Motorcycle Tire Punctures
Delamination and spectacular tire failures are pretty much consigned to the race track, and even then rarely happen in anything but premier-class prototypes. Road tires are a little more vulnerable to puncturing in the wet, as the foreign object is nicely lubed and ready to penetrate.Punctures normally occur just at the wrong moment – when you're in a rush, ten kilometer into a 500 kilometer epic road trip, as a thunderstorm lets rip above. If you hurtle up to junctions and ride through all the crap that accumulates there, then you could be more prone to picking up a flat otherwise you could get a puncture just about anywhere.
If you've never had a puncture, let a load of air of your tire and go for a quick ride to know the warning signs. A vague feeling from the rear is the first sign, followed by an inability to soak up bumps. If you're not sure, ride over a cat's eye. A weave may develop soon after, as the tire's walls collapse under the weight of you and the motorcycle. Fortunately, tires deflate fairly slowly if you run over a screw or some sort of splinter.
After all, there's a big chance that the foreign object will remain lodged in your tire. But if you feel that something is up with the rear, you need to stop in a controlled manner to check the problem. Don't panic, breathe, and assess the situation. Motorcycles only like to steer and brake well if their tires are working, so avoid sharp actions at all costs, ease off the throttle, slow though the gearbox and be gentle on the brakes (especially the front tire is flat).
Your courses of action from here are to use a puncture repair kit that you'll have stored under your seat, phone a friend, contact a nearby garage to come and rescue you or get walking. Trying to beat the flat by going flat-out is never a good idea...and extremely dangerous...
Anonymous User