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Motorcycle Tires
Motorcycle Tires - I experienced my first flat tire a few years ago, and it wasn't at all what I expected. I was riding along on a lovely curvy road in Idaho, early in the morning. We were riding from one location to another, where we were to be for the next 3 days. It was a hot morning, and the road had soft repair patches scattered throughout. About halfway through the ride, I felt that the road was "squishy", like my bike was sinking into the road a bit. Prior to this, I always expected that a flat tire would be something that happened abruptly. I thought that I would hear or feel a pop, and then the bike would become difficult to control. Nothing like this happened. I simply felt a difference in the road. AND, my tire was so damaged that it could not hold a patch. We had to park the bike. Many phone calls later, we determined that we would need to have the motorcycle towed to a BMW dealer, where the tire could be replaced.
Lessons Learned?Could this have been avoided? Perhaps. How about preventative motorcycle maintenance? I have learned that inspecting my tires is something that I should do almost daily - especially on a trip. Had I noticed that my tire was wearing, we could have replaced it while we were still in a town with repair facilities.Instead, I started off into the wilderness, far from any motorcycle dealers or tire shops. And I paid the price, in towing charges and time away from the vacation. I do watch my tires differently now. If I notice that the tread is wearing thin, then it's time for a new tire. Before any big trips, I ask the mechanic if the tires should be replaced given our anticipated mileage. If he predicts that I will need tires in the middle of the trip, we figure out where the BMW dealerships are, and plan accordingly. It's a much better system, and one I probably wouldn't even have, but for my little blow-out experience. Bottom Line: Pay attention to the rubber. Know what your options are, and plan. Buy a tire repair kit and learn how to use it. A little motorcycle maintenance is a lot better than a big flat flat tire.
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Related Pages:"Motorcycle Maintenance""Fixing a Flat Tire"
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