In your message dated: Sun, 13 Jan 2002 21:54:27 +1100, The pithy ruminations from Rob Chapman on <Puncture> were: => There I was, cruising serenely and happily at 80 kph (50 mph) along a dirt => road (that's yellow-brown hard packed rocky earth surface liberally
Sounds like fun. => scattered with loose small stones), with wife on the back, keeping a wary => eye out for kangaroos...when suddenly the bike felt wallowy. Oh shxt..must Hmmm...kangaroos are not a road-hazard I've ever worried about. => be a puncture.............and it was! Undoubtedly a sharp little stone! => First one I've had on a bike for as long as I can remember. WHAT a PITA. => It's just about impossible to put it on the centre stand, without => assistance, and then what is one to do about it in the middle of the Aussie => bush? Fortunately we weren't too far from home (20 miles), and I was able I always carry several canisters of CO2 and a puncture kit with me. The kits sold with BMWs are nice and compact, but I'd add some more CO2. If you're doing a lot of traveling, I'd also add some more glue and a couple of more plug. Those items should also be replaced every few years. => to hitch a lift home, and to call the NRMA (our local breakdown service) => where I had recently taken out a $44.00 AUD subscription for the GTS. I => rang, gave details, and then drove back to my wife who was minding the bike. => The flat bed truck drove 50 miles to reach us and arrived shortly => afterwards, and the bike was driven up the slope on the truck with me beside => it slipping the clutch, and tied down. It's now in the garage waiting for => me to take the tyre off tomorrow to be fixed in town. => I was lucky! I dread to think what would have been the case at night, in => the rain and further from help. I guess it's just one of the elements that => makes motorcycling exciting! The best thing I can recommend is when you're about to put on new tires, you should _deliberately_ puncture your tire and practice fixing the flat. It's pretty easy, but practice always helps. I've found that it really does take more than the recommended 3 CO2 cartridges, whether because of a little leakage, because the first plug didn't seat well and you started over, or whatever. BTW, the roadside puncture kits are only good for damage to the center of the tire, not to the sidewall, and they are really only meant as temporary repairs (low speed, short distance) until you can get the tire replaced. Mark => Anyone got any puncture ideas?? => Regards, => Rob Chapman => => => --- => Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. => Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). => Version: 6.0.314 / Virus Database: 175 - Release Date: 11/01/02 =>
