3 Flat Tyres In 6 Weeks On The Bike.

[G54]

OK, in the last 6 weeks the Fino has been taken to the shop to have 3 flat tyres repaired.

Each time there has been a split in the inner tube alongside the valve. All the splits have been on the top part of the tube by the valve seat, not underneath as a 'puncture' might be. All 3 on the rear tyre. New tubes inserted each time.

Any ideas why? I could understand the odd one but for 3 the same seems a bit odd. Defective tubes?

[sapi]

did you use the same shop for all 3 ?? if yes, the shop is to blame.

did the shop that you use check the rim before installing the new one? perhaps sharp object inside or bad rust.

did they inflate the tyre according to recommended pressure?

did they use the correct inner tube??

did the shop use new tube? sometime they use the old one for profit purpose when the owner not looking.

alot of possibilities to look at.

next time you change your tyre, use the yamaha dealer shop, ask for original inner tube. Check the outer tyre for nail, or other sharp object. Check the rim TOGETHER with them.

Cheers.

[Pitbullman1]

This appears to be a common fault with the Fino's, why ? I don't know, but my friend who owns a motorcycle shop has had to stock up on inner tubes for Fino's. He say's that as many as ten or more per day will come to his shop to have a patch put on their punctured inner tube, but once the tyre is off, he has then to insert a new inner tube which makes his customers angry, but he always shows them the evidence and asks what does he want him to do, fit a new inner tube or not?

I would suggest taking your Fino to a Yamaha dealer and trying a new inner tube bought from them, it may work and is certainly worth a try!

[Rimmer]

It's under inflation of the tube, the tube 'creeps' round the rim tearing the valve out. We used to have this all the time with my wife's, Nouvo until I started putting 45psi in it and checking every week.

I used to own 5 mountain bike shops in Singapore and this was always a common problem with a lot of riders until they learnt the hard way to over inflate the tires.

[G54]

Brilliant. Good to hear these replies. Now I have a lot better idea what is going on.

Regards the checking of the rim and tube and tyre for faults, yes I use the same shop (long way to go otherwise and awkward), yes he checked the rim, the tyre for foreign object and use a new inner tube each time (watched him take it out of the packaging).

Seems then I need to do a couple of things. Go to the Yamaha shop and get a good quality tube and also keep an eye on the pressures as well as get them to check the rim.

Appreciated because it is not so much the expense at 120 Baht a go but having to get the bike to the shop each time.

[12DrinkMore]

It's under inflation of the tube, the tube 'creeps' round the rim tearing the valve out. We used to have this all the time with my wife's, Nouvo until I started putting 45psi in it and checking every week.

Yep, totally agree.

Buy a decent pump from a mountain bike shop maybe 300-800 Baht, a pressure gauge for a couple of hundred Baht and check the pressure regularly.

Keep yourself fit as well with the pumping.....

[Zzinged]

Don't skimp on the tyre pressure gauge. An good calibrated one is something you can keep with you for yeeeeears.

[G54]

It's under inflation of the tube, the tube 'creeps' round the rim tearing the valve out. We used to have this all the time with my wife's, Nouvo until I started putting 45psi in it and checking every week.

Yep, totally agree.

Buy a decent pump from a mountain bike shop maybe 300-800 Baht, a pressure gauge for a couple of hundred Baht and check the pressure regularly.

Keep yourself fit as well with the pumping.....

Good point. I'll get that sorted.

Apart from beer it must be what the right arm is for

Seriously. Thanks for all the input. Good to have people who know about these things.

[Pitbullman1]

Dear G54,

As I suspected, it is always best to buy a new inner tube from a recognised Yamaha dealer rather than a backstreet cheap motorcycle shop which selles the cheap in-superior inner tubes, my friend now tells me that Thais don't want to pay the high prices for top quality items even though inner tubes and tyres are one of the most important factors of road safety. Becareful to always have the correct amount of presure in your tyres, too much air pressure means that it will quickly wear the centre of the tread of your tyre very quickly. Too little air pressure will result in the outter edges of your tyre wearing quickly, and will also cause the tyre walls to crack and split. This will also effect the bikes stability when riding it.

Edited September 15, 2009 by Pitbullman1

[PeaceBlondie]

We don't have these problems; haven't for many years. Alloy 'mag' wheels, tubeless tires.

[submaniac]

would add on to what Peaceblondie said. If it has an innertube, I assume that it has spoke wheels. And yes they are more likely to go flat than the alloy tubeless.

However I must add that the replies to this question are great. Rimmer's idea of under inflation is brilliant, and I never thought of that. And it is a good idea to buy a good tire pressure gauge. It is refreshing to see actual helpful advice on TV rather than the ever so plentiful "you suck" responses.

[sapi]

the other response remind me when i still have my suzuki crystall, old bike 20 yrs old but run great. exactly the same thing happen, 2-3 tyres a month.

i kinda have the idea that at first the hole start small and then when you push the bike with no air in the tyre to the shop, the hole got bigger or a new hole appear. correct me if i'm wrong.

do fino have tubeless set available?? i remember i saw it near my house, little bit costly but mush cheaper in the long run.

[imaneggspurt]

Yamaha dont make inner tubes,.and in those scooter sizes i doubt you will find heavy duty tubes, so as a precaution take the tyre off, run your hands and eyes around the inside of the tyre ( carefully ),you may well have a nail or other sharp object as the repeat offender, also for spoked wheels wrap duct tape around the wheel about 6 times,,that will prevent the nipples touching the tube,make sure the tyre is the correct size,,then reinstall, pump the tyre up to 45 pounds, leave it for 5 mins and check pressure again, or better still put it in a tub of water and look for bubbles,.as for a tyre creeping or moving on the rim thats very unlikely unless you run low pressures,.ive mended approx 200 punctures in my 45 years as a motorcyclist and competition off road rider,so i have a little knowledge,.for off road bikes you can buy tubes up to 5mm thick !,.and still get a punctures !,.what id sugest with these smaller bikes is fit mags and use tubeless tyres, car makers use tubeless wheels for a reason, and its not cost,its safety .tubes are old fashioned, are prone to punctures,and will deflate quickly ,happy riding !,.

[PeaceBlondie]

One flat tire in six years and 64,000 km (mag wheels, tubeless; CBR150). I ran over a nail; slow leak (I'd been running 130 kph). Rode several km into nearest town and dealer. He took it to car tire repair shop for a proper plug. Good for 2,000 km until I had new tire.

[Netfan]

Don't skimp on the tyre pressure gauge. An good calibrated one is something you can keep with you for yeeeeears.

Where can you buy one in BKK? I've looked all over, I see the 99 baht ones, but anywhere you might think the good ones would be, like Cockpit, it's always "no have".

[G54]

Yamaha dont make inner tubes,.and in those scooter sizes i doubt you will find heavy duty tubes, so as a precaution take the tyre off, run your hands and eyes around the inside of the tyre ( carefully ),you may well have a nail or other sharp object as the repeat offender, also for spoked wheels wrap duct tape around the wheel about 6 times,,that will prevent the nipples touching the tube,make sure the tyre is the correct size,,then reinstall, pump the tyre up to 45 pounds, leave it for 5 mins and check pressure again, or better still put it in a tub of water and look for bubbles,.as for a tyre creeping or moving on the rim thats very unlikely unless you run low pressures,.ive mended approx 200 punctures in my 45 years as a motorcyclist and competition off road rider,so i have a little knowledge,.for off road bikes you can buy tubes up to 5mm thick !,.and still get a punctures !,.what id sugest with these smaller bikes is fit mags and use tubeless tyres, car makers use tubeless wheels for a reason, and its not cost,its safety .tubes are old fashioned, are prone to punctures,and will deflate quickly ,happy riding !,.

Thanks for the input.

The front was tubeless but not the rear - at least not when I got the bike - 1 year old when I got it.

The reason for the flats is not punctures but the tube tearing by the valve seat. So for now I'll be trying the tyre pressures. Maybe later put a bigger rim on it.

The rim and tyre have been checked but no foreign objects.

The roads are never perfect here and I feel that the bad roads (and you can never always miss every hole in the road) in conjunction with the 'creeping' of the tube might add to making the tear near the valve. I'll see over the next weeks and - hopefully - months and see what happens, with the extra tyre pressure.

[MaiChai]

Sometimes the spokes arn't filed down enough and they puncture the inner tube. Most likely you will see this on Mios/Finos where the wheels have been changed for larger rims and the spokes used are too long and they have not been filed down properly Thus worth checking this and also that there is something preventing the spokes from getting to the inner tube (typically tape, or if that has worn away or missing a strip of inner tube wound round the rim and glued). Could also be that the Yamaha supplied wheels have too long spokes (eg slipping past QA).

[Pitbullman1]

Yamaha dont make inner tubes,.and in those scooter sizes i doubt you will find heavy duty tubes, so as a precaution take the tyre off, run your hands and eyes around the inside of the tyre ( carefully ),you may well have a nail or other sharp object as the repeat offender, also for spoked wheels wrap duct tape around the wheel about 6 times,,that will prevent the nipples touching the tube,make sure the tyre is the correct size,,then reinstall, pump the tyre up to 45 pounds, leave it for 5 mins and check pressure again, or better still put it in a tub of water and look for bubbles,.as for a tyre creeping or moving on the rim thats very unlikely unless you run low pressures,.ive mended approx 200 punctures in my 45 years as a motorcyclist and competition off road rider,so i have a little knowledge,.for off road bikes you can buy tubes up to 5mm thick !,.and still get a punctures !,.what id sugest with these smaller bikes is fit mags and use tubeless tyres, car makers use tubeless wheels for a reason, and its not cost,its safety .tubes are old fashioned, are prone to punctures,and will deflate quickly ,happy riding !,.

I'm sorry to inform you on your knowledge of less superior inner tubes. You can buy better inner tubes. Look at a car's battery out here, you're lucky to get 3 years from one. In the UK you can expect a car battery to last at least 5-6 years. Out here you get what you pay for. In my two and half years of owning a Yamaha Mio I have only ever had two punctures, and they were in the front wheel caused by a sharp object puncturing the tyre and inner tube, no less than nails left on the ground. I always stick to the recomendations of tyre pressures advised in the bike's handbook and never have a problem. I too have been riding motorcycle for some 48 years now.

[jb5music]

Who cares about 5 year batteries verses 3 year batteries. torque converters wear out sooner than that.

Riding a torque converter is like riding a ten speed bike in 1st gear everywhere.

It's a scam - the engine always spinning way too high rpm and the motors are

long stroke. 3 times as much volume of air passes from the air-cleaner to the end of

the exhaust pipe to go the same distance. Likewise in 50,000 kilometers the engine

has rotated twice as many times as a standard transmission or standard with fluid clutch.

Also the valve stems leak. They always leak. Tires are supposed to stay at the same pressure for

weeks and weeks. They don't in this area. It's just monkey business - all monkey business.

Long stroke torque converters that idle at like 1200 rpm - leaky valve stems

On and on. They'le have to make a list of all these reliability defeats sometime.

Lord knows they have 10 times as many bikes riding ten times as many miles

so they have years and years of seeing every flook breakdown. Plenty of man hours of

experience to subtly learn to capitalize and cultivate harmless accidental looking - recuring

breakdowns over all that time.

[BSJ]

Do the repairers smear rubber grease around the valve area on the tube? If there are no burrs on the rim smearing grease in the problem area will help....as will running at maximum allowed pressure.

[moo9]

OK, in the last 6 weeks the Fino has been taken to the shop to have 3 flat tyres repaired.

Each time there has been a split in the inner tube alongside the valve. All the splits have been on the top part of the tube by the valve seat, not underneath as a 'puncture' might be. All 3 on the rear tyre. New tubes inserted each time.

Any ideas why? I could understand the odd one but for 3 the same seems a bit odd. Defective tubes?

You are still lucky, I once rented a Nuovo on Koh Chang and had, in the middle of the jungle, 3 flat tyres within a day, each time forcing me to push the bike to a repair shop, which never had the right tyres......reason were spokes in the rim, puncturing the tyre.

Well, it was better than a sauna session anyway....

[Zzinged]

Don't skimp on the tyre pressure gauge. An good calibrated one is something you can keep with you for yeeeeears.

Where can you buy one in BKK? I've looked all over, I see the 99 baht ones, but anywhere you might think the good ones would be, like Cockpit, it's always "no have".

Well, today I bought one from Robinson's automotive department for 220 baht. I'll use it for a while and see how accurate it is. I saw some other digital ones going for 400-800 baht, but they're definitely NOT motorbike friendly because there's simply no room on a bike wheel to stick one of those digital gauges. The valve isn't angled at all for easy fit in tight conditions.

Ideally you'd want one like this:

Here's an article on pressure gauges from another web site:

I often talk about the importance of checking the inflation pressure in tires, but is your tire pressure gauge giving you accurate information?

An RVer said, "I understand that tire pressure in an RV is crucial and can cause serious problems if not inflated correctly. Well, the problem is this, how do you know if the tire gauge is accurate? I have seen two tire gauges show as much as 16 psi difference on the same tire. Is there a recommendation as to which tire gauges are the most accurate?"

What's funny about this is for many years, as a Maintenance Warrant Officer in the Army, I was responsible for tool calibration programs. Certain tools required regular calibration to ensure accuracy. I use a quality tire pressure gauge, but after reading this question realized that after several years of using this gauge I have never had it checked for accuracy.

Many of the really inexpensive gauges ($5) you can purchase can't be calibrated, and if the reading is inaccurate the gauge is worthless. This is why you should spend a little more ($15-$25) and get a quality pressure gauge that can be calibrated. I am a real believer in the old saying; you get what you pay for.

If you have any doubt about the accuracy of your tire pressure gauge there are a couple things you can do to check it.

1) You can check the air pressure in a tire with the gauge in question and then check the same tire with another gauge. If there is a significant difference in the readings (4 or more psi) between the two gauges one or both gauges may be inaccurate. If both gauges read within 1 to 2 psi of each other the gauges are more than likely accurate.

2) If you want a more precise method for checking the accuracy take the gauge to a local tire dealer or fleet truck maintenance facility and ask them to check it using a master gauge. A master gauge is a gauge that is certified to be accurate. But I caution you there are lots of tire dealers who don't have their own tire pressure gauges calibrated.

Note: Don't depend on pressure gauges at gas stations to be accurate. These are usually abused and neglected, raising concern over accuracy.

There are several different types of pressure gauges available on the market. One important thing to keep in mind is the pressure the gauge is rated for. Most automobile tires are inflated to around 32 psi, so a 0 to 60 psi gauge is sufficient. On the other hand some motorhome tires are inflated to 100 or more psi. It is important, for accuracy and to prevent damage to the gauge, that you get the right gauge for the job. A general rule of thumb is to find a gauge that can read double what the inflation pressure is set at. This isn't always possible especially with tires inflated to 100 psi, so find a gauge rated for high pressure, like 160 psi.

Possibly the most common type of pressure gauge is the plunge or pencil type. Some of these are calibrated and some of the cheaper ones are not. As a general rule a common plunge type gauge you would purchase will be accurate to + or - 3 psi when it is new. The accuracy of these type gauges are also affected by temperature, humidity and altitude.

Note: Always check the tire pressure when the tires are cold, before traveling. If you check the tires when they are hot you will get a false (higher) reading and if you let air out of the tires they can be seriously underinflated when they are cold.

Like everything else these days' things are switching from analog to digital. Analog tire pressure gauges were the standard for many years, but advancements in digital technology have improved on that standard. Analog dial gauges are about as accurate as the quality pencil type gauges. In numerous tests comparing different type gauges digital gauges were the most accurate tested.

Regardless of the type of gauge you choose there are high quality and low quality gauges available. Buying a cheap digital gauge would be the same as buying a cheap pencil type gauge. Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to tire pressure gauges.

1) Spend a few more dollars and get a quality pressure gauge.

2) If the gauge will be used for checking dual wheels on a motorhome the chuck end of the gauge should have a dual foot design to make the job much easier.

3) Always select a gauge rated higher than the inflation pressure of the tires you are checking. Applying more pressure than the gauge is rated for can damage the gauge and affect the accuracy. If you over-pressure a gauge have it tested for accuracy.

4) Try not to drop or jar the gauge. Store the gauge in some type of protective covering or case and in an area where it won't be hit or damaged.

5) Periodically have the gauge tested for accuracy. At a minimum compare it to another quality gauge to see if both read the same, or close to the same pressure.

6) Most importantly, once you purchase a quality pressure gauge use it on a regular basis to check your RV and automobile tires.

Remember, properly inflated tires are safer, extend the life of the tires, improve fuel efficiency and lessen the chance of unexpected and premature tire failure.

Happy Camping,

Mark Polk

Copyright 2009 by Mark J. Polk founder of RV Education 101

Edited September 16, 2009 by Zzinged

[imaneggspurt]

Yamaha dont make inner tubes,.and in those scooter sizes i doubt you will find heavy duty tubes, so as a precaution take the tyre off, run your hands and eyes around the inside of the tyre ( carefully ),you may well have a nail or other sharp object as the repeat offender, also for spoked wheels wrap duct tape around the wheel about 6 times,,that will prevent the nipples touching the tube,make sure the tyre is the correct size,,then reinstall, pump the tyre up to 45 pounds, leave it for 5 mins and check pressure again, or better still put it in a tub of water and look for bubbles,.as for a tyre creeping or moving on the rim thats very unlikely unless you run low pressures,.ive mended approx 200 punctures in my 45 years as a motorcyclist and competition off road rider,so i have a little knowledge,.for off road bikes you can buy tubes up to 5mm thick !,.and still get a punctures !,.what id sugest with these smaller bikes is fit mags and use tubeless tyres, car makers use tubeless wheels for a reason, and its not cost,its safety .tubes are old fashioned, are prone to punctures,and will deflate quickly ,happy riding !,.

I'm sorry to inform you on your knowledge of less superior inner tubes. You can buy better inner tubes. Look at a car's battery out here, you're lucky to get 3 years from one. In the UK you can expect a car battery to last at least 5-6 years. Out here you get what you pay for. In my two and half years of owning a Yamaha Mio I have only ever had two punctures, and they were in the front wheel caused by a sharp object puncturing the tyre and inner tube, no less than nails left on the ground. I always stick to the recomendations of tyre pressures advised in the bike's handbook and never have a problem. I too have been riding motorcycle for some 48 years now.

Where did i say you couldnt buy better ? .i said heavy duty, the best tubes now are synthetic,in thailand you have vee rubber/cobra and the likes,probably all the same quality, if you see michelin or similar buy them.., ..those 48 years of wind in your face have affected your eyesight my friend !

[PeaceBlondie]

To avoid these problems you can

1. Switch to mag wheels and tubeless tires

2. Buy high quality inner tubes

3, Be sure to use a good mechanic

[Atmos]

I am holding this thread responsible . . . read it maybe a week ago and thought well, lucky me, no punctures since May. Thursday night, 10pm, rain over the hill Kata-Chalong and of course . . . flat

Anyway, was near a garage shop that sold petrol, was going to ask if I could leave it there the night, but guy raced away got me + pillion a plastic chair each, took to the bike like an F1 mechanic armed with his airgun and socket set, exhaust/rh swingarm and wheel off, new tube (it was shot, split from valve as per earlier posts), all together again, checked front tyre, fixed my faulty sidestand too.

All for 165 baht; at that hour 500 wouldn't have upset me.

(And yes, I tipped him)

[PeaceBlondie]

To avoid these problems you can

1. Switch to mag wheels and tubeless tires

2. Buy high quality inner tubes

3, Be sure to use a good mechanic

4. Avoid ThaiVsa threads about flats.

[Atmos]

To avoid these problems you can

1. Switch to mag wheels and tubeless tires

2. Buy high quality inner tubes

3, Be sure to use a good mechanic

4. Avoid ThaiVsa threads about flats.

ha! you are so right

actually for 200 baht it was good 11 min entertainment (yes i had to time him) - though a little humiliating at how fast he worked considering my 40min effort to replace a bicycle tyre/tube 2 weekends ago.

[Cobrabiker]

To avoid these problems you can

1. Switch to mag wheels and tubeless tires

2. Buy high quality inner tubes

3, Be sure to use a good mechanic

BTW, what is mag wheel? Are those colorful types? How to make sure they are "mag" wheels? And do they have tubeless for Honda click?

[PeaceBlondie]

Mag means alloy, not wire wheels, not solid steel. I don't know about Clicks; ours was mag wheeled I think.

[T_Dog]

I am holding this thread responsible . . . read it maybe a week ago and thought well, lucky me, no punctures since May. Thursday night, 10pm, rain over the hill Kata-Chalong and of course . . . flat

Anyway, was near a garage shop that sold petrol, was going to ask if I could leave it there the night, but guy raced away got me + pillion a plastic chair each, took to the bike like an F1 mechanic armed with his airgun and socket set, exhaust/rh swingarm and wheel off, new tube (it was shot, split from valve as per earlier posts), all together again, checked front tyre, fixed my faulty sidestand too.

All for 165 baht; at that hour 500 wouldn't have upset me.

(And yes, I tipped him)

Genghis... Next time you have a flat, check out the hole that goes through the rim to make sure it does not have a sharp edge or burrs. Then slip a rubber grommet over the valve stem before you install the tube. I had this problem (4 flats, same rim) on a mountain bike where the rim was narrow and the tire large. For some reason the valve stem did not seat properly and it was put under stress and in time caused a failure. Adding the grommet seems to change the situation so no more flats. It's worth a try.