A very close call

[ScottRNelson]

Man, I like that tread pattern. It looks like a good compromise tire.

They get good traction off road and they're great on the street, other than being a bit rough riding at lower speeds. I have a newer rear with rubber down the center, which smoothed things out quite a bit. I have total confidence at big lean angles with those tires, which was a surprise to me.

I can't say what the front tire pressure was, because I haven't checked it recently. Probably around 32-34. Definitely not lower off road pressures.

I'll wait until tomorrow to find out tire damage and if the rim needs any more truing.

 

[Tydive]

Glad to hear you're all right. I had a flat front K60 this summer and had to ride it out about 12 miles. It wasn't that bad on the dirt at lower than 20 mph. I didn't want to try it any faster than that though. Luckily the K60 Scout has a very firm sidewall which probably helped you maintain control.

 

[louemc]

Man, I like that tread pattern. It looks like a good compromise tire. Inspiring to get rid of one of the race replicas and get something more practical.

More throttle in the mud. You have to get the front floating, just like in sand, and steer with the rear. But, you know that, I am sure.

Not that hitting a rock on the road, has anything to do with Mud and speed (or throttle)
But..Mud is best done at speed..So the mud is flung off the tire, and the tread can bite.

Course the problem is... The rider has to learn how to do it, because..They start out slow,
and struggle with the sloppy muck, and it seems impossible to go faster than the struggle.

 

[Tri750]

Ok. That's why I asked.
This is not a personal attack, but you should Google Hidenau (sp) tires air loss. Or sudden air loss. A number of people with BMW GS's (tubeless) run them and complain about sudden air loss or overnight air loss of 5-7-10 lbs.
yes, your running with tubes. I get that.
But the problem, if you read, is the bead or the improper beading of the tire. For whatever reason, the Hidenau tires have a different bead profile or the bead doesn't seal well.
Please don't take my word.
Google it.
When you said a relatively small rock caused the tire to flatten, I suspected that brand tire.
I won't debate it or argue. I just want to make sure you're safe .

As a side note, the CHP spec for mounting the Dunlop "run flat" tires requires that water only be used to lubricate the tire. No soap, Ru-Glyde, period.
Because even months later, the lube residue can defeat the "run flat" properties.

 

[HeatXfer]

I'd go ahead and take the wheel in and have it trued,, or do it yourself if you are familiar with the process.
The KTM wheels are pretty stout but I find we have to tune our spokes periodicly on our Excel wheels

The 990 stockers are actually pretty soft. I carry a rubber mallet with me when riding Knoxville/Reiff/Rayhouse so I can hammer'em back into shape for the ride home if I need to.

Ok. That's why I asked.
This is not a personal attack, but you should Google Hidenau (sp) tires air loss. Or sudden air loss. A number of people with BMW GS's (tubeless) run them and complain about sudden air loss or overnight air loss of 5-7-10 lbs.
yes, your running with tubes. I get that.
But the problem, if you read, is the bead or the improper beading of the tire. For whatever reason, the Hidenau tires have a different bead profile or the bead doesn't seal well.
Please don't take my word.
Google it.
When you said a relatively small rock caused the tire to flatten, I suspected that brand tire.
I won't debate it or argue. I just want to make sure you're safe .

As a side note, the CHP spec for mounting the Dunlop "run flat" tires requires that water only be used to lubricate the tire. No soap, Ru-Glyde, period.
Because even months later, the lube residue can defeat the "run flat" properties.

There was an issue some years ago with a suspect run of K60 rears, but it looks like the real issue is usually proper tire to rim sizing and running low (off-road) pressures. Follow this link for Rim & Tire size recommendations

 

[bpw]

Ok. That's why I asked.
This is not a personal attack, but you should Google Hidenau (sp) tires air loss. Or sudden air loss. A number of people with BMW GS's (tubeless) run them and complain about sudden air loss or overnight air loss of 5-7-10 lbs.
yes, your running with tubes. I get that.
But the problem, if you read, is the bead or the improper beading of the tire. For whatever reason, the Hidenau tires have a different bead profile or the bead doesn't seal well.
Please don't take my word.
Google it.
When you said a relatively small rock caused the tire to flatten, I suspected that brand tire.
I won't debate it or argue. I just want to make sure you're safe .

As a side note, the CHP spec for mounting the Dunlop "run flat" tires requires that water only be used to lubricate the tire. No soap, Ru-Glyde, period.
Because even months later, the lube residue can defeat the "run flat" properties.

None of this should matter with tubes. Even with a broken bead a tube will still hold air. I rode across the Andes on a bike that I could break the tire bead loose with my hands.

 

[packnrat]

i hear ya on close calls.
yesterday southbound 99 to west bound 120, (manteca, ca) rt hand curve ramp.
huge chunk of dunnage (wood) [6in tall X 10 inches wide X 24+ inches long] in the lane. pu in front of me cleared it. passed by me just inches to my left. pu behind me caught it and had to pull over. (damage?).


would not have been a very good day if i clipped it with my front tire.
yes i was a bit closer than i like to be, traffic slowed down do to see a accident...on the OTHER side of the fwy. (east bound 120).

 

[Deftone]

glad you're ok, Scott.

 

[ScottRNelson]

So yesterday I pulled the front wheel off and decided I may as well put another tube in there myself - you know, to make sure I would be able to do it out in the middle of nowhere sometime. It wasn't too tough getting one bead off of the rim and pulling the tube out. It had what looked like a 1/4" slice where it was pinched when I hit the rock. I'm not going to try to patch that tube.

I have a box of spare parts including quite a few extra tubes from both of my bikes. The one I picked, I guess I didn't check close enough, because once it was in there and all back in place, it was leaking at the valve stem. I put a bad tube back in there. So I'm going to drop the wheel off at Folsom Cycle today and have them fix it properly.

I think I have the skills to change a flat with the tools I should normally have with me, but I still don't like doing it. At least I had an electric air pump to inflate it, because I would have been really annoyed if I had used my hand pump to get enough pressure in there to figure out that it wasn't holding pressure.

 

[fawndog]

Tubes leak, I'd stay on top of tire pressures because you said small rock. I figure a 32 psi front would have to hit a 8" curb to "snake bite".

 

[corndog67]

So yesterday I pulled the front wheel off and decided I may as well put another tube in there myself - you know, to make sure I would be able to do it out in the middle of nowhere sometime. It wasn't too tough getting one bead off of the rim and pulling the tube out. It had what looked like a 1/4" slice where it was pinched when I hit the rock. I'm not going to try to patch that tube.

I have a box of spare parts including quite a few extra tubes from both of my bikes. The one I picked, I guess I didn't check close enough, because once it was in there and all back in place, it was leaking at the valve stem. I put a bad tube back in there. So I'm going to drop the wheel off at Folsom Cycle today and have them fix it properly.

I think I have the skills to change a flat with the tools I should normally have with me, but I still don't like doing it. At least I had an electric air pump to inflate it, because I would have been really annoyed if I had used my hand pump to get enough pressure in there to figure out that it wasn't holding pressure.

Its been a long time since I busted a tire off by hand, I don't miss it. I think I can still do it, but I don't like bleeding knuckles any more. I'm buying a dirt bike here soon. I guess I'll have to start doing them again.

 

[ScottRNelson]

Tubes leak, I'd stay on top of tire pressures because you said small rock. I figure a 32 psi front would have to hit a 8" curb to "snake bite".

It all depends on the speed you're going. Hitting an 8" curb at 40 mph will bend your rim good. I don't know how big the rock was that I hit, just that it had to be less than about 3" high, based on how the front end behaved when I hit it.

 

[Z3n]

Out of curiosity - were you wearing a tinted visor or sunglasses? This is one of the reasons I'm religious about using a tinted at sunset.

 

[ScottRNelson]

Out of curiosity - were you wearing a tinted visor or sunglasses? This is one of the reasons I'm religious about using a tinted at sunset.

Tinted visor. But that's not enough when heading straight into the sun. I was tilting my head down to use the part just above the helmet opening to block the sun. And it was the biggest reason why I didn't see the rock that I hit.

 

[Z3n]

Line of tape across the top of the helmet can really help with that.

 

[ScottRNelson]

I'm about ready to take up cursing.

I'm starting to think that my front tire WANTS to be flat.

So the rock caused the flat on Saturday. I took the tire off of the rim with hand tools on Tuesday and put in another tube, which apparently already had a puncture, because it wouldn't hold air. Then I gave in and took the wheel to Folsom Cycle and had them do it.

The tire held pressure overnight, so I've been riding again the past two days. Today at lunch, coming back from running an errand, the front end starts feeling weird again, so I look down at the tire while in the left turn lane and it's about half an inch from hitting the rim on the ground. I got off and pushed it across the street to an unused parking lot and the front wheel is once again over at Folsom Cycle where they'll try to get to it before the end of the day.

The worst part of that experience is that my wife had just left for the Bay Area and while I was thinking of who else I could call I realized my phone was still sitting home on the charger nearly three miles away. Oh well, I need some exercise anyway. At least it was a good day for a walk.

I'll be reinstalling the front wheel in the dark this evening. Good thing things like this don't really upset me too much.

I already feel better after typing all of this in.

 

[ST Guy]

Do NOT reuse that tire. Any hit hard enough to deflate the tire is hard enough to damage the tire. And that kind of damage is usually not visible as it's inside the structure of the tire. You don't want a repeat of your experience because you reused a damaged tire.

 

[clutchslip]

.....
I'll be reinstalling the front wheel in the dark this evening. Good thing things like this don't really upset me too much.

I already feel better after typing all of this in.

What did you think of the bead issue with the tire? I assumed you looked at the threads on ADV. I know they aren't related, because a tube is a tube. I was just curious.

Keep venting. I am here for ya'. I luv to vent on barf.

 

[ThumperX]

Did you also replace the rim strip?
You said you were going to have the wheel trued, is there a chance there's a "soft spot" in the wheel?

 

[ScottRNelson]

The bead is a non-issue for me. The beads hold onto the rim more tightly than any of the various tires I've used on my XR650.

As for the tire condition, the interior will be thoroughly checked before sticking it back on this time. If there is any sign of internal damage, I'll putting a new tire on there. Pinch tube flats are fairly common when riding dual sports at speed over rocks.