Flat Tires!

I've put over 16000 miles on my bike in the last year and a half.....and I've had FOUR flat tires! This seems like more than my share. All have been due to road debris. #1 roofing nail in front, #2 nail in rear, #3 slash in front tire nearly down to cords, I assume I ran over something sharp (the tire didn't go flat, but due to damage I replaced it) #4 just two days ago, something that resembled a T in cross section imbedded in rear tire. Went totally flat in about 10 minutes. I won't even mention the rear tire I just plain wore out

WHAT THE HELL!!! Anyone else have this many flats?

No.

The only time I've had a flat on a road run was when I dented the front rim of a V-Strom, running down a stretch of broken up pavement (flood damaged road). I'm used to dirt riding so didn't realize the suspension & cast solid wheel couldn't withstand stuff like that.

no
but now I've jinxed myself.
i'll get back to you in a couple of months
lol
cheers
you will get no more
think positive

What part of the lane do your ride in?
In my experience riding in the left portion of the lane (or even in the right) where the tires from cars and trucks spend their time, you will find the least amount of debris.
Makes sense as small pebbles, nails and other objects are constantly being swept from this area.
Riding in the center of any lane you will find more debris.
If you don't believe me, drive an open wheel, open cockpit race car off the fast line on a swept track and feel the sting!

Got a contractor living nearby or commuting past a construction site? I have a good friend who is a contractor and he's always getting flats in his vehicles. I've reminded him how much my tires cost and asked him to be careful. Nearly daily, he's sweeping the area around his house because his guys that come by don't have the same consideration.

Even splitting lanes, I've had 1 flat ever and I ride every single day that I leave the house. I'm sure I'll have more now that I've posted this :huh

I seem to get a flat every 5000 miles or so. Usually within the first 500 miles of a new tire LOL! I just plug them and keep riding until the tread is gone. We have a lot of construction around here, and after a hail storm when everyone's getting their house re-roofed it's really bad.

One flat in last 12 months and 18,000 miles. Stuck a big fence staple in my rear tire while ridding off road on a single track running parallel to a ranch fence. Always carry a repair kit and pump in my panniers, so I don't flat very often. I liken it to never getting caught in the rain while carrying an umbrella.

Do you ride a Vulcan 750?

No, I was riding a Triumph Explorer that I have since traded towards a 2014 BMW GS.

Add the road surface to your scanning pattern as you ride. You won't catch everything, but doing that has helped me avoid hitting several nails over the years.

How slow can you possibly go that you spot nails? Or am I confused and I'm in the bicycle thread?

Sounds like a lot of flat tires, last five years rode 75k miles and I've had one flat. This one really ruined the tire about 3 years ago.

I'm relatively new to riding, but in my 75,000 miles I've only picked up one nail in a tire. Fortunately, the tire was shot anyhow, so I didn't lose any sleep over tossing it out.

I've ridden 80,000 miles in the last 18 months and had two flats. Front flat on the BMW scared the complete hell right out of me. Rear flat on the Goldwing, TPMS saved my ass...I knew that I had ran over something, but the flashing light on the dash got me to pull over ASAP, 4 inch gash...no air. I got a screw in a rear tire during this time too, but caught it during pre-flight and plugged it.

I split lanes, ride on shoulders, sidewalks and work at the dump, I'm surprised I don't get more flat tires.

Spare tire,

new tires are nail magnets, seems like I always have a plug in a tire before it has 500 miles on it

I've gotten 3 flats in a four month period once. 1 or 2 were due to debris from some construction that was done on my house though.

Just had more done, though these guys did a sweep with a magnet. Still I oughtta go inspect my tires.

my work has me travelling to construction sites on a regular basis, I know that's where some come from, surprisingly, I haven't had a flat in 4 years (35k) since I've been on the darkside running a car tire on the back, and it's not a run flat, which I think is amazing since I used to get so many flats and now I have double the contact patch to grab them

I concur,

I had to put 16 plugs in my current rear tubeless in the first 1500km.

The tire is now bald as hell and on 15000km with no further issues.