I got a flat tyre

[MrStompy]

Hello

I took a sickie today and decided to go for a run through the nasho (sydney).
i gets to the bottom of the hill and discover that my rear tyre is flat - it actually has a small split in it from something on the road i hit back up on the main road.

I was stuffed. it was after 4pm and none of the bike shops were going to be open much longer. it was looking like i was going to have to leave it at the rangers workshop and get it tmw with a ute.

In the end my bro went and got me a tin of that tyre weld crap. it filled it up and that slowed the leak enough to get to town.
we roared into caringbah motorcycles cause they said they would wait till we got there before closing. I only just made it i reckon cause it was nearly dead flat again.

Anyway what do people do when they are in the middle of nowhere or on their own?
ive heard about these tyre repair kits but would that be any use with a split tyre?
how would you put air in it?
is it worth joining the bike in the NRMA?

[Glen]

Mate, that's a pisser. I've got a tubeless repair kit with the CO2 bottles under my seat but they're only good for punctures, so your split would have me stuffed.

Do the NRMA do bikes? I'm not sure. If your in phone range Ghostriders could probably pick your bike up and get it somewhere but it probably aint cheap.

If your lucky you'll be on a road that bikes frequent and you'll usually find someone pulls up.

[RG]

Anyway what do people do when they are in the middle of nowhere or on their own?

Open the fuel cap, drop a lighted match in it and run. Claim insurance later.

[Shifty]

Flat tyres are a luck-of-the-draw thing.

I've never had a flat tyre before, and yet a mate who rides a tenth of the time I do has had about half a dozen. Touch wood... but I'm probably due.

As far as a split tyre, you're stuffed.. but those proper puncture repair kits are awesome and will get you out of a jam if you've got a foot pump or compressor to reinflate.

[MrStompy]

Open the fuel cap, drop a lighted match in it and run. Claim insurance later

I was tempted dont worry about that

I reckon the tyres on a new ZX10 would have air in them

Im going to suss out these tyre repair kits tmw and also NRMA.

[Neka79]

as i havent had a flat (touch wood), the only comparison i can do is when i crash in the middle of nowhere...lol
i own a ute, my housemate has a trailer....
i cant ride the bike & drive the ute at once..so that means if im on the bike i can ussually call him & he will come get me...or vice versa (if he has a drama)...otherwise i call sum1 who can double me home to get my rig, but i rarely ride alone for similar reasons..

[Mojo67]

I imagine NRMA are the same as RACQ, and they tow your bike. We've got Ultra Care because we tour, and we'd never tour without it. Pays for itself many times over on long trips. For someone doing short trips around town, maybe its not so important.

[matchan]

bummer, now you'll have to take another sickie to get a proper ride in

I carry one of those repair kits with the co2 bottles also, it came with a small hand pump also, which has got me out of a tight spot once (it takes about 300 pumps to infate a font tyre from completely flat, I was almost too stuffed to ride after it was pumped up!)

I also carry the ghost riders number just in case.

Matt

[Colette]

Sorry to hear about the wasted sickie - lol sickie karma gets us all in the end

[Stereo]

It if happened to me... I would do the following

1. Stare at the bike for 3 minutes.. wondering why it hates me
2. Beg forgiveness for 2 minutes
3. Look around for some sort of blunt intstrument to hit it with
4. Beg for forgiveness for another 4 minutes
5. Pat pockets for cell phone that I KNOW I left at home...
6. Look pleadingly at passers by
7. Switch on alarm and walk to nearest petrol station
8. Call my mechanic (Dave) and ask him for the number of an urget bike pickup guy.
9. Run out of dollar coins (for phone)
10. Walk to nearest ATM
11. Buy packet of chewing guy (to get change)
12. Call bike pickup guy and beg and plead for instant service
13. walk back to bike
14. Call police because bike has been stolen
15. Call them back because I found it right where I left it
16. Get in truck with tow truck driver
17. Get new tire put on by mechanic
18. Go home and get drunk

[RG]

I imagine NRMA are the same as RACQ, and they tow your bike. We've got Ultra Care because we tour, and we'd never tour without it. Pays for itself many times over on long trips. For someone doing short trips around town, maybe its not so important.

Fill us in on the details.
How much do they cost?
What do they cover?

[MrStompy]

bummer, now you'll have to take another sickie to get a proper ride in

Thats funny cause thats exactly what i did.

I got a new pirelli put on it. apparantly its meant to be some awesome tyre. as long as its got air in it i dont care.

got the ride in this arvo through the nasho.
I lost 2 kilos from sweating in this heat.

Im going to call the NRMA tmw when i finally go back to work and i will post up what i find out about bike coverage and costs.

Im also going to put a tyre repair kit on my christmas list

[esie]

Fill us in on the details.
How much do they cost?
What do they cover?

This RACQ membership link: http://www.racq.com.au/cps/rde/xchg/SID ... A_HTML.htm
will give you all the details, rather than bore all the non-Qld members with them I have been with RACQ since I started driving when I was 17. I used to get great dollar for value out of the membership, but as I have been able to afford better vehicles I haven't used them as much the last 6 years or so. Having said that, like Mojo we do a bit of touring, so we each have Ultracare membership, and that way we are covered no matter which bike or car we are driving/riding.

Cheers
Anne

[javaman]

I always carry a tire plug ($12 from supercheap) and a small bicycle pump. They fit well under the rear seat. Have had 2 flat tyres on the woods (gravel, etc) and is a life ($$) saver.