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Riding with a run flat FLAT!

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8.4K views 28 replies 20 participants last post by  3 Eagles  
#1 ·
Earlier this week, I posted my misfortune of hitting something while riding and my Pirelli P1 run flat loosing all of it's air. First time I've had the experience of riding a run flat tire with zero pressure....and it was pretty sketchy! There wasn't any doubt the tire was 100% flat. Turning the bike was challenging at best and the handling only allowed me to ride at 15-20 mph and that was a white knuckle experience to say the least. I was very glad I wasn't more than a couple of miles from home when this happened, but the whole point having a run flat tire was the safety and security of knowing that if I got a flat tire miles and miles from somewhere, I'd be able to get to safety. This experience didn't do anything to reinforce that hope.

So my question is for those of you who have had a flat tire on a run flat, how did the bike handle? Is my experience unique? Is the P1 truly a run flat tire? I mean it says so on the sidewall, but this was far from reassuring.

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#2 ·
Well, It was meant to run with 3 others.
I rode a flat WinterSport about 40 miles one evening on a 1500.
It wasn't bad for the first 20 or so, the last 5 or 10 was scary.
I would had put it on a trailer, if it wouldn't have been a headache.
 
#4 ·
I can vouch for a kumho, a Yokohama and a driveguard as one of the things I do before changing is try it with no pressure. Believe the P1 has a softer sidewall. Haven't tested it.

Edit: the tires get squirmier at lower speeds, actually handle better at moderate speeds.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I have had 2 non-repairable flats on run flat tires. Both times I made it home no problems being roughly 50 miles from home each time. While I could tell the bike wasn’t as firmly planted in the rear as normal , I could easily cruise around 50 mph. Must be difference in brands. I was on a Michelin Alpin the first time & a Yokohama Envigor the second time. I’m now on a Bridgestone. Same as “kcruisin” posted, the last 15 miles or so to the house each time I could tell the tire was heating up pretty good as it did lose some of its semi planted feeling for lack of better description. As far as my experiences, I never experienced any pucker factor moments .


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#7 ·
The P1 does indeed have a softer sidewall. That is how they got the weight down to 21#. Relative to the Alpin, Envigor and Driveguard, it is a far better handling RF. However, that is part of the trade-off when using the P1.

The only experience I have had with a flat RF was years ago with the Alpin. Fortunately, the TPMS worked perfectly, as I was able to safely find a pull-off spot and plugged it. Ran that tire until it was worn out.
 
#17 ·
What was the sizes of the Alpine and Driveguard RF that you put on your bike
I have a P1 on right now and I about ready for a nother one,thinking of trying different tire
How hard are these tires to slide up in to place.I know the P1 one went in pretty easy or is about the same
Thanks
 
#10 ·
As to the why not - limited market, too many types of bikes. Almost a zero return on investment. There have been attempts over the years, read this article.


Now a new company has come out with a quasi-run-flat, not a true run-flat and will never be made for a large touring bike like the wing.

 
#9 ·
I run A Bridgestone Drive Guard Run Flat. I was going down the highway doing 80 in Arizona when I ran over something, I looked at my TPMS and it read 20 psi, blinked a couple of times and then it read 0 psi, didn't feel any different but decided to pull over, ya it was 0 psi. Was on narrow shoulder so decided to run down the shoulder to wider spot. Clipped along 30, 40 mph until I could work on it. No problems, ran good at that speed. It was good size hole, so I put 2 rope plugs in and got 3k more mile on it before I changed it.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I think the problem is the too-clever-marketing gimmick of naming them "run-flat." From a marketing-effects viewpoint, people will tend to hear the "run" more than the "flat," and people in their imaginations expect the experience of "run flat" to compare favorable with "run inflated." Instead, we should compare the "run-flat" experience with the "blow-out-or-sudden-decompression-while-your-wife-of-40-years-is-on-the-back-causing-a-catastrophic-crash-or-assuming-you-stay-upright-having-to-walk-home" experience or the "run-a-couple-of-miles-while-the-rubber-gets-chewed-off-and-you-end-up-riding-on-and-ruining-your-expensive-cast-wheels" experience. To either of those options, I prefer squirrelly riding or even scary, squirrelly riding.
 
#13 ·
Earlier this week, I posted my misfortune of hitting something while riding and my Pirelli P1 run flat loosing all of it's air. First time I've had the experience of riding a run flat tire with zero pressure....and it was pretty sketchy! There wasn't any doubt the tire was 100% flat. Turning the bike was challenging at best and the handling only allowed me to ride at 15-20 mph and that was a white knuckle experience to say the least. I was very glad I wasn't more than a couple of miles from home when this happened, but the whole point having a run flat tire was the safety and security of knowing that if I got a flat tire miles and miles from somewhere, I'd be able to get to safety. This experience didn't do anything to reinforce that hope.

So my question is for those of you who have had a flat tire on a run flat, how did the bike handle? Is my experience unique? Is the P1 truly a run flat tire? I mean it says so on the sidewall, but this was far from reassuring.

View attachment 406324
:censored:Just picked up a roofing nail on my Envigor with 200mi. Plugged it with rope and seems to be good. I never lost all the air so I can't make a really good evaluation, but the only thing I felt that was the bike really decelerated quick when I let off the throttle. TPMS not working, but i'm not wanting to spend a lot of money on a bike I'm looking to trade in.
 
#14 ·
No I have not.
But how many people have had that problem?
I have ridden my bike through every country in Europe plus places like Russia and Armenia and never had a puncture.
I'll probably get 3 or 4 this year!
Every time you see a thread about car tyres the main comments seem to be about mpg. nothing to do with safety or mpg
 
#19 ·
Two years ago I had a near-accident (Almost put it down yesterday).

Two observations I came away with.
1) I may be wrong, but I think the harder sidewalls on the rear run flat kept it from popping like the front did.
2) keeping speed up creates centrifugal force that helps keep the tire more stable.

I think keeping your speed up would have helped (buy I could be 100% wrong in what I think happens).
 
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#26 ·
Earlier this week, I posted my misfortune of hitting something while riding and my Pirelli P1 run flat loosing all of it's air. First time I've had the experience of riding a run flat tire with zero pressure....and it was pretty sketchy! There wasn't any doubt the tire was 100% flat. Turning the bike was challenging at best and the handling only allowed me to ride at 15-20 mph and that was a white knuckle experience to say the least. I was very glad I wasn't more than a couple of miles from home when this happened, but the whole point having a run flat tire was the safety and security of knowing that if I got a flat tire miles and miles from somewhere, I'd be able to get to safety. This experience didn't do anything to reinforce that hope.

So my question is for those of you who have had a flat tire on a run flat, how did the bike handle? Is my experience unique? Is the P1 truly a run flat tire? I mean it says so on the sidewall, but this was far from reassuring.

View attachment 406324

I have recently experienced two totally flat P1's. The first was after dark, two up with wife on back running highway speeds, felt it get squirmy, slowed down and rode another mile or mile and half to next exit. Attempted to air up at gas station to no avail. The tire was brand new and was severely damaged by the installer (another story). We were around 50 miles from home, I called AAA and got home on a roll back. The wrecker driver was a little impressed when I was able to drive the bike up on the deck once he had lowered it.

With another P1 installed I was solo and running 60-70 mph on a rural road with a trailer in tow, slowed to make a left turn and felt the squirmy rear end, again zero pressure. This was about 10 miles from home. Attempted to air up with small DC compressor, to no avail. There was a screw through my sidewall, I assumed the tire had broke the bead somewhere around the tire, although not visible. I decided to ride it home. Now I'm thinking keeping it slow for better stability and handleability. Riding 20-25 was not a good feeling, but still on the rural road and no need to be in a hurry.
Within a mile I'm taking a right onto a better conditioned but heavier traveled road. I increase my speed to 30-35, hey a much better feeling ride, so I bump it to 35-40. Even though the ride and handling feels better, the thought of riding on a flat just doesn't set well in my thinking. Another 3-4 miles closer to home and the road changes to one under construction, filled with potholes, unevenness and asphalt patches. Feeling the need to slow down, I'm now back to the 20-25 speed on a nasty road. I keep thinking this tire is probably off the bead, the wheel is chewing the sidewall to shreds and my wheel will get damaged on the terrible road conditions. With about 3 miles left to go, I decided to get to a friends house nearby. Ended up airing tire up with his large garage compressor and discovered a large pencil sized hole in the center of the tread, plus still had the screw trough the sidewall. Plugged the big hole, left the screw in the sidewall and rode it on home.

With all that said, the tire never unseated from its bead, the sidewalls were not shredded from running on the flat, no wheel damage from the crappy road condition. All these things were running through my head while running flat, got nervous and aborted the last few miles home. While the feel and handling was far from norm, I never felt like I had a close call going down.
YMMV, but these two experiences have made the darkside or MT decision easy for me, I will always have a run flat CT on my wing.

My first darkside was a Driveguard, just did not like the feel of that tire, I'm not knocking it, I know a lot of guys run that tire. This forum is what made my decision to try the Driveguard, run that tire until the tread demanded a new tire. Then I tried the P1, run that tire until end of life and then the two experiences above. Now I'm on a new P1.
 
#29 ·
No, he wrote it like he meant to, lol.......

On the twisties, it's Murgie Vs. the tire.

Ride Safe,
Jeff
 
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