[Author Index] [Date Index] [Thread Index]
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

[ST] Bun Burner and Flat Tires



I started out on a Bun Burner 1500 ride last Friday.  The plan was from
north central PA to Baltimore, I-95 to I-85 to Atlanta Friday and
I-75/I-40/I-81 back on Saturday.  Friday the 13th was pretty lucky for me as
I missed the rain that was forecasted from Virginia to Atlanta.  Five hours
sleep outside Atlanta and a 6:20 start.  

However, Saturday the 14th was hell.  After turning North on I-75 headed
back to the colder temps of Pennsylvania my rear tire decided it liked
Atlanta's weather better and chose to stay there.  It decided to tell me at
80 mph in the left lane and in the light morning fog at 7:30.  I came
through a right hand sweeper and the bike slowly drifted to the left despite
attempts to correct.  In the following straight I shook the bars a bit and
the front seemed ok.  This was shortly followed by vibrations which became
increasingly severe.  I checked the traffic, grabbed the clutch and some
brake and aimed for the right shoulder.  As I stopped the smell of burned
rubber and smoke confirmed a tire problem.  Yes, a tire problem was an
understatement.  Several chunks of tread missing, steel belts exposed, and
holes clean through to the inside.  My first thought?  Darn, I'll never get
this repaired and finish the ride on time.  Oh, and I'm darn lucky to have
stayed up.  

After many cell phone calls and waiting for shops to open the great folks at
Marietta Motorsports had a tire and found a towing service for me.  I told
them I was doing an Iron Butt Bun Burner ride but I now had too many miles
and too little time but they still got me out the door in 20 minutes and the
D205 on for $147.  The owner gave me his home number in case I had a problem
when I reride the Bun Burner and they are not open.  Some great folks there.

He also said I had probably ran four miles or so with the tire going/gone
down due to a strip of chewed up tire that ran all the way around the tire.
It was likely that after the tire heated up that it started chunking.  I
hadn't noticed anything til the sweeper and between there and my stop was
less than a mile.  

So I'll introduce a topic for the latter half of April.  When a tire starts
to loose pressure what will you feel to tell you?  I felt it drift in the
curve, but what could have been a indicator while riding straight.  Also,
what are different indications for the front and back tires?  This was my
first flat in 50,000 plus miles riding and hadn't been something I had given
much thought too.  


Doug Bailey "Hound Dawg" 




     *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
      The ST/RS Mailing list is sponsored by Jack Lilley Ltd.
          http://www.TriumphNet.com/st/lilley for more info
   http://www.TriumphNet.com/st for ST, RS and Mailing List info

=-=-=-= Next Message =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=