Nail in rear tire

[Mike_Honcho]

I have had 3 nails in my rear tire since I got my FZ in July of last year (although I've been riding several years before that). There are 2 types of plugs you can do, depending on the service shop you go to. A regular tire shop WILL NOT have anything to do with motorcycles because of the liability, but most bike shops will help you no sweat.

You can either get a outer plug which is the standard, usually free, seal that will seal the tire and wear down to smooth after about 40 miles or so. This is a short term solution, and should probable be replaced before 500 miles or so. I've had mine in for longer before but i wanted to wait to replace my front tire as well.

The other option is an inner plug. This will probably run you about $45 or so but is definitely a safer way to ride on the tire without replacing it. They reinforce the plug from the inside and re-balance the tire. I have known people to have 2 or 3 inner plugs in a single tire without problems. I guess it just depends on your comfort level or riding and your financial situation.

If the tire is worth saving, you might as well save it.

 

[Boneman]

Well that's your opinion and your welcome to it.

Personaly I don't give a hoop what my tech, or anyone else for that matter, rides with.

I made the 'jacket' reference to try and point that some things can be fixed and don't need to be replaced.

I love how all you 'safety for all' guys preach from up high on what the rest of us need to do to ride safe and give the old "well if you can afford a sport bike then you can afford to buy everything else" speach. Go preach that one to the squids in shorts and tank tops ok. Last time I checked no on here needs that song and dance.

So I take it then by your statements about "shelling out the money for safe riding" that you wear a full one piece race leathers, internal chest protector and have a $1,300 helemt?? No? Well why not? Becasue after all if you can afford the sport bike mate, you should be able to afford all the BEST saftey gear too right? After all, race leathers are about the safest thing you can posisbly wear on a bike.

You guys make it sound like a plugged tire is going to expolde, rupture, burst or cause some totally unsafe and catostrophic episode if the plug fails. This would not be the case.

It would seem two camps on this issue are:

1- Replace the tire IMMEDIATELY. It's UNSAFE to ride with a patch or plug

2- I had a patch/plug put in XX,XXX km's ago and my tire has been fine, it's all a plot by tiremakers to make you but new tires

I don't think you'll ever get the two sides to agree on the best course of action.

Again, I agree with you guys that a new tire is best. Having an internal patch that is chemically bonded into the rubber from the inside for one small nail hole that is dead center of my tire is fine with me. Think of a tire patch with a plug attached to it, and the plug part has a pointed metal cone over it for pushing it through the tire without damaging the plug on the cords. The cone is then removed, leaving the plug behind. The patch part is "vulcanized" (glued) in place inside the tire. Done this way, I have some faith in the tire. The cords probably won't be damaged by installing the patch plug, and the patch/plug cannot be removed short of destroying the tire.

Bottom line, I feel 100% safe with my plugged tire and don't even think twice about it, nor am I asking any of you to ride it. If I got a 2nd puncture, then yes, I would replace without a second thought. But in my situation, having one patch/plug did not effect the speed rating of the tire. Now if you want to send me the $350 for a new tire, I'lll gladly go out get a new one.

 

[Kriswithak]

Just to clarify I think its up to the person with the issue and down to the situation. If I was told I could get a tyre properly plugged rather than replace it thats what I would do. If I was told it needed replacing I'd take that advice. Both sides have equal merit depending on the situation, particularly people mentioning the difference between a temporary and permanent plug!

No need to make this a @$*# fight out of this. The comparison of sharing dirty needles and washing your hands is totally rediculous. If your into drugs thats your perogative (sp?) it has no relevance to this issue. If you think washing your hands after using the bathroom means they will be clean keep in mind that if anyone else hasn't when they leave and touch the same door handles you will be touching they are leaving a little gift for you. Again the relevance is pretty much non existant unless the mechanic who changed your tyre didn't wash his hands, somehow became ill from ingesting faeces, and then did a bad job as a result. Occupation hazard of being a mechanic???

 

[Boneman]

^^LOL!

Nice

 

[Iethius]

Well that's your opinion and your welcome to it.

Personaly I don't give a hoop what my tech, or anyone else for that matter, rides with.

I made the 'jacket' reference to try and point that some things can be fixed and don't need to be replaced.

I love how all you 'safety for all' guys preach from up high on what the rest of us need to do to ride safe and give the old "well if you can afford a sport bike then you can afford to buy everything else" speach. Go preach that one to the squids in shorts and tank tops ok. Last time I checked no on here needs that song and dance.

So I take it then by your statements about "shelling out the money for safe riding" that you wear a full one piece race leathers, internal chest protector and have a $1,300 helemt?? No? Well why not? Becasue after all if you can afford the sport bike mate, you should be able to afford all the BEST saftey gear too right? After all, race leathers are about the safest thing you can posisbly wear on a bike.

You guys make it sound like a plugged tire is going to expolde, rupture, burst or cause some totally unsafe and catostrophic episode if the plug fails. This would not be the case.

It would seem two camps on this issue are:

1- Replace the tire IMMEDIATELY. It's UNSAFE to ride with a patch or plug

2- I had a patch/plug put in XX,XXX km's ago and my tire has been fine, it's all a plot by tiremakers to make you but new tires

I don't think you'll ever get the two sides to agree on the best course of action.

Again, I agree with you guys that a new tire is best. Having an internal patch that is chemically bonded into the rubber from the inside for one small nail hole that is dead center of my tire is fine with me. Think of a tire patch with a plug attached to it, and the plug part has a pointed metal cone over it for pushing it through the tire without damaging the plug on the cords. The cone is then removed, leaving the plug behind. The patch part is "vulcanized" (glued) in place inside the tire. Done this way, I have some faith in the tire. The cords probably won't be damaged by installing the patch plug, and the patch/plug cannot be removed short of destroying the tire.

Bottom line, I feel 100% safe with my plugged tire and don't even think twice about it, nor am I asking any of you to ride it. If I got a 2nd puncture, then yes, I would replace without a second thought. But in my situation, having one patch/plug did not effect the speed rating of the tire. Now if you want to send me the $350 for a new tire, I'lll gladly go out get a new one.

My opinion was for the subject of debate especially for new riders here to think about, not just one side, you guys forget that this is a forum for discussion not to shove your ideas on people, not preaching at anyone, just venting my opinion for others to consider, and yes does it hurt?
get out of the house more, you take this crap way too personal.

 

[abacall]

Lol, no no, it was $350 installed just for the REAR tire!! Another $250 for the front with mounting and ballancing.

Yikes, I forget that tires are more expensive up there. In that case I can see the reasoning behind riding with the plug.
For me, it costs $80 for a plug, and $220 for a tire. Meaning I only spend another $140 for the tire. I can live with that.

As mentioned, do what you are comfortable with. I would always ride timid with a plug and be constantly worried about it. I also ride pretty aggressively and a blowout would be extremely scary. So, I replace the tire.

 

[Tailgate]

How about plugging a beer tonight---anybody against that?

 

[Boneman]

^^already ahead of ya on that! :iconbeer: (ya know, that Bud Light Lime stuff aint that bad....)

 

[Tailgate]

^^already ahead of ya on that! :iconbeer: (ya know, that Bud Light Lime stuff aint that bad....)

I discovered that I really like that new Bud "Clamato" or something. Not bad either---also got lime in it. .

 

[Iethius]

where did the rest of this thread go?

 

[Cali rider]

Boneman Kriswithak
Lost control, my mistake, no excuses, I know better, sorry to be so hostile,
Won't happen again.
This forum is awesome, you guys rock.
I'll buy you guys a beer sometime, how many miles away are you guys? Wait... not across the water are ya?

And they all lived happily ever after...:hug:

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Good news, my roomate had the service plan, meaning that if he picked up a nail, the tire would be replaced. He's still on his stock Dunlops, which is almost 3 years old, which is flattening out and getting pretty worn anyways. So the timing was kind of good. The dealership is replacing the tire with the Michellin's Pilot Powers, so I told him that I'll pick up the tab for the front. But from another shop. I'll get a much better deal.

 

[abraxas]

Oh my hat!!!

Vegasrider: You tell your mate he's a very lucky guy :Flash:

Has the OP come right?

 

[chemicalsmile]

Ok someone started a curse here....I just got a nail in my rear tire a couple days ago.... I always carry a plug kit with me so I plugged it just to get home and have put 50 pretty hard miles on it since and it's holding up. Already have 5500k on the tire and it's the stock tire so I've been looking for an excuse to junk it anyways so I"ll probably get a new one soon.

 

[fzinger]

Haven't posted in a long while. I almost don't want to jump on this thread, but here goes...

I just plugged my rear tire approx 150 miles ago. Very small cut (1/32") probably a nail or small piece of glass. Whatever it was didn't stay in the tire. The hole was approx 1 1/2" off center of tread. I properly cleaned and reamed the hole and installed the plug (outer vulcanized-rubber rope type)

NOW. I'm comfortable riding on this tire until it is spent (approx 1000 miles) it's a BT-016, not exactly a high mileage tire in the first place. I do mostly commuting around town at speeds that don't exceed 80 mph.

I've kept a close eye on the repair since day one. No loss of pressure. No bulges. No movement. NOTHING. It's solid.

I have seen and heard of several accounts of tire failure due to pressure being too low and/or overloaded.

I am asking you, fellow members, does anyone have proof (personal or otherwise) of a plugged tire failing with NORMAL RIDING (not 100 mph canyon carving, drag racing, etc.) And keep in mind, this won't take into account whether or not the plug was installed properly in the first place (cleaned, reamed to proper diameter, etc.)

I don't mean to stir the pot. I would like to see actual proof of a mishap related directly to this kind of repair.

 

[fzinger]

Really? No one?

 

[Iethius]

Really? No one?

They are probably dead, anybody know a medium?

Tasteless? Yeah oh well, just kidding anyway.

I am so cheap I would plug mine, but if I am willing to pay for auto insurance, home, life. A little tire insurance is OK for me anyway.
Of topic sorta, I wonder if I Googled or Binged it something will come up about
tire failure when plugged? Hmmm

Thanks for stirring the pot, debate wakes people up. Well some people.

 

[Tailgate]

I say your chances of picking up a new nail or something are probably equal to you having an issue with the strip you plugged your hole. Can you imagine that plug/strip, somehow, coming out? I mean, if you know you got it in well, you would have a real difficult time in trying to pull it out. It's much more secure than ,say, a nail sitting in your tire. Don't listen to me---I'm still riding on 15,000+miles on my original BT020's. A lot of riders probably will say that I'm crazy. Join the club.

 

[txa1562]

I had the exact same thing happen to me with my fizzer...she had to stay at work in the parking lot overnight till I was able to get a plug to fix her. I just plugged the tire and re-inflated it to the proper pressure. I've ridden a good 500 miles on it with zero problems. The plug has held perfectly...but it all depends on where the nail is and how big it is.

 

[RJ2112]

I can't give you a definitive 'fail'.... I've plugged the same hole twice on a tire, and am still running that same tire on the bike with at least 3,000 miles since the initial plug was installed.

First time, I bought a really cheap sticky rope kit. Just the ropes, and tools to install. That one lasted at least 2,500 miles (I think closer to 4K); until the tread surrounding it wore down enough to start 'worrying' the tip of the plug. The rope ends started getting jiggled every time the plug hit pavement. This eventually caused a slow leak around the edges of the plug.

I replaced that sticky rope plug with another.... from a different kit, with rubber cement slathered all over every surface of the sticky rope before I inserted it in the same hole the first one had been in. Trimmed the tips of the rope to a level below the tread blocks, turned the wheel so the plug was at the lowest point, added about 10 psi to the tire and let it sit over night.

Pumped it up to 36 psi the next day, and have ridden more than 1000 miles on it since.

No leaks.