So... I picked up my first bike from a dealer on Saturday (took the MSF course 2 months ago)...rode it about 50 miles home and garaged it while getting insurance and plates. Noticed Monday night that the rear tire was dead flat. I pumped it up to the correct PSI and listened for escaping air..nothing. Checked it about 6 hours later and it had lost about 7 PSI...this morning (Tuesday) another 9 PSI. I didn't spray the tire with soapy water yet looking for an air leak.. I plan to do this today. I did inspect for a nail or puncture but found nothing.
If I have no puncture, should I take this back to the dealer (not sure I trust the guy) or should I take it local? Where I do have some trust. It's a 2005 C50 LTD so spoked tires and tubes.
I was thinking of trying some sealant in the tube first to see if that stops the leak too.
Any advice to this noob would be greatly appreciated.
I could be wrong, but I don't think sealants are recommended for tubes. In any case, I just don't like them. They're a band-aid. Find the real problem and solve it. I'd start at the valve. It may just need to be tightened with a $1.99 wrench. Use the soapy water.
Yeah, a loose tire valve is one posibility. If you get bubbles there, that is your problem. If you get bubbles from around the wheel spokes, you need a new tube. Avoid sealant in the tube. If the dealer just put new tires on the bike, they may have pinched the tube in the process and they will fix it for free. But if you picked up a puncture, then go to the local guy, who will charge you much less.
Don't just spray the tire. Best thing to do is remove the tube and check that for leaks after checking the tire for damage.
Now why do you have it garaged pending tags? Dealer should have provided drive out tags for you. Also if you have insurance, check with your insurance company on waiver period. My insurance company automatically insures any vehicle I buy for 14 days.
By the way, when it comes to tubed tires I am only really concerned with damange to the tire. Tubes are not that expensive, and if I feel I need to pull the tube I whether just replace it. I do not like to chance it being on two wheels, and it is worth the price of a tube to have the peace of mind.
Follow-up. Well sprayed some soapy water on the wheel and was able to ID a puncture from the road side at about the location of the air valve. Nuts... had the bike for 1 hour riding time and it's already got to go to the shop!
Or talk about good luck. He is a newbie, and no telling if that leak was there when he got it, or something he did on his 50 mile trip home. A newbie on his first bike gets a flat while riding. Things could have been worse.
Clint, Jason, thanks for the advice... I'm having the tube changed tomorrow, but I'm not changing the tire since the puncture looks to be no bigger than a pencil lead, I don't think it will cause an issue. That sound reasonable?
Depends on the condition of the tire, ie tread, rubber condition, etc... If I had a good tire with a pen hole puncture I would not worry about it myself. Tube I would replace, I do not trust patch jobs
Well tube is all fixed up, Mechanic said he found a finishing nail in it. Odd, finishing nails don't have a head on them, so I don't know how that might have gone in..(didn't run over anything). I have a sneaking suspicion it was put in there by the dealer... no proof, just a hunch. In any case, hoping for some nice weather this weekend to exercise the new tube! Thanks all for the Advice.
Have you ever seen pictures of a piece of wheat straw going through a board during a tornado ?? It is the same principle with tires; just the right angle and almost anything can make a hole.
And as for the dealer "putting it in there"......well, that's just plain silly.
You already knew it had a leak; what motive would they have to lie about the cause ??? :roll:
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