Plugging a tire

[1934CA]

After all these years of riding on and off road I finally got something stuck in my tire. Of course it had to be on the rear tire of the Max and the tire only had 2000 miles on it. I pulled it out and plugged it and it has been holding for a month now. I just planned on using the tire until it was time for a replacement but I've been reading that it is a bad idea. So, should I keep going on it or buy a new tire? I do want to go up to the largest tire that will fit in the bike but I didn't plan on doing it this soon. Any suggestions?

 

[sdt354]

Myself, I'd only plug to get home. Tires are cheap enough. 170 fits my stock swingarm without a problem. I've seen plenty of 180 's in stock swingarms too.
Steveo

 

[gamorg02]

i' go 170 shinko tourmaster from bikebandit. best price, quick shipping.

i agree with steve tho, only plug to get home. even if a tire was $200, its a lot cheaper than going down, even at like 10 mph...

 

[hubeerjw]

I had about a 1,000 miles on my new tire when I picked up something, I plugged it to get home, then you get out your video camera, and ROAST it!!!!!

And post the vid, when you are doneunk:

 

[SpecOps13]

I've brought a few bikes to a stop after a flat. The rear can be a wild ride. Doesn't matter what the new tire costs, it's cheaper than the alternatives.

 

[The Beekeeper]

I've inside patched plenty of automotive style tires in my time, not a fan of the plug at all, why would a quality patch not work on a cycle tire? educate me please................

 

[maleko89]

I picked up a nail a couple months ago in my ME880. I had it repaired and it holds fine.

 

[Rollie]

I had about a 1,000 miles on my new tire when I picked up something, I plugged it to get home, then you get out your video camera, and ROAST it!!!!!

And post the vid, when you are doneunk:

Yep !!! unk:

 

[dmax1]

Plugging a tire depends on how worn or old the tire is. imo

 

[naughtyG]

I got a big screw into my almost new Shinko about 2 weeks after I installed it. Took the rear wheel to a bike shop, they plugged the tire from the inside (it's VERY important to heat the patch up to vulcanize the rubber) and I fitted DynaBeads at the same time.

The tire held up fine all the way til it got bold in the middle (florida roads.. <yawn>) without any trouble. I took it above 120mph quite a few times too. Of course it's riskier than a brand new tire, but if the hole's near the middle and the patch/plug is applied correctly then I reckon it's ok.

 

[95spfldmax]

I got a big screw into my almost new Shinko about 2 weeks after I installed it. Took the rear wheel to a bike shop, they plugged the tire from the inside (it's VERY important to heat the patch up to vulcanize the rubber) and I fitted DynaBeads at the same time.

The tire held up fine all the way til it got bold in the middle (florida roads.. <yawn>) without any trouble. I took it above 120mph quite a few times too. Of course it's riskier than a brand new tire, but if the hole's near the middle and the patch/plug is applied correctly then I reckon it's ok.

I've done this twice sucessfully over the years with plugs......both were on the back tire (which seems "better" in my mind than having problems with the front tire) and both were very soon after putting on new......road them to the core without any problem.......

Of course, when your up over 100MPH anything that "might be wrong" with your bike starts running through your mind......and stomach.....:ummm::ummm:

 

[sdt354]

If it's a radial I wouldn't trust a plug ever. Radial belts shift when plugged. I to have plugged and patched a lot of auto tires, but never took a corner at 100 on the edge of one.

 

[RaWarrior]

I picked up a nail on my brand new ME880, had maybe 500 miles on it. Must have grabbed it just before stopping at a restaurant with Nick (ohnopopo) in Plattsburgh. Came out, and apparently when a Metz goes flat it doesn't sag very much. Not like a car tire where the rim sits on the ground. Enough that I didn't notice it.

Took off and instantly noticed a low speed wandering feeling. Minor, but detectable. Having never had a flat on a bike before, I didn't really know what it felt like, so I blamed it on the grooved road I was on. Picked up speed and it got better. Until I tried to tank an on-ramp at maybe 50mph and had a major pucker moment when the bike almost had a tank slapper....I came within maybe a yard of nailing the guardrail. Of course now I had no choice but to continue and get on the highway, to get off again and look things over. Couldn't take it much over about 70mph, and it had a constant wiggle that got worse if you tried to speed up.

Got to the first gas station I could, the rear was flat. Aired it up, and it held just long enough to get home. Found a nail smack center of the tread. Pulled it, used one of the generic tire plugger kits. The first one didn't last long, after a couple hundred miles it started to slowly leak again. Did it again, this time spinning the needle tool several times at the suggestion of a friend(despite it saying NOT to do that on the instruction). It's been fine since, not losing any air and I've had the bike to 140+ with the plug.

 

[gamorg02]

I picked up a nail on my brand new ME880, had maybe 500 miles on it. Must have grabbed it just before stopping at a restaurant with Nick (ohnopopo) in Plattsburgh. Came out, and apparently when a Metz goes flat it doesn't sag very much. Not like a car tire where the rim sits on the ground. Enough that I didn't notice it.

Took off and instantly noticed a low speed wandering feeling. Minor, but detectable. Having never had a flat on a bike before, I didn't really know what it felt like, so I blamed it on the grooved road I was on. Picked up speed and it got better. Until I tried to tank an on-ramp at maybe 50mph and had a major pucker moment when the bike almost had a tank slapper....I came within maybe a yard of nailing the guardrail. Of course now I had no choice but to continue and get on the highway, to get off again and look things over. Couldn't take it much over about 70mph, and it had a constant wiggle that got worse if you tried to speed up.

Got to the first gas station I could, the rear was flat. Aired it up, and it held just long enough to get home. Found a nail smack center of the tread. Pulled it, used one of the generic tire plugger kits. The first one didn't last long, after a couple hundred miles it started to slowly leak again. Did it again, this time spinning the needle tool several times at the suggestion of a friend(despite it saying NOT to do that on the instruction). It's been fine since, not losing any air and I've had the bike to 140+ with the plug.

i dunno man those just dont' sit right with me. if i were to plug a tire right in the middle, i'd take the tire off and patch it from the inside. those screw in plugs just don't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

 

[richwrench]

I plug tires on my fleet every day & I've never had an issue, BUT I don't have to worry about a Dodge B350 sliding out from under me & bouncing my *** across the pavement. If it was my tire, I'd replace it.

 

[Thevmaxrider]

Picked up a nail in a brand new, less than a week old, radial ME880 last year. Plugged it, ran an entire season on it with multiple runs well over 100mph with no issues. Tire was worn out and never had a stitch of a problem with it. I do know that some folks will plug the tire AND patch the inside just to be safe.

 

[SpecOps13]

A patch on the inside of a tire, I can get along with. On a bike that risks my Wife's and my life everytime we get on it, I want to be very sure. Wife likes the ride when we can go over 100. She's sad if I can't tell her we've been that far or more. She has a need for speed too.:rofl_200:

 

[tugla]

A patch on the inside of a tire, I can get along with. On a bike that risks my Wife's and my life everytime we get on it, I want to be very sure. Wife likes the ride when we can go over 100. She's sad if I can't tell her we've been that far or more. She has a need for speed too.:rofl_200:

sounds like a keeper unk:

 

[The Beekeeper]

Ya got a good woman there!................Ya better hang on to that one!

 

[SpecOps13]

I do get hit in the back of the head when the front comes up, specially in a turn. Fast with both tires on the ground or die.....