New tire vs plug/patch

[joespeedfast]

30+ yrs., several-hundred motorcycle tires plugged, some with as many as three in one tire, thousands of miles(hundreds of thousands), up to 180mph speeds, worn down to the cords(every time), no failures(zero), no risk, no danger, no worries!
Use the right plugs, install correctly(simple), forget about it.

Not for everyone? Thats cool. My experience is not unique.

 

[budman]

That is for sure! Not for me. But heck. I preferred new tires for every raceday too.

You ride your bike to construction sites often ??

 

[joespeedfast]

Sorry Budman, the was not for you, more just the previous comments about how you must be stupid or cheap to use plugs.

 

[clutchslip]

My life is worth new rubber. Having had a tire blow is a freak out moment. Never want to take the chance again.


To get me 30 miles home crawling at 55 after an flat McKay.

That is just me though.

No, it's not just you. I ain't a Rock-a-fella, but I NEVER cheap out on bike tires. Hell, I don't much cheap out on car tires. This is one of the ultimate "penny wise, pound foolish" examples to me. But, heck we already are having arguments about it.

(Hell, I don't even like most street tires. DOTs for me on the sportpiles.)

 

[packnrat]

i like patches better but will plug a tire no problem.
once i even had a 35X12 in tire on my jeep it got a sidewall cut. only time it let out air was when the tire was below 10 psi and the tire was wrapped around a rock (off road thing). so just booted the inside wall, been a great tire for years now (low mileage use jeep) tire has seen off road and fwy use. no problems. and at a good 3 bills a tire....

bike tires are cheap (cost) compared to big off road style mudders.

but as said is it a clean round hole or more a cut. make a difference in how or if possible.

SAFE????????????????

 

[eustinov]

if its back tire its ok, if front replace it asap, other choice look around for nice used tire?

 

[Ozymandias]

From my personal perspective and most of you know the hell I went through with the overpass/Bay Bridge. Ultimately that came down to a tubed tire blow out at ~50 MPH. Will I ever ride a motorcycle with a tubed tire again? Not on your life and that's without discussion. That's why I own a GSA now rather than any other dual sport.

However, since then I have plugged 2 tires (freakin' SF!) and both of them got about 3-5k miles on them including spirited twisties. I (usually) tone it down knowing there's a plug but I'm still going to ride it. Would I ride a track with a plug... HELL NO!!! Would I ride a track with a patch? HELL NO!!

Personally I don't see the problem with plugs. From a business standpoint, would I accept payment to do it for someone else? See above about tubed tires. Would I help a fellow motorcyclist get home with one? Yup. I'd offer and explain the ups and downs of a plug and if (s)he's cool with it we'll have them on the road again in 5-10 minutes.

In my mind and experience just like others have said the plug will be fine and even if it does go it's going to be the same as when you picked up the puncture in the first place. Not every tire can be plugged, however.

In the long run it boils down to what YOU are comfortable with. That's one of the great things about having a lot of options.

 

[ALANRIDER7]

Do you guys understand exactly what a reduction in speed rating means? And what kind of legal can of worms an improper repair opens up if the unthinkable happens?

This truck tire was repaired improperly. The lawsuit was rather sizeable.

http://www.tirereview.com/Article/85680/228_million_faulty_tire_repair_entirely_avoidable.aspx


This is what Dunlop says about repairs.

http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/info-center/care-and-maintenance/

12 - Tire Repair

Some punctures in motorcycle tires may be repaired.

Dunlop recommends only permanent plug-patch repairs of small (maximum 1/4-inch diameter) tread-area punctures from within the dismounted tire by a qualified tire repair shop or motorcycle dealer. Never perform an exterior repair and never use an inner tube as a substitute for a proper repair. Speed should not exceed 50 mph for the first 24 hours after repair, and the repaired tire should never be used over 75 mph. Advise your customer to check inflation pressure after tire cools for at least three (3) hours following run-in, or sooner if air loss is suspected. See the Dunlop Service Advisory for additional motorcycle tubeless-tire repair information. Follow the same repair procedures for tires on rims requiring tube replacement. The repairer is solely responsible for the repair and any instructions to the repaired-tire user.

Advise your customers that no form of temporary repair should be attempted because secondary damage caused by a penetrating object may not be detected and tire or tube deflation may occur at a later date.

Dunlop does not recommend the use of liquid sealants. These are a form of temporary repair, and they may adversely affect ply material and mask secondary damage caused by a penetrating object. Advise your customers that reliance upon sealants can result in sudden tire failure and accident.

 

[dowlinginchico]

I have a nail in my rear tire, a Road Pilot 3 with about 3k on it. It's SMACK in the center of the tread. So far, pressure has been holding just fine. I've been riding on it for a few days without issues (just a few miles).

My question is, patch/plug or cough up the dough for a new tire? I'm primarily an urban rider, not very aggressive. The bike is an M900, so it is pretty torquey. I already asked Moto Tire guy for his advice but I thought I'd ask ya'll, too.

Put your self in a canyon carving away on a hot day. Imagine how hot your tires are getting. Imagine the plug that was once holding air, start loosing air without you knowing. Imagine carving canyons with low tire pressure. For me, I would at the bare minimum use one of those patch plugs, second I would throw a tube in if possible, and in first I would replace the tire. I would only use plugs in emergencys, but since I am in the minority in the poll, I am sure someone is going to tell me I am wrong. I do have many years experience in a tire shop as well, so what do I know?

 

[two wheel tramp]

I'm still not sure how I would like to proceed but your input and personal experiences have been helpful.

Thank you.

 

[davidji]

30+ yrs., several-hundred motorcycle tires plugged, some with as many as three in one tire,

Good to know. Just put the second plug in my rear tire--first time I've ever had more than one. I hoped it wasn't like the glueless bicycle tube patches I used to use, where you might as well discard the tube after you'd used 3.

Tire has 7000 miles of treadlife left, in no hurry to replace it.

My previous rear tire had a plug that developed a slow leak after a few thousand miles. So I took it to a shop to get it patched. The shop did a bad job with the patch and it leaked much faster than the plug did. That tire got replaced with half its treadlife left. Not eager to do that again.

FWIW the shop installed the plug/patch combination type patch. Either of the part that went through the hole or the part inside the tire should have made a seal. But neither did.