Rate of flat tyres?

[dave_boo]

In ~80,000 km of riding 'big bikes' (150cc or greater) in Thailand I have yet to get a flat. However, reading posts it seems to happen fairly regularly to some (most?) posters.

Could everyone post up about how many km they average before they have a flat? And possible reasons so that others can compare their experiences would be nice. I.E., someone who lives in an area that has high rates of construction can reasonably expect more harmful debris in the road vs someone who lives out in the sticks that haven't seen development for 40 years.

[seedy]

HD - one flat. Glass.

PCX - and all my other small bikes - one flat. Glass.

Since 2004

But I change tires when they are about 50% worn, so this is a contributing factor I think.

[ll2]

once every two - three months.

Bc i live close to a metro construction area.

got around 5 flats with my cbr500r within a year and got 3 flats within 8 months with my cbr650f which one required a tire change.

[dave_boo]

HD - one flat. Glass.

PCX - and all my other small bikes - one flat. Glass.

Since 2004

But I change tires when they are about 50% worn, so this is a contributing factor I think.

More 'meat' on the road probably does help prevent the crap that's just too short from causing punctures. Can I ask where most of your riding is?

once every two - three months.

Bc i live close to a metro construction area.

got around 5 flats with my cbr500r within a year and got 3 flats within 8 months with my cbr650f which one required a tire change.

Yep, was thinking about all those flats you had.

Edited January 23, 2015 by dave_boo

[ll2]

HD - one flat. Glass.

PCX - and all my other small bikes - one flat. Glass.

Since 2004

But I change tires when they are about 50% worn, so this is a contributing factor I think.

More 'meat' on the road probably does help prevent the crap that's just too short from causing punctures. Can I ask where most of your riding is?

once every two - three months.

Bc i live close to a metro construction area.

got around 5 flats with my cbr500r within a year and got 3 flats within 8 months with my cbr650f which one required a tire change.

Yep, was thinking about all those flats you had.

yep, i am unlucky about it.

also would like to confess, sometime use the shoulders at highways when there are lots of traffic and get some punctures. hate traffic on highways and although i know there is a chance of getting a metal debris into my tire if i ride on the shoulders, i still do it, a bit impatient guy i am at times.

But most of the punctures, i got in Bangkok as it is like a construction site and lots of nails and metal objects falling to the roads from trucks, cars, bikes etc.

moreover, i got only a couple of flats within 3 years with my cbr150r so i get more punctures with more powerful bikes. Most probably it is bc tire contact area is larger and with more power, your tire grips the ground harder.

Once my front tire valve stem is broken suddenly and got an instant deflation with my cbr650f at BKK - Pattaya fast section! it was nearly fatal too.

But, we live in Thailand and there is a tire shop that fix your tire with a plug every ten km so no probs.

got this big metal thing on my stock cbr650f dunlop rear tire once! it was a nervous moment to control the bike as it was an instant deflation and was going a bit fast - instant deflations are very dangerous - and it required a tire change. biggest my tires got in my life!

[dave_boo]

yep, i am unlucky about it.

also would like to confess, sometime use the shoulders at highways when there are lots of traffic and get some punctures. hate traffic on highways and although i know there is a chance of getting a metal debris into my tire if i ride on the shoulders, i still do it, a bit impatient guy i am at times.

But most of the punctures, i got in Bangkok as it is like a construction site and lots of nails and metal objects falling to the roads from trucks, cars, bikes etc.

moreover, i got only a couple of flats within 3 years with my cbr150r so i get more punctures with more powerful bikes. Most probably it is bc tire contact area is larger and with more power, your tire grips the ground harder.

Once my front tire valve stem is broken suddenly and got an instant deflation with my cbr650f at BKK - Pattaya fast section! it was nearly fatal too.

But, we live in Thailand and there is a tire shop that fix your tire with a plug every ten km so no probs.

got this big metal thing on my stock cbr650f dunlop rear tire once! it was a nervous moment to control the bike as it was an instant deflation and was going a bit fast - instant deflations are very dangerous - and it required a tire change. biggest my tires got in my life!

Nothing wrong with hitting up the 'motorcycle lane' now and again if that's the only way through traffic...

[seedy]

Can I ask where most of your riding is?

First 6 years - Pattaya, Singapore. Hua Hin, Ban Phe. Udon Thani - all over.

Yearly rides to Chiang Mai and the North.

Last 4 years and change - Chiang Mai.

Every flat in an urban environment.

[ll2]

yep, i am unlucky about it.

also would like to confess, sometime use the shoulders at highways when there are lots of traffic and get some punctures. hate traffic on highways and although i know there is a chance of getting a metal debris into my tire if i ride on the shoulders, i still do it, a bit impatient guy i am at times.

But most of the punctures, i got in Bangkok as it is like a construction site and lots of nails and metal objects falling to the roads from trucks, cars, bikes etc.

moreover, i got only a couple of flats within 3 years with my cbr150r so i get more punctures with more powerful bikes. Most probably it is bc tire contact area is larger and with more power, your tire grips the ground harder.

Once my front tire valve stem is broken suddenly and got an instant deflation with my cbr650f at BKK - Pattaya fast section! it was nearly fatal too.

But, we live in Thailand and there is a tire shop that fix your tire with a plug every ten km so no probs.

got this big metal thing on my stock cbr650f dunlop rear tire once! it was a nervous moment to control the bike as it was an instant deflation and was going a bit fast - instant deflations are very dangerous - and it required a tire change. biggest my tires got in my life!

Nothing wrong with hitting up the 'motorcycle lane' now and again if that's the only way through traffic...

yep dave nothing wrong but all the debris falling from other vehicles goes to the shoulders with the movement of the vehicles. and a powerful bike catches a nail or a metal object easily. once got a small half cm shaving blade into my tire here. with a less powerful bike, you dont get it.

the best is running your bike from tire marks of the lanes as other 4 wheeled vehicles mostly clean the debris with their tires on those tire marks.

and one other things to add, pirellis or other premium tires get a lot less punctures than stock or medium/low grade tires somehow.

[DualSportBiker]

I am a regular victim of Sod's law, so will not temp fate with a direct answer re my current bike. 45,000 k.m. of which less than 1k in Bkk, 6+k off-road, and the rest up-county...

I never got a puncture on my Yamaha Special in 5 years commuting in Bkk though. Got two in Singapore on a Vespa...

Not a big fan of the inside lane or shoulder because of the crud there.

[Beardog]

1 tire needed repair in 15,000 miles on Kawi 650 ER6n every month or 2 on all my Honda waves & Yamaha Nuevo .

So glad to have tires that hold air the scooters up to 150 cc. are hideous with tires going flat while the tread is at least 80 %.

I have always had good luck with Medium range 550-800cc. or 1000-1800 cc. bikes. In fact when I was a kid my minibikes or enduro's rarely had flats. The smaller scooters are the dog of the fleet when it comes to tires. I think it has a lot to do with Thailand's quality tubes & capolla tires on the scooters.

[dave_boo]

1 tire needed repair in 15,000 miles on Kawi 650 ER6n every month or 2 on all my Honda waves & Yamaha Nuevo .

So glad to have tires that hold air the scooters up to 150 cc. are hideous with tires going flat while the tread is at least 80 %.

I have always had good luck with Medium range 550-800cc. or 1000-1800 cc. bikes. In fact when I was a kid my minibikes or enduro's rarely had flats. The smaller scooters are the dog of the fleet when it comes to tires. I think it has a lot to do with Thailand's quality tubes & capolla tires on the scooters.

Do your scooters use tubeless tyres?

[Marcel1]

Total abt 40.000 on various bikes (650, 400, 300, 250, 125cc) in 3.5 years had one flat on my honda click. Most of my riding in central th.

Edit to add: I check and pump my tired at least once a week with my own gauge and handpump, also change tires fairly quick

Edited January 23, 2015 by Marcel1

[macknife]

On my scooter Airblade I use to get a puncture once every couple of months. I eventually got sick of it and bought some mags for it and tubeless tyres. Its been about 4 years now and not one puncture. *Beardog take note.

One puncture on my CBR in 2 years. Got a nail in it somewhere on Sukhimvit road Bangkok. Nearly 2 years on the Ninja and zero punctures so far. Kawasaki KSR =zero.

1 puncture in the last 4 years on all my bikes I think is pretty good.

[Gonsalviz]

Big Bikes?

I have had mine (HD) for 5 years had 1 flat. Big chunk of steel. About 33,000 km.

[moe666]

in 4 years no flats

[moe666]

in 4 years no flats

[Beardog]

1 tire needed repair in 15,000 miles on Kawi 650 ER6n every month or 2 on all my Honda waves & Yamaha Nuevo .

So glad to have tires that hold air the scooters up to 150 cc. are hideous with tires going flat while the tread is at least 80 %.

I have always had good luck with Medium range 550-800cc. or 1000-1800 cc. bikes. In fact when I was a kid my minibikes or enduro's rarely had flats. The smaller scooters are the dog of the fleet when it comes to tires. I think it has a lot to do with Thailand's quality tubes & capolla tires on the scooters.

Do your scooters use tubeless tyres?

6 scooters tubes 1 scooter mags changed tires twice on the Yamaha Nuovo That one had mags. The only luck I ever had with tube tires is when I brought back tubes that were made in the U.S. Those lasted no flats & turned the bike in a year for a new one. The Thai Or Chinese tubes are suspect & never seem to hold air or at least 7 years of endless tire posts everyone agrees the tubes do not hold air well. But I am satisfied to be out of scooter world & never have tire- mares anymore. The Maxxim tires on the Yamaha was the ticket on the mag rims.Short of a puncture from metal on the road I expect since the Pirellis are not made in Thailand I should have the same good luck with tires here. But bigger rides have way more rubber to bite through to trash a tire.

[Bluetongue]

Probably 20 rears and 5 fronts in 5 years on a Wave 125. 30000KM. Very rough roads here, also a 600metre driveway which was surfaced with rocks to make it all weather however I am sure these rip up the tyres. Definitely new tyres help delay the problem. In Aus 10 years on 2 monsters over 100k km only one flat going up Mt Glorious, limped along until a car drive stopped and gave me some finileak, before that many bikes never a flat