Flat tire - Ducati.ms

HYPERR · Jul 9th, 2008, 9:57 am

Last night I noticed in my garage that my rear tire was flat. The culprit is a tiny screw only slightly thicker than a needle stuck in a tread groove pretty much in the center of the tire. The tire only has about 800 miles so I'm thinking of repairing it. Can I just plug it while the tire is still on the bike? What kit do you recommend? Or do I need to remove the tire and patch it from the inside? Like I said, the hole is very tiny and in the center of the tread.

Just my luck it had to be the tire on the Hyper and not the CBR's which is due for a new tire very soon anyway.

HYPERR · Jul 9th, 2008, 2:38 pm

Well I remembered I have two tire repair kit. The automotive one in my garage and the one that came with my BMW. I used the one in my garage and I plugged it with that. I put 35psi in the back. Is that the right psi? I topped off the front to 32psi as it was down to 30.

The BMW repair kit comes with a CO2 cartridge to fill the tire up. I think I'm going to get a set for all my bikes. It's a good thing to have when you are 100 miles from home.

BigHoss · Jul 9th, 2008, 10:14 pm

Woa now!

Asking about tire repair is like asking what oil to use

Not start anything but I have been in the same boat and I used a gummy worm plug on the tire with great success. I ran it until it was worn out. Early on I wondered if it would hold air, if it would blow out yadda ,yadda.

Obviously a hole in the sidewall is a no brainer...replace the tire. A hole elsewhere in a new tire, christ, I'll plug it.

AZ_Scott · Jul 9th, 2008, 10:52 pm

Definitely a hot topic, and could start another civil war. But...

My personal opinion is, for normal street riding, a plug should be fine. Preferably, one installed from the inside, but I've used external plugs on my cars and trucks for years and never had the slightest problem.

Obviously, motorcycle tire dynamics and construction are a little different from automotive tires, and there's definitely more risk invloved in the event of a tire failure on a motorcycle. But I don't think companies could afford the liability of selling plug kits for motorcycles if there was even a minor chance of failure.

In fact, I think there is more risk with the tube-type rims on my Sport Classic than there would be with a tubeless tire with a plug in it!

I wouldn't use a plugged tire on a race track.

jbcaddy · Jul 9th, 2008, 11:03 pm

way too much common sense being shown here. if you were closer I'd tell you to never ride on a repaired tire, but to send it to me so that I could save you from a certain horrible fate. then I'd patch it and ride it into the ground! however, the shipping cost is too great for this tire, so I guess I will go along with the others and say keep on riding on it.

HYPERR · Jul 10th, 2008, 12:18 pm

Well since I had full access to my tool chest & air pump, I used the sticky caterpillar plug from my automotive tire repair kit. I've been riding around and it seems to be perfectly fine.

I will still probably look for a kit w/ a CO2 cartridge for all my bikes. Good peace of mind. So anyone have a recommendation? Stop and Go? Progressive Suspension? Also can anyone recommend which oil I should use as well as what octane gas?

**CDONA** · Jul 10th, 2008, 2:31 pm

I've had great luck (3X) with that green tire slime. Used about two, three oz's, over pressured the tire with the hole on the bottom overnite, then normal pressure to ride. Normal pressure loss over life of tire. DISCLAIMER tubeless tires, nails & screws not glass cuts.

HYPERR · Jul 10th, 2008, 2:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDONA

I've had great luck (3X) with that green tire slime. Used about two, three oz's, over pressured the tire with the hole on the bottom overnite, then normal pressure to ride. Normal pressure loss over life of tire. DISCLAIMER tubeless tires, nails & screws not glass cuts.

I have used slime on my mountain bike which is a tubed tire with good results. As a matter of fact, the bike shop sells tubes now pre-filled with slime.

dukepilot · Jul 10th, 2008, 2:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by HYPERR

Well since I had full access to my tool chest & air pump, I used the sticky caterpillar plug from my automotive tire repair kit. I've been riding around and it seems to be perfectly fine.

I will still probably look for a kit w/ a CO2 cartridge for all my bikes. Good peace of mind. So anyone have a recommendation? Stop and Go? Progressive Suspension? Also can anyone recommend which oil I should use as well as what octane gas?

You'll need more than a few cartridges to fill up a tire. Another option is the Slime air compressor... http://www.gadgetjq.com/slime_pump.htm

Its quite small and I carry mine in my camelback or tailback along with a plug kit on longer rides.

HYPERR · Jul 10th, 2008, 7:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukepilot

You'll need more than a few cartridges to fill up a tire.

Duke, my BMW kit comes with 4 cartridges. You don't think that will fill up the tire?