Ive been fortunate enough never to have had a tire blowout in my car, but if that ever did happen I would know what to expect and how to respond. Im new to riding and I am wondering how much more common are blowouts on bikes vs cars, and is there anything you can do to minimize injury if it does happen?

That kind of leads into another question I had...what is the safest way to dump a bike? I pray that I wont ever have to but the odds are im going to dump a bike sometime in my riding career. Id like to know what I can do to stay alive. Thanks in advance.

 

First off, did you not get my answer to the private message you sent? Let me know so I can resend. I would have to say the tires on bike are more susceptible to flat because they are softer. But at the same time, we know that and check our tires often. When was the last time you looked at the tires on your car/truck? I'm sure the crash test dummies here will have better tips, but all I can say is if the tire blows, use the break for the good tire and take a firm hold on the grips. I've only experienced a flat on the back tire and at slow speed. Slight steering will still cause the bike to jump a few inches from side to side quickly. As for a dumping a bike, through yourself under that baby and save it!!! Kidding. I can't, and don't even want to imagine doing it. I have a friend that was on a cruiser (Harley Road King) following a teen girl on a mobile phone. After riding side by side for about three miles and his loud as hell exhaust, see decided he wasn't there and wanted his lane. When she hit him, it scared her enough that she hit him again. He said all he could see at the time was the line of parked cars she was steering him into so he just fell back and to the right (away from her car). 3 weeks later he left the hospital still with a limp. Since he fell back and to the right, the asphalt and leather jacket he was wearing let him roll several times until he rested under a parked car. He feels that he would have been better off just relaxing, he kept trying to move his arms and legs out to stop from rolling. That's what messed up his knee. I don’t think any one story will help with this question, but we can all share and maybe learn a little from it.

 

I've asked this same question on another board and got some decent answers from people that race professionally...here's a link to what they wrote:

http://www.cbr600rr.com/forum/index....ic,7983.0.html

I've had a handful of tires go flat on me, but haven't had a "blow out" yet, the bike doesn't handle very well with a flat tire...just be mentally in tune with the bike

 

Definately check the tires before each ride, I always do. Try to stay away from tires that have been plugged, or if you run a flat, don't plug the tire.... trash it! I've got a couple buddies that like to run their tires down to almost nothing, then they call all of the local bike shops and they get a free tire (usually one that had been plugged). I highly suggest you don't do this.

 

I get tear offs and run with plugged tires cause I stunt.... And theres no reason for brand new tires.... BUT the only time that I get tear off's is when my shop is out of pilot powers !!! Our shop offers a Tire warranty, 500$ free rims and tires for 3 yrs... Cant beat it...

All I can say is if you go down, make sure your chasing the bike, and the BIKES not CHASING you.... You will stop, and the bike will finish you off... And go limp if you ever go down, not limp like a noodle, but dont fight what your body is doing or you could get worse.

 

I've had plugged tires up to high speeds many times, ran a plugged Dunlop rear tire damn near bald last year including a track weekend with no problems at all. I'm currently rolling on a plugged Pilot Power...I guess I'm just a risk taker.

The type of plug makes a huge difference too, you can't use those worm looking plugs they use on cages, go to a bike shop and make sure they use an umbrella plug. It has a rubber plug for the hole and and the umbrella part covers the area like a patch from the inside. It works very well!

Of course every flat is different and some tires I wouldn't plug for obvious reasons.

 

I just have a problem knowing that the tire that's keeping me on the road at 100+mph has lost some of it's original integrity. I'm sure plugging a tire works fine, most of the time. Blowouts are scary enough, I just think you're taking more of a chance. There's enough out there on the streets to send a biker flying... I'd hate to know that the reason I'm careening into a guard rail is because the plug I put in a tire gave out. I dunno, just my 2 pennies.

 

I agree

 

i'm on a rear plug right now...but it's the good one. Been on it for a while now, but i do think about it when i'm ridin. blowouts scare me, but there are worse things to worry about riding the streets of LA LA land. I am about to order me some new Pirelli Diablo Corsa's. Gotta try em, heard so many good things. I use the plug to convince my wife that it would be safer to have nice new tires that won't "blow out" and kill me...whatever works.

 

Yeah man... anythign to get past the wife. And those Corsa's, my buddy's runnin a pair right now and loves em.