On my way to work the other day. Lotsa cops around so I was takin' it easy, keepin' it between 85 and 90. Weather here has been beyootiful lately so there was plenty to keep my mind occupied. (The worst hour of riding is better than the best hour of work, eh?!
)
Anyhoo, the front started to feel a little less "free" and over about mile of highway, it was apparent that SOMEthing was effed up with the bike.
By the time I actually pulled off to the side of the freeway, the bike was nearly non-responsive. It was apparent that it was the front tire. As I got off and looked at the tire, the last of the air finally escaped.
A guy on a BMW 1200S (or something like that) stopped and offered the use of his patch kit. Nice guy, too. For about 10,000 minutes, we searched that tire, rolling the bike back and forth.
No little hole. No big hole.
It was the valve stem. Somehow, that valve stem had developed a little crack in it and chose that moment on the freeway to finally let go.
I'm damn lucky it went out very slowly. Beemer guy said, "Sorry, I don't have anything that'll help that!"
"Not a problem," I said. "Thanks for stopping and offering to help."
(I should note that SEVERAL beemer guys rode past and offered to stop but NOT ONE other biker made an offer to stop the whole two and a half hours I was there by the road! Nice guys, those beemer dudes.)
After hangin' by the side of the road for two and a half hours, as I mentioned, my wife showed up with her truck, MrGxr, and the trailer of a friend.
Thanks, Honey sugar schnookums!!! Thanks, MrGxr!!!
--Wag--
P.S. Whenever you get your tires changed at a shop, MAKE SURE you tell them to change out the valve stem as well. I discovered that they may not necessarily automatically include it as part of the service. Fer cryin' out loud, it's only another $3.00!!
--Wag--
Anyhoo, the front started to feel a little less "free" and over about mile of highway, it was apparent that SOMEthing was effed up with the bike.
By the time I actually pulled off to the side of the freeway, the bike was nearly non-responsive. It was apparent that it was the front tire. As I got off and looked at the tire, the last of the air finally escaped.
A guy on a BMW 1200S (or something like that) stopped and offered the use of his patch kit. Nice guy, too. For about 10,000 minutes, we searched that tire, rolling the bike back and forth.
No little hole. No big hole.
It was the valve stem. Somehow, that valve stem had developed a little crack in it and chose that moment on the freeway to finally let go.
I'm damn lucky it went out very slowly. Beemer guy said, "Sorry, I don't have anything that'll help that!"
"Not a problem," I said. "Thanks for stopping and offering to help."
(I should note that SEVERAL beemer guys rode past and offered to stop but NOT ONE other biker made an offer to stop the whole two and a half hours I was there by the road! Nice guys, those beemer dudes.)
After hangin' by the side of the road for two and a half hours, as I mentioned, my wife showed up with her truck, MrGxr, and the trailer of a friend.
Thanks, Honey sugar schnookums!!! Thanks, MrGxr!!!
--Wag--
P.S. Whenever you get your tires changed at a shop, MAKE SURE you tell them to change out the valve stem as well. I discovered that they may not necessarily automatically include it as part of the service. Fer cryin' out loud, it's only another $3.00!!
--Wag--
