350 miles on a PLUGGED tire

[OB_buzzlatka]

The wife and I were on a 6 day 1500 mile trip of central and northern CA. After putting on a fresh rear pilot power we hit my favorite central CA rides 245/49/58.
We then headed up 49 towards neveda city, quincy, with a stop at lake almanor. The next day we visited Lassen and then cut across to Eureka on 299. Right in the middle of 299 I noticed the bike didn't want to lean anymore. It felt reallystrange so I pulled over at a general store in Junction City.

Yup, a small rock, yes a rock, had punctured the tire and I could hear the air leaking out. We were 60 miles from Redding and 90 from Eureka.

After a lot of fuss I was able to round up a plug kit and some air (very lucky) and fixed the leak. I debated giving up and towing the bike back to Redding but after much debate continued the ride to Eureka (very carefully). I have never trusted plugging a motorcycle tire but it was my only hope to continue the ride.

When we arrived at Eureka, none of the 3 bike shops in town had a 190 rear tire! The bike seemed to do fine on the plug so we continued south to Redway. They didn't have any 190 rear tires, either did Ukiah. I decided to screw it and continued down 1 and across skaggs springs road. By the time we made it too the wine country and Santa Rosa (who had the right size tire) I once again said screw it, another 100 miles won't hurt and finished the ride to Sacramento.

Has anyone ever used a plug with success?

My next purchase after a new rear tire is going to be a plug kit and CO2 inflator. I was very lucky to find both those items in the middle of 299.

 

[Cookie]

My next purchase after a new rear tire is going to be a plug kit and CO2 inflator.  I was very lucky to find both those items in the middle of 299.

Good move on the inflate-a-kit, Buzzlatka. Always travel with that set up long distance, because you never know.

I have used (reluctantly) plugs. They do work. Although, I would never think of accepting or trusting its integrity to top speed runs.

My quick advise, (and you did exactly what you could under the given situation you had) is to always move to replace the plug,,,,,,ASAP!

The plug is what it is,,, A FIX. Nothing more.

Anyone that thinks differently is only fooling themselves.

 

[Mikey D]

I've ridden a plugged tire on several ocasions.  Actuall have never had a problem with one.  I know it is a temp fix but when you pick up a nail in a 2 week old tire (750 katana) it's tough to throw away.

Silly plug lasted the life of the tire!

Installed one in New Mexico on the way back to AZ (same bike) from a cross country trip. No problems.

I had a KZ700 that had several plugs. No problem.

All of em were in the rear tire. Definately wouldn't trust one in the front.

Prolly just lucky.

A plug isn't gonna cause a tire to 'splode, the danger is the air is gonna leak out slowly and yer gonna forget it's there and go into a turn at 100+ & bad things are gonna happen.



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[OB_buzzlatka]

Cookie, what kind of repair kit do you have?  
I was poking around on the riderwhearhouse site and they sell a few different plugs/CO2 inflator combinations.



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[MoosesBusa]

I use them regularly myself. I prefer patches from the inside but plugs have NEVER let me down. ( Heh Heh Heh He said," But Plugs ) Plugged tires seem to scare most people but I've no reason to doubt the tires integrity. My Harley has put 8000 miles on a plugged rear. Will I trust it at "Full Speed" No. I don't trust very many tires period for applications over 120mph period. What you did was fine IMO and I would have done the exact same thing.

 

[shenoyp]

I know a lot of people who plug their tire and continue to use it... I also dont mind using a plugged tyre on a car, but on the Busa it would be a strict no -no

 

[paulos]

not a lover of plugged tyres on high performance bikes.

to dodgy

 

[04busaVA]

I've ridden a plugged tire... {snip}...I know it is a temp fix but when you pick up a nail in a 2 week old tire... {snipe} it's tough to throw away.

       Silly plug lasted the life of the tire!

{more snipping}

I'm witha ya on this one.  I picked up a nail in my M1 the day I had that shid installed... I was like dayum if I am going to fork out the cash for another.... So I plugged it and a week later had it patched..

 The dayum thing lasted a good 7K+.



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[thebbbusa]

Nice, glad to hear everything turned out okay. I had to do the "Plug it yourself on the side of the road trick" a couple weeks ago. My tires were about due so I got new ones a couple days later.

 

[cjaj_70]

Just got a staple in my tire, think im gonna try a patch seems better than a plug

 

[babuski]

boys and girls....after 3 flats in two years I decided on getting an emergency plug kit. YOu can go to bikebandit.com (or a dozen other places) and get the Progressive Suspension CO2 tire plug kits...they are cheap insurance. I bought two of them and carry them ALWAYS in my tank bag if I'm going to be more than a few miles from a dealer...

 

[bronc3]

Contrary to most recommendations here, I have looged many miles on plugged rears with no problems.

 

[IG.]

I would strongly recommend CyclePump.com (ads in magazines). It's pricey for $80, but small and very effective. I keep the pump and the tire repair kit in my hump, and use the pump even to adjust tire pressure on the bike. Don't remember last time I added air at the gas station.  

Oh, and I logged about 1000 miles on the plugged rear (hole in the middle of the tire). That was on Katana 600 though. However, I took her into triple digits routinely.
__                                      
Igor
<span style='font-size:13pt;line-height:100%'><span style='color:darkred'>HumpMod.com</span> <span style='color:darkred'>- The easy way</span></span>

 

[ty454]

I would strongly recommend CyclePump.com (ads in magazines). It's pricey for $80, but small and very effective. I keep the pump and the tire repair kit in my hump, and use the pump even to adjust tire pressure on the bike. Don't remember last time I added air at the gas station.  

Oh, and I logged about 1000 miles on the plugged rear (hole in the middle of the tire). That was on Katana 600 though. However, I took her into triple digits routinely.
__                                      
Igor
<span style='font-size:13pt;line-height:100%'><span style='color:darkred'>HumpMod.com</span> <span style='color:darkred'>- The easy way</span></span>

Dude this whole thread is like deja vu. Just this week I was on a 2000 mile road trip in the virginia mountains on a brand new rear tire (which I replaced because I had a roofing nail in the original) and a couple days into the trip I found a 3" finishing nail in my rear.

Luckily my dad had his cyclepump from Aerostitch and I had my plug-n-go plugger kit from Aerostitch as well. We plugged the tire and had it inflated in 25 minutes tops, and neither of us had ever used the plug kit before. Put about 800-900 miles on the plug at speeds up to 120mph and on twisty mountain roads and passes with no problems

Screw it I'm not buying a new rear, I'll take it to see if I can get a proper patch at a repair place but that's it. If anything, I'm buying one of those cycle pumps so I'll never be stranded again.

The plug didn't so much as lose a single PSI over the whole trip. Initially i was really bummed because I feared the plug and thought I would have to buy a new rear but now I'm not worried about the thing at all.

yay for plugs. Although if I was planning another marathon bike trip this year i might get a new tire, but looks like I'll mostly be local so i'm not too concerned.

 

[ANTIBLING]

Here is the nail I took out of my 600's tire

 

[Jayslamms]

I rode on a plugged tire for a few weks, but kept the speed under triple digits. Whenever the Busa sat for a day or 2 I had to put air in the tire. Finally had enough, and replaced the tire with Pilot Powers just for the peace of mind.

 

[dm_gsxr]

Plugged my new Sportec rear a couple of days ago. No loss of air pressure so far.

Carl

 

[OB_buzzlatka]

The bike actually did around 420 miles on the plugged tire and has been sitting in the garage for a few days. No loss in air pressure. My plan is to put a new pilot power on the rear when I get the chance. Until then no long trips, just short trips around town.

I just bought the tire plug and co2 kit from stop n go.
Cookie IG and Bronc3 I took your advice. I was lucky that the middle of knowwhere place I stopped had air and a plug kit.
http://www.stopngo.com/Contents/1001.htm

 

[cjaj_70]

I ended up buying a new rear, bought road hazard for $15 so now ill probably never have a problem...