy rides in and says his back end is acting real squirrely.

I walk around and look at his rear tire and it has tread, but it was obviously real low.

I ask him if he has a tire gauge and he does.

I tell him to check his pressure and he does.  

What does it say?

12 pounds.    

I'm not exactly sure what you're supposed to have in there, but that seems low.  

True story.


Check your air pressure at least once a year whether it needs any or not.

[Chrisj CMA]

Well anyone can do stupid things. I’m proof of that, but to get on a bike day after day with a dangerously worn tire is beyond imagination (or almost no air press). But some do, and apparently it’s not as unusual as one would hope 

[..]

If you don’t look at tread, how often do they check pressure?

Never.

Nor oil, fluids or anything else.

I have found that most at fault tend to be more of a bad ass biker.

[Chrisj CMA]

If you don’t look at tread, how often do they check pressure?

Never.

Nor oil, fluids or anything else.

I have found that most at fault tend to be more of a bad ass biker.

Must be the same guy that tried to order a longer dipstick because it was no longer reaching the oil

[Mooskee]

[quote
[/quote]

Must be the same guy that tried to order a longer dipstick because it was no longer reaching the oil
[/quote]

Whohahahah. Ya got me laughing with that one Chris.

[cookiedough]

I have ran 2 cycles over the years with cords showing barely in a few spots in the middle unknown to me since although I routinely check tire pressure, the middle of the rear tire was never easily visible to see the cords in a few inches/spots without pushing the cycle front or back exposing the few spots cords were barely showing. 

Those 2 tires still held air fine but have had an Avon Cobra not down to the cords in the rear tire but kept loosing tire pressure.  A simple soap/water spray bottle showed tiny pinholes all over (guessing 12-15 spots) that leaked air out of the tread bubbling soapy water upward, no cords were showing yet.  My guess is the somewhat fresh pea gravel on my road caused the pinholes since the rocks had very sharp edges on them.

[vanagon40]

I will confess to driving cars (not motorcycles) with cords showing on the tires. I specifically recall driving a 64 Chevelle Malibu to West Lafayette and back home with the tread separating from the tire. The thump, thump, thump, thump, would get louder and louder and louder until a piece of tread flew off the tire with a bang. Then the process repeated. I was going to change to the spare, but the spare had cords showing completely around the tire, so I figured it was not much of an improvement. I tried to make sure no one was following me too closely.

That said, I never drove on musical tires with the chords showing. 

[msb]

It's amazing (to me at least) how many riders I see (and know) who ride their tires down to well past the wear bars or to the chords. I don't know how many "get caught" with tire failure out on the road, but it's a chance I'm not willing to take especially with most of my riding being in less populated areas. On top of the safety factor,  exccesivly worn tires would take away so much of the handling of the bike ....not worth it to me, the hundred bucks or so a year I'd save by trying to get every little bit of rubber used up before installing new tires. I like to check tire pressures at least once per week, before all longer day rides, and every morning on multi-day rides. Keeping the same tire pressure goes a long way to extending the life of my tires.
Also, with my truck and car and I assume with many of the newer bikes, it's easy to just go out and purchase new tires whenever needed...with the Valk there's limited options and availability, so I like to have new replacements already purchased before I get down to the wear bars of current tires.
It's funny, I've generally been and still am a bit of a risk-taker with many things I do  but when it comes to MC tires especially, I've always been well on the cautious side of things.

[Avanti]

I push the limits frequently but only on my on maintained machine.

[..]

but it's a chance I'm not willing to take especially with most of my riding being in less populated areas.

On top of the safety factor,  exccesivly worn tires would take away so much of the handling of the bike

 I like to check tire pressures at least once per week, before all longer day rides, and every morning on multi-day rides. Keeping the same tire pressure goes a long way to extending the life of my tires.
 
when it comes to MC tires especially, I've always been well on the cautious side of things.

 

However I have failed a couple of times pushing the mileage.

[Jess from VA]

Some people try to get every last mile out of their underwear.   

If it won't stay above your knees without assistance (or has racing stripes), it's time for new underwear.