Got a nail in the tire today, took to Supertireguy in S.F.

[DarkStaR]

The thing I want to know is why I get more nails on 2 wheels with a much less surface area than I did on 4 wheels before even started riding motorcycles... Just Lucky?

My guess:

1) Moto tires are more sticky/softer.
2) Moto tires ride where the cars don't more often (e.g. the center of the lane).

[Gimpy]

/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\

Yes, this.  Thank you.  See?  Something is amiss in the Universe, and I'm going to get to the bottom of it. 

I subscribe to the gremlins school of motorcycle physics. Every motorcycle or any other piece of machinery has a certain number of gremlins living in it. HD gremlins are the worst, apparently bad enough that big burly bikers put pretty little bells on their bikes to ward them off.   

[Drunken Monkey]

Front tire narrow.

Rear tire wide.

So which one do you think will be sweeping up debris from a bigger section of road?

Also, compare weight to contact patch ratio between cars and bikes. Bikes actually have more lbs per square inch than cars, so there's more pressure on that nail to go into the softer rubber of a bike tire.

That's the physics.

The reality is that the electropsychodynamism generated by a transverse spinning bike engine attracts a greater number of gremlins from the psychic aether than a car engine does. Mix that with the good vibes of bike riding (as opposed to the misery of driving a car) and it drives the gremlins into a frenzy.

Glad I could clear that up.

[Labbedds]

It all makes sense now.................. 

[Juan]

Front tire narrow.

Rear tire wide.

So which one do you think will be sweeping up debris from a bigger section of road?

Also, compare weight to contact patch ratio between cars and bikes. Bikes actually have more lbs per square inch than cars, so there's more pressure on that nail to go into the softer rubber of a bike tire.

That's the physics.

The reality is that the electropsychodynamism generated by a transverse spinning bike engine attracts a greater number of gremlins from the psychic aether than a car engine does. Mix that with the good vibes of bike riding (as opposed to the misery of driving a car) and it drives the gremlins into a frenzy.

Glad I could clear that up.

 

[BikerGoddess]

Disclaimer: I know this thread is about bike tires. Funny thing about both flat car tires I've gotten in the last year is that each time it was a nail in the front passenger side tread. Damn construction sites everywhere!

[mostrobelle]

According to DrunkenMonkey, car tires have different ju-ju than moto tires. 

...and I'm still not buying his whole theory.  Once in a while someone, somewhere should get a flat front.  I've *never* heard of it happening.  I still say there's something wicked at work.

[Labbedds]

Already put up a thread on mythbusters site, maybe they can clear this up for us.  [moto]

[Popeye the Sailor]

According to DrunkenMonkey, car tires have different ju-ju than moto tires. 

...and I'm still not buying his whole theory.  Once in a while someone, somewhere should get a flat front.  I've *never* heard of it happening.  I still say there's something wicked at work.

I thought you had a flat front? 


(Please don't hurt me)

[somegirl]

I thought you had a flat front? 


(Please don't hurt me)

You're just on a roll tonight, aren't you?

[ROBsS4R]

I thought you had a flat front? 


(Please don't hurt me)

Someone needs a Kick in the Jimmy 

It's not the size of the tire but the quality of the tire... That's what I keep telling myself at least 

[mostrobelle]

I thought you had a flat front? 


(Please don't hurt me)

Ya know, I nearly said something about making fun of my figure before posting up anything... I'm not flat-chested--I'm AERODYNAMIC.  So shut yer gob. 

[BikerGoddess]

Ya know, I nearly said something about making fun of my figure before posting up anything... I'm not flat-chested--I'm AERODYNAMIC.  So shut yer gob. 

[Drunken Monkey]

According to DrunkenMonkey, car tires have different ju-ju than moto tires. 

...and I'm still not buying his whole theory.  Once in a while someone, somewhere should get a flat front.  I've *never* heard of it happening.  I still say there's something wicked at work.

Googlefight, the source of all comparative wisdom, disagrees with 'belle.

Seriously, I think front tires may just be pointier than rears, with a smaller contact patch, and that's enough to make it far more likely you'd get a nail in the rear.

But this truly is a job for Mythbusters. Along with "riding in jeans vs. shorts.", "laying a bike down to slow down" and my favorite "you can't wheelie a shaft drive bike"

[ROBsS4R]

Looks like Belle edges out a win