Any advice for plugged tires?...

[MilkMan]

Well I suppose the inevitable has happened and I picked up a damn screw in my essentially brand new rear tire over the weekend. I went to performance to grab a good plug kit and its holding air fine, but I am still pretty sketched out by it having a plug and not a good patch/plug repair... If this was on my car, I wouldn't even think twice and leave it, but on the bike it has me worried. The other issue I have found is that most places I have called over the weekend said they will not touch it and it just needs to be replaced. I just got these a month ago and cant really afford another new tire. Has anyone plugged there tires before and had good results? Or is there anywhere that can fix it up here in Denver with a good pull threw plug/patch? I do ride the bike pretty hard in the mountains, so I need something that will last and not make me so nervous. Thanks in advance for any help or input guys and gals.
-Mick-

[ImortalUK]

It sucks but get a new tire or find a take off

[rybo]

Get in touch with Jim at TFOG -

Better than a plug is a radial patch -and Jim will have the best advice for you on this plan.

s

[MilkMan]

It sucks but get a new tire or find a take off

If this tire had more than 1000 miles on it I might consider that option..

I plan on calling Jim here later today, I tried to get ahold of him over the weekend but he was out of the shop for the holiday.
-Mick-

[~Barn~]

I had a 2004 R1 with a single plug in the front tire, and (2) in the rear. Never thought twice about riding hard on it, and I even did PPIR track days on those buns.

Granted, if you can do a patch on the area, as well as the plug, you might as well CYA. My thoughts though, are if you follow the instructions properly, and install the plug exactly as described, you should be fine.

[brennahm]

In 27,000 miles on my 05 R1, I had maybe 1 rear tire that was never patched. No issues whatsoever.

[Graphite675]

If your just commuting around town I would say go for a patch. If your on the track or riding agressively avoid it (plug) at all cost.
Some people get lucky and they hold but I have seen one fail first hand on my buddies bike at about 130mph. Luckily he was able to get the bike stopped but it could have been deadly.

I know it sucks but bite the bullet and replace the tire unless you are just commuting around town at low speeds.

.

[madvlad]

I had a flat 2 weeks later after buying the bike, it had fresh tires on it. Put a plug in the rear tire and held up fine till I replaced it about a month ago

[Ezzzzy1]

Same as everyone else that has had success with a plug... Dont worry about it!

[Wrider]

Knew a guy who put in a plug, then backed it up by dismounting the tire and putting inner tube patches on it on the inside. Worked for him up to 150 or so, never had a problem in the 6 or 7K he got out of it.

[PhL0aTeR]

i had an uncanny knack of picking up nails in new tires on the busa.... i plug em and forget about it.

[drago52]

I've had two tires that I've plugged and never had a problem. I use a patch/plug combo that requires installation from the inside out. It looks like a giant rubber thumbtack. I don't know if I'd plug a front tire, but I don't think twice about plugging a rear tire now. I think the one I use is a "Stop & Go Patch/Plug".

[Nick_Ninja]

8K on an Avon patched by TFOG. No issues.

[InSuPress]

few years ago i got a metal shaving from a science and tech center as saw it while stopped at my parents. pulled the metal shaving out and hear the tire hiss to a flat. plugged it and rode it for about 7500 miles till i had to replace it and had no issues. needless to say my mother didn't like the idea, but us kids never listen. guess i got lucky. IMO what's the worst that is going to happen. it's not going to blow, it would slow leak. i only believe in using the old school horse hair plugs when plugging tires.

[SouthPaw]

For what its worth I have found race take off's a much better alternative. It is a hell of a lot safer than a plugged tire. Usually cost about $50 installed (assuming you bring in your wheel). They wear fast but when they are hot its like night and day difference. I am the magnet of the group and usually pick up a screw a season. Let me know if you need a hook up on race take off's as I know a guy up north that does them.

[MilkMan]

Race takeoffs will simply not work for me or the bike unfortunatly. I ride this thing everyday, rain or shine, and a race tire wont fit that duty. I know the exact plug patch you are talking about, used them countless times when I was working as an tire tech in college and again as an auto tech in the past few years, I was just hoping someone local could do it for a decent deal. The ONLY place that said they would touch it this past weekend was Vikery and they wanted $80 bucks to do it.... Thats pretty insane for a tire repair. I'll give Jim a call in the am and see what he has to say. Thanks for the info. I was just worried about only having the cheap DIY plug in there but seems like a few of you guys have had some luck with them. I just am not sure how much I would like to push mine, thus the concern.
-Mick-

[brennahm]

Might try showing up with $40 cash and seeing what you can work out. A lot of times the dealerships just don't want the liability of a plugged tire...but if you don't want a receipt...

[Graphite675]

IMO what's the worst that is going to happen. it's not going to blow, it would slow leak.

Actually if it throws the plug it can leak Very fast. When my buddy threw his plug it leak out in seconds and the bike started fish tailing all over the place at high speed. Pretty scary.

Again, a lot of people have good luck with them but are you willing to be that one guy that has a failure? It does happen, I've seen it.

.

[JonnyD]

Again, a lot of people have god luck with them but are you willing to be that one guy that has a failure?
.

GOt a screw on a new tire last year, was plugged on the ride. Someone asked me the same thing and I replaced the tire as soon as I could. As always, personal decision and YMMV

[Bueller]

+1 that has plugged many tires without issue over the years. I have only used the DIY kits and have no issue w/ using it on my wifes bike, and I really really like her.

Of course I am old enough that the majority of my flats have been in tubed tires

[~Barn~]

IMHO, I think the trick when plugging a tire, is really roughing up the hole with the provided tool, to create a proper rough cylinder for the plug and chemical compound to adhere to.

As anybody who has probably plugged their own tire knows, you actually widen the hole that you've caused with the nail or screw or whatever, by jamming the abrasion awl in and out of the puncture. By creating this rough surface, you give the plug multitudes more surface area to contact with. That effort, combined with the specialized glue that is provided with the kit, should basically ensure that the rubber of the tire totally bonds to the rubber of the plug. And of course follow whatever other instructions are provided on the packaging.

[MilkMan]

Yep did all of those things Barn! Luckily (or unluckily really) I've had a ton of experience plugging car tires in the past just was uneasy about the uncharted territory with motorcycle tires. It is still holding air fine and I actually left a good bit of the rubber plug material sticking out of the tire so that it could mash down into the outer tread as well just in an atempt to get a better overall seal. Seems to be doing fine and I've been keeping a really close eye on it checking the cold pressure before each ride.
-Mick-

[SouthPaw]

I always run the DOT approved slicks because they have tread similar to a street tire but just a softer compound

[TinkerinWstuff]

tip learned the hard way: don't try and use tire slime in conjunction with a plug. The slime breaks down the rubber cement or something and the plug will fly out.