Hi gang. It's been quite a while since I posted. Too much work and not enough play time, but I do ride nearly every day. Had yesterday off and decided to go for an extended ride with beautiful weather. Checked the bike over and my rear tire was a little low so I pulled out my little compressor to air it up and as I was plugging it onto the valve stem, I noticed the stem was badly cracked around it's base and when I pushed it one way or the other, it leaked badly. Unfortunately, a local KAW shop that installed the new metz 880 a few months ago didn't replace the old stem, and lucky for me, it didn't break off going down the road. Of course, the bike was in my driveway when I noticed this so I couldn't get it to the shop 15 miles away and was stuck replacing the valve stem myself. UGH! Anyway, I got it done and still got to go for my nice evening ride and it is holding air so I feel lucky! Just wanted to alert y'all to something to be aware of!

Hope y'all are doing good!

It is usually reccomended to replace your valve stem when you change tires. What I find odd is that yours moved "one way or the other" ..which of course means you have all rubber valve stems.
Next time you get to it replace it with an all metal 90 degree valve. These last longer and have the added benifit of making it easier to check your tire pressure and fill.
Most shops carry the metal "bolt on" stems, but not the 90 degree or 45 degree ones....and I can't find the link I had to where to buy them, so anyone got that info?......... Anyone?.......... Bueller?


KM

Fergy.....Dude....like, welcome back!!!....:D

It's good to hear from you and learn that you are ok & still regularly blowin' and goin'....:smiley_th

JD had this happen to him on the way back from Kentucky Lake. I was riding behind him and noticed his back tire suddenly squirm, he's on the highway and starts slowing down. I ride up beside him and point to his back tire that was going flat. We pulled over fully expecting to find a nail or something and couldn't find a thing! Ok, so I doubled back to a Walmart, picked up a little compressor and we aired it up again.
We head out again and about time JD got up to speed.. poof.. tire goes flat again! What the heck! so we pull over again, gigure we'll have to male the 368 mile trip home in 2 mile increments when we discovered that the valve stem was leaking.
With the rubber based 90 degree stems they apparently catch some air at highway speeds and this in turn starts wearing on the rubber base. That is why he tire aired up fine, but once we got up to speed it would go flat again.
We pulled into an Advance Auto after a call to Jason to find out what was available. They loaned us a big C-clamp so JD could break the bead and get to the valve stem. Replaced it with a metal based stem and we made it home just fine (Always a little iffy when you break a bead on a tire and you pray that it pops back in ok when yuo pressure it up!)

So.. ESPECIALLY if you have the angled stems, make sure they are the metal base stems

Fergy -

Good to hear from you.

Totally agree about the valve stems.

Either, new striaght rubbers ones with every new tire, or, straight steel one for the front and 90 degree steel one for the back. Have the later in my Meanie, very convenient.

Jon

Got my 85º valve stems here:

http://tinyurl.com/yvg8yz

Advance has the short straight metal ones a lot cheaper; dunno if they can get the angled ones or not, but if they can, they'd be cheaper there.

hth

Jim

I was lucky to get the rubber valve stems i have now. My local Kawasaki Dealer was stumped when i asked for them. They had to sell me a shorter pair from a diffrent modle all togeather.

With the rubber based 90 degree stems they apparently catch some air at highway speeds and this in turn starts wearing on the rubber base. That is why the tire aired up fine, but once we got up to speed it would go flat again.

So.. ESPECIALLY if you have the angled stems, make sure they are the metal base stems

This is exactly what I've experienced. Last time I replaced my rear tire, I searched high and low to find a 90 deg. valve stem and bought one from the Honda dealer. Nice metal body but with a rubber gland at the base. Just like Dianna said, the rubber base wore out within 6 months and leaked. Thank goodness for the portable air compressor!

A tip: Install a standard stubby straight valve stem (very reliable) and carry an adapter made out of a 90 deg. air chuck (with clip to hold it on the stem) with a brass schrader valve stem threaded into it. This lets you air up with any gas station air hose which normally wouldn't fit up inside the rim. The brass valve stem is usually sold as an irrigation blow-down adapter or pump bleed adapter and has a 1/4" MPT fitting.

Got my 85º valve stems here:

http://tinyurl.com/yvg8yz

Advance has the short straight metal ones a lot cheaper; dunno if they can get the angled ones or not, but if they can, they'd be cheaper there.

hth

Jim

I just looked up the 85 deg. stems that JD referenced above and they are nice! I will probably get a pair to install with my next tire change.

just ordered the 85 degree valve stems..

Hey guys,

Nice to hear from the Texas oldtimers!

No problem! Living up to the saying, "Keeping those threads alive" :)

I always replace the valve stems when I replace the tires, which I always do myself. I always use rubber ones though, have tried the metal ones, but they always seem to leak. I have never had a rubber one leak. The rear valve stem is in a bad spot, not much room. I bend it out a little, and screw a straight extension on it, gives me a little more room to get the compressor hose on it. Then I remove the extension. Jerry.

You mean you have the short rubber ones and then add an extension? Why would you do that...there is little room in the rear wheel....

he then removes the extension after he fills the tire or checks air pressure.

I bend it out a little, and screw a straight extension on it, gives me a little more room to get the compressor hose on it. Then I remove the extension. Jerry.

The valve stems on my bike are about 1" long and metal. No trouble airing up.

Since this happened to me I picked up a pair of those angle adapters that screw onto the valve stem and keep one in my riding jacket pocket. I don't really need it on the 1500 as it has plenty of room up front, and a 90 metal (stem on the tube) on the back, but since I'm usually riding with a few other guys, it might come in handy. I used it every time I put air in my 750 tires tho.

So is the general consensus that the 85 degree angled steel valve stems are not cool to have? They apparently leak? I have two from curvygirl.com (not porn site) and they dont seem to have a bladder. They have rubber on each side that squeezes down when screwed on with nuts....