| Author | Message | ||
     Dougal |
So, here's a total newb question again. I want to get some a puncture repair kit for my Uly, which currently has Dunlops on, but I suspect will end up with Syncs on it at its first service. I know nothing about motorcycle tyres or how to fix punctures. Feel free to point and laugh  Firstly, I assume the tyres are tubeless - is that right? If so, assuming I had a repair kit like this one (or the tubed variety) how hard/easy is it to fix a puncture at the side of the road? What other tools would I want to have stashed away beyond those that come with the kit and those in the small pack that comes with the bike? Any advice gratefully received! | ||
| Littlefield |
I like the Stop n Go kit. It uses a little mushroom headed plug. An electric air pump is a lot handier than the CO2 cartridges. | ||
| Treadmarks |
http://www.jpcycles.com/productgroup.aspx?GID=10E6 537B-C9B0-4282-87B6-C790733ADA00&search=tire+repai r+kit&store=All&page=1 | ||
| Jflaig |
When I ride, I carry a SLIME kit with me. It consists of a small, 5in x 6in x 1-1/2in case for the compressor(run off either accy outlet or direct battery link), and I added a 8oz bottle of the SLIME fix a flat. It doesn't require any breakdown of the tire/rim for repair. Most auto parts stores should carry them, or at least their bigger brothers. Good luck and stay safe. | ||
| Michael1 |
Walmart is your friend here. $7 for a flat repair kit in a yellow box. Consists of a bunch of cord plugs, two patches (useless), reemer and glue. I ditched the box and carry it in a small pouch. $10 the old Cambell Hausfield 12 volt air compressor trick. I ditched the housing and cut off the fan. Both items fit under my seat perfectly. I've used these two items in the field a bunch of time, never on my bike, except to air back up after off road. | ||
| Jim_sb |
My friends and I have had mixed results with the cord style plugs. OTOH I have had great success with the mushroom style plugs. I carry both - but prefer the mushrooms. Regards, Jim in Santa Barbara | ||
| Bikesmark |
I noticed about 2 years ago that my brother's Valkyrie had a low rear tire. He works nights and happened to ride over a deer carcass in the road that he didn't see til too late due to the darkness. Turns out a rib was sticking out of his tire. Not one,but two cords stuffed in there and it hasn't leaked yet. Every time I see him I beg him to change out the tire but he sees no point in it. | ||
| Hclem3 |
Here is a real world testimonial for the kit I carry on the Uly. It's Genuine Innovations CO2 patch and plug kit. Here's the link... http://www.genuineinnovations.com/motorprods.aspx?subcat=11 The kit is small enough to fit under the seat of a Uly and earlier this spring, saved me and my friends hours of fun and riding in the Keys.  We were as far south as you can go and still be in the USA when my friend's HD began the low pressure shuffle. We removed the screw that caused the problem.  Here I am using the kit to plug the hole.  We let the glue cure for about an hour while we did the tourist thing.  We hit the road (Uly leading) and rode 300+ miles back to Ft. Myers before replacing the tire.  The kit worked great. We used about 4 CO2 cartridges, enough to almost inflate the tire to full pressure. Found a gas station and inflated to full pressure and the plug held like a champ. The tire repair kit is now part of my standard equipment. Miles of Smiles! | ||
| Florida_lime |
I have always used the cord type plugs in the past, with only 1 failure of any kind (entirely my fault, long story). I had a rash of tire punctures over 1 year ago that resulted in 8 punctures in 2 months between my wife and I. I bought a Stop-and-Go kit, plus the Slime compressor mentioned earlier. I didn't need to use it until recently. On a trip from Florida to North Carolina (and back), I managed to get a wood 'spike' in my JUST changed-the-day-before-the-trip rear Pirelli Synch.  I pulled of the highway, pulled out my kit and compressor. I had seen some bad reviews of the Stop-and-Go kit after buying it, but things went OK with the initial repair. The directions for the Stop-and-Go caution 100 miles max on the repair at reduced speeds. I had 225 miles left in my trip; the mushroom plug lasted 125 miles before the metal cords (apparently) cut through the rubber plug as I had read, and then sucked the remaining nub into the tire. I had to re-plug with the Stop-and-Go kit, and it made the 100 miles left to the trip, but was flat in the morning. I replaced it with the corded type I had always used in the past, and things have been fine since, only using the bike for commuting back and forth to work right now. I did get a new tire in already, and would change it if I was doing any more longer distance riding, but for back and forth to work on Florida's abrasive coral and shell rock tarmac, it's staying on. The Stop-and-Go kit has been replaced with the corded type plugs I had always used before, and the Slime compressor works fine -- it just takes a few minutes to pump up fully. So Jim_sb and Littlefield -- are you using the Stop-and-Go mushroom plugs as a extremely short term solution ? | ||
| Jim_sb |
Very interesting. I got a large metal staple in the rear of my Ulysses the day I rode it home from the dealership. Flat as a pancake in the garage that night. Not wanting to throw out a brand new tire - I used a mushroom plug and proceeded to put nearly 3,000 miles on that tire before it was toast. Many of my friends and I have used the mushroom plugs with great long range success. We have had mixed results with the cord type plugs - nevertheless I carry both. I don't ride without a fix-a-flat kit. Regards, Jim in Santa Barbara | ||
| Hughlysses |
I think the Stop-n-Go plugs work fine depending on where they're put in the tire and what kind of tire it is. I plugged a Dunlop on the rear of my S3 and put another ~2000 miles on it with no problems. Lately I've taken to carrying both types (Stop-n-Go and sticky string) on long trips. One of them's bound to plug the hole. Of course, you can wind up like I did with my only (so far) on the road flat- a ~2" long gash from a piece of steel plate. 3 Stop-n-Go plugs wedged side by side held enough air for long enough to let me ride it ~2 miles back up the road to a shady spot to wait for my wife in the rescue truck. | ||
| Xbimmer |
I've used the sticky-cord type twice with 0 loss of air after several days although the mileage was low before tire changeout. I carry the kit with a package of 6 CO2 cartridges in my tool pack just in case the Slime pump ever fails. I have a whole lot more confidence in these cord plugs than the patches I used to occasionally do roadside on tube-type tires in the old days. | ||
| Tootal |
I have used both with success. I carry the stop and go kit and like the mushroomed heads but the steel in the tire can cut them after a while. I believe that when your filing out the hole in preparation for the plug you really need to do this for a while to try and file away the sharp points of the steel belts. | ||
| Curtyd |
http://www.tirerepairkit.com/ This guy used to send you the kit and you would send him a check AFTER you received it. The honor system. They take cc's now. | ||
| Two_buells |
Stan's Tire Sealant http://stanstiresealant.com/ slime never worked for me in my ATV's I use this stuff in my Mt Bike with no tubes. I also use it in my ATV. I have no less than six holes in one of my ATV rear tires. I will not plug the holes until loose some air. I checked the rear tire every week for the last 10 weeks and its still at 4.5 psi. There are six little wet spots on my tire where some sealant is coming out but, I'm not loosing air. I've never tried it in any of my motorcycles but in 14 years/ 180,000 miles of street riding I never have goten a flat  | ||
| Wingspan |
I carry this tire repair kit on my bike: http://www.aerostich.com/product.php?productid=181 79&cat=537&page=1 I've not had to use it on a bike yet, but I have used several cord type plugs on my truck and trailer without incident. I've got cord plugs in my truck tires that have been in place for years. However, on a bike I consider any repair to be a short term solution just to get me home. | ||
| Littlefield |
I've not had problems with my Stop no Go but also haven't had to use it for much distance. I think in the directions it says not for use with damage what cuts the cord. So basically just a puncture from a nail or screw. Apparently they realize the metal cord will cut the plug. My wife got a flat piece of metal about 3/4 inches wide through a tire and I managed to seal it temporarily with 2 mushroom plugs side by side. Not sure if you could do that with something else. The Stop n Go may seal a bigger hole but sounds like it wouldn't last as long. |
