How far do you think you can go on a flat tyre

[WreckTangle]

Dilemma. Last night, I was riding home on my yamaha ybr deathtrap. About 10 mins in the journey I noticed that my bikes handing was starting to act a bit 'sluggish', so I though I would get home and look at the bike as only another 10 mins for me to get home from that point. I get home, I firstly look at bike as whole and immediately notice that the back tyre is flatter than a cat that got in a way of a steamroller.

I spent last night trying to find any kind of puncture in the tyre, but I cannot find one, so I suspect that it is going to be a garage job.

I thought that I could temporary pump the tyre up, drive it to the garage then they would fix it............but to make things worse, my electric bike pump decided that it would die on me, so now I have my bike at home with a flat tyre.

The question really is, is it safe to ride a bike on a flat tyre, as I know you can knacker in inner bits in it if you do, and if you can do, how far can you go before you start to see sparks ...... and then I wake up in hospital?

I am only saying this as the nearest garage is about 10 mins ride away, do I risk it or should I hire someone at extra cost to get the deathtrap delivered straight to the garage?
____________________
My wife asked me to get her something that goes from 0-100 in under 5 seconds for her birthday. ......................I got her a bathroom scale.

[Riejufixing]

Use a bicycle pump/foot pump/track/stirrup pump. Don't ride with a flat.

[piazza]

Do not ride it on a flat tyre. Take the wheel off and take that or find another way.

[doggone]

I've ridden more than ten miles flat or near flat, sometimes you don't have much alternative but it will likely ruin the tyre and could damage the rim.
There's a chance of the tyre coming of the rim altogether.

[RhynoCZ]

Well, it is your tyre, so go as far as you please.
____________________
'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[Polarbear]

The tyre will be toast and you might ruin the wheel/rim. I certainly wouldn't think of doing it with an alloy wheel. You might get away with a steel one if you take it easy.

Also, hope you aren't seen by the plod. They won't be happy.
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[WreckTangle]

[RhynoCZ]

[Easy-X]

They do say people should get out for a brisk walk more often
____________________
Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Riejufixing]

[A100man]

Post your location, someone here maybe kind enough to lend a hand...
____________________
Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Polarbear]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

OP says the repair shop is only 10 minutes away. He's already ridden it 10 mins with the flat tyre. Ride it slowly to the shop if you must. You won't die and the tyre might still be salvageable. Pick up a puncture repair kit while you're there.

[stinkwheel]

It'll have you off. Borrow a pump. A bicycle pump will do fine. If you are in town, one of your neighbours will have a bicycle pump. If you're in the countryside, all farmers have compressors with airlines.

Or if you can get to a shop, one of those cans of foam from a service station/supermarket.

Failing that, take the wheel out and start walking. Someone will invariably stop and give you a lift. Any self-respecting biker would stop and give a lift to someone walking down the road with a motorbike wheel with a flat tyre. I've been there quite a few times and never walked more than a mile.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Teflon-Mike]

10 minutes away... 30mph is 1/2 a mile a minute; so suggestion is that the tyre place if less than 10 minutes away is probably less than 5 miles away, more likely 2...... that's half an hour's walk with the wheel taken out of the bike, or a short taxi ride....

Yeah, DON'T ride on a flat... take the wheel out, walk, get a bus, take a taxi, 'whatever', this is NOT exactly a huge problem, and you do not need to take the whole bike to the tyre shop, just the wheel... and factory took-kit under the seat should get that off.
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Sister Sledge]

Don't ride it - find another way.
You've learnt some lessons with this. The first one is not to rely on an electric pump. Bicycle ones are less than a fiver. Some basic tools and basic skills to remove wheels and tyres would be handy now so learn them. It's not rocket science. Puncture repair skills are needed too.
Least you now know what a flat tyre feels like and not to continue riding on it!
Oh and finally: You're guaranteed things like this in the most terrible of riding conditions.
____________________
CCM 404 DS

[xX-Alex-Xx]

If it's the front tyre, you can get as far as you want if you know how to wheelie

The fact you referenced your bike as a "deathtrap" on the first line should give you an clue as to whether riding on a flat good idea not not.
____________________
DILLIGAF

[colink98]

order a repair kit and pump off the amazons...
next day delivery and all that jazz.
____________________
PCX125 (stolen) - CBF600 (current)
Ride it like you stole it.
ride sensible and not like an idiot and you wont get 6 points in one week.

[bladerunner]

as above. remove the wheel yourself and take it to the tire repair place. walk ( not fun with a wheel) bus,uber,taxi etc. the having a wheel on its own will save you £20 removal and fitting fee so even with a taxi your saving money
____________________
Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[Ste]

I like the suggestion from stinkwheel about starting to walk with the wheel and hope that someone offers you a lift.

Unless you're really really unlucky, someone will stop and offer you a lift.

[Andy_Pagin]

Why not carry a can of TyreWeld? Medium size will easily get a bike tyre up to a 'get you home' pressure.
____________________
They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[Undinist]

I'm always keen to plug a tyre and extend its life, but hold on a minute. You're supposed to stop as soon as it feels squishy/sluggish, but you've ridden on it flat. Riding a short distance on a flat can do structural damage to the sidewalls. When you got home, was it hot or smelly? If you shine a strong light on the sidewalls, can you see flaking?

When you go over a bump the tyre is designed to deform and squash one hell of a lot and then bounce back to a nice round shape again. I doubt your tyre can do that any more. On the next big bump it could split and have you off, and you might die.

But you can ride on a flat to the tyre shop if you go at a slow walking pace and avoid potholes and the tyre stays on the rim and it doesn't start ripping. If it was me I'd risk it, but no faster than 3 mph. Stop every few minutes to see how hot it's getting and whether it's starting to crack or rip next to the rim.

[doggone]

Bear in mind air comes out fast when at full pressure but slowly as it drops. There will often be 5-10psi or more in a 'flat tyre' so continuing cautiously does not mean inevitable disaster - for a few minutes anyway!
Radial tyres with low profile walls don't deform a lot you would be hard pressed to tell it was flat until you add your own weight.

[WreckTangle]

[chris-red]

I had a flat about a mile from home I thought I would make it, nope. Even going at <20 mph I couldn't ride the thing and had to patch it.
____________________
Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.