Front tire blowout at 75mph....

[89stroker]

Actually wasn't as bad as one thinks as I was on a straight piece of road. Scared my buddy who was just behind worse than it scared me. The tire went off like a shotgun blast on my '99 FXST, instantly flat, no problem until I let off the throttle, then the front end felt a little funny. Coasted to a stop without touching brakes or making any sudden manuevers. Glad I wasn't in a high speed sweeper at the time....Last time I had a blowout like this it was on a back tire and it landed me in a ditch.
Haven't had time yet to diagnose what happened yet only that I have pulled the front wheel and have found no punctures or marks on the tire, so just the tube blew out. I put a new rim strip, tube and tire on 2000 miles ago so I don't think it would be a pinched tube. Only thing I can think of is the tire went low and heated everything up and Kapow! I tested air pressure just before I left to meet my buddy, pressure was at 36 psi. Normally I make sure after testing the stem is not leaking but I did not so that this time as I was late to meet my buddy for breakfast 110 miles away. I was late so I sustained 80-90 mph speeds to make up time. Met him, had breakfast then this happened about 50 miles after.

Any theories out there?

 

[oldhippie]

Glad you made it alright.:bigsmiley12:

 

[89stroker]

Thanks Fellas.

OldHippie, I am going for a rip on your side of the fence today, probably make a run up through Riding Mountain, Duck Mountain up to Swan River then back over to my side of the fence. Some time we should plan a little meet and greet.

 

[gusotto]

Check the inside of the tube.
A spoke flat will show up there.
Then you can match it to the guilty spoke, if it is a spoke flat.

 

[89stroker]

Thanks, will do.

All spokes seem tight, but once I get tire and tube off, something may rear its head.

 

[Webbtron]

Do you think someone messed with it in the parking lot?

 

[fin_676]

Glad to hear that you are ok and am waiting to hear what you find when you get the tyre off
I have had a blowout or two in the past and the front was a lot easier to control than the back although they were on different bikes
In the past the steel bands in the tyre could snap and puncture the tube and on inspection you would not find the reason for the hole in the tube but once under pressure the tube would puncture again
I do think it has been a long time since steel bands have been used in tyres

Brian

 

[Hoople]

Last time I had a blowout like this it was on a back tire and it landed me in a ditch.

"the last time I had a blowout" ? How many times are you going to push "Lady Luck". I would be getting some cast wheels or late model laced tubeless wheels. At least change brands of rubber your using. I mean, somethings not right.

 

[garystrat]

from what you've said my instincts say the bead was not seated which when it did would explain the "shotgun" sound and the loss of air pressure. 2nd guess would be the valve stem rocketed but that would be more likely on a tubeless type rim...

 

[89stroker]

Do you think someone messed with it in the parking lot?

I doubt it.

"the last time I had a blowout" ? How many times are you going to push "Lady Luck". I would be getting some cast wheels or late model laced tubeless wheels. At least change brands of rubber your using. I mean, somethings not right.

Quite a number of years ago was the last time and it was on a cast rim on a different bike.

from what you've said my instincts say the bead was not seated which when it did would explain the "shotgun" sound and the loss of air pressure. 2nd guess would be the valve stem rocketed but that would be more likely on a tubeless type rim...

I had rode the bike with this tire for over 200 miles before this happened. Valve stem is still there.