First Flat Tire

[jestercinti]

I'm surprised I lasted this long before getting my first flat tire.  Been riding since 2000, and logged 40,000 miles on many bikes.

Had a meeting after work.  Decided to take local roads, not the Interstate.  In the middle of a bad neighborhood (Murphy's Law of course), I notice the engine is working very hard and almost stalling starting from a stoplight.  Then I notice the dreaded wobble wobble wobble...Stop in a parking lot to see 1, maybe 2 nails in the tire 

Luckily, my dealer was across the street from the meeting I had to go to.  One of the rare times I'll take it there.  I normally work on my own bike, but when it comes to tires, I know when to let someone else do it.  Also, too far from home, so I was stuck.

[FredSled]

Bummer. Changing tires is a piece of cake. Do it two or three times and it's like second nature! I changed tires on my van.. by hand! lol.

[mister]

I changed tires on my van.. by hand!

What's that... you grip the wheel nuts and turn the loose without any tools, just by using your fingers? Then, holding the car up with one hand you remove the wheel with the free hand and slide the spare on?

Yup. I believe that 

Michael

[FredSled]

I changed tires on my van.. by hand!

What's that... you grip the wheel nuts and turn the loose without any tools, just by using your fingers? Then, holding the car up with one hand you remove the wheel with the free hand and slide the spare on?

Yup. I believe that 

Michael

By hand, meaning not using a tire changer. Changed tires, as in took old tires off the rims using hammer and stomping feet to break the bead and homemade tire irons (big flat screw drivers), to get the tires off the rims. Then put new tires on the rims, using same homemade tire irons (big flat screw drivers) and used starter fluid and candle lighter to seat the beads. The point was, changing tires yourself on a motorcycle is easy once you do it a few times and it's a big money saver as taking it to a shop will usually cost you $100 or thereabouts. Not sure why you copped an attitude, but it's all good.

[jestercinti]

Fred, I think the intent of Mister was not to cop an attitude.  Just confused by your wording, that's all.  Besides, we joke and kid most of the time around here.  We're friendly folk (except when we're not) 

[gsatterw]

definitely a joke.

[jestercinti]

Update:  BT-45 OEM tire was not in stock at Cycle Specialties' supplier, so I decided on the equivalent Dunlop option.  Wrote down the model, but it is at the office.

I know now what people are talking about regarding labor costs since the tire was on the bike when I dropped it off.  Since hind sight is 20-20,  of course am making a stop at Iron Pony in Columbus that has a HUGE tire selection and mounts/balances tires while you wait for very resonable (off bike of course).

Meh, these things happen and like Adidas says...sometimes you have to throw the local friendly dealer a bone, otherwise they will be history like many Suzuki dealers around here.

[Janx101]

I changed tires on my van.. by hand!

What's that... you grip the wheel nuts and turn the loose without any tools, just by using your fingers? Then, holding the car up with one hand you remove the wheel with the free hand and slide the spare on?

Yup. I believe that   

Michael

yeah its all context eh... i read it as a joke.... though being actually able to do that a'la superman or hancock etc would be tres' cool too!

and see... i added a wink in the quote.. much friendlier 

[mister]

Yes, all in humor. Don't mind us Aussies. We joke a Lot. People get upset. Oh well, harden the fuk up we say - and we say that a Lot down here. That's why we are all so hardcore. We snort cement powder in the morning and have it in our coffee instead of milk. We need to be what with all the deadly critters that roam suburbia. Deadliest snakes, spiders, octopus, we got yowies and drop bears and baby eating dingoes. Yup, hardcore city down here. 

Michael

[jdoorn14]

we got yowies and drop bears and baby eating dingoes.

WTH are yowies and drop bears?   

I read that they recently determined that a dingo did, in fact, take her baby.

[Janx101]

  .. i don't actuually know that mister should have mentioned them  ... the guv'mint has recently put a hush order on the subject to the tourism advert people ... and a cull program may be re-instated in the more popular camping areas to lower the numbers.

they kinda aint meant to be publicized right now.... 

personally i've never had a drama with either... its a bit like grizzlys i think... you keep your area tidy and keep an eye out for signs they could be around and its cool... i always camp with a shotgun and AAA shot handy in the car just in case though. safety does pay off eventually. 

[mister]

we got yowies and drop bears and baby eating dingoes.

WTH are yowies and drop bears?   

I read that they recently determined that a dingo did, in fact, take her baby.

Drop bears are kinda like Koala Bears but not.

You see, a Koala sits all day in trees eating leaves. Vegetarians.

Drop Bears use the trees as launching pads to Drop upon their prey. Carnivores - Very sharp teeth, strong jaws, sharp thick claws. It is for this very reason all Aussie campers know NOT to EVER pitch a tent under a tree. Plenty a camper has been awoken in the night when a Drop Bear is landed on their nylon tent, ripped through it and started attacking. Did I mention they are vicious and know no fear? And they don't care how big you are. Rabbits will be attacked as readily as a cow who may stray under a tree for some shelter.

Yowies. Yeah, well, let me say you do NOT want to meet those fukkers in the bush. When you're in the bush and you feel like you're being watched, you are, by a yowie usually. It's almost like they send out a vibe or something that makes you feel uneasy cause you are in their territory. Like all animals they won't attack unless there is no option. But like a gorilla going off, you don't really want to be hanging around when they are Threatening you to leave, get it. In the Aust military we call the Gillie suits "Yowie Suits" cause of the kinda of resemblance to a Yowie. A Yowie is somewhat similar to a bigfoot - but - they are small to normal man size and proportioned though with longer arms and covered in long hair. They usually bolt when they are seen, but have been known to Attack in gorilla fashion as well as rip tree branches down and hurl them showing their strength. When camping at night in the Aussie bush you often hear them calling out in the night.

As Janx said, camping with a shotgun is the preferred method. Although I usually carry BBs or Buckshot (nine pellets per load)

One night, we (five of us) were camping and we had a fire ring going (ring of stones with our fire in it). And we could hear the yowies (more than one) in the bush around us in the distance. But we figured we'd be ok what with the fire and that they'd been watching us since we arrived three days earlier. They'd krept into the camp a couple times at night and unzipped tents to drag stuff out while we slept. But generally they are curious like this and when we are so many. So imagine our surprise this night when one came SCREAMING out of the bush, ran right through the fire, to one of the tents and shredded it, then paused at the edge of the clearing and edge of the fire's light before hurling some dead tree branches at us and screaming at us again before lobbing off into the darkness. Fuk me, adrenalin never flowed so hard and we didn't sleep the rest of the night I can tell you.

But Drop bears... those are the real fukkers you gotta watch out for. Even in the day while bush walking they could drop on you.

Michael

[codajastal]

Best read I've had in ages Michael

Sent from my HTC while taking a dump

[Janx101]

point of order michael ... bb's/buckshot same/same, colloquially anyway ... the 9 pellets per ounce are SG .. then its 18 pellets per ounce is SSG .................then AAA which is 35 pellets per ounce .. then bb which is 70 pellets ...

i use AAA in the shotty for a reasonable pattern versus size for my potential target in this case... for PIG huntin i always used SSG as opposed to SG ... less 'holes' for the piggy wiggy to run through .. but closer range too..

i dont want to have the AAA cause too much other damage really.. and out at longer range (40-50 yards) i reckon theres a chance of a few pellets causing a sting and deterring the bastards ... if that dont work then 35 pellets at 10 yards would probably save the situ. 

[codajastal]

[yamahonkawazuki]

point of order michael ... bb's/buckshot same/same, colloquially anyway ... the 9 pellets per ounce are SG .. then its 18 pellets per ounce is SSG .................then AAA which is 35 pellets per ounce .. then bb which is 70 pellets ...

i use AAA in the shotty for a reasonable pattern versus size for my potential target in this case... for PIG huntin i always used SSG as opposed to SG ... less 'holes' for the piggy wiggy to run through .. but closer range too..

i dont want to have the AAA cause too much other damage really.. and out at longer range (40-50 yards) i reckon theres a chance of a few pellets causing a sting and deterring the bastards ... if that dont work then 35 pellets at 10 yards would probably save the situ. 

also 00 buck. slugs etc. not worried about drop bears or yowies etc. more worried about them damned anklebiter microdogs. one of them fuckers got me last week, and i aint happy

[mitch79]

Drop Bears. Be afraid, be very afraid...

[Janx101]

Awesome  from flat tyres to that trophy drop bear that hunter got last year I think? ... In only 17 posts ... Now that gonna annoy me though... Kevin? Or kenneth? ... Anyway Mr Smyth (cos he was too bloody posh to be a normal smith I guess) ... Did a bloody good job of posing the nasty bastard bear for the photo too ... I wouldn't have gone to that trouble ... Stinkin little buggers they are .. Worse than a mangey fox really! 

[codajastal]

Awesome  from flat tyres to that trophy drop bear that hunter got last year I think? ... In only 17 posts ... Now that gonna annoy me though... Kevin? Or kenneth? ... Anyway Mr Smyth (cos he was too bloody posh to be a normal smith I guess) ... Did a bloody good job of posing the nasty bastard bear for the photo too ... I wouldn't have gone to that trouble ... Stinkin little buggers they are .. Worse than a mangey fox really! 

[jdoorn14]

I heard you could put some Vegemite (or toothpaste if you just ate the last of the Vegemite) behind your ears as a drop bear deterrent. True?