Tire Plugs

Well the motorcycle gods are angry with me, I just had my rear tire patched last week because I had a nail it it 40$ down the drain. Well today I ride up to San Francisco, I want to go tear up the town. I get up and stop and a cool old asian guy starts talking to me about bikes and the mikuni on my bike etc. Well I go to take off and damn another nail in my tire. I just put the plugged tire on the bike yesterday, this means two punctures in less than 50miles.

So this puncture is near the tire edge about 3/4" from the tire wall. The guy who patched the tire told me that if the puncture is too close to the wall you cannot patch it because the tire flexes or something. I'm thinking about getting a cheap plug kit and plugging this tire and using the bike around town until I can get a new tire. Between all the repairs and stuff this bike is costing me something like 1$ per mile, and probably 1hour of wrenching to 1hour or riding, too bad riding is something like a congenital disease.

Any tips or suggestions?

The only way I ride on a fixed tire is if it is patched on the inside. A plug will hold, but riding with only about two square inches between me and my maker, I don't want to push my luck.....even "just around town".

In reply to benzbaronDaryn:

After two punctures I'd be concerned the universe is tryin' to tell me sumthin here. I wouldn't push it.

Tire has to come at least 1/2 way off the rim to use the only repair for cycle tires that i'd run on. Plug and patch they even work on side wall transition area but i did replace it as soon as we got back.

http://patchboy.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=P&Product_Code=PA-007&Category_Code=PA

I keep'em in the race car trailer too as i've had new tires get poped and i'm not tossing a $125 tire if i can save it. I like the type with the metal over cone as they push through easyer but do not like the type with the wire molded in to the center as you need to cut the wire after the repair with side cutter VS a knife.

I crammed 5 plugs in the sidewall of my little tractor and survived. Of course top speed is 6mph or something.

Ok I'm going to give patching this a try, if I kill myself I died doing what I live to do, saving a buck!

The rim and tire is off now and I'm trying to break the bead, it might have to wait untill tomorrow. And of course we have rain in the forecast and I have a bunch of stuff to get together. If I can get one of them plug thingamajiggies tomorrow I should be able to get this project done. Two nails in a week is a bit much for me though.

Well I got a bit pissed off and bought one of the plug kits and plugged the hole. I just rode around and am here to talk about it so hopefully it holds. Wish me luck.

Getting a tire off of a rim is not fun, think I'll leave it to the pros. I didn't break the bead, but I did pull a muscle in my shoulder.

In reply to benzbaronDaryn:

You need a hand sledge and a: http://www.motosport.com/dirtbike/product/?pssource=true&psreferrer=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252Faclk%253Fsa%253Dl%2526ai%253DCAqMIA1icUOCdKK376QHn0IHAC-nlruwCwda40CuxmPychAEIBRADKANQ8v_Xl_n_____AWDJ_puN7KSkEqABkaK0_QPIAQeqBClP0E-3-LU2lftfmTre4jpmmK4ViIAZ5yfeQG6un-jq6K6ugZozQ3JZPcAFBaAGJuAS8ry-_LKWhLawAQ%2526sig%253DAOD64_2D5moRj0tOnlROKLHtg4w26PEFbA%2526ctype%253D5%2526ved%253D0CDoQww8%2526adurl%253Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rkdms.com%252Fredirect%25253Fc%252526adtype%25253Dpla%252526goopid%25253D35494235185%252526d%25253D261919243%252526en%25253D27%252526cl%25253D500%252526u%25253Dhttp%2525253A%2525252F%2525252Fwww.motosport.com%2525252Fad%2525252F%2525253Fcode%2525253DSS-D-G-PRODUCT-EXTENSIONS%25252526key%2525253DMOTION-PRO-BEAD-POPPER%25252526utm_medium%2525253Dcpc%252526kw%25253D%25257Bkeyword%25257D%2526rct%253Dj%2526frm%253D1%2526q%253Dpro%252Bmotion%252Bbead%252Bbreaker&key=MOTION-PRO-BEAD-POPPER&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CIXv6fHZwLMCFY-d4AoduWgAWQ&segment=badger

Thanks Mistinfo, I might need one of those suckers.

I've plugged my bike tires in the past and rode on them until the tire wore out. Last one was on my yzf600. I read a comparo in one of the cycle mags between a busa, zx14, and k1300s...busa got a flat and they plugged it on the side of the road, aired it up, and finished the testing, including high speed runs, on the plugged tire. I always see people getting worked up about plugged tires on MCs and I just don't see what all the fuss is about. At 300 plus a set I get as much use out of mine as I can.

I'm with you there Cotton. Tires for the blast are cheap compared to other bike but they still cost money and I only get like 2500 miles out of a rear tire. The funny thing is I save money on gas but everything else just kills the economy of riding. Now I need to change the brake pads front and rear and hopefully nothing breaks in the mean time.

The plug is holding and the bead is seated so hopefully I actually get to ride now.

Thanks for all the replies!