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2 nails in the rear tire ...

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
So yesterday the lovely Mrs_Bob and I were riding our motorcycles along the Lake Michigan lakeshore roads. There is a nice winding road (US12) that runs from Gary, IN to the Michigan state line. We were meeting some friends on the border.

On the way home, after a nice/early dinner my motorcycle was feeling a little squirrelly on the curves.

This morning I went into the dealership for a scheduled service and they found 2 nails and low air pressure in the rear tire. Very very slow leak. I probably picked up the nails on the trip up there. Lost just enough pressure to notice it on the way home.

New set of tires are ordered. :smileywac
 

Bannedjoe

Well-known member
They make little motorcycle tire repair kits now have plugs and operate off of CO2 type cartridges to fill the tire.
Unfortunately, if bike tires have tubes, plugs won't help.
One of my bikes is tubed, the other not.

I really should get one or two of those kits.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
They make little motorcycle tire repair kits now have plugs and operate off of CO2 type cartridges to fill the tire.
Unfortunately, if bike tires have tubes, plugs won't help.
One of my bikes is tubed, the other not.

I really should get one or two of those kits.

I have one of those kits + tubeless tires.

The nails are the tiny 18 gauge type from a power nailer. To thin to remove and ream out to install the plugs.

Dealer found 1 of them, when he was trying to show me the nail I pointed out the other one that he never saw. But the tires are about 1000 miles away from replacement anyway so I'm replacing them.

BTW, I presumed the handling problem I was having was caused by some uneven wear I have on my front tire. My wife's bike has the same type of uneven wear. The fronts have a dual compound construction and the softer side tread is wearing faster than the hard center section but it is also wearing unevenly and cupping. So when the motorcycle started handing a bit skittishly I presumed it was the front that was causing my issues.

Even the dealer, when I pulled into the lot this morning said he'd never seen that type of wear.

FWIW, the nails are still in the tire. Tires ordered. Bike is back home. He told me to air it up before riding back to the shop when the new tires arrive.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
FWIW, 2 full sets of Michelin Road 5 touring tires are now on order.

I pretty quickly narrowed my tire search down to Pirelli Angel GT 2 and Michelin Road 5 tires. Both are road touring tires. The bikes are considered "adventure touring" bikes and the design allows for some light off-roading. But we don't actually do that type of riding. Yes we have gravel and chip & seal roads around us but both tire choices will manage those. Not going to want to take either of these tires across a corn field.

After reading reviews, there were a few (small number) of complaints about the Angel GT 2 tire getting wobbly at highway speeds. The complaints about the Road 5 were limited to wear issues from people who take curves at very high speeds, they thought the tire should last longer.

The Road 5 is considered to be the best tire on the market for wet weather riding with traction during wet weather as its strongest point. Both the Angel GT 2 and the Road 5 are considered to have superior dry pavement traction.

So the Road 5 won my choice for traction in wet and lack of wobble at speed.

  • My front tire has very strange uneven wear.
  • My rear tire has 2 nail gun nails in the tread but probably has another 2000 miles of tread life.
  • Her front tire has very strange uneven wear, just like mine.
  • Her rear tire probably is good for another 2000+ miles.

So 3 of the 4 tires are due to be changed. I'm changing all 4 because they charge a flat rate to replace 2 tires that is lower than the rate they charge to just replace 1 individual. So labor will be lower to replace 4 now versus 3 now plus 1 later.

The odd wear on both of our front tires is probably related to 2 things. Dual compound rubber and heavy weights on the tires for extended time periods. The tires have softer sides for traction in the curves, that is a reasonably new-ish design, it works. But add loaded up bikes with luggage weight and then a 4000 mile trip and that is likely why the fronts wore out funny.
 

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FrancSevin

Proudly Deplorable
GOLD Site Supporter
Tire failure on a bike at speed can present a serious outcome. One cannot be too careful. Buy the best you can afford.

I haven't been on a bile since the eighties. I don't remember much in the way of tire issues compounds and such. Perhaps my memory is failing, but it seemed simpler back then.

But of course back then, in my youth, I was immortal.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
New tires arrived at the shop.

I'll be there at 9am tomorrow and should have them installed by 11am.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
At the shop at 9am. Out of the shop at 10:30 with 2 new tires installed and they also washed my motorcycle too.

First impressions of these tires, compared to the Bridgestone Battle Wings is WOW these grip the road.

The Bridgestone Battle Wings are an 80/20 tire for road and trail.
The Michelin Road 5 tires are a 100/0 tire for road.

So one would expect that the road grip should be better with the Road 5 tires. It is. Shockingly better.

I got the Battle Wings with the bike when I bought it new last year. Never really had any complaints about the tires. They just seemed to be OK. I've ridden in the rain and dry conditions and never really felt uncomfortable on the tires. They would grab the 'tar snakes' on a roadway but it was always manageable. Seemed to go through asphalt seams without much issue. Plenty of gravel roads and they were OK on gravel, felt it slip on gravel pretty regularly but never anything serious.

The Road 5 is just a very different tire. Much more confidence leaning farther over in the curves. I intentionally drove over some of the 'tar snakes' and had zero issue. Rode down a centerline seam and had no issue with it getting hung up on the seam. Now granted I've only had about 25 miles of experience so its way too early to pass judgement.

But first impressions are good!
 

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