Picked up a key! :(

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I was about a mile from the house (on a straight, not riding thru corner crap)when I heard / felt this god aweful noise from the rear of the bike. I thought initially the rear wheel bearings let loose it was so loud...

I quickly pull over (might have been doing 25, just starting out) and get on the side walk. Fearing the worst, get the bike on the centerstand and check the rear tire...

I find, a friggin key imbedded in my PRll sticking out. The key was a little smaller than a house key. The tire had about 2200 miles on it (still new). S..t! Pull on it a little, of course, there's air coming out. Get it off the stand and gently get it back home.

Pull the key out, about a 3/4-1" slice inside one of the grooves, WAY too big to combo plug / patch..

Off to the shop, wheel in hand to get a new PRlll installed.... Got it back together, will be test riding later today...

BTW, not long ago, I cleaned/greased the rear caliper slides. The one was pretty gummed up so they got cleaned again with some fresh brake grease on the slides and in the rubber boots, much better...

 

[motojoe122]

A key!?!?!

Glad you were safe and got it fixed.

 

[Cloggy]

A key Pleased to hear you're OK Scott, I've had to replace 2 PR's because of nails in them, but never a key.

 

[Motogiro]

I hate wasting good tires.

Glad you're good to go Scott!

Hey! Maybe you can make a tire planter!!! :BLAA:

 

[2006_FZ6]

Glad you made it home safe!

Love the tire planters! :BLAA:

 

[yamihoe]

I hope they get locked out of whatever that key opens......:Flip:

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

My almost $200.00 key....

Test ride went fine.

BTW, not to start a tire thread, just did some reasearch on the PR2 vs PR3 on the Michelin site.

I already knew wet weather performance was better with the PR3 but also just found out their advertised to last 4% longer than the PR2 (not counting friggin keys...).

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

A key Pleased to hear you're OK Scott, I've had to replace 2 PR's because of nails in them, but never a key.

Last flat was a friggin staple, just made it thru...

 

[Red Wazp]

That looks like my key to the mail box on the corner...opps never mind - it wasn't me :spank:

 

[PhotoAl]

You have a lock on the most interesting flat!

As you know the front flips the nail or key up and gets it in just the right position to full imbed in the rear. Don't have to worry about that happening to my new CBR though. It has the crummy OEM Dunlap Qualifiers and can't wait to get them off on put some PR3's on it. Therefore all nails are moving out of my path... :-(

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

You have a lock on the most interesting flat!

As you know the front flips the nail or key up and gets it in just the right position to full imbed in the rear. Don't have to worry about that happening to my new CBR though. It has the crummy OEM Dunlap Qualifiers and can't wait to get them off on put some PR3's on it. Therefore all nails are moving out of my path... :-(

LOL and so true....

 

[FinalImpact]

That's bummer Scott - Glad the only damaged was your wallet. Kinda crazy all the miles you ride and a 2" wide strip of pavement is asking too much!

 

[Ssky0078]

Worst flat tire remains I've ever seen was what looked like an animal arm bone. If you think about it, the bone basically would work like a straw.

A key definitely wins for style points and that looks like my mail key as well. I'd go to the local PO box/UPS store and see if someone lost a key. :BLAA:

 

[Geoff]

$200 Key.... sheesh. Least you caught it early. Worst think I have hit so far is pointy rocks and nails.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

The worst part is the damaged tire had just over 1,600 miles on it, not even broken in yet.. The front PR2, (its in great shape, 9,000 miles) has been thru two rear tires, this is rear #3. My front "Fenda Extenda" doesn't reach down enough to help..

Now I'll combo / patch plug a MC tire in a minute, but this hole, by the time I got home, was an INCH ACROSS(25mm's), in one of the grooves just off center.. Way too big to chance IMO.

I have to figure, $200.00 is a lot cheaper than a tire failing at speed and potentially wrecking..

I get to test a PR3 now.

Got a nail in my old 2000 ZRX 1100, a staple in my old tubed, 2004 KLR 250, a staple in the FZ6 and then my infamous "key". All in the rear, the KLR was the only one I couldn't limp home and had to trailer. Guess I can't complain too much, that's since 1976, about 200,000 miles total between ALL previous bikes.. Just wish the FZ would stop playing "catch up" with the odd's of a rear flat..


(BTW, where you been Randy?)

 

[ChevyFazer]

That sucks! Especially on a new tire. Luckily all my moto flats have been towards the end of the tires life.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

That sucks! Especially on a new tire. Luckily all my moto flats have been towards the end of the tires life.

Maybe half of mine have been toward the end of their life too.

Seems the older the tire (and thinner) the more likely a flat (except for my FZ, the street cleaner!)....

 

[motojoe122]

I think I have the same luck as you, Scott. The night before the EPIC Nj ride, Phrank2k11 noticed I had 2 small nails in my back tire (2k miles on it). We checked the local Honda dealer but they were closed, so we headed back to my house, pulled the nails (looked more like a large roofing staple), and squeezed in a bottle of Slime. Its been 5k since then and holding strong:thumbup:

 

[psnbye]

Never seen a key flat, a few bolts, a couple nails. Normal junk on the roads, my last flat tire situation was while my bike was parked outside a bar in my home town, somebody thought since my bike was red I must be the guy that was uh, "hanging out" with his wife. Not me but the guy apparently had a red honda. So he tried toget some revenge. Both tires were slashed through the sidewalls. That was a pretty good walk to my parents house. Im just glad I dont drink when I ride, cause things usually get worse when alchohol is involved.

Glad you didnt get hurt!

 

[FinalImpact]

A little off topic - but it could have been worse!

Definitely throwing a wrench into the situation! :spank: From the Webs!