| Author | Message | ||
     Mark_weiss |
What is it about the Uly? Just had my fifth puncture in 52k miles. Two Scorpions, Two 616s, and now a Roadsmart II. All were on-road punctures. Two were empty holes when I found them, the other three required the extraction of sharp metal objects (nails or screws). Prior to the Ulysses I averaged about one puncture every 80k miles. | ||
| Xbimmer |
I've heard that most rear punctures occur when the front tire kicks up a foreign object, maybe the underslung muffler is involved? I've also had more punctures on this bike, but I carry a Slime compressor and plug kit aboard, no worries. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I've certainly plugged enough flats on my ULY. Maybe it has more to do with more crap on the public roads than in the past. | ||
| Ourdee |
Middle of the lane, dirty pavement area in the intersections, and alleys in rental housing areas are the places I avoid. 30,000 flat free Uly miles here. I did pick up a 6" gutter spike with my XL500S. | ||
| Mark_weiss |
At first I thought that maybe it was due to tire width. With that though, cars would constantly suffer punctures. I've thought about the "kicked up" possibility too, but then why does this not happen with my other bike? Maybe the tread compounds on the Uly's tires are softer (even the Roadsmart II?) and are more likely to allow something to embed? | ||
| Tootal |
Do you ride the Uly more than your other bikes? Might just be the law of averages and your average mileage is higher!? I picked up a piece of flint and it cut a slice in a balding sync. That's when I learned how thin a sync was. No more flats after that, and no more syncs either! | ||
| Pontlee77 |
even a wood tooth pick can make a puncture. | ||
| Froggy |
I have several hundred thousand miles combined on all my Buells over the past 6 years, I got my first flat a few weeks ago, and I'm not even sure the cause, there is a hole but no object, so it may of been something I hit or a defective tire. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I think the frog just makes things up. Tourette syndrome of the imagination. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I wonder if one of those magnets hanging down under the bike would help? You know like the kind they hang under trucks? | ||
| Uly_man |
Its a combination of many things Mark and part of it is just bad luck. The thinner a tire gets the more likely you will get a puncture. One good tip is to try and not ride over "dirty" parts of the road or park in places that you could pick up crap. Like outside shops that construction Guys use. All sorts of crap, like nails and hard point screws, falls out of there trucks and get into your tires. I found out that one the hard way with the need to replace two brand new tires in just one week. Also do not take out anything big from the tire unless you have a place to repair or replace it. Most of the time it will get you home even if it needs a little air every now and then. Other wise it can go dead flat and you could be screwed. Again another hard learned lesson for me. | ||
| Uly_man |
As a case in point and found today, with luck, on the path, outside my house, I would normally use on my bike. Not the pick its just for scale. Left by some guys working next door.  Is it any wonder I get pissed at people. | ||
| Mark_weiss |
While I do ride the Uly more than my other street bikes, I ride the same weekly/monthly mileage as I have for decades. It's just the puncture frequency that seems to be out of control. For the most part, the areas in which I ride are already developed. About 50% highway, the rest on surface roads. So, little construction. Seems to be mostly random surface debris. Maybe bias ply tires are more puncture resistant. The Uly is my first road bike with radials. The Roadsmart II though, seemed a good bit heavier than Scorpions or D616s. | ||
| Al_lighton |
When I ran the Dunlop 616's, I (and others in our group) seemed to get a higher than normal amount of flats. I had one in the first week of ownership...but I've yet to get a flat on a Scorpion Sync. And I have way more miles on the syncs than I did on the 616. I did not like the 616 tire at all, but have no complaints with the syncs. Al | ||
| Uly_man |
"I ride the same weekly/monthly mileage as I have for decades. It's just the puncture frequency that seems to be out of control." I know what your saying Mark and it can sometimes feel like you or any other bike is just a magnet for them. I have had it myself. 10 years nothing and 3 in one month with 2 needed to be replaced and one was near brand new. That was VERY painful on the wallet. These tires are high speed rated and many times they can not be fixed nor would you want to if you valued your life. At least its not as bad as with some cars. I once knew a guy who needed two rears on his Porker Targa. Cost 700 UKP so about 1300 USD? Its not the bike just luck. It helps, even though I do not do it, to check your rubber once a week for things in the tire. Small things can work there way in over time and damage the tire. Screws are the worse thing as they rip the belt, leave a big hole and damage the belting. This one is the reason, most of the time, they will not repair it. | ||
| Mark_weiss |
In case anyone's counting. Another hole in the tire today. This time it was a wood screw. Right in the center of the tread. This is the shortest gap between punctures I've ever heard of. | ||
| Thejosh |
Haven't got one on the Uly yet, but my honda would get one at least once a month. Had to start carrying plugs with me.? | ||
| Mark_weiss |
Another today. This puncture was from a wire brad. No, I do not ride through or near construction. Just 10 miles (each way) of heavily traveled surface roads and urban freeway. | ||
| Red450 |
There is a huge apartment complex being built just south of my neighborhood. The gate was left open one Sunday and I almost rode back to check it out. However, this thread popped in my head and changed my mind. | ||
| Idaho_buelly |
09x never had a flat ever! 30,000 miles now.  Just lucky I guess. None on any of my 4 road bikes either,don't think it's a Uly thing. |
