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A tire warning: the leak and the mistake

knary

looking for a coal mine
I put a new tire on the bike right before the rally. As I rolled into the rally, I realized that it was losing a a few or more PSI over a number of hours. This wasn't the change in reading from changes in elevation (though that was there too). I looked and looked but couldn't find the leak. But since it was fairly slow leak I thought I'd just keep an eye on it.

At the end of the rally, I topped it off and headed west.

Heading up over beartooth, I started to pass a car on steep uphill hair pin - in a passing lane. The front tire tried to wash out in rapid succession. I backed it off, stifled a scream, and pulled over. The tire was incredibly hot and almost sticky to the touch. Pressure was down to only 25 psi or so, but I had -ahem- been pushing it a bit (a questionable choice on a slightly leaky tire, I know).

I used a CO2 cartridge to add a little and waited for the tire to cool. The cartridge didn't add much, but I felt I could gingerly get off the mountain. As you might guess, a bad front tire on one of the greatest roads with dangerous drop offs left me less than happy. :bluduh

After coming over the pass at speeds so low I wouldn't have believed a motorcycle could do it (if it weren't for passing some of y'all on the way to the rally :D), I arrived in Red Lodge. I topped off the tire and took a break. An hour later, the tire still read the same. Off to the hotel in Columbus I went.

The next morning I checked the pressure and headed out on the interstate. A 100 miles later, I pulled over and checked it again. It hadn't budged despite barely changing elevation and the tire now being warm. :bluduh I needed to top off.

The conaco station's little pump was out so they pointed me to the truck stop nearby. These places often have BIG compressors suitable for filling enormous truck tires. You have to be very careful with them.

I put the hose on for a short second and checked the pressure. It looked as though it wasn't putting out a lot of air too quickly. I tested it one more time. Again, it didn't seem to be putting out too much air. So I put it on for a three count and didn't make it to three.

AHHHHHHHH

The tire inflated so fast that the name "Maxxis" painted into the side of the tire split. I put the pressure gauge on. It only reads up to 50 psi. The little plastic stick shot out like a rocket, pegged. I deflated the tire and tried again. It pegged again, albeit slower. Finally, eyes wide, I got it down to the right pressure.

Now what to do? Had I irrecoverably damaged the tire? I didn't know, but I thought I probably had. It was Monday, in Montana. Where was I going to find a new tire? Dammit.

I headed cautiously out on the highway and modest speeds. A hundred miles later, I checked the tire. It was like a joke - now it seemed to be holding air just fine. A hundred miles later I checked again. Again, it was holding air.

Another 800 miles after I made my mistake, I was home, angry at myself but happy to be ok.

I just ordered a new tire. This one may in fact be fine, but a $100 or so for some piece of mind is nothing.

Note to self: don't over inflate your tires. :D
 
That's what you get for buying cheap tires.
I hope you didn't buy another Maxxis.
You should carry one of these...
slime_boxs.gif
 
It sounds like your tire may not have been seated properly when it was mounted, and was leaking around the bead somewhere. When you "blew it up" with the shot from the truck air hose, it probably seated the bead. I doubt that you did any permanent damage to the tire by shock-inflating it, but it could likely have suffered from riding on it with low pressure.
 
That's what you get for buying cheap tires.
I hope you didn't buy another Maxxis.
You should carry one of these...
slime_boxs.gif


:ha

I liked how the tires handled in the dirt. The front seemed to track on road irregularities more than I'd like and the rear is more than 1/2 gone after 3,400 miles.

And, yes, I was too cheap to buy a pump at the rally. I'm ordering one now.
 
It sounds like your tire may not have been seated properly when it was mounted, and was leaking around the bead somewhere. When you "blew it up" with the shot from the truck air hose, it probably seated the bead. I doubt that you did any permanent damage to the tire by shock-inflating it, but it could likely have suffered from riding on it with low pressure.


That's exactly what I was thinking - tire wasn't properly seated on the bead at installation.

I used Maxxis tires on my track bike whan I was out on the track every month - I changed them out every two sessions or so, so I did not really care that much about their durability. They performed fine, but on heavy touring bikes I have always stuck with the "major" brands. About to mount PS2's on my RT - anxious to see how they work.

KNARY - thanks for the post, very informative and good to focus on this.
 
Where'd you stay in Columbus? (The Super 8 or the local fleebag - Conoco Motel)

I stayed in the local fleebag - room 20 :snore

That's too bad you chicken'd out on 212, I had already thrown caution to the wind with my back tire split and cracking on the sidewall... :stick
 
Where'd you stay in Columbus? (The Super 8 or the local fleebag - Conoco Motel)

I stayed in the local fleebag - room 20 :snore

That's too bad you chicken'd out on 212, I had already thrown caution to the wind with my back tire split and cracking on the sidewall... :stick

:D

I was at the Super 8. With all the places booked because of the Harley rally and the BMW rally emptying out, I called ahead.

212? :ear

Yeah, I chickened out. But as you and I have discussed, you and I have a somewhat different sense of risk - considering what we've done for a living it's not exactly surprising. :ha
 
Did you take 47 up to columbus?

Na, it was getting late and the deer were coming out, I took the 421 cut-off road. I thought about camping down by the river, but at $42.00 a night I felt that a bed, a cold beer and a hot shower was in order.

Back on tires, I had several doubts about the new rear I put on in Gillette, that I cooked on the way out (bad carry position). I could only hope that after the highspeed I-90 stuff that it wouldn't blow - just go flat. It held up the whole way home (1500 miles). I think I'm going to change it and either keep it for an only dirt tire, or throw it away and chalk it up to learned experience.

Carried out to rally here: (Exhaust gasses left it well done to the bead)
335946244_boLcF-L.jpg


Tire is full of hairline cracks and it hard as nails in the burnt area:
335958525_PpYE2-XL.jpg


It was even a 'bea-itch' to get the bead to seal and at first was leaking badly, don't really know why it all of a sudden decided to hold air. I was going to replace it at the rally but they didn't have anymore TKCs.
 
Wise choice to not go out 47. I wasn't so wise. It was like being one of the herd. :doh

What were you thinkin' having that hang down over the exhaust? Same thing I was thinking when I put that pump to my tire? :ha
 
What were you thinkin' having that hang down over the exhaust? Same thing I was thinking when I put that pump to my tire? :ha

I guess I thought it looked cool, I'd seen it somewhere else :stick

Actually, on the 1200 there are two outlet tubes and the inside one curves out, don't know if that was it, it was quite some distance from the end of the muffler, but apparently not far enough for a day of running 80-90mph. Won't do that again... :cry
 
the leak

Scott:

Glad you made it home safe. After my first flat last year I never leave home without a mini pump. Those CO2 capsules are useless.

The Absaroke cutoff, hwy 78, between Columbus and Red Lodge is one of my favourite roads.

Rinty
 
Scott:

Glad you made it home safe. After my first flat last year I never leave home without a mini pump. Those CO2 capsules are useless.

The Absaroke cutoff, hwy 78, between Columbus and Red Lodge is one of my favourite roads.

Rinty

Erps. I meant 78. That's what I took. It was *not* much fun after dark. The deer were everywhere. Add in a little fish tailing through a construction site and I was happy to call it a day in Columbus.
 
the leak

I meant 78. Knary

I thought you and Russ were discussing a secret gravel back road. I was about to get my detailed area maps out and try and find it.:)

I find that 78 is actually more fun to ride than the Beartooth itself, much of which, as you know, is long straights followed by hairpins. The plateau part is interestingly twisty, but I can't really see myself scrumming up there, the scenery is so spectacular.

My wife and I are heading down there in September, then over to the B.C. Kootenays. I just have to figure out a way to avoid the north part of Yellowstone on the return, I try to stay out of the parks, and I've heard they're paving in there.

Sorry you couldn't fully enjoy 212 and 78. Next time.

Rinty
 
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