I knew something was wrong when

[Slyder]

I went around a corner wholly sideways. First flat on the bike It only took 14 years, guess I can't complain too much. Luckily there was a hardware store a few miles away back in town.

Unfortunately T**** rd claimed another bike, the last left hander, as you head west is a decreasing radius turn and I saw gouges and red (not blood) in the road and glanced over to see an absolutely destroyed bike. It was blue, that's about all I can tell ya. As I was about to hammer brakes to turn around and look for a rider, I saw more people just up the road so I asked them and unfortunately it was one of them. Funny thing, well not really, when I stopped one asked "whats that hissing?"

I didn't ask the guy what happened, he looked pretty depressed...but I did ask if he was ok and gotta thumbs up.

If fellow NESRians don't carry plug kits, I suggest you do. My tire had a pinhole in it and I still road the bike a ways. They actually don't go so bad with 0 psi in the tire, rear at least. Just don't try to go around a corner fast.

Now should I start up the "replace it or plug it?" debate?
Well, damned if that brand new tire is getting replaced. I plugged it, topped it off with a fresh 36 pounds of high quality NY air and went back to T**** and dragged knees with it

ps....002's knock the piss out of 016's, for reference.

[Sportygurl131]

i got a flat on the way to the loudon races a few weeks ago... REPLACE IT... i dont trust a plug... or u could patch it from teh inside.. but why risk it!

[HIGHONSTRESS]

i like that you went back with the plugged tire thats pretty badass.

that sucks to hear about the bike down, at least the guy was alright.

i kinda like E.P. road better personally, i dont ride it as fast as T road but i have alot more fun.

[Danz19899]

Ahh T****** road is good but the elevation changes on E.P. Road make it more interesting less like a racetrack lol

[R1]

I rode with a plug in my tire for 3k+ miles... i got a flat 2nd week i had my R1, plugged it, then did the dumbest stuff i have ever done on 2 wheels for the rest of the season...

seriously, it wasnt until i got passed 150 indicated that i realized having a plugged tire aint all that scary. then i kept it til i needed to replace the tire...

and i did all this dumb stuff with minimal gear, typically riding in sneakers, a hoodie, mechanix gloves, and riding at night while on my permit....

Fuck the system! bahahahaha

*disclaimer*

I still sometimes ride in sneakers and a hoodie

[The Snowman]

Plug it, as long as it's one of those plugs that has the vulcanized patches from the inside.

[beet]

Plug it, your tire failed unplugged. Done 1000s of miles on plugged tires, even know guys who raced on plugged tires!

[DucDave]

Plug it, your tire failed unplugged. Done 1000s of miles on plugged tires, even know guys who raced on plugged tires!

[Chippertheripper]

i'm not the plumber, or the plumbers son, but ill plug your hole till the plumber comes.

[RandyO]

but why risk it!

what are you risking ?

fwiw, I've had more tire failures with unpluuged tires than I have with plugged tires, and I think that most people will tell you the same

[Doc]

I'll plug it if it is in the middle. On the sidewall I would be too nervous.

[Slyder]

The pin hole was just to the left of center, by the time I got 120-130 miles back home the plug was barely even visible but it didn't lose any pressure. I know a tubeless tire would be much better with a mushroom plug but I've never picked up a plug kit. I'm not going to worry about it much so long as it's holding air.

EP seemed a bit bumpier this year. Not big heaves but small ones, felt like washboards at times. Oh and I stuck a knee down a time or to on EP with the tire plugged

Good ride though minus the delay for repairs. No LEO activity on T**** rd but we were actually behaving pretty well. Key word being "we"...I did see some less than desirable activity over there. Not sure what was worse, the 4 people hauling (2 were 2 up) minus all gear except helmets, or the guy on the cruiser who looked to be out of control in most turns on EP

[darkduc7]

i was impressed how well that tire held up with pretty much zero air in it...it was interesting watching it flex in the corners and then almost "expand" or balloon when you got on the gas.

we behaved pretty well, but it was a great time. i can attest to the fact that you went back and flogged that tire directly after plugging it...and imho, that plug is good enough for much more abuse. ive had experience with plugged car tires and they held up for thousands of miles for what its worth. i mean, whats the worse that can happen, you lose air again? you could also just get a nail in your tire a mile down the road. ride it.

[Doc]

I have some news about a possible sanctioned event of T**** Rd. Stay tuned!

[darkduc7]

ive heard grumblings of this as well....

[Doc]

ive heard grumblings of this as well....

I think it is a cool idea but VERY difficult to organize. We shall see.

The important thing to note is that the town and PD are AWARE that the road is a destination and are not happy with some of the goings on.

[darkduc7]

I think it is a cool idea but VERY difficult to organize. We shall see.

The important thing to note is that the town and PD are AWARE that the road is a destination and are not happy with some of the goings on.

true. however the couple times ive been out there this year i havent seen one man in blue. crap, just jinxed myself. either weve been lucky, they've come to grips with the fact its going to be ridden regardeless, or its too early in the season for attention. im gonna guess weve gotten lucky

[Slyder]

It's early still...give them a few more weeks, though there was a good number of bikes in the area yesterday. I'm surprised no one called in that crash, of course I only noticed it when I saw the scrapes in the road. That corner is a sneaky one, you're leaned over and all of a sudden the road takes a 90 degree left on top of the left you're already making.

Sanctioned event...for some reason with the lack of runoff areas, I have a feeling it doesn't involve bouncing off of rev limiters and going from one side to the other the fastest. Especially with widow maker frost heaves here and there. I could be wrong though.

[Doc]

Sanctioned event...for some reason with the lack of runoff areas, I have a feeling it doesn't involve bouncing off of rev limiters and going from one side to the other the fastest. Especially with widow maker frost heaves here and there. I could be wrong though.

My thoughts exactly.

[TimmyB]

It's early still...give them a few more weeks, though there was a good number of bikes in the area yesterday. I'm surprised no one called in that crash, of course I only noticed it when I saw the scrapes in the road. That corner is a sneaky one, you're leaned over and all of a sudden the road takes a 90 degree left on top of the left you're already making.

Sanctioned event...for some reason with the lack of runoff areas, I have a feeling it doesn't involve bouncing off of rev limiters and going from one side to the other the fastest. Especially with widow maker frost heaves here and there. I could be wrong though.

I must have JUST missed you guys.

not to disagree with Everything you stated...what makes you think noone called it in? .I really don't think its that tricky of a corner with a later turn in and appropriate speed in the previous corner, it flows pretty well.

what's this "event?" i think this place is best enjoyed with a very small group while attracting as LITTLE attention as possible. even talking about accidents on the internet doesn't help...maybe its paranoia, but being a local, i'd hate to see this go bad.

[RandyO]

i was impressed how well that tire held up with pretty much zero air in it

one time several years ago, I hopped on my SV650, late for a business apointment 30 miles away, no sooner than I started on my way, I noticed it felt like it was handling funny, but I had no problem controling the bike, even at my faster than normal pace to make up for my late departure

30 miles later, I arrived at my destination, when I went to unstrap my tailpack, I could feel the heat rising from the rear tire, then I felt the rear tire and nearly burnt myself doing it, the rubber was hot and beginning to melt and flatter than a pancake

I stuck a plug in the tire pumped it up and put 9000 more miles on it

[Slyder]

I must have JUST missed you guys.

not to disagree with Everything you stated...what makes you think noone called it in?

First I have no idea about this event, first time I heard of it was this thread, guessing it's also the first you've heard of it.

I didn't see any officers around at all. I'd tend to think if that was reported we'd have had some company. And the fact that they had the bike hidden, kinda made me think they were trying to avoid attention