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Motorcycle Flat Tire Survival

Riders who have endured the experience say it…

• Felt like they were suddenly sliding on ice…

• Made steering as tough as driving in deep sand…

• Caused their motorcycle to drift across the road…

• Made them lose control when breaking…

The first time one of my motorcycle tires started to go flat, I was traveling at about 60 miles per hour. Suddenly, my bike became difficult to steer and began floating back and forth across the lane.

I managed to maneuver onto the shoulder of the road then coast to a stop.

Mine wasn't a catastrophic failure, like a blowout. But it was severe enough to deflate the tire completely within about one-eighth of a mile and make it really tough to control the motorcycle.

Do this first if you get a flat...

If your motorcycle suddenly starts moving erratically or becomes difficult to steer, one of your tires could be going flat.

• Get off the road and away from traffic as smoothly and quickly as possible. Your bike's handling can deteriorate rapidly when a tire loses pressure, so you might not have much time to reach a safe place.

• Avoid braking or downshifting abruptly while you guide your bike to safety. When you've slowed below 10-miles per hour and are certain which tire is deflating, you can apply your brakes lightly to the other wheel. If you're not sure which tire is causing trouble, just roll to a stop.

You can avoid some flats…

Sharp objects that puncture or cut tires can appear anywhere on the road. But they're particularly dense along the edges where nails, glass and other junk accumulates.

Unavoidable flats are part of riding. But you can take precautions to keep the odds in your favor.

• Check your tires before every ride to make sure you haven't picked up a nail or other sharp object.

• Regularly check your tire pressure and tread thickness. Low tire pressures cause early tread wear, which makes tires more susceptible to cuts and punctures than a thicker tread.

With regular checks, you can tell if you've got a slow leak -- possibly caused by a hard-to-see metal sliver or nail imbedded in your tire.

Be prepared to fix your flats…

You'll do yourself a huge favor by being prepared to plug tire punctures when they do happen. This is especially important if you're stuck where help is a long way off.

Always pack an easy-to-use tire repair kit and a compact air pump to help you get out of trouble. Just having this equipment tucked away on your bike -- and knowing how to use it -- will give peace of mind.

Of course some damaged tires are impossible or unsafe to repair, particularly when a sidewall is punctured. But if you're stranded or you just want to get going as quickly as possible, plugging your tire and pumping it up with your onboard repair kit and pump is the way to go.

For more information…

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