Kawasaki Concours Forum

Mish mash => Open Forum => Topic started by: CrashKLRtoConnie on July 06, 2011, 02:31:43 PM

Title: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: CrashKLRtoConnie on July 06, 2011, 02:31:43 PM: Okay. I was hoping to confirm the published ratio of rear tire flats to front tire flats for street motorcycles. (from a very old Cycle Magazine)

Also if you can vote on what caused the most flats.

<<< ~ 1 front flat vs ~ 4 rear flats. >>>
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Son of Pappy on July 06, 2011, 02:40:42 PM: Cant let this go-----I NEVER GET IT IN THE REAR 8)

I did get a staple once in the rear (tire of course) during the state IP course. Filled 'er with air and rode her home. Only flat to date, even includes car tires 8) I never go cheap with rubber, known to cause troubles, be it babies or road rash!
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Timalan on July 06, 2011, 02:53:01 PM: I rode through a pot hole on my recent trip. bottomed out front forks crunch and then hit exhaust pipes under the bike and the connecting parts of the shock/swingarm... it hit so hard I though for sure I deflated the tires or bent a rim. Nope! wiping head and say shew... I was miles from nowhere. glad the tires and wheels held up. but, i did get a nail offroading the FJR in West Virginia. Good times.
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Strawboss on July 06, 2011, 02:54:34 PM: Equal front and rear, tires that is.
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: sas mayhem on July 06, 2011, 02:56:56 PM: Nothing yet, knock on wood.
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Tom J. on July 06, 2011, 03:27:17 PM: Nah, wife will have nothing to do with it- ;)
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Glenn on July 06, 2011, 03:30:44 PM: I've never had a front tire go flat. It is always the rear tire that goes flat. Every time it is debris, nails or screws that are the culprits. I've found that the newer the tire, the more likely hood of experiencing a flat! :'(
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: ZG on July 06, 2011, 03:35:48 PM: Quote from: Tom J. on July 06, 2011, 03:27:17 PM
Nah, wife will have nothing to do with it- ;)

:rotflmao:
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Cold Streak on July 06, 2011, 03:38:01 PM: I've only had one flat and it was a nail in the rear. Luckily it was on the OE Bridgestone which was about ready to go anyway. The other night I got home late after riding through the countryside. The next morning I found a chunk of jagged steel sticking out of a tread block on the rear. I pulled it out and was relieved to see it hadn't penetrated very far yet.

I think most flats occur in the rear because the front tire kicks up the debris, sending it cartwheeling along the road, then the rear comes along and runs it down. If you are lucky the debris moves out of the way or is in a position where it can't stick into the tire.
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Tom J. on July 06, 2011, 03:39:47 PM: I'm sorry, was that a nail or a screw in the rear?
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: VirginiaJim on July 06, 2011, 03:52:48 PM: Nailed or screwed, it's all the same.
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Bob on July 06, 2011, 03:58:28 PM: Quote from: VirginiaJim on July 06, 2011, 03:52:48 PM
Nailed or screwed, it's all the same.

:yikes:
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Nosmo on July 06, 2011, 09:21:27 PM: No actual FLATS yet as in air loss, but I've had one rear tire on the Connie damaged by a screw (patched) and two rears on the Wee damaged, one by a nail in the sidewall (replaced) and one by a glass sliver in the tread (patched, road several thousand miles and both tires replaced just last Sunday). No fronts damaged, yet.
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Boomer on July 07, 2011, 04:34:59 AM: My rear has been nailed, screwed and penetrated far too many times! :yikes:

I had one on the car and when they swapped out the tyre they handed me the item they found in the tyre.
It was one of those square steel bars that joins door handles together. About 3" long and must be ½" square.
It was a big hole in the tyre and it did go down awful fast.

The problem is that the front tyre rolls over the screw/nail and stands it up.
If yer unlucky the rear then rolls onto it whilst it's still upright and it penetrates.
The same 4:1 ratio applies to cars too.
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: S.Ga.Rider on July 07, 2011, 05:29:41 AM: I have had it in the rear twice. I plugged the first tire and used it for several thousand more miles. I replaced the tire and rode to work, about 35 miles, and had a nail in the new tire. I was pissed. lol I took that back to the dealer and had a plug/patch installed because of a track day I had coming up.

I asked the mechanic at the dealer about this when I was getting rotors installed a few months ago and he told me he hasnt patched a front tire in over 10 years, it always happens in the rear.
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: mlf73 on July 07, 2011, 06:24:07 AM: I've had to plug a rear tire a couple times but never had a tire go flat. I don't recall ever picking up anything in a front tire.
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: JetJock on July 07, 2011, 07:24:11 AM: You need an entry (at the huge risk of jinxing myself) for "Neither. No flats."

[Uhhhh . . . about that jinx thing. This is actually Capt'n Bob posting using JetJock's avatar. Deliver tire karma accordingly. 8)]

Oh, there it is. Nevah mind.
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Boomer on July 07, 2011, 07:43:04 AM: I had a front tyre blowout at about 80Mph on a German Autobahn riding a Honda CX650Turbo.
Not the best handling bike at the best of times.
I didn't come off the bike which is a f****ing miracle on it's own. :yikes: :hail: :hail: :hail: :hail: :hail:
The tyre came almost completely off the rim and the front Comstar was trashed.
The tyre wasn't punctured so far as we could tell (me and the recovery driver) so we assumed that it may have been a crack in the rim or else a defective tyre.
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: mjrfd99 on July 07, 2011, 08:49:20 AM: Quote from: Tom J. on July 06, 2011, 03:27:17 PM
Nah, wife will have nothing to do with it- ;)

Try tequlia ;D worked for me :thumbs:
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Tom J. on July 07, 2011, 03:48:37 PM: Awe geez, I just realized this was a thread about flat tires and not ..... something entirely different.... sorry! ;)

I wish more threads had these 'Connie-tations' to them- It's just good entertainment-
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Outback_Jon on July 07, 2011, 03:55:20 PM: Quote from: Tom J. on July 06, 2011, 03:27:17 PM
Nah, wife will have nothing to do with it- ;)

Does she find the strap-on uncomfortable? :rotflmao:
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Tom J. on July 07, 2011, 04:03:14 PM: Not even! It's just plain old, "No Man's Land".... :-\
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: mikeboileau on July 07, 2011, 04:04:46 PM: Quote from: Outback_Jon on July 07, 2011, 03:55:20 PM
Does she find the strap-on uncomfortable? :rotflmao:

WOW!!!

ouch
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: VirginiaJim on July 07, 2011, 05:55:44 PM: Quote from: Outback_Jon on July 07, 2011, 03:55:20 PM
Does she find the strap-on uncomfortable? :rotflmao:

:rotflmao:
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: ZG on July 07, 2011, 06:41:18 PM: With this title I'm not shocked at all where this thread keeps going... :thumbs:

(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb336/jaywilcox/ksdajhffieojc8ew8374.jpg)
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: mjrfd99 on July 08, 2011, 08:29:00 AM: Quote from: Outback_Jon on July 07, 2011, 03:55:20 PM
Does she find the strap-on uncomfortable? :rotflmao:
Your as sick as me ;D

Like a double barrel shotgun- when 1 barrel is outa commission you have a back up, so to say. ;D
The #2 barrel has a tighter choke. :thumbs:
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: VirginiaJim on July 08, 2011, 05:30:39 PM: Quote from: Boomer on July 07, 2011, 07:43:04 AM
I had a front tyre blowout at about 80Mph on a German Autobahn riding a Honda CX650Turbo....

Wow! I've only seen one of them in a dealer/museum and you rode one. My friend had a CX500Turbo and I got to ride that. Those are rare beasties indeed. :thumbs:
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: Mettler1 on July 08, 2011, 10:56:35 PM: I'm confused!! Is this about motorcycles? If it is I'm not interested!! :popcorn:
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: GeeBeav on July 09, 2011, 04:53:34 PM: Quote from: Tom J. on July 07, 2011, 03:48:37 PM
'Connie-tations'

good one ;D
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: CrashKLRtoConnie on July 16, 2011, 09:22:14 AM: SUMMARY

23 of the 25 (92%) people who have had flat tires on a street bike had rear tire flats.

And

5 of the 25 (20%) people who have had equal front and rear flats or more front tire flats.

SO 4 to 1 Ratio is a good rule of thumb

And carry a tire repair unless you are the lucky ~ 50% who have never had a motorcycle street bike flat tire :)
Title: Re: Do you get it more often in the rear?
Post by: C1xRider on July 17, 2011, 01:14:24 PM: Of those that had front tire flats, you should have asked if they were in a group, or following another bike. I'll bet if you are always in the lead, you wont get a front flat from a puncture (nail, screw, staple, etc.). Another excuse to pass everyone, or ride alone?

BTW, I've had 2 rear tires get punctured, one with a nail, the other with a 3/8" bolt (left a big hole!). They say that 90% of flat tires happen in the last 10% of the tires usable life. Not sure if that applies to motorcycles though.