Triumphrat

pz1 · 03-17-2008

the riding gods must be mad at me, first good day to do some riding without all the winter equipment and i pick up a screw, was able to make it to the home port before totally flat. what do my fellow riders do when not so close to the house. fix a flat, slim,? this the first flat of the year, hope the last. any input will be helpful. thanks

oldmanjob · 03-17-2008

Cut a rear tire at the beginning of a 5 mile stretch of winding road, which is dead air space for cell phones. Road the flat to the end of the road (tire stayed on rim

slow through the curves and make up time on the straight) and was able to get in contact with Acme Motorcycles down the road and had the bike picked up and trailered to their shop which just happens to be open on Sundays for the riders doing the Gerton twisties.

modre · 03-17-2008

problem with screws and nails (broken spokes) in tubes is they shift and one hole becomes a plethora with a few revolutions.

if you intend to replace the tube you might carry some air (cartridges or pump) and/or fix a flat as a limp to safety. sometimes a limp and replace the parts makes sense.

otherwise, if you carry the patch and irons, you fix it in situ or call the truck to bail you out.

I carry a small bicycle pump with me...and usually some patches (and irons). cartridges are OK until they're empty...a pump keeps on giving.

seems the rear goes...I guess the front kicks it up and aims it for the rear to puncture...rear flats are easier to ride than fronts...what would you do if you had a front flat and had to fix it on the side of the road? I have the answer for that, but you have to wait until I throw money at the ad again... it's another good one.

ohiorider · 03-17-2008

Modre - if I had a flat, and the (nail, staple, bolt, etc) was visible, would it be possible to fix the tire without removing it from the bike. I'm thinking if I was to carry:
- a small bead breaker, and a small tire iron
- pliars to remove the nail, bolt, etc
- chalk to mark the tire, if necessary
- tube patches and glue
- small tire pump.

Seems like it would be possible to remove the sharp object, break the bead near the puncture, and with some luck, pull the tube thru between the wheel and tire bead, patch it, and slip it back in place.

Possible or not? I'm probably way off course.

Bob

modre · 03-17-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohiorider

would it be possible to fix the tire without removing it from the bike.

Seems like it would be possible to remove the sharp object, break the bead near the puncture, and with some luck, pull the tube thru between the wheel and tire bead, patch it, and slip it back in place.
Bob

for a lot of years tires were fixed on the side of the road with naught but 2-3 screwdrivers, but your way sounds tricky...I'd pull the wheel off and get the tube out where i could work on it...it's so much work I wouldn't take the chance of doing it and not fixing it right...there's no shortcuts when it's iffy and as dear old mom used to say "if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well"

you want to make sure you found all the holes...there can be more than one.

you can have the wheel on the ground and bead broke in 15 minutes (only need to break one side and open it up)
tube out, patched, tested, and back together in another 30.
by the time you wash up and pack, it's an hour job...give or take.

carry a rag and some water...if no water, engine oil will clean hands, and sacrifice the shirt cuffs...up to the elbow.

ask yourself what did they do without cell phones and AAA at the other end...and the answer is they were self reliant...up until about 1970.

motorcycles started around 1900...that's 70 years of fix it...and only the last 40 of "I can't"

ohiorider · 03-17-2008

........... Thanks for the advice. Expecially the part about there possibly being more than one puncture in the tube. I know what you mean about 'I can and I can't'. I took off in 1966 on my BSA from Chas WV to McAllen TX. Wing and a prayer. Broke the generator drive chain in St Charles, burnt out the plugs in the middle of the King Ranch in the middle of nowhere. Lots of pushing and praying and searching for parts, but I made it down and back on that old warhorse. Slept one night in an Enco gas station on the way down, and in a wrecked tractor (as in 18 wheeler) another night on the return trip.

I'm sure the memory is much finer than the actual experience, but I remember every detail of the trip like it was yesterday, in particular the kindness of everyone that offered to help along the way.

Bob

JohnyBonnie · 03-17-2008

So once you've got it patched, you gonna take it in and get it replaced or keep riding?
If you're gonna get it replaced soon are you not better off carrying a spare tube to slot in instead of patches?

pz1 · 03-18-2008

caring wheel to shop to have a new tube put in, screw went in lug in center of tire, believe a new tube will fix the problem. tire looks good, when the screw is removed i don't
think there will be a problem with tire, got about 3000 miles on it. thanks for everybody's input.

DrewDesign007 · 03-18-2008

Be great to see some pics or video of this in action.

That's old school as h3LL, fixing the bike roadside.

You old dudes are tough as nails.

bendavanza · 03-18-2008

Tires seem to be harder to stretch around rims these days. It's not an easy thing to do and very easy to damage a tube with short spoons, much less a pair of screwdrivers. And you'd need a wrench big enough for the axle.
This is a pain in the arse side of the road job even with tools.
But if you're out in the middle of nowhere, you've got nothing but time.
-Ben