not again

[Oss]

Muscle memory can be useful

Leaving work on the bmw police bike I got onto the BRP (Bronx River Parkway) and it felt all wrong. No place to safely pull off and it was rush hour at 630pm so heavy NY traffic.  There is construction down by the Courthouse so I was thinking maybe I got another nail in a back tire, could not possibly be a squirrel.

Next exit was a mile down the road so put on the flashers and got off at Oak Street in Yonkers/Mt Vernon border after riding in 3rd gear maybe 35mph then back down to the Shell station at the Bronx line using Bronx River Road local street.

Mechanic already gone so I put a buck in the air machine after putting bike on center stand and lining up the valve stems which are a bitch on the Beemer

Front was a little low but not terrible at 35 normally should be 38  Back was 10lbs !!

I rotated tire did not see a nail, put in 48 lbs (it should take 42) and rode up to Gman's exit intending to check again at another Shell station about 10 miles (almost halfway home) but surprise the Station is under construction and Gman was not home. So kicked the tire, it felt hard and rode home going the speed limit

Cant recall the last time I rode so slow on that road when it was not snowing : )

Decided to leave bike in front of garage so could use the air compressor if needed this morning.  The tire definitely must have a leak as tire is low

Will air it up and spray with soapy water to look for the hole and plug it.

So when you feel something wrong, listen to your gut and dont get in trouble  This is my 3rd rear flat and I am glad I knew what it was when I first felt it to stay upright. Could have gotten gnarly.

Ride safe

[Oss]

how long do you wait for the rubber cement to dry before cutting the string plug down?

I figure 10 minutes???

[Robert]

Glad you are ok, that was not a position I would be happy in either especially with NY traffic. But I would recommend Ride ON in your tires so maybe you may make it home ok. Quite honestly I ride in traffic but not NY traffic I dont know how you do it. I have driven in NY many time and always avoided rush time like the plague my hats off to you in being able not to shoot someone who is riding your tail or stops too close or just doesn't think a motorcycle deserves to be on the road.

[Robert]

You can cut it immediatly since its really not the cement that holds the string but the string itself and a good practice to get into is to rotate the end when you push it in, it creates a little ball that helps to hold the string in place

[Oss]

My recollection is the mechanic put balance beads in the tire so I dont have ride on in it

The way you describe Robert is how I did it but I was told as a kid (maybe by my dad) to always slather cement on the string plug as you never know how sticky the plug really is

All done, no air bubbles with dawn/windex spray bottle test

The other thing I was taught is while driving the awl to enlarge the hole to twist it rotating as I go in to "clean" the edges so all debris is removed.

I will ride the bike this afternoon after completing the honey do's which include disconnecting from the pool the pump motor and salt chlorine generator after letting a foot of water out.    Summer is really over once the pool is closed  : (

[..]

My recollection is the mechanic put balance beads in the tire so I dont have ride on in it

The way you describe Robert is how I did it but I was told as a kid (maybe by my dad) to always slather cement on the string plug as you never know how sticky the plug really is

All done, no air bubbles with dawn/windex spray bottle test

The other thing I was taught is while driving the awl to enlarge the hole to twist it rotating as I go in to "clean" the edges so all debris is removed.

I will ride the bike this afternoon after completing the honey do's which include disconnecting from the pool the pump motor and salt chlorine generator after letting a foot of water out.    Summer is really over once the pool is closed  : (

Still 90 degree days here. It's been dry and hot for GA this year. Normally 36 days of 90 plus temps. This year we are at 74 days and counting.

[old2soon]

Evan-git on up offin yer wallet and purchase a 12 volt compressor if you don't already have one.  You should really have one on each bike.  Glad it weren't a frikkin speed bump or better known as an offspring of our buddy Rocky!  Just think of the mayhem had Bullwinkle been there!  RIDE SAFE.

[Woton]

Wow, glad you're safe Evan.

K&E

[MP]

You can cut it immediatly since its really not the cement that holds the string but the string itself and a good practice to get into is to rotate the end when you push it in, it creates a little ball that helps to hold the string in place

Agreed. The cement is to insure a complete air seal, not to hold the string in. Never had one leak on me.

[Robert]

I would recommend since you seem to have more than one incident and the critical nature of having a flat tire on NY roads that you take the beads out and use Ride On. For you its more than a inconvenience it could be life threatening. I would also consider getting a different brand of tire that may be less prone to nails. I was considering using it in my motorcycle tires but gave it a try in my lawn mower tires and it did plug a hole that the Bougainvilleas put in them. Maybe the next tires I will use it in them rather than the beads also.

[da prez]

  You are just trying for one of the highway attack trophies . Remember in Iowa how you were attacked by that rabid tire chewing monster.

                                                 da prez