Rear Tire Repair

[zonerman]

I have had the misfortune of driving over a screw in my driveway with my XB9.It is in the middle of the tread and is still holding air,probably 15 psi.The tire has maybe 1000 miles on it and am really not keen on buying another one.I figure a plug would not be a good idea but would think that a patch would solve it.Pros...Cons...

 

[tommygun]

Con - your life depends on that tire. I would not trust a patch myself, the only thing between you and the road is that rubber. Sucks to buy another tire but better safe than sorry. That is my thought on it.

 

[Miami78]

Rode on a plug in the center of my rear for almost 5k miles with no problems...same thing, picked up a screw in a nearly new tire.

 

[Red93stang]

Zoner, I have put a plug in a dunlop 208 a long time ago. The tire had about 500 miles on it and I ran it with the plug until the tire showed cords. I had no problems with it at all. If it were mine I would plug it and ride on.

It is the rear tire right? If its the front buy a new tire!

 

[vanson1200r]

I agree with tommygun. But if you just commute a short distance in town at lowish speeds or cant afford a new tire, a internal patch could work. It requires removal of the tire from the rim and many places wont repair bike tires. Don't tell anybody this but I got a screw in my new BT-014 on my ZRX1200R and put in Green Slime and it held for 7000 miles at all speeds. Not smart but it worked.

 

[upthemaiden]

As someone who can be cheap with things, I don't think I'd ever patch a tire. The first new bike I bought when I was 17-18 was a ninja 250 and I put a nail in the rear tire in the first week. I rode it for about a week until the new tire came in but at the same time I could only go 35mph during the break in period anyway.

It's one of those things that can be done, but it's not highly recommended. Even if you don't crash someday when it goes flat there's still a good chance that if it lets go you're gonna get stuck on the side of the highway or some random back road and have to pay for a tow anyway.

If you do patch it from the inside make sure you rebalance the wheel. [up]

 

[ophawk]

I have and will continue to use plugs for my tires, I have had one tire on a car that had seven plugs, but I was poor then.

Tire plugs are meant to be a short term fix, I currently have two in my rear I picked up a roofing staple in the middle of the tread. and have had ridden routinely around 100mph, no ill effects, no trauma.

Patches are a better fix, and can be permanent, if going this route make sure to rebalance as stated above.

as a final note I have plugged tires on My Vette, and driven well in excess of posted limits, I have also had a rapid loss of pressure at over 80mph, unrelated to any repair.

a plug will last, if done correctly. Just do your normal pre-ride check, on pressure and condition.

hope that helps,
later

 

[anrkizm95]

ive plugged tires and had them last the life of the tire. and ive plugged them and they lasted a couple of days.same goes for patches.the last thing i want to think about at 150 mph is a patch or plug.get a tire its not worth the risk.

 

[Ebeo1]

I have 662 miles on a new tire and I picked up a screw today too [mad]

 

[28003]

i don't know if this is the smartest thing in the world, but i got a hole in a brand new rear tire and the shop did an internal patch and put a tube in the rear tire just in case the patch failed. seems to work just fine.

 

[RT Performance]

i did a patch plug on my pure power road close to 3k in miles on it in the last 2 weeks.
They work well.

any good tire repair shop should have them

 

[turbines]

The best way to fix a tire is to put a plug in from the outside and then put a patch on the inside of the tire. the one on the inside will probably have to be put in by a tire shop

 

[anrkizm95]

a guy i ride with just bought a new 600rr got nail in it at a little over 100 miles he got it plugged.last friday night at a stop light i noticed his tire was almost flat.right before that light was a long sweeper that we were well over 120 mph on.is the price of a tire worth risking a life or the whole bike?

 

[BuddhaBuell]

is the price of a tire worth risking a life or the whole bike?

+1 all day, everyday anrkizm [up]

speaking from recent experience....
Sept the 8th out tearing it up, leaving a friends city and was enjoying a nice long right handed sweeper..
when my ass end tryed passing me on the left! [down]
keep it up and was off the highway in a flash, BamBam sat in the back of my truck til the shop opened the following Tues and a Pilot Power 'on sale' for $175 was installed...
the unintentional power slide induced the dreaded 'fear' during the scrub in process and there would be no way that I would have any confidence in a tire with a plug before this happened and even moreso now...
[smirk]

 

[bttrfngrz]

the plugs rt performance recommended are the kinds i use when needed. for street use they work fine. i would never use a patch on a race bike

 

[anrkizm95]

ive seen plugs,patches and patch plugs fail.you never know.if i had to pick a tire failure on a race track or street i would rather loose it on the track any day.a race track is the safest place in the world compared to the street imo.

 

[03Firebolt9R]

I would use a plug just to get it home or to the shop. I wouldnt trade my bike or life for the cost of a new tire.

 

[aptbldr]

Anyone ever catch a nail in front tire (street bike)?
Tire patch kit fits nicely where XB12's exhaust actuator 'was'.
I plug/patch motorcycle tires and realize I'm worthless.