Check those tire stems! (with a ride report)

[GreenLantern57]

Beautiful ride out to Old Tascosa. Not to hot, crusing and enjoying the scene. Got to the rest stop spent some quiet time, then talked to some horses. Great grandpa and grandpa both worked the XIT ranch and some of the cowboy still runs in me.

On the way home, got behind a caravan of vehicles slowly following 2 trucks with travel trailers.  This is a very winding road and hilly. So, when I get a chance to pass, I passed 2 cars at a time. Probably had her up to 95 a few times. During those times I really pay attention to vehicle gaps and the road in front. As I get into town, the front end starts feeling funny. Not tracking right. Not responding in the curves right. A mile from home, I am slowing for a stop light and the front really starts acting squirrly. Sure as crap, the front is flat.  So I ride the final 30 yards to the  7-11 on the corner and start looking for a nail.  No nail or hole seen.  The store sells Fix-a-flat, I buy one and head to the bike.

Look at the stem and ...................... the damn thing is broken at the rim. It is after 6 so all the places that sell motorcycle stems are closed, the 2 auto parts houses I went to don't have any recommended stems. I got her home and will be replacing the stem tomorrow. Looked like rot right at the rim. I usually check this when I am washing the bike. Looking at rubber and checking for bubbles.   Would have really been the squirts if that had happened at 95 and changing lanes. 

[SideCar]

Glad you're typing the report without road rash.  Good reminder about checking them, but I don't understand the reference to washing the bike.  If I did that, all the dirt and cow manure from the farm would fall off.   

[NCGhostrider]

Good point!  I was speaking with a person today that had the same thing happen to him on his late model Goldwing while riding around the Davis Mountains.. he said the retainer had some apart on his.... miles from anywhere, fix-a-flat didn't help much.. ended up making a piece to temporarily hold it together until he got to a shop in Odessa.. 

I am rechecking mine tomorrow..   

[Valker]

Glad it worked out OK. Hey, has the plastic retainer come off? That is what usually causes the stems to leak at speed. I have the full metal ones as well as a stock one if you can't find one there.

[GreenLantern57]

Thanks for mentioning that Valker! I checked the rear. Plastic retainer there, front tire, retainer gone. I am headed to David Brown's tomorrow to get better than OEM  valve stem and new retainer. I may go with metal stem and chrome angle adapter. Still getting the retainer to keep the adapter pointed the right way!
I never understood using the old rubber plug type stems on motorcycles, I have never heard of the metal ones going bad. I remember back in the late 70's, one manufacture had to replace all of one model stem. Seems the rubber dried and cracked in just a few months. Funny, now I remember getting a notice from Discount tire about the same problem 2 or 3 years ago!

[Disco]

Scary to think what might have been.  Glad to know everything turned out OK.   

Here are the valve stems many of us are using with success.  They are often on eBay, but the only ones I just found are too long.
http://patchboy.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=P&Product_Code=17-562&Category_Code=6-3

Be sure to squeeze the rubber grommet well beyond snug on installation.  There is no way to tighten the nuts once the tire is seated.  Don't ask me how I know.   

Yes, it was the rear...   

[franco6]

yes it WAS the rear

[HayHauler]

Thanks forthe link Dave. I ordered a bunch and will be giving them away at the next wrench party that I'm able to attend. 

Hay
Jimmyt

[chauffeur]

glad you're ok. 

Three years ago, I had the rear stem fail while riding 2 up at 75 mph.  Surprisingly, it was no as bad as one might imagine.

First symptom was the need for more throttle than normal to maintain speed on a slight upgrade.  When I reached full throttle and was unable to maintain speed, I knew something was wrong.  Rode the bike to an uneventful stop on the shoulder.  I too originally thought it was a blow out. 

Fortunately, we were on a back road.  I often think about the event when I'm riding in one of the middle lanes of the DFW area freeways.  With the traffic around here, it could be a challenge to get to the shoulder in a hurry.