Blowout

[TwoStep]

A friend asked about how a bike behaves if you have a tire blowout. I really didn't have an answer for him. I've had flats but never lost a tire by a blowout. I'm sure a rapid flat at low speeds would quickly lead to a rough stop. But what happens at highway speeds? Do you kiss it goodbye or do you have a chance to keep control until you can stop? Anyone have an experiance with a blown tire on their bike?

[Jake]

The last time I experienced a flat motorcycle tire was in the late '70's on a Suzuki GS550E. The tire didn't "blow out" then, and tire manufacturing has come such a long way that I've never heard of one blowing out these days. In my event, it was a contolled stop - probably from about 60mph. It got my attention, but was not too alarming. Moto tires are pretty tough.

[Green RT]

Most flats occur on the rear tire. The front wheel runs over a nail and flips it up. The rear tire hits it before it falls flat. At least that is my theory. I have had that happen at freeway speeds a couple of times. It is not too dramatic. The tire rapidly loses air. I was always able to get over to the right and stop without problems. Once I was in the left lane of a four lane freeway. I would guess a sudden loss of air pressure on the front tire might be more exciting, but I can't speak from experience.

[Stan Walker]

Life was much more exciting in the "good old days" when tube type tires would blow out then unseat themselves from the tire rim. If it was a back tire the rear end would swing back and forth about 3 feet at a frequency determined by your speed. I remember this happening going under LAX on Sepulveda Blvd back in the 60's. I remember yelling at my passenger that we were going down..down...down. We didn't, but it scared him so bad he never did ride a bike again at least not with me.

 

I never blew out a front tire, so I don't know what it feels like, but I suspect it feels like pavement on skin.

 

Modern tubless tires don't blow out often (but it has happened). And when they go flat the usually stay seated at the rim of the tire (bead area). Piece of cake. Sometimes you don't even know they are flat until you slow down.

 

Stan

[texasaggie97]

I have lost both front and a back tire. Both times I was really impressed how well I could still control the bike. The bike seemed to be leaning and I noticed it was handling sloppy. So I looked down to see the front tire flat and I knew to keep the throttle on and slow gradually and there was no problems.

Not to much to worry about.

[pokorskij]

Not exactly a blow out, but the front tire lost all air.

 

Year 1974, Bike 1974 BMW R90/6, Place Alpena, Michigan, first trip after purchase of bike. Went up North from Detroit for the weekend and stayed at my brother's over the weekend.

 

Got up on Sunday to leave, checked tires every thing OK. Left for home, wife on back, leaned over into the first right hand curve, 40 to 50 MPH, front tire pulls away from the rim and lost all air (tube was pinched when bike assembled).

 

Result, scared the out of us, but mananged to bring the bike out of the lean and curve without going down. Bike did a lot of swaying back and forth.

 

As I remember it.

 

And both tires and bikes are a lot different today then in 1974.

[Matts_12GS]

Life was much more exciting in the "good old days" when tube type tires would blow out then unseat themselves from the tire rim. If it was a back tire the rear end would swing back and forth about 3 feet at a frequency determined by your speed.

 

This happened to a friend of mine on a KLR. he was trying to get his feet down to help him get off of the tall, narrow bridge he was on and his foot got caught under a jesse bag and badly broken...

[Ken H.]

I had about two years ago a rear tire get sliced open by some unknown object at speed, and it went down pretty darn fast (the tire, not me), but I wouldn't consider it a violent 'blow out.' The bike just got real squirrelly real fast and I just pulled the clutch and coasted off. It was a bit of a pucker moment to be sure, but I never felt like I was about to be launched off or anything. Different circumstances might be different, liked leaned way over at speed, but I think if you keep your head on and don't grab a handful of breaks or do something stupid, it isn't a guaranteed crash or anything.

[Lynn]

I blew my front tire on a jagged pothole a couple of years ago at about 55 MPH or so. I stayed off the front brake and just steered it to the side.

 

It didn't get tremendously hairy until I had it at about 15 and the front wheel locked up completely. We later figured out that the rim was bent and didn't have enough momentum to push it past the ABS unit at that point. I just kept off the front brake and kept a firm eye on where I wanted to be (instead of where I was fearful I might be going). It was a bit of a pucker moment-but I was able to get it off the road and stopped-still upright.

[edge51]

My wife had a front tire blow on her HD Dyna WideGlide at about 75mph on the freeway outside Miles City, Montana. She is all of 5'2" and 105 lbs. She was able to get the bike off the road and stopped just fine. We had talked about what to expect and do - she executed it fine (no front brake - easy on the rear - slow turn off the highway - and be ready as you drop below 10 mph for the bike to want to toss you ).

 

Funny thing was there was a Highway Patrolman behind us. He stopped to help and walked up to my wife shaking his head. He said, "Do you know how many 6'3', 250 lb guys I have had hauled to the hospital cause they couldn't handle a blow out." It is not a bout strength, its about keeping your cool and making no sudden movements.

[AviP]

I have had 1 rear wheel blowout and 2 rear wheel flats. Blame the garbage on the Cross Bronx Expy and my lane splitting but that's another gripe.

 

In the case of the rear, the tire profile changes from curved to flat, similar to a car tire. So turning is much more difficult and you will know it right away. If you try to turn it fast to the shoulder you could easily be riding on a rim. The key is to back off the gas and steer steadily towards the shoulder. The bike feels wiggly but it's like going over the steel grates on a drawbridge or a scraped roadway prepared for resurfacing.

 

I have also stopped on the shoulder, checked the flat and then continued on for another 5 miles on a totally flat tire. It's no biggie.

 

I have no front wheel flat or blowout experience.