A lesson in flat tires!
My friend (who rides an ST3) and I were riding up to Lake Placid on Saturday. It was a warm clear day as you know, we got to Ticonderoga, NY by 3:30 when we stopped to get something to eat. As I got off the bike I noticed that the new (only 300 miles on it) 190 Michelin Pilot Power had a piece of metal wire in one of the treads. I pulled on the wire lightly and air began to escape. As I pondered how the remainder of the weekend was going to unravel with a flat tire 300 miles from home with no repair kit and not a Ducati dealer in site, I remembered there was a Yamaha dealer about a 1/4 of a mile down the road.
I quickly got back on the bike and rode to the dealer. They were closing in 15 minutes, didn't have my tire and didn't have the tools to remove my wheel. The Owner of the shop offered to try and plug it for me and I happly accepted. To make a long story short, the plug worked and I was able to ride 300 miles home without a glitch.
The lesson I learned was never venture too far from home without some form of tire repair kit. If I hadn't been so close to the Yamaha dealer I would of had a hell of a time trying to get that tire repaired. I also have to thank the Yamaha Dealership in Ticonderoga, N.Y. for their generosity.
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