...a near "poo-ya-shorts" scare!!!

[Tiger]

 :) I had a REAL scare last riding season :o :o a near "poo-ya-shorts" type!!!

I was riding along the 401 highway, across the top of Toronto, at about 110 kph and decided to overtake a car that I was coming up on...Mirror check, over the shoulder, etc, etc, moved left and accelerated and  :o :o :o "The Mistress" started to shake and shimmy WTF!!! I eased off the gas and she went left across THREE lanes :o :o WTF Thankfully it was six lanes and real quiet at this point...I eased back on the gas, pushing her back up to 100 kph, and got her running straight. We exited the highway and pulled into a gas station so I could check the rear end of my "V"...nothing wrong, as far as I could tell. The only thing left was to check the tire pressure...wtf!!! tire pressure was down to single digit!!! Re inflated and checked around the tire...all seemed well. Off I went, back to home base. I sprayed water around the bead and tire...nothing. Removed the valve cap and put a drop of water in...there was a veeeery slight leak, so I changed out the valve core, re inflated, valve cover back on and done... ;D Hmmmmmmmmmmmm....
         
"The Mistress" still had a slooooow leak in the rear tire, as I found out when checking the pressure before going for a ride the next weekend!!!...it was only down a few pounds but!!!...it drove me nuts having to check the tire pressure everytime before going out for a ride  ::)

Today, I removed the rear wheel to service the rear brake assembly...and sort out the leak... ::) I filled up the laundry tub and stood the now inflated to 40 psi wheel/tire in the tub...moved it around several times and the only leak was.......from the base of the valve, right at the rim!!!
Tire deflated and off of the rim, I cleaned off all the crud...oxide, rubber, etc with a wire brush and some brake and parts cleaner. Once it was all clean, I removed the valve unit from the wheel to find the rubber seal was compromised somewhat...so, off to the recycle box it went!!!
Before installing the new valve unit, I coated the inside of the rim with 'bead sealer'...a black rubberised compound not unlike liquid electrical tape. I cleaned up the tire bead, coated it with a bead lube, (like soapy water!!) and reinstalled the tire. Those that do their own tires know, inflation can sometimes be a P.I.T.A!!! Not this one...inflated right off the bat :o ... took it up to 45 psi, checked the seal was good and then dropped it back to 32 psi...VOILA!!!

Moral of the story...the complete valve assembly is just as important as the tire and the rim.......and should therefore be checked on a regular basis, just like your tires and pressures!!!

8).......TIGER....... 8)

[YellowJacket!]

Yep, on my list to fix.  My front tire valve stem leaks where it seals - or is supposed to seal - at the rim.  I lose about 1 to 2 psi per week and I check it evrery day I ride.

David

[funkamongus]

Its a habit for me to check tires (from a similar scare) and oil, (from a vacuum petcock leaking gas into my crankcase, twice!) They are good habits to have, but knowing things are good and checking them anyway, is even better because saving even one wreck or burnt up engine is priceless. Good write up Tiger!!
(PS still no monies for the fairing stuff yet, dashboard, etc..soon, I hope)

[inanecathode]

This is why the rear keeps going flat on my rd ><

[don_vanecek]

Yup, my rear tire does it, will have to remember to tell em to change those next time ALTHOUGH I know I told the store/stealer/dealer that I was having this loosing a pound or two all the time and to look for a cause.

[QBS]

Another leak source can be the tire bead to rim seal.  About three years ago I put a brand new Battlax BT45 on the front of my '83.  About a year later I noticed that the tire kept going flat.  No obvious damage could be seen.  Valve stem wasn't leaking.  Took the wheel off the bike and gave both beads the soapy water test.  Both failed.

Broke both bead seals and hand sanded the rim down to bright, shiney, and smooth metal.  Resealed the beads and declared Victory.  Now the tire holds air great.

[lexx790]

If I remember correctly my Haynes book recomends inner tubes for UK bikes, anyone know the reason for this?

[The Prophet of Doom]

If I remember correctly my Haynes book recomends inner tubes for UK bikes, anyone know the reason for this?

There are two different shaped rims.
The UK/Euro/Oceania models have an older style rim designed for tube or tubeless tyres, they are missing the ridge you get on tubeless-only rims shipped with US and Japanese models.

You can run tubeless on the UK models (as I do) but some say there is an increased risk of rolling the tyre during a high speed deflation

[lexx790]

If I remember correctly my Haynes book recomends inner tubes for UK bikes, anyone know the reason for this?

There are two different shaped rims.
The UK/Euro/Oceania models have an older style rim designed for tube or tubeless tyres, they are missing the ridge you get on tubeless-only rims shipped with US and Japanese models.

You can run tubeless on the UK models (as I do) but some say there is an increased risk of rolling the tyre during a high speed deflation

Thanks for the info.  :)