Ughh another flat.... Frustrating

Slowstang305

Registered
Yep another flat on the busa. Tire probably has 500 miles on it. 240/40/18. I don't like riding on plugs or patches so I figure I have to replace it AGAIN. Just had to vent. I wonder if I threw up the non patched tire online for $50 on craiglist if someone would grab it? What do you guys think or should I just dump it. Worst part about living in construction areas like South FL.
 
Yep another flat on the busa. Tire probably has 500 miles on it. 240/40/18. I don't like riding on plugs or patches so I figure I have to replace it AGAIN. Just had to vent. I wonder if I threw up the non patched tire online for $50 on craiglist if someone would grab it? What do you guys think or should I just dump it. Worst part about living in construction areas like South FL.
I’m sure someone would. I’m cheap if I was close I prob would.
 
People will buy anything...my wife put up a bunch of part cans of paint and I said nobody would buy those.....we had a friggin' line up to buy them...

I was stunned.
 
Yep another flat on the busa. Tire probably has 500 miles on it. 240/40/18. I don't like riding on plugs or patches so I figure I have to replace it AGAIN. Just had to vent. I wonder if I threw up the non patched tire online for $50 on craiglist if someone would grab it? What do you guys think or should I just dump it. Worst part about living in construction areas like South FL.

I have successfully plugged a rear tire several times, once my son had two nails an inch apart on his PR3. We found those on a Sunday morning on the last day of a multi state tour while on the north coast of CA. Plugged both holes, aired it up and rode home down the twisty coast hiway for hundreds of miles. All the tires he and I have plugged were ridden until the tread wore out. The ‘plugs’ we used were actually short fat sticky orange colored worms. I’d never waste money replacing a tire that can be repaired.
 
I would plug it and ride. have ridden literally thousands of miles on plugs. Now that being said i dont think i would fre off some mile races on one.
 
Had 3 plugs in my last tire, 2 in the one before that. Rode them both to the chords. Plug it and ride man, no sweat.
 
Maybe you guys are right, do I just plug it with a regular tire plug kit aka rubber worm and cement?
Depending on ther life it has left you can go that route if not much or you could with an umbrella type patch/ plug that has to be done from the inside after breaking the tire down. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LB7GULO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_hjv9Eb9NWQ3EF

Or you could do a mushroom type which I would suggest getting if your having this issue a lot. Im about to add one of these kits to our riding kit since the last 2 rides someone had ended up with a flat.
 
The only real consideration is whether there was damage to the inside of the tire wall as a result of riding when flat. Unseen damage unless you pull the tire and inspect the interior wall. If you picked up a nail but the tire maintained pressure, I'd plug it. If enough air was lost to deform the tire's walls during its rotations (only you would know just how flat, and for how long flat), then you might budget for a new tire.

I am looking for - but have not yet found - anything that says a plug failure is catastrophic. Rapid pressure loss often is, as we all know, but I can't find anything that says 'plugs are evil', if you know what I mean.
 
This is like the oil debate, it's a matter of personal preference. I wouldn't ride on a plugged or patched tire except in an emergency, and then only enough to get me home or a tire shop. I'm sure that there are those who would feel perfectly safe at speed with a plugged tire, I personally absolutely would not.
A plugged tire will be fine, until it isn't. And if that happens at 150+, it ain't gonna end well. Yes, catastrophic failure can happen to a non-repaired tire as well, but I'm not going to increase the likelihood willingly.
 
Last edited:
Maybe you guys are right, do I just plug it with a regular tire plug kit aka rubber worm and cement?

This is the type of kit I‘ve used. I carry a kit in each bike with six cartridges. That will be enough to get me to an air station. Some carry a small compressor.


Some use this type of repair kit.

 
Thanks guys for all of your suggestions, the tire never lost pressure. In fact it is keeping its PSI. I moved the nail with my finger and I can hear the air escaping so I do know it made a puncture.
 
Thanks guys for all of your suggestions, the tire never lost pressure. In fact it is keeping its PSI. I moved the nail with my finger and I can hear the air escaping so I do know it made a puncture.

It‘s much easier to ‘plug’ a tire when fully inflated. Get everything you need set out, air up the tire if possible with the nail still in then remove it, ream the hole with the tool in the kit and then fast as possible, insert the tool with the worm. Snip any protruding worm and top off the air. The worm will stop the escaping air immediately and you can ride immediately as well. The worm sort of vulcanizes with the tire‘s rubber as it heats up.
 
I’ve had tires plugged (rear only) as have friends in our old riding group never once had any issue tire lasted until replacement was needed in each case, My buddy had a flat during the first 109 miles on his new R1 due to screw we plugged it and he ran it until it needed a new tire
 
I’m the same as Brown except once a flat is developed, I’ll call a tow regardless where I am.

Carry a Sat phone do you? :D I’ve found many places where cell phones don’t work here in the States. I can’t imagine being somewhere east of Cunnamulla with a flat and no repair kit. I had to call for a flatbed once in central WA with a flat but that hole was big enough to stick a pencil in. Whatever I ran over stayed put as the tire had no trace of what it was except for a hole too large to plug or patch. Luckily I had cell service because I was just about 70 miles from anywhere.
 
Last tour a week ago, we had two nails in the same tire, plugged many many tires on tours, but first time we've had two at same time.

Plugged it with a mushroom plug and on our merry way.

DSC00073.jpg


DSC00074.jpg


DSC00074-1.jpg


DSC00074-3.jpg
 
Interesting thread. I've had runs of nails in tires too, and it always seemed to come in bunches. Good feedback here about plugging from some experienced riders which means a lot.
 
Interesting thread. I've had runs of nails in tires too, and it always seemed to come in bunches. Good feedback here about plugging from some experienced riders which means a lot.
Was not aware these kits had evolved so much!
Just ordered the pocket version of this:
plgz.png

$40. Instead of the gun, there's a smaller plunger device actuated by an included allen wrench
Walmart, cuz Amazon couldn't get it to me until August, which explains the price diff.

I told you guys this forum was worth the membership fees!!
 
Back
Top