Front tyre blow out!

[craftycarmy]

Quite a few years back now. We were going along a fairly quiet dual carriageway, we were doing approx 120mph (allegedly) when Dave felt something happening to handlebars so he slowed down to 60mph then all of a sudden the front tyre just blew, the bike did a somersault and threw me and Dave off bike, the bike landed on Dave’s ankle….1st time he’s ever broken a bone….and I went flying about 30ft. it was very surreal, I made myself into a ball and landed on my spine (I have a crumbling spine) But just before I passed out…I thought cor that was a soft landing..I ended up on a muddy verge. Next thing I know, There’s this woman crying and panicking she thought I was dead. When I got my breath back…I asked her how’s the bike? she answered what is it with you and your partner, he also asked about bike first…But deep down I knew Dave was ok. I had a swollen spine for 18months but luckily I hadn’t broken a single bone.

Then there was another nasty one again we got away with cuts and bruises. We were over taking a tanker we got half way along when the Tanker driver went to turn right down a lane without looking in his mirrors.  Dave had to drop the bike to save us hitting the tanker. but the bike slid along the road with me n Dave. Dave came to a halt quite quickly. I could see a man running down the hill trying to stop the tanker, He finally came to a stop and his back wheels were 1 cm from my head, I could feel the heat of his tyres through my helmet!  I must have a guardian angel watching over me I was shaken but not stirred! :

[Stunter456]

I always dread a front tire blowout. Nothing you can do really

[elessimo]

Wow – I know that this is an old blog, but that’s really death-defying stuff!! :o

Your guardian angel must be a biker….

As Stunter says, not much you can do about blowouts (assuming the tyres are legal), nor people not using their mirrors. Even assuming all cars, vans & lorries are trying to kill you, the unannounced right turn can be so quick that bailing out can be the only option left. 

Thanks for relating those incidents, Craftycarmy…. have you had any more since?   

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