Fiirst flat tire.

[dentheman]

I guess I learned three lessons yesterday. First, what a flat rear tire feels like on a motorcycle (Honda Shadow); second, what an uncomfortable inconvenience it can be; and third, how expensive the experience can be.
When I turned off of a country road onto the highway and reached 65 mph, I began noticing the handlebar very slightly wobbling from back and forth. At first I thought it was feedback from going to a new road surface, but I had never felt that before on that stretch of highway. As I continued, the wobble became more pronounced and the engine began lugging in 5th. When I pulled over the rear tire was completely flat and I could smell rubber.
So I called my insurance company for roadside assistance. After going through the inevitable 'push 1 for this, push 2 for this, etc' (with blank spaces because I am not near a cell tower), I finally get a live person. "Where are you located?" she asks. "I am on US 84 about 1 mile north of Southland" (a wide spot in the road that doesn't even have gas). After several seconds, "I can't find a listing for Southland, what is the nearest exit?" "There is no exit anywhere near." "Sir, I can't send anyone out until I can confirm your location." After some back-and-forth I say, "I am about 10 miles south of Slaton", she does find Slaton and says she will call me back. To make that part of the long story short, she calls back in 20 minutes and tells me she can't find anyone equiped to handle a motorcycle, but she found someone not in their listing that can do it (?) I said great, send them (it has now been an hour that I have been standing in the hot sun with no shade). Several minutes later a DPS officer pulls up behind me and offers to let me sit in the air conditioned car until the flat bed arrives, thank God for that (she is talkative, and a good looker!). A little later, my daughter shows up, and after quite a while the flatbed shows up. Two hours have gone by since I pulled over.
When we finally get to the shop, my part of the towing charge is $141. The cost to replace the tire, tube, and labor will be $219.72. But it will be 2 or 3 days to get the tire.
This will not deter my desire to ride the back roads, but it was quite a learning experience overall.

[alantf]

It would seem that a change of insurance company is called for, at the next renewal. In all my years of driving/riding, I've never had to pay a penny for roadside assistance after I've bought it with the insurance. (and over here it's automatically included in the insurance quote)

[dentheman]

Originally Posted by alantf

It would seem that a change of insurance company is called for, at the next renewal. In all my years of driving/riding, I've never had to pay a penny for roadside assistance after I've bought it with the insurance. (and over here it's automatically included in the insurance quote)

The insurance company will pay the tow charge of $60 plus the mileage charge which is $3 per mile, up to 15 miles. There is no option to purchase additional mileage coverage. So I will eventually be reimbursed for much of the towing charge, but for now it is money out of my pocket.

[burkbuilds]

Bummer of an experience. I don't know if this would have helped, but I've been using Ride On TPS in my tires for a long time now and I've had three punctures with screws that went right through the tread, when I pulled them out and added a little air all it took was a few miles of riding and the leak stopped completely. Then you just top off with air and go on. It works best in tubeless tires, but they claim it will even seal an 1/8" hole in an inner tube as well. Might be worth a shot, it's a lot cheaper than what you went through. Of course you do need a pump or a compressor to air the tire back up, but at least you avoid a towing charge, and I've put another 6K miles on that tire since the last puncture and it's still in good shape.

[Water Warrior 2]

It is always a good idea to be a little more self sufficient. If you have bags on the bike there will always be enough room for a small compressor. Some of the aftermarket puncture sealers do work well enough to get you home or to safety.
Luckily there was no mishap due to the flat tire so just consider it an expensive experience.

[dentheman]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

It is always a good idea to be a little more self sufficient. If you have bags on the bike there will always be enough room for a small compressor. Some of the aftermarket puncture sealers do work well enough to get you home or to safety.
Luckily there was no mishap due to the flat tire so just consider it an expensive experience.

I do have a CO2 inflater that takes the pellet gun cartridges, but I don't know how many cartridges it would take for a motorcycle tire, and if I had to stop every couple miles to reinflate I think I would have to carry a large number of cartridges. Is the motorcycle electrical system really enough to power a small compressor? Give me some leads to small compressors please.

[Water Warrior 2]

I have a couple Airman2 compressors. Dirt cheap and so far reliable. Any small compressor will do the trick but try to find one with a fitting that screws into the valve stem rather than those silly lever type that are a pain in the A**. Most come with a cigar lighter type plug so both bikes have a waterproof power point that is mounted for easy accessibility. Power points are hot wired with a fuse so no need to turn on the key.
Always have a reliable tire guage too. The built in compressor guages are usually totally junk.
Pics of compressor and power point. Also included my cheap solar powered temp guage that cost a whooping $5. Sensor is out of the sun and quite accurate. Centigrade only.

[alantf]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

Always have a reliable tire guage too.

Make that an old fashioned pencil type guage. Neither of the two electronic ones that I've got will fit between the spokes of the GZ.

[jonathan180iq]

Originally Posted by alantf

Make that an old fashioned pencil type guage. Neither of the two electronic ones that I've got will fit between the spokes of the GZ.

I had to recently change out the valves on my bike because they were both corroding around the bottom and also too tall to allow any respectable air gauge to fit between the head of the valve and the spoke of the rim.

I went back to my scooter days and got some that turn out at 90 degrees.

[dentheman]

I don't have saddlebags, but have been looking at some sissybar bags. Now I have a good reason to get one, along with a compressor. WW, I like that Airman compressor, and it gets good reviews. I would have to get a cigarette lighter adaptor to plug into my battery maintainer SAE plug. Or maybe I will get one to hardwire to the battery.