| Author | Message | ||
     Silas_clone |
I bought a set of Michelin Road Pilots this summer and rode them until today when I realized why I couldn't keep air in the rear...a big freakin' nail! Probably put 1500 miles on them. I pulled the wheel and called the shop I bought it from. I was hoping to get a plug installed. I was told "no way", no plugs for these rascals!!! So I bit the bullet and ordered another rear tire. $180!!! Is this true? You can't run a plug? | ||
| Smokescreen |
I have as a last resort. Keep in mind my commute to work is only 7 miles one way. Nice and slow I never noticed it. I had to plug it out near the edge of the tire too. I wouldn't have risked it with it being near to the center. Everyone will tell you something different. It's up to you to decide. I couldn't spare the coin at the moment and took my risk. Not so smart as lucky, some would say. Smokescreen | ||
| Sleez |
i have plugged at least two rear tires, near the center. always told a bad idea, but when on the road, you do what you have to. i have always replaced them as soon as i could afford to. i have been told it is much better if possible to patch them from the inside to not damage the belts! i always felt if you were going to dismount the tire anyways, just replace it. i had one got nailed after about 200 miles, plugged it and ran for another 1000 or so, no problems. oh...i have always added Slime after plugging for a little insurance. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I've run professional plugs (pull the tire, apply plug from inside, remount) many times with no problems. If I put in one of the "mangle and stuff from the outside" I only ride it home and I park it until I get a new tire. Use common sense, look for significant carcas compromise, and use common sense... don't take them to the track and don't ride the street like it's a track with them. | ||
| Aldaytona |
Go on the tire manufacturers web sites, Dunlop site states it's OK to plug tires (if done correctly). Dealers don't/won't plug them for liability issues, and for financial issues. I've plugged several tires (several brands also) with great results. Don't use car type (string) plugs ever. | ||
| Bomber |
This topic will bring out the religious fanaticism like nothing else, except oil, perhaps ;-} Like Smoke sez, use common sense, plug from the outside if yer on the road and gotta get home, and take it easy on the tire til it's replaced | ||
| Maxbuell |
I was told by a tire man any damage to the belts was already done with what ever made the hole to start with. That being said I have used plugs many times too. But never forget when it's a plugged tire I'am riding on. | ||
| Djkaplan |
I've been using the sticky string type plugs that you push in from the outside. I haven't had a problem doing this on cars, trucks, motorcycles for over 20 years. On my truck, I had a plug for 60,000 miles on a steel belted radial and it never failed. It cost less than $5 for the kit (2 tools and 5 or six plugs) at Walmart and they're made in the USA. Use your own judgement - just because I never had a problem doesn't mean you won't. I'd never trust a plugged tire on a racetrack or for sustained high speeds. | ||
| Silas_clone |
Well, it seems like lot's have plugged tires but not many like the thought. Aw shucks, what's another $200? Can't pay many Doctor bills with that money... | ||
| Spiderman |
Al, What kind of plugs do you run? | ||
| Djkaplan |
"Can't pay many Doctor bills with that money..." Sometimes just one short statement makes more sense than a whole paragraph. | ||
| Steveford |
This will bring on a lot of flak but when my new rear Pilot Road picked up a nail I threw in a Metzler inner tube. Not recommended and I wouldn't do it to a customer's bike but I'm still here to talk about it. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Dunlop gives specific recommendations for repairing M/C tires with internal patches. Michelin is more nebulous in their recommendations saying you should have the tire inspected by a Michelin dealer to determine if it can be repaired. BTW, you can find MUCH better prices on the net for a Pilot Road 180/55R-17 than $180. I think I paid $120 for mine ~1.25 years ago. | ||
| Djkaplan |
Just a little flak... I think I'd draw the line at using a tube. Getting a flat with a tube is usually a catastrophic event. Every flat I've had with a tubeless radial happened very slowly. I think you knew this already, though... | ||
| Aldaytona |
Spiderman, I keep a small mushroom type kit (Maruni Quik Plug)on the bike with CO2 cartridges to get me home. On newer rear tires I dismount the tire and patch it from the inside with the recommended patch/plug. On tires with 1/2 tread or less left I haven't changed out the plugs, which the kit says it is a permanent repair anyways. I have had a string plug come out of a rear tire just before I got home from a short trip that I got a flat about 100 miles away. | ||
| Silas_clone |
Got my tire, $150 plus $30 to mount etc. Why do they tell you to go slow for the first 60 miles? | ||
| Bomber |
a new tire has mold release agent all over the outside (and mebbe inside, too, for all I know) -- it's pretty slick stuff, so ya wanna be sure it's all worn off before you start doing your Hayden impersonation | ||
| Buellfighter |
Umbrella plug (combo patch/plug) installed from the inside and go! | ||
| Silas_clone |
I kept the holed tire. Maybe when it's time for a change on my old Sporty? | ||
| Paint_shaker |
I have done as DJK has and used the string plugs without problems. However, what I am comfortable with, you may not be. I recommend you gather info and make your own decision. | ||
| Pammy |
Bomber, I am always amazed by your wealth of knowledge... I will tell you the reason you should not plug a tire with the "mangle and stuff" plugs(to steal a phrase for Bill). A motorcycle tire grows during acceleration and distorts to a degree when cornering(used to be called "tire fling"). Now imagine there is a hole at the epicenter of all this movement and how the distortion might affect that hole. The hole is supposed to hold onto that plug whilst all of these movements are taking place. It's like talking with your mouth full...sometimes the food stays in but sometimes you spit all over yourself. The reason a shop won't do even and inside patch is obviously for litigious reasons. And before I hear "I have done it a million times and never had a problem"....I have ridden my bike a millions times and never bumped my head...but I put my helmet on EVERY time anyway. That is a consequence that I am not willing to pay. | ||
| Ceejay |
Pammy- you have an excellent way with words-paints a picture. have a merry x-mas and enjoy the snow  my .02 use em to get you home on your bike. but I've run em in my truck quite a bit with no problems-but it rarely gets above 70 MPH as Pammy says watch some top fuel dragsters and the effect of speed on tire shape. I know, different tires, different animal but you'll get the idea... | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
I really agree with the majority here, a plugged tire would make me uneasy,but I would do it in a pinch. However, how many have actually experienced a failure on a plugged motorcycle tire?....Charlie | ||
| Oldog |
will some one please post the info on the "permenant repair plug" I picked up a nail in a relativly new tire recently.. | ||
| Bomber |
Pammy -- (blush) -- tire fling . . . .isn't that an event at Scottish games, where gents in kilts throw tires as far as possible to compete for the honor of bashing each other with long pieces of sharp steel? | ||
| Silas_clone |
Well, we have a bizness op for a budding inventor...the hole inside the carcass is so small! I would much rather spend than crash, but geez, if they can put a man on the moon... | ||
| Pammy |
CeeJay, thanks for the kind words. Bomber,I have a video around here someplace of when we had a tire carrying contest. Ya ever seen the "Michelin Man" in person? Hilarious...But men in Kilts...That sounds more better. As for the budding inventor...there used to be a kit(I had one) that had a plug similar to the inside patch and you stuffed it in a gun and it oozed it into the tire and muchroomed back out once inside. The apparatus was good for about 2 applications and it was toast....Way expensive! Sometimes they will start leaking.Now if you do it yourself that's one thing...if you are a shop (and responsible party) it is entirely another. There are no do-overs. I saw a guy that lost a plug from his tire on the interstate. Unfortunately, he had his bike fully loaded and when he experienced the sudden loss of air in his rear tire, he was unable to control the bike. He didn't die but he wasn't happy. If it was me, in my own bike, I would not be opposed to removing the tire and installing an inside patch with plug(as apermanent solution). That would be the only acceptable scenerio for me. Of course I am certainly not advising ANYONE else to try this (at home). I do not wish to be sued for any reason. | ||
| Spiderman |
If you come to homecoming in 07 i'll wear my kilt for ya Pammy  | ||
| Reepicheep |
That's been my philosophy. I pull my own wheel and take it to a shop that (last I checked) would still patch. This is pretty easy on my XB, but was a fairly time consuming process on my M2, as I always felt the need to make sure everything was re-aligned and the belt tension was rational. Though even just jacking the thing up and trying to secure it against any climbing kids while I am gone isn't trivial. You can tell them to stay off it, but it's going to remain an attractive nuisance (speaking of litigation). So then you take it into the shop, who charges $30 or so to pull, patch, remount and rebalance the tire. Hopefully not hacking up your rims in the process. Then you bring it home and put it all back together. For that same amount of work you could put on a brand new tire, but at maybe another $100 in cost. So I don't even think of the pull and patch unless more then half the life of the tire is left ($50 worth of tire life, which is the worst half of the tire). In probably 50k+ miles of Buelling, I have done it twice, both times on a single Dunlop D220. In hindsight, I think God was telling me to get that worthless POS off the back of my motorcycle, and I was just too dumb to listen to him. Now if it was a newish sync, that would be a whole nother story... I'm loving those tires... | ||
| Pammy |
I haven't been to a homecoming in a couple of years, but if I DO show up, I will definitely hold you to that offer...sweet! So, you will be wearing a skirt and a skunk...interesting attire.  Bill,You are lucky you can even find someone to do it for you at all. I don't think anyone around here would do it(for a customer). I remember when you could just work on stuff and you didn't have to think about whether you might get sued. I got taken to court(a long time ago) over a joke one of my techs made to a customer. Anyway, a rope plug is not the way to go(except to get you to a safe place) in my experience. Speaking of Dunlop...those bastages are still on strike. I am even having a hard time getting Metzlers(of a certain size) now as a result. | ||
| Diablobrian |
I had a plug fail spectacularly at homecoming 06. New tires <300 miles on them, took a nail the day before I was to load up for homecoming. I called around and no one had the Diablo Corsas in stock. so I plugged it with the knowledge the Pirelli guys would have them on hand at the track on Saturday. I rode to Hal's and to the factory, and then up to Appleton. All in all just over 100 miles by my recconning. We left Appleton bound for Steve_Mackay's house just before midnight and while cruising south on the interstate at a nice conservative pace with my 13yo son on back it failed. I had 1 warning even though I checked the plug at each stop, I got a little side to side wiggle that I assumed was my son shifting his weight before all HE11 broke loose. The bike started shaking it's tail side to side violently. I looked at the shoulder and the thought went through my mind that my son and I were going for a ride in an ambulance. The paved shoulder was about 16 inches wide, but most of it was made up of "wake-ups" that would not be helpful for me. beyond that there was a small gravel shoulder before it dropped into a 6 foot deep ditch with a fence on the far side. NOT GOOD I coasted it down and kept my hand off of the brake (the rear was non-existant). I used compression braking only and pulled the clutch when it began to bog. As we rolled to a stop everyone in the group except Toni (she was leading) came rolling up. I was litterally howling in my helmet. You see the last 80 yards or so were done with the rear tire's beads broken. The "wake-ups" had done me that little favor. So it got really nasty at the end. Now the good part: The guys parked their bikes, Steve made a phone call (at after mid-night) and secured a trailer to haul my bike back. Then everyone pitched in and in a relay pushed my bike and their bikes up to the next off ramp 1/2-3/4 mile away. I was amazed. I could not have walked up to the off ramp and back to even figure out where I was if I was alone. Just walking to the off-ramp about killed me (this is not much of an exaggeration). I have been abandoned on rides with fellow riders for much smaller issues with my bike when theirs were still functional with a hollow promise of calling for help when they got to a phone when I used to ride my gsxr, VFR, KZ, etc... Buell people are different. Toni after realizing something had gone wrong came walking her bike back down the shoulder shortly after we stopped. She's a trooper, and that was a gutsy thing to do. Anyway a great group of guys (and Toni!) have earned my un-dying gratitude that night. So once again thank you to the "Friday Night Buell Relay Team" may it never be needed again\imagelink2 The Pirelli guys were amazed at the damage that had occurred to the carcass of the tire. They said they had never seen anything like it. Once again this was a NEW tire with 400 miles total on it.{http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/clipart/happy.gif,: )} (Message edited by diablobrian on December 21, 2006) | ||
| Silas_clone |
This is startin' to make me realize how LUCKY I am! I was about 80 miles into a ride when the bike started to feel "greasy" in the rear. I got home to find about 15psi in the rear tire, hence the inspection. I should have done the inspection BEFORE the riding commenced. No more complaining, just pay the man. |
