What's your scariest moment on a bike | GTAMotorcycle.com

What's your scariest moment on a bike

spray____

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Mine was Sunday night.

Was up north this weekend and didn't head south again until after dinner time. Traffic is always moving pretty good then, and I was keeping up with everyone in the left lane. I rode around with a buddy earlier in the day and my bike felt great. Then, just as I was coming out of a gentle right hander, I suddenly felt like the rear end wasn't tracking properly. I cut the end of the corner a bit, and stood it up. I played with the bars a little bit to see if I could feel anything and the back end was all over the place. I knew something was really wrong, so I pulled in the clutch, tapped my front brake to flash the people behind me, and headed for the left shoulder. Thats when things got really scary.

It felt like using even gentle front brake was throwing the back end out to either side. I had to shift my body weight to gently steer, touching the bars only changed which side the back end swung to. At one point it went so far out to the left, I knew if it didn't come back right away I was going to get chucked off. To my right was 2 active lanes of traffic, and to my left was a rumble stip, about 6 feet of pavement, then a row of reflective sign posts and deep sand. It felt like forever, but I managed to keep it on the shoulder and eventually it stopped. Thank god I was out of the corner and on a straight stretch, because I was going straight whether I liked it or not. I jumped on the back and this is what I found.

blown_tire_1.jpg

blown_tire_2.jpg


I spent the next 2 hours on the side of the road, waiting for my wife with her CAA card and a tow truck to show up. It gave me lots of time to think about how much worse this could have been, and all the corners I went through over the weekend where this would have led to an ambulance.

Both tires are new last September. They have probably about 2000km on them and are well under 5 years since manufacturing date. I've been checking the pressure regularly, most recently on Friday right before I left. Nothing on my bike seems like it could have caused any damage to them. It seems to me like a warranty issue, and everyone I've spoken with so far seems to agree. I got in touch with Michelin today and we'll see what they say.
 
Now that's impressive!
 
holy carp

Are you running the stock tire size? I had something similar happen to my front tire, but I caught it before it completely split open. Turned out my tire was too tall and was rubbing against the fender in corners.
 
I can't believe you didn't put it down. We'll done and on the bright side you lived to tell the story. By the looks of that tire it could have ended much worse.
 
holy carp

Are you running the stock tire size? I had something similar happen to my front tire, but I caught it before it completely split open. Turned out my tire was too tall and was rubbing against the fender in corners.
Yep totally stock. When I got a chance to look I tried to see if anything could have been rubbing in it, but there is nothing there. My license plate is bent now, but that's certainly from pieces flying off and smashing into it.
 
I can't believe you didn't put it down. We'll done and on the bright side you lived to tell the story. By the looks of that tire it could have ended much worse.
Thanks, me either. It is a bit of a confidence boost that when something like this happens, my reflexes are capable of handling it. I'm by no means a pro, but i must be doing alright.
 
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good job keeping the bike upright. I wouldnt hand that tire over to anyone so easily , certainly not to Michelin if there is no sign of puncture.
BB
 
I have NEVER heard of or seen this happen to a bike tire! Hell Ive rarely ever seen this happen to a car tire!
 
I hit a big snapping turtle at 90kph,about midnite on a 1979 Honda XL250S.Poo came out.
 
DAMN! Nice save. Let us know what Michelin say.
 
Nowhere special. I just use a bicycle pump and a pressure gauge.

I have done that to a Bridgestone tire before by overinflating it. I think the air expanded in the hot sun and tore my binding, which eventually led the tire to fail. Mine tore out from the top of the side wall (where the tread starts at the side). Yours is odd however, since it tore right through the meatiest part of the tire. You need to send that to Michelin and get them to have a look at it. I don't think I would want those tires again.
 

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