Plugging Tire

[Hottech]

I just found a nail in my new rear tire. I only had 500 miles on it and the shop said they do not plug tires. I took it too a car shop and the guy plugged it and said don't tell anyone. It holds air and the hole was in a center deep groove. Am I good to go or am I out a new tire? :banghead

[wsteinborn]

Gee, while your at it, you should have asked about the best oil to use.... :brad

You'll get noth answers here. Neither one is wrong.

I'd say just keep checking ait preassure. I use plugs to get home or to the shop. For a "permanent" repair I would go with a patch/plug professionally applied from the inside. It is what I use on my car tires.

[b707142]

I just had my 3rd nail on my F800ST. The pressure monitore is priceless.

plug and go. what could happen? leak back down? blow out? that can happen to another new tire. it did to yours.:

:lurk

[deilenberger]

I'm moving this to campfire. "Online Central" is for the discussion about website issues, ideas, suggestions.

[johnpeter]

Gee, while your at it, you should have asked about the best oil to use.... :brad

You'll get noth answers here. Neither one is wrong.

I'd say just keep checking ait preassure. I use plugs to get home or to the shop. For a "permanent" repair I would go with a patch/plug professionally applied from the inside. It is what I use on my car tires.


The tire liner must be sealed well for a true tire life repair. Note #1 in this link.http://www.geminicarcare.com/tires/tireconstr.html All tubeless tires have a liner rubber.

Patch/plugs like so...

[jdmetzger]

It would be hard for me to spend money on a new rear tire after just getting a new rear tire, but after reading some other threads (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27169) about what happens when a rear tire rapidly loses air, I'd probably bite the bullet and get a new tire. Mind you, I'd be fine riding on a plugged tire if I was away from home or possible even for a short time around home (OK, I'd worry profusely, but I'd do it), but I'd still end up replacing the tire as soon as it was convenient.

YMMV!

[Oldhway]

I disagree with most of the posters. A motorcycle tire works differently than a car tire with a lot more changes in it's relationship to the road. Most plugs are designed with a tire that rolls flat on the road in mind, not one with a changing contact patch.
I have had this issue myself and I replaced the tire. I only have 2 tires under me. I have ridden on a catastrophic blowout twice and it was no fun. Once on a hard corner on a 1979 Suzuki GS1000 and once on a Suzuki Cavalcade. It is a feeling similiar to an 8 second bull ride at the rodeo, especially on the big bike. Why take the chance?

[Raceydog]

I have used the Stop n Go successfully twice now. Once on a bias ply tire for about 8000 miles and more recently on the rear of my RT for about 6000 miles now. I don't lose any more air than I would normally. I swear by 'em.

[deilenberger]

I have repaired tires with the patch/plug.. when the hole was small and centered on the tread. The good patch/plugs come with a metal probe over the plug that you use to push it through the tire/cords. You then remove the metal probe and the plug part expands without ever being pulled through the hole unprotected. The patch part is vulcanized (glued with special glue) to the inner liner of the tire.

There is no way one of these done right will come out of the tire. The very worst it might do is have a slow leak (but I've never experienced this..) It is the right way to fix a tire, also the hardest to do since dismounting of the tire is required.

On one tire where I did this patch/plug, when the tire was worn out (it was about 3 days old when it got the hole in it) at around 6,000 miles, after demounting the tire I tried my best to get the patch/plug to come off the tire and out of the inside. Couldn't be done. It was firmly bonded to the rubber of the tire and even trying to cut it out failed.

That said - anything over about 1/8" I would be suspect of (due to possible cord damage) and anything that isn't in the center 2" of the tread (due to the possible distortion of the plug due to curvature.)

On my current tires I'm running "RideOn" leak-stopper/sealant in them. It has worked well for me in the past, and doesn't leave a mess in the rim of the tire. It's also non-corrosive so it doesn't damage the rim. It has sealed minor leaks in tires for me that never reappeared - even thousands of miles later. I haven't had a larger leak since I've been using it - and knock on wood - hope I don't get to test it.

[johnpeter]

Replacing a near new tire for a nail puncture is too expensive a repair for me.

Never had an issue with a patch/plug...Motorcycle, car or my mobil diesel repair one ton truck. *shruggs*

[motoedde]

I plugged both the front and rear tires of my bike on several occasions(patch/plug and gummi worms) and rode the tires to their end. No issues.


During my last trip, I got a drywall sized screw in my front tire in Azerbaijan. I plugged it and rode the tire all the way through to Seattle and up North towards Inuvik. It was a gummi worm plug and never lost air. I could give you other examples...but for me, the plug is a comfortable and proven option.

Of the two, the patch/plug is a better choice. The key for both is prepping and inserting the plugs properly. Give them enough time to set up and you should be good to go.

[BuddingGeezer]

I plugged a rear tire that had less than 2K miles on it. The hole was in the center of the tire. I was 600 miles from home and 400 miles to my next destination. I did not trust the plug and put 8 oz. of'Green Slime' in the tire. I called a good friend of mine that sell auto tires and asked about the corrosive properties of Green Slime. He said he had seen 100s of Green Slime and aluminum wheels with no problems. He said not to use Fix-A-Flat with aluminum wheels. The proper way to repair the tire is to plug and patch. I had 2400 miles when I treturned home and the tire had preformed so well I left it as is.

I would not run a sidewall patch or plug.

To make a long story short, I'm still running the tire with 11K miles on it with no problems. The tire is smooth to 100+ mph.

People had different acceptance levels of risk. If you fell uncomfortable running a repaired tire, by a new one. It's not worth the mental anguish.

Ralph Sims

[leadfoot]

I just had to plug my rear tire on my 08 RT with only 1300 miles on it. I was more pissed that I caught the 3 inch nail so early on my new ride, as I seem to be a candidate for nails in tires, something difficult to avoid here on the "Katrina Coast". The nail was about 3/4 inch left of the tire center, and I feel OK with the repair. I do ride solo and I am comfortable with the bike, however if the wife rode with me I would take no chances. The tires are Metzeler Z6's, and I was very surprised at their performance once the air left the tire. I was on the interstate @ 75 mph and heard the nail slapping the pavement once the air left the tire. That was the first sign of a problem. The bike remained extremely stable even though the air left the tire. I had a rear flat on my Electra Glide once, and the handling went south rapidly (Dunlops), but the Metzelers handled quite well. I think the important thing is to remember there is a plug in the tire, be ready for any problems, and make sure that the tires are checked regularly (I feel pretty sure that the nail was in the tire when I left the house that day). Sometimes we take that pre-ride check for granted!

I will likely change the tire at the 6K service.

Anyway, my 2 cents.