I'm not sure if this is what caused my problem or not, but it's worth a warning to those that ride the track, or other high speed "areas". Sorry for the length, but you need to have the image of the day to get the full effect.
I attended the Learning Curves Racing license school yesterday at Road America (4/21). After already completing two full NESBA days at Road America and getting bumped to Intermediate, I was very confident in my abilities there compared to those in the class that had not ridden the track before.
Woke up early, took a shower, got the bike ready, and everything was going perfect as the sun was coming up. Finally found the LCR pit area, got in class, everyone is pumped up because it is a beautiful day. First class session is over and we're getting ready for our first practice session.
I check the tire pressure. Front 31 -check, Rear 25 -hmmm? I roll the bike over to get some air from a neighboring pit...nice guys from New Jersey. Rear 30 -check. Cool, now I'm ready to rock. First call for LCR...gear on, bike started, off the stand, and out to Pit-In.
We go out for our snail pace lap to show the new guys the track. No biggie...it's a beautiful 4 mile scenic trip. 2nd lap, Rick is waving us by two at a time. I get my wave on the carousel and motor around...remembering I don't have a lot of heat in my tires yet. I take it easy until I get back to turn 1, and then it's GAME ON. I pass one rider going into T-3, then another two down the straight to T-5. Now...this is where it all goes wrong...
Breaking hard and downshift for T-5, lean it in, a little squirmy...hmmm, roll on to drive out...REALLY squirmy...thinking maybe I picked up some sand or ran through something. I take it a little easier into T-6 but now it's even worse...can barely steer the bike out of the turn. My hand comes up and I'm riding the edge of the track at about 30mph trying to figure this shid out. I do the next 2 miles of the track at about 15 mph waving anyone behind me by hoping I don't get rammed by another student.
I finally get back to the pits, and up on the rear stand. Gloves get thrown into the tent as well as the jacket and back protector. The Arai got gently placed in the chair.
My rear tire is completely flat...not one bit of air. You can almost push the tread all the way to the rim. The tire was so hot you could hardley touch it. I'm pissed. Get the tire off and go to get a new one. Dunlop brought the wrong tires due to a sticker error. Michellin has a tire...cool. Power Race - Medium/Soft :cool
I go back to class...fuckin tight schedule. Get out of class, pick up my tire. The guy didn't look for a puncture. The tire was scorched anyway. Get the tire back on the bike. Check the pressure - 22 psi...good to go. That's when I notice my valve stem cap from the original tire sitting next to my stand. This had no meening until later...
Later on I realized that the only reason the original stem cap was there, was because I had NOT put it back on after getting the first tire some more air. I never removed it after the flat, because I new there wasn't any pressure in the tire.
The centrifugal force at the high speeds of the track were "probably" enough to pull the valve core in, and therefore, allowed the air in the my tire to escape because I DID NOT have the o-ring valve cap on as required by tech. It was on when I went through tech, so it is not their fault. It is my fault for allowing myself to get in a hurry and overlook a simple detail that could have had a far worse outcome than just the cost of a new tire.
I'm almost ashamed to admit all of this, but hopefully it will help prevent anyone else from experiencing this same ordeal.
PLEASE: Check you caps, and make sure they're on and tight.
BTW...The Michellin Power Race tires...
I attended the Learning Curves Racing license school yesterday at Road America (4/21). After already completing two full NESBA days at Road America and getting bumped to Intermediate, I was very confident in my abilities there compared to those in the class that had not ridden the track before.
Woke up early, took a shower, got the bike ready, and everything was going perfect as the sun was coming up. Finally found the LCR pit area, got in class, everyone is pumped up because it is a beautiful day. First class session is over and we're getting ready for our first practice session.
I check the tire pressure. Front 31 -check, Rear 25 -hmmm? I roll the bike over to get some air from a neighboring pit...nice guys from New Jersey. Rear 30 -check. Cool, now I'm ready to rock. First call for LCR...gear on, bike started, off the stand, and out to Pit-In.
We go out for our snail pace lap to show the new guys the track. No biggie...it's a beautiful 4 mile scenic trip. 2nd lap, Rick is waving us by two at a time. I get my wave on the carousel and motor around...remembering I don't have a lot of heat in my tires yet. I take it easy until I get back to turn 1, and then it's GAME ON. I pass one rider going into T-3, then another two down the straight to T-5. Now...this is where it all goes wrong...
Breaking hard and downshift for T-5, lean it in, a little squirmy...hmmm, roll on to drive out...REALLY squirmy...thinking maybe I picked up some sand or ran through something. I take it a little easier into T-6 but now it's even worse...can barely steer the bike out of the turn. My hand comes up and I'm riding the edge of the track at about 30mph trying to figure this shid out. I do the next 2 miles of the track at about 15 mph waving anyone behind me by hoping I don't get rammed by another student.
I finally get back to the pits, and up on the rear stand. Gloves get thrown into the tent as well as the jacket and back protector. The Arai got gently placed in the chair.
My rear tire is completely flat...not one bit of air. You can almost push the tread all the way to the rim. The tire was so hot you could hardley touch it. I'm pissed. Get the tire off and go to get a new one. Dunlop brought the wrong tires due to a sticker error. Michellin has a tire...cool. Power Race - Medium/Soft :cool
I go back to class...fuckin tight schedule. Get out of class, pick up my tire. The guy didn't look for a puncture. The tire was scorched anyway. Get the tire back on the bike. Check the pressure - 22 psi...good to go. That's when I notice my valve stem cap from the original tire sitting next to my stand. This had no meening until later...
Later on I realized that the only reason the original stem cap was there, was because I had NOT put it back on after getting the first tire some more air. I never removed it after the flat, because I new there wasn't any pressure in the tire.
The centrifugal force at the high speeds of the track were "probably" enough to pull the valve core in, and therefore, allowed the air in the my tire to escape because I DID NOT have the o-ring valve cap on as required by tech. It was on when I went through tech, so it is not their fault. It is my fault for allowing myself to get in a hurry and overlook a simple detail that could have had a far worse outcome than just the cost of a new tire.
I'm almost ashamed to admit all of this, but hopefully it will help prevent anyone else from experiencing this same ordeal.
PLEASE: Check you caps, and make sure they're on and tight.
BTW...The Michellin Power Race tires...
