new bike, flat tire, again

[thruxiegirl]

My 07 Thruxton had a flat rear tire with 40 miles on it. Now the new Bonnie is hissing like a cobra and not holding any air. The other day I was riding with a buddy that had around 500 miles on his Scrambler when his rear went flat. Boo! I know these things happen. Even though we don't think we deserve problems when we have the shiny new bike. I read on other forums about a lot of 06-07 models having flat rear tires. The mechanic mentioned they had replaced the tubes on four new bonnies.

Has anyone replaced the valve stem? I' m on my way to get a new valve, cheaper than a tow truck. The air is leaking out the end of the stem, not around it. No problems anywhere else, and leaking too fast to pump up and ride to dealership. I was told I am capable of doing this myself and will not have to remove the tire. Any tricks, suggestions or encouragment will be more than welcome. Thanks
Charlene

 

[KingBear]

Make sure the valve is seated tightly. I was losing air from mine and it turned out all it needed was a few twists of the valve to stop the leak.

 

[CAPTDON]

Flat Tires

Really suck!! Had one on my Bonne w/ 100 mi on it!! A drywall screw! I find the girl loses 4 lbs/ mo no matter! Watch the drive in garage land now & do a walk for erranrt screws & nails! Keep a can of goop flat fix whatever on board. Will get ya home or to a shop! W/ tiube tires- the shit cant harm your rims like tubless tires! Had a Jeep & MANY flats! Used the goop many times. It made a mess of the inside of the rim- corrosive & sticky!! The tube which you will throw away on a flat will hold all the sticky shit so all is well- except the cost of labor & the $14 for the new tube. The valve stems didnt seem to make a difference on the 4lbs/ mo? Its just atrician>? All in all - Flats SUCK!!!!

 

[mrt202]

If the valve core has managed to disappear(the piece that screws into the valve stem), just hit any autozone etc. and buy a valve stem and take the core out of it to put back in yours. Even the numbnuts at autozone should be able to help you figure out how to do that. Good luck gettin 'er back on the road.

 

[Nodster]

Unlucky Charlene and Captdon,

What's all this about low mileage punctures??

Beaming from ear to ear after clocking my first 100 miles and was locking the bike up and noticed a fuggin 1" torx screw worming a few mill's into the rear loop! Wouldn't mind, but torx screws are as rare a rocking horse poo in the banana republic!

 

[Kirkus51]

++1 on the tool Kingbear is showing. there's a kit avaiable at any auto parts store. I just used the tool to screw my core back in. No problems since.

 

[thruxiegirl]

Where you get that tool KingBear? I borrowed a tool from the dealer, it isn't that fancy.

Well I had a different mental picture of the valve. I was shocked how little the thing is. Ha, Ha! Pun!

It was only lose. Whew, I got lucky! Happy Ending

 

[Jimi X]

Metal valve caps usually have the tool for tightening and removing the valve on the top of the cap. These caps have a rubber seat inside so when they are tightened they will hold air even if the valve leaks a bit.

 

[thruxiegirl]

You rock Jimi! I'll get some of those

 

[KingBear]

Yup, even my plastic caps have the little notches and I occasionally tighten the valves down when I've topped off the air. Or you can get a fancy tool like the one above at any auto parts store for two bucks or so.

 

[CAPTDON]

Murphys Law

It seems so many new bike owners get a flat in the 1st 1000 mi? I never had one again!! WHOOPS Murphys law again? Bummer is I rejected R side asst on the ins! It turned out it was $8/yr. Oh well- live & learn. The ordeal woulda cost w- $14. Cost w/o R side- $145!!! Never again!!

 

[Baltobonneville]

I had a flat at about 100 miles too, not a good situation, because I wasn't used to the feel of it yet.

 

[uzidzit]

a few notes

always use metal valve caps with an o ring with tubes.

be careful when buying schreader valves, there are two different lenghts, and several spring pressures avail. always get the highest spring pressure you can get, usually they have a red seating surface.

never reuse a tube, replace it when changing a tire.

always patch the inside of a tire after a puncture and install a new tube. there are wires around the hole that will make pin holes in the new tube when it buldges into the puncture hole that is left behind ( ask me how I know this)if it has steel in it, if it doesn't it still wears a hole in the tube where it buldges into the hole!

dont patch a tire more than twice.

replace rim tapes as well at the tire changes.

the newer the tire the more likely to pick up a screw.

its always the rear, (almost)