Motor bike breakdowns....

[recycled sixtie]

Fastfred's thread got me thinking about motorbikes. I imagine that not all motorbikers are mechanics. So what does a motorcycle owner do if he has a flat tire and has no ability to fix a flat? Does he call AAA association and get the motorbike hauled away?

What about a capable fixit owner? Is it much of a job to fix a flat on a motorbike?
I am assuming that most motorbike owners have more mechanical talent than most car owners. I have to say that I was impressed with Motion's ability to keep his sub par motor bike running!

Any comments on self reliance in this area would be interesting to hear....

[Jeff Higgins]

With tubeless tires, we all carry a kit to just plug them. Pretty easy to do. With tubes, we carry a patch kit and tire irons.

That said, tubed tires on the wrong bike can strand you. I bought a new Road King in 2000 that had spoked wheels, demanding tubes. They were an option, already on the bike that someone else had ordered and wound up not able to pay for the bike. I asked that they be removed and the stock cast wheels fitted instead. The dealership refused, because in those days, they could have had the bike sold as-is to someone else in about five minutes. So I was stuck with laced wheels and tubes, unless I wanted to get in line and wait a year for a bike.

Just as I knew it would, that bike stranded me three or four times with flat tires over the next 13 years. No way to manually break a bead on those rims and fix a flat. Got flat-bedded to a dealership every time. Pretty frustrating, especially since I knew better. My new 2013 Road King has tubeless cast wheels, so I can plug tires.

Other than that set of circumstances, everyone I know who rides can pretty much take care of themselves. One of my laments, however, is the sheer reliability of the modern motorcycle - that reliability has opened up the sport to the less than mechanically inclined, and hence the legions of RUBs who can no more fix a flat then gap a set of points. So I know they are out there - I just don't ride with them...

[Grog]

I carry a tire plug kit & small 12v compressor. The first year that I lived at this house I had at least 15 flat tires, I stopped counting. The previous owner dumped all garbage on the property, guess that included nails and screws on the driveway. I did a big clean up. I had 3 plugs in the back tire of my motorcycle. None of them ever leaked, and I ran the tire until the tread was gone. The rest of the 15 were in various cars/truck.

[Eric Hahl]

Tire Sealant | Tire Protection System - Ride-On

[LakeCleElum]

Many MC insurance policies including towing.

I've plugged many a tubeless tire; once on the way to my brothers wedding in good clothes. With tube type, I once changed tubes at the little gas station by the lodge at Old Faithful in Yellowstone.....Under an hour and on the road again.

10 years ago I rode with a totally flat front from McCall, Idaho to Boise at about 15 mph. U do what you gotta do....

[motion]

Odds are pretty slim that you're gonna get a flat with today's great tires, but it does happen. I was 100% on-road for the Europe trip. The Africa Twin is not a good off-road bike, so I do anticipate that if I get a flat, I can limp to help, or get help roadside if necessary. Also, I HATE carrying the 5 pounds of stuff necessary to do roadside tire repairs (tubed).

When I ride off-road on my KLR650, I do carry all that stuff with me.

[unclebilly]

In 1999, I had a flat on 1-5 around Marysville, Wa on my way to visit my brother in Monroe. I nursed it along to an exit an put in air that held (tubed tires) until I got to Monroe.

I put in a new tube behind my brother's work place and punched the tube. It wouldn't hold air. The bike shops in the area couldn't book me in for 2 weeks. I was screwed.

I pulled off the wheel and tire again and went to the Honda dealer and they fit me in within the hour given that it was a loose rim.

[ckelly78z]

I currently have a front tire that keeps going down overnight on my 2003 Kawasaki KLR 250 enduro.....most likely from being age cracked original tires. I am going to replace it soon, but still pump it up when I need to ride.

[Noah930]

Never had a flat, possibly because I keep a plug kit with me and some CO2 cartridges for re inflation. The one time I didn't have that stuff with me, I came across a very pretty young girl on the side of the 405 with a flat in the rear tire of her R6.

I had to call AAA to flat bed me once when the wires from the stator melted on me while on a ride. Never trust Italians and electrical.

[dennis in se pa]

I have been cross country several times. 42000 miles on my bike at the time. Never got a flat on the open road. Recently got one riding around home. AAA will not cover motorcycles, but they will call someone for you.