Got into an accident yesterday. Im ok! one question...

[linkgt]

So long story short, I rear ended a van about 2 miles away from my house coming from work. Van was cutting lane where it splits in 2 so vehicles can bear right and go to another road. Seeing this dummy do the above mentioned, I decided to stay on the main lane... when all of a sudden, he stopped short -_- on a street full of vehicles and a red light. (most likely he was using his phone...)

Well I tried to stop as best i could, i think i hit him at around 15-20mph at most. Bike did a stoppie, then I fell on my right elbow. Thankfully i was wearing my dianese leather jacket, and knee armor. didn't feel a thing at the moment! but i do feel sore today Damage is a broken right mirror and bent brake lever so i guess I got out lucky. Frame sliders did their job.

Anyway, I'm a little worried of the front tire. Although the impact wasn't hard, am I supposed to change the tire after an impact? or should i just keep an eye on it and ride it out.

 

[JT]

So long story short, I rear ended a van about 2 miles away from my house coming from work. Van was cutting lane where it splits in 2 so vehicles can bear right and go to another road. Seeing this dummy do the above mentioned, I decided to stay on the main lane... when all of a sudden, he stopped short -_- on a street full of vehicles and a red light. (most likely he was using his phone...)

Well I tried to stop as best i could, i think i hit him at around 15-20mph at most. Bike did a stoppie, then I feel on my right elbow. Thankfully i was wearing my dianese leather jacket, and knee armor didn't feel a thing. but i do feel sore today Damage is a broken right mirror and bent brake lever so i guess I got out lucky. Frame sliders did their job.

Anyway, I'm a little worried of the front tire. Although the impact wasn't hard, am I supposed to change the tire after an impact? or should i just keep an eye on it and ride it out.

Sorry to hear about the accident. glad your okay... I would recommend having a sevice tech look at your bike for any signs of damage bent forks tire alignment ect

 

[linkgt]

Sorry to hear about the accident. glad your okay... I would recommend having a sevice tech look at your bike for any signs of damage bent forks tire alignment ect

Good idea! I was able to ride the rest of the way home ok. Shifted fine and turned ok as well.

 

[6R Blackout]

Sorry about your accident, glad you are doing fine except for soreness. If I were you I would have it checked by a professional and then make my own educated guess. I myself would look it over really well and maybe ride it slowly around the neighborhood just to see what it does.


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[Chevyfazer]

glad your alright but to be safe you should probably go ahead and replace that front tire. if it did any damage to the internal structure of the tire which wouldnt be noticed at first it could throw a belt, blowout or who knows. as far as the rest of the front end it should be fairly obvious when riding if something is out of alignment, and when or if you replace the front tire if the forks have been tweaked you or who ever does your tires should be able to tell real quick if something is out of alignment and its a quick fix of loosening the forks to get them back to normal, provided nothing is bent.

 

[RooKie]

Oh man. Glad you're not hurt. Hope the bike damage isn't anything more than superficial. Take care and good luck!

 

[buzzbomb]

So long story short, I rear ended a van about 2 miles away from my house coming from work. Van was cutting lane where it splits in 2 so vehicles can bear right and go to another road. Seeing this dummy do the above mentioned, I decided to stay on the main lane... when all of a sudden, he stopped short -_- on a street full of vehicles and a red light. (most likely he was using his phone...)

Well I tried to stop as best i could, i think i hit him at around 15-20mph at most. Bike did a stoppie, then I fell on my right elbow. Thankfully i was wearing my dianese leather jacket, and knee armor. didn't feel a thing at the moment! but i do feel sore today Damage is a broken right mirror and bent brake lever so i guess I got out lucky. Frame sliders did their job.

Anyway, I'm a little worried of the front tire. Although the impact wasn't hard, am I supposed to change the tire after an impact? or should i just keep an eye on it and ride it out.

I'm going to both agree and disagree with previous posts. Honestly, the tire is the last thing I'd be worried about. I've actually done what you did. I was too close to an old lady in an expensive car, and she actually STOPPED on a curve. I ran into the backside of her vehicle.

All I could think of was the fact that I was OK, and there was no damage to my CB750. I got off my bike to ensure her of the fact. All she cared about was whether or not I dented her bumper.

I did not dent her bumper, and she gave a crap about anything else. *sigh*

Unless there's visible damage to your tire, it's likely just fine. It's the frame and forks I'd be concerned about.

Both of those can be checked, pretty confidently by eyeball. For the forks, are they bent back? For the frame, check for straightness from front to rear. Eyeball it, run some string, use a laser level.

If everything you can check, checks out OK, then fine. The last check will be how your bike handles. You're going to be hyper-sensitive to every little thing. Keeping that in mind, you should try to gauge how the bike handled before, to how it handles now.

When all is said and done, if you've just got this feeling that something is off, but you can't figure out what is? I've you've done all the checks you can research and find, and everything seems true? It's unlikely any mechanic is going to check your bike and say "OH, there's your problem!" In that situation, there probably was not a problem to begin with. It's personal perception.

End of story? If there's a hole in your tire, you'll know it. If the rim is bent, you'll know it. It won't take a whole lot of checking on your part, to see if the forks or frame are bent.

Chances are, if you check everything out to make sure all the parts are still straight, and they are? Then you're OK.

A 20mph crash is certainly enough force to bend things. If that thing is human, well thankfully you had some gear. I wouldn't stress on the tire, though. Made of rubber and full of air.

Tires have give and resilience. Personally, I'd check the forks, rim and frame.

 

[Detrich]

Glad you're ok and damage was minimal. I agree with what buzz said. Still,l for peace of mind, I would have a dealer inspect the bike for safety.

 

[Chevyfazer]

If the cords of the tire were damaged there would be no way to tell by looking at it, until riding and the tire decides to take a crap on you!

 

[JT]

Did you get your bike checked? all good?

 

[Grumpy]

Always have the bike inspected. Had some lady roll in to me from behind at a stop light. Not a very hard impact but turn out it did screw things up. Chain was loose and something about the alignment plus the tire was gouged from her plate bolts.

 

[MNGreg]

Glad you are ok! Good luck with the bike!

 

[buzzbomb]

If the cords of the tire were damaged there would be no way to tell by looking at it, until riding and the tire decides to take a crap on you!

I'm unfamiliar with that. I haven't read or heard where it was possible to damage the steel belting of a tire without obvious signs of other damage.

I'm not being argumentive, if there is documentation to support the belting being damaged by a mishap, with no obvious signs of damage to the tire, I would very much like to read it, and learn from it.

 

[Rawknrohl]

Your tire is fine you could shatter your wheel before you damaged the tire itself, I would take the wheel off and have it re-balanced, and check the forks and steering bearings (the manual tells you how to check bearings). Also your frame is fine at that speed the only damage I can see happening would be the wheel but it's unlikely since you can hit a pothole at 90 mph and be ok... Good luck buddy! -Rawk

 

[Chevyfazer]

I'm unfamiliar with that. I haven't read or heard where it was possible to damage the steel belting of a tire without obvious signs of other damage.
full article Tire Damage: The Danger Is Often Hidden - Los Angeles Times
I'm not being argumentive, if there is documentation to support the belting being damaged by a mishap, with no obvious signs of damage to the tire, I would very much like to read it, and learn from it.

That kind of damage to belts and cords typically results from a high-speed impact with debris or a pothole. The impact often weakens, stretches or breaks the tire's cords and belts, according to Keith Baumgardner, general manager of Tire Consultants Inc. of Georgia. An obstacle the size of a 4-by-4 piece of lumber on the roadway is a definite risk, he says.

Striking such an object can cause the steel belts to snap or stretch in an X-shaped pattern, Baumgardner said. It can also break the adhesion of the steel belts to the surrounding rubber. Then, hundreds or even thousands of miles later, the tire could blow out.

Damage to a tire's sidewall from scraping against curbs is another serious risk, since the sidewalls typically are only about a quarter of an inch thick and are easily damaged.

"If you are rubbing against a curb, you are asking for trouble," Baumgardner said.

The risk of internal tire damage is that it's usually impossible to recognize. And a tire that has been compromised can fail without warning, according to Steve Mazor, the Southern California Auto Club's safety and engineering expert.

full article Motorcycle Tire/Tyre Tech 101

Spotting Damaged Tires

After striking anything unusual in the roadway, ask your local dealer to demount the tire and inspect it for damage. A tire may not have visible signs of damage on the tire surface. Yet, the tire may suddenly fail without warning, a day, a week, or even months later.
Inspect your tires for cuts, cracks, splits or bruises in the tread and sidewall areas. Bumps or bulges may indicate a separation within the tire body. Have your tire inspected by a qualified tire service person. It may be necessary to have it removed from the wheel for a complete inspection.
Inspect your tires for adequate tread depth. When the tire is worn to the built-in indicators at 1/32nd inch (0.8 millimeters) or less tread groove depth, or the tire cord or fabric is exposed, the tire is dangerously worn and must be replaced immediately.
Inspect your tires for uneven wear. Wear on one side of the tread or flat spots in the tread may indicate a problem with the tire or vehicle. Consult your local dealer.
Inspect your rims also. If you have a bent or cracked rim, it must be replaced.

i could post dozens more but they all say the same thing, if the tire has internal damage you will not be able to see it at 1st

 

[buzzbomb]

That kind of damage to belts and cords typically results from a high-speed impact with debris or a pothole. The impact often weakens, stretches or breaks the tire's cords and belts, according to Keith Baumgardner, general manager of Tire Consultants Inc. of Georgia. An obstacle the size of a 4-by-4 piece of lumber on the roadway is a definite risk, he says.

Striking such an object can cause the steel belts to snap or stretch in an X-shaped pattern, Baumgardner said. It can also break the adhesion of the steel belts to the surrounding rubber. Then, hundreds or even thousands of miles later, the tire could blow out.

Damage to a tire's sidewall from scraping against curbs is another serious risk, since the sidewalls typically are only about a quarter of an inch thick and are easily damaged.

"If you are rubbing against a curb, you are asking for trouble," Baumgardner said.

The risk of internal tire damage is that it's usually impossible to recognize. And a tire that has been compromised can fail without warning, according to Steve Mazor, the Southern California Auto Club's safety and engineering expert.

full article Motorcycle Tire/Tyre Tech 101

Spotting Damaged Tires

After striking anything unusual in the roadway, ask your local dealer to demount the tire and inspect it for damage. A tire may not have visible signs of damage on the tire surface. Yet, the tire may suddenly fail without warning, a day, a week, or even months later.
Inspect your tires for cuts, cracks, splits or bruises in the tread and sidewall areas. Bumps or bulges may indicate a separation within the tire body. Have your tire inspected by a qualified tire service person. It may be necessary to have it removed from the wheel for a complete inspection.
Inspect your tires for adequate tread depth. When the tire is worn to the built-in indicators at 1/32nd inch (0.8 millimeters) or less tread groove depth, or the tire cord or fabric is exposed, the tire is dangerously worn and must be replaced immediately.
Inspect your tires for uneven wear. Wear on one side of the tread or flat spots in the tread may indicate a problem with the tire or vehicle. Consult your local dealer.
Inspect your rims also. If you have a bent or cracked rim, it must be replaced.

i could post dozens more but they all say the same thing, if the tire has internal damage you will not be able to see it at 1st

Thank you. The article you linked was indeed a good read. I especially liked this part:

"NEVER MOUNT PASSENGER CAR TIRES ON MOTORCYCLE RIMS"

Good advice, there! Funny comments aside, that was a good article with good info. Hidden damage is kind of scary. According to that article, it can come from a pothole, or nearly anything else.

Still, I can't see taking my bike to a tech every single time I hit something that could possibly cause unseen damage to a tire.

Your point, and the point made in the article you linked, they're valid. I just can't see it, though. I'd have my bike at the shop at least once a week.

Nor do I understand what the dealer is supposed to be looking for. It's supposedly hidden damage. The belts are contained within the rubber. Take the tire off of the rim and look at the inside? The belts are still contained within the rubber. Is my local dealer supposed to xray the tire every time I hit a bad pothole?

What is one to do? I say inspect the tire for obvious damage and ride on. Personally, I do not inspect my tire every time I hit a pothole or a piece of wood.

I hit a large rock, in the middle of a tight turn, not too long ago. Why were there rocks on the road? I don't know, but there were. I recovered from that nearly disastrous event, and kept on riding. At my next smoke/coffee stop you betcha I thoroughly inspected both tires. Bit of a gouge out of the front, but that was all that was visible.

Realistically, what more can we do?

 

[Chevyfazer]

Yeah chances are nothing is a matter with the tire but there is always that unknown. I like how they said that a "qualified tire tech" should check it out when most of the times they give the least qualified guy the tire jobs. Another reason why I do my own tires, but maybe it is playing it a little bit too safe by saying that he should go ahead a replace the tire because honestly if I were in his shoes I don't know if I would or wouldn't put a new one on. I guess it all depends on exactly how hard the impact was.

 

[BKP]

Nothing much else to do, than inspect it yourself.

A few roads in my neighborhood were repaved this week, and leaving for short errand, I took both hands off the bar for just a moment (you can flame me later), to zip up my jacket.
I immediately had some progressive, bad, speed wobble... freaked me out. Stopped, checked the bike.. nothing. Took off again, and while keeping my fingers within an inch of the bar, let go again to check.... same deal, bad wobble.
Got back, and put him up on the stands, both front and back, and slowly rotated each tire under a bright light. I found a flattened chunk of asphalt, from the repaving, adhered to the front tire, midway between the crown and rim... practically invisible. Still soft, it had worked its way into a tread.
Pulled it out, tested the bike back on the road... perfect.

I'm very pleased with the stock Dunlop Roadsmart tires, but it doesn't take much to render them unstable.

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