Has anyone ever used a run flat..

[willtill]

...on a motorcycle; in the capacity that it was designed for? Meaning that they've experienced loss of air and the tire still gets them home, without any drama?

Just curious. If it'll get a car home... I'd think it would not self destruct on a motorcycle. Or would it... due to the difference to the way that the car tire sits on the motorcycle wheel's bead hump as instead of being locked in?

I offer this very good article again for review (we have seen it before on this forum) and a couple of pic's I took from it to illustrate my question:

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/...-rim-tire.html





If a run flat car tire is locked into the wheel's rim, I can logically understand how it would still stay on the rim and the stiffer sidewalls would maintain enough tire structure. If they are not locked in (as on a motorcycle wheel) I would venture a hypothesis that the tire would eventually self destruct due to eventual lateral movement of the tire within the rim?

[bob109]

Those two pictures are great for conversation and speculation! What they lack in actuality is 30+ pounds of air pressure which IMHO would change the appearance and seating of the tire beads to the rims. I've always managed to witness the mounting and removal of my CT's to my cycle rim. In the case of a non run-flat radial the tire seats with a distinctive "loud pop" indicating that has in fact seated. Same goes for "breaking the bead" for removal when the Gates Tire Machine is used to unseat the tire bead. Never had the opportunity to witness a "run flat tire" tire installation/removal so I won't comment on that. Several of our members are in the "Tire Business" i.e. Shooter and WJDuke come to mind. I'm sure they can provide some excellent input to this conversation as they've most likely "seen it all" in their professions

[willtill]

Those two pictures are great for conversation and speculation! What they lack in actuality is 30+ pounds of air pressure which IMHO would change the appearance and seating of the tire beads to the rims. I've always managed to witness the mounting and removal of my CT's to my cycle rim. In the case of a non run-flat radial the tire seats with a distinctive "loud pop" indicating that has in fact seated. Same goes for "breaking the bead" for removal when the Gates Tire Machine is used to unseat the tire bead. Never had the opportunity to witness a "run flat tire" tire installation/removal so I won't comment on that. Several of our members are in the "Tire Business" i.e. Shooter and WJDuke come to mind. I'm sure they can provide some excellent input to this conversation as they've most likely "seen it all" in their professions

Good points. But the "pop" that you hear when seating the bead...

...is that just the bead popping over the hump but still sitting on it under pressure? Or is it actually "completely" locking in behind the bead hump?

For the sake of clarity, I extracted another remark from the aforementioned article that I posted, that discusses this:

The bead hump is quite different in shape and size from a car rim to a motorcycle rim. The bead hump is a little larger on a motorcycle rim versus a car rim because of the extra forces generated while the motorcycle is cornering. The bead hump is placed in a VERY critical location on both rims. On a car rim it is 21mm from the bead flange to the center point of the bead hump. On a motorcycle it is placed at 16mm from the bead flange to the center point of the bead hump. Why this is critical, is the respective tire that fits the respective rim will have a matching size bead seat of both the rim and the tire. So by placing a 21mm bead seat (car tire) in a spot only allocated for 16mm. (Motorcycle rim) the car tires bead seat is sitting on the bead hump not down by it allowing the bead hump to help hold the tire on the rim. Thus this where and how a car tire can dismount from a motorcycle rim.



Where is Shooter and Wayne?

[wjduke]

I'm around and have made my opinion on this subject well known. Shooter is a proponent, I'm opposed. There you go. Two guys in the business with different opinions. If there's no evidence of a failure from the bead seating, who am I to say don't do it. Personally, I won't. I just don't like the look of it.

Wayne

[willtill]

I'm around and have made my opinion on this subject well known. Shooter is a proponent, I'm opposed. There you go. Two guys in the business with different opinions. If there's no evidence of a failure from the bead seating, who am I to say don't do it. Personally, I won't. I just don't like the look of it.

Wayne

Wayne, can you elaborate on that last part? Exactly WHAT do you not like about the look of of (it)?

As far as my original question in this thread; do you think a "run flat" would perform in the same aspect on a M/C wheel, if it lost air.... as it would (as designed) on a car wheel? I do not have a TPMS so this is why I am asking this question.

[wjduke]

Wayne, can you elaborate on that last part? Exactly WHAT do you not like about the look of of (it)?

As far as my original question in this thread; do you think a "run flat" would perform in the same aspect on a M/C wheel, if it lost air.... as it would (as designed) on a car wheel? I do not have a TPMS so this is why I am asking this question.

Just as the photo shows. The bead isn't designed for that wheel. The very first time I saw that, a few years ago, I didn't like it. Will the tire do it's job in a loss of air situation, I believe it would. That doesn't convince me. This is my opinion. I won't get into an argument about it. I stick with motorcycle tires.

[willtill]

Just as the photo shows. The bead isn't designed for that wheel. The very first time I saw that, a few years ago, I didn't like it. Will the tire do it's job in a loss of air situation, I believe it would. That doesn't convince me. This is my opinion. I won't get into an argument about it. I stick with motorcycle tires.

Thanks Wayne. Just looking for opinions and discussion, not arguments.

[wjduke]

Thanks Wayne. Just looking for opinions and discussion, not arguments.

I know Will....

[valkmc]

...on a motorcycle; in the capacity that it was designed for? Meaning that they've experienced loss of air and the tire still gets them home, without any drama?

Just curious. If it'll get a car home... I'd think it would not self destruct on a motorcycle. Or would it... due to the difference to the way that the car tire sits on the motorcycle wheel's bead hump as instead of being locked in?

I offer this very good article again for review (we have seen it before on this forum) and a couple of pic's I took from it to illustrate my question:

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/...-rim-tire.html





If a run flat car tire is locked into the wheel's rim, I can logically understand how it would still stay on the rim and the stiffer sidewalls would maintain enough tire structure. If they are not locked in (as on a motorcycle wheel) I would venture a hypothesis that the tire would eventually self destruct due to eventual lateral movement of the tire within the rim?

I rode home from work-6 miles-on my Michelin run flat without tire pressure. The valve stem (metal) went bad and I did not realize it at the time. I thought about going to the house and get my mounted MC tire and changing it in the parking lot but rode the bike around the parking lot a couple of times and it felt ok. I did not go much faster the 35-40 miles per hour. I did think the rear end felt squishy so I was careful. Got home, felt the tire and it was not over heated.

Not sure I would want to do it on the highway but I would go father than the 6 miles if conditions were right.

[willtill]

I rode home from work-6 miles-on my Michelin run flat without tire pressure. The valve stem (metal) went bad and I did not realize it at the time. I thought about going to the house and get my mounted MC tire and changing it in the parking lot but rode the bike around the parking lot a couple of times and it felt ok. I did not go much faster the 35-40 miles per hour. I did think the rear end felt squishy so I was careful. Got home, felt the tire and it was not over heated.

Not sure I would want to do it on the highway but I would go father than the 6 miles if conditions were right.

Real world experience. That is good to hear. Thanks!