Double Darkside..... uh oh

[Wewaman]

First I want to thank Grumpy  
  Well Saturday I met Bill at his place and he removed my front wheel and tire.  He then installed my new Dunlop D404 130/90 17 rear tire on the front and also put new brake pads on.  I got to watch and learn from a master    I should be able to handle the next one myself.  
I had a nice visit with Bill and learned a bunch of cool things from someone who builds his own toy hauler, to building his RC boats,  Bill is truly a wealth of knowledge.  

Back to my new Dunlop maybe some could chime in here,  it seemed noisy to me BUT it could be that it actually has some tread as opposed to my mostly bald old tire.

Now to the uh oh..
After I left Grumpy's I had to travel on I75 northbound to get back home.  I don't enjoy riding the super slabs especially on a Saturday evening in bumper to bumper traffic but it was part of my hour and twenty minute ride.  Well I was cruising in the right lane running about 75mph when brake lights started flashing as a line of cars were slowing to exit so I transitioned into the left (fast) lane and up to 80-85mph.  Everything was good until I heard some scraping and then my back end went airborne.  I looked in my mirror to see what I hit and I only saw the pick up truck behind me braking and swerving.  When my tire hit the road she got a little squirrely and there was a slapping sound hitting the fender, and I was looking for a  safe place to pull off.  There were concrete barriers on the left so I had to make my way to the right side of the road but there were Orange barrels lining the emergency lane so I had to stop between the barrels with cars flying by. 
I stopped the bike and Sat there just breathing and thanking God for letting me make it through that encounter..  I'm pretty sure the CT on the rear saved me from having a blow out, I seriously doubt a MC tire would have handled that,  only because after I got off the bike I looked under the bike and there was no damage.  But there was a deep gash in the center of the tire and chunks missing , I had to cut a slab of rubber off that was still attached (probably the slapping noise/piece)
It took me 3 hours of back roads at 20-25 mph to make it back home, thank you Lord for letting me make it home.  So now I have to get a new General Altimax and wait till I get back home in 2 weeks (going to Guatemala on a mission trip) to get it installed, but I'll get to do the rear end service a couple thousand miles early.  

God is good,
 Wewaman / Tony

[old2soon]

Our LORD and savior reached his hands down and guided you. Wasn't yer time yet. RIDE SAFE.

[IamGCW]

I have the same front with a GYTT on the back.  There is a little more noise but the tire performs well for my riding.  I am at over 12K with it and will do the 404 again.  Rain, deep gravel, deep mud, snow and hot roads have rolled under this tire without regret. 

Better check the front tire for damage after the debris strike. 

Where the heck is Wewa?

Gil

[Wewaman]

North Florida Panhandle about 35-40 mins east of Panama City on the Wewa hwy , Hwy 22 starts in Wewahitchka and goes to Callaway which is on the edge of Panama.

Will double check the front tire when I get back to Homosassa, thanks Gil

Tony

[BF]

I used to live in Callaway when I was stationed at Tyndall....just off of Star Ave.  

I hate hate hate Interstate highways....even in a cage.  I could never ride Interstate 75 on a bike...too many idiots out there.  

[Pappy!]

Thank God!
You may want to look into a different brand of rear tire.....just in case. Not saying it was the fault of the tire.
Seems like I am starting to hear a little more about the Car tires actually helping to avoid acccidents specially in wet conditions. This is a good thing.
Am glad you are safe and sound!!

[Flrider]

Tony

God is good and He is not done with you yet brother, glad you are ok  

Bill is a cool dude and he sure knows his stuff.

I was in Guatemala in January visiting family, have a safe trip and hope to meet you in one of our Florida  rides.

[Wewaman]

Old2soon - I definitely agree with you , God is so good to me.

I'm with ya now BF gonna stay away from the super slabs  

Pappy - I'm pretty sure it wasn't the actual tire that was the problem.  I heard some scraping and then a thump as the back tire jumped in the air..  the first thing I was looking at when I got off was the chrome cover over my drive shaft but it was still there.  I just couldn't figure out what else could have been scraping just before it jumped up.  It seems like there would be NO way my front tire could have missed whatever it was that hit the CENTER of my back tire.

Flrider- we are going to be building 8 house's ,provide medical and dental, and food, also get to Share the gospel with those we help.  And as a side we might get to go see the active volcano 
 Look forward to meeting up with my fellow Valk-a-holics when I return

Thank-you for all the kind words.  

Tony

[Ricky-D]

Yep, I had the same kind of incident on I-77 coming home from the VA.

If it hadn't been a car tire on the rear, I for sure would have been a goner.

***

[John Schmidt]

Re. the car tire, it has saved my hide more than once in this traffic around Metro Orlando. When I hit the brakes, I like the way the rear tire just grabs. It never feels like it's going to slide out and hi-side me like a m/c tire will do. For me, it hasn't caused a fire ladden burning death....it has prevented it. 

[Wewaman]

Flrider,
  Thanks We did both.  We did eat there, it was great.  We also made the trip to the volcano store and got to roast marshmellows over the HOT lava.  We also bought a few things in Antigua.

We got to build 8 homes in a couple villages, 12x12 with a 5' porch- 1 door and 1 window in the front,  Tin all the way around.

Did health clinics 3 day's
and food distribution's each day.

I must say that driving a 15 passenger Toyota 5 speed van in Guatemala City is something I won't forget,  quite the expeirence. 

I got a few pic of the NUTS riding their 125's thru traffic, splitting lanes and carving in and out of the never ending flow of traffic. 
Even saw "delivery" motorcycles with metal boxes on the back, saw one for McDonalds cruising down the street, really micky D deliveries-who knew?

All in all was a great time .