Triumphrat

Normandy · 06-30-2006

Wouldn't you know it. Friday before the long weekend and I pick up a nail. Saw the sun glint off the bastage in the parking lot. It pulled out at a steep angle but was an inch long. I put a dab of silicone on it to check for leaks and it was several seconds to bubble up. There has to be a plug or something in this day and age to save this tire. Rear, middle puncture,tubeless in great condition. Don't want to fill the wheel with goop. Any ideas ?

sweatmachine · 06-30-2006

I think you can patch it. Call a shop. Most major shops won't do a patch, but the smaller ones will.

Normandy · 06-30-2006

They would have to patch from inside. With a small shop I would fear for my rim. I'm thinking I will just get a new tire if it has to come off the bike. Was hoping for a plug? from outside. Think I'm dreaming.

dazco · 06-30-2006

Bummer. Just from what i've read i'd say don't take any chances. Your life ain't worth screwing up or losing over $100 or whatever. Think about that, cuz when i do i figure i'll bite the bullet and chalk it up to life's little PIA's. It's not worth the risk unless you ride like a old lady all the time. And I'll be in the back of your mind every time you wind it up to speed.

FattRat · 06-30-2006

You may be in luck..... or not. Depends on who you talk to. If you don't butcher your tire as I have pictured below, there are some super duper high tech swoopy doopy plug/combination/patches that are used on truck and/or automotive tires. You gotta take your tire off your wheel, but it's supposed to be a pretty safe bet for a decent repair.

On the other hand, what I have used on a dozen motorcycle tires and two car tires, is the below pictured "Tire Plugger" kit. It uses a mushroom type plug, and when properly installed..... doesn't leak. There must be NO cord/cable running through the tire anywhere near the plug, or it may slice the plug (the old style cord plug seems to resist the slicing better).

Now.... I put a significant amount of miles on a couple of these plugs installed in motorcycle tires, but it's not a good practice to risk one of your narrow footprints that help stick ya to the tarmac. That is to say, it is ill-advised to run on a plugged tire any more than it takes to get home....

But I also put thousands upon thousands of miles of high speed snot-nose driving like a teenager, on a plugged tire on my Mazda..... but I had three other footprints with a car....

Sooo...... if the plug is center-tire, and it's not installed in the middle of a tread groove, and you have plenty of life/tread left in the tire, and you watch your speed, and you never say I said so..... well, the risk is a good one, for maybe a weekend.... or maybe not.

Go to a bike shop and look for either the "Pocket Plugger" or a "Tire Plugger" kit, it's VERY handy if you get a puncture and you're miles away from home.

hogwylde · 06-30-2006

Great post FattRat!

loudmouth · 06-30-2006

Understand that if you have a spoked wheel, you don't have a tubeless tire....it may say tubeless on the side but there's a tube in there. Wheels with spokes have to have tubes due to leakage through the threads of the spokes. Sounds like an easy fix, just pull the wheel off take it down to have a new tube thrown in there....usually around 20 bucks not counting labor.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

I ride on metzeler (tubeless) tires but they have tubes in them.

Silverado57 · 06-30-2006

Quote:

On 2006-06-30 18:34, dazco wrote:
And I'll be in the back of your mind every time you wind it up to speed.

Now if I could get Pat to patch a flat I might feel good with it, but me? No way. New tire.

MES · 06-30-2006

the tire plugger that FatRat showed works well.
If you don't go tear-a$$ing through the twisties it is almost as good as new. If you tend to push it a little harder then replace the tire as soon as convenient.
I've also used the standard (old style loop) car tire plugs (don't have to remove the tire) that are available at any auto store and rode them till used up.
If I had the choice use the new mushroom style ones.

FattRat · 06-30-2006

You know MES,
I got a puncture in absolutely the BEST place possible on a brand new Pilot ROAD (Sprint RS), BRAND FRICK'N NEW TIRE! But I had a ride planned over a road that invites the worst in a guy..... Monitor Pass, high speed, cliffs, decreasing radius', fun, Fun, FUN!

- But not on a patched tire -

I bit the (VISA) bullet, and bought another Pilot ROAD (one of the best tires I've ever had the pleasure to dance on!). The trip was GREAT, had a video camera mounted to the bike pointing forward, another pointing behind.... captured on miniDV. What a blast!

Mighta been great footage if a plug were to have gone out on me while skirting along the top of the Pass.... and a good story. But I don't care to "...live in interesting times..."