Repair tire puncture, or replace tire?

[Ballerman]

This may have been answered elsewhere here, but I couldn't find it, so forgive me. The relatively new rear tire of my RT (a Metzler Tourance) was punctured by a screw. I've plugged it, and now I want to get it repaired or replace it. BMW dealer says they won't repair tires because liability is too high. I've seen some opinions that say motorcycle tires should not be repaired. Too risky if repair fails on a tire that gets more abuse than car tires. So... Should I try to find someone who will repair the tire, or play it safe, trash it, and get a new one? BTW: I'm not a mechanic and won't do it myself.

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Baller

 

If the screw puncture is on the flat tread part & not near the side wall & didn’t damage a cord then personally I would have no problem riding that tire in repaired form until it was worn out.

 

If in doubt call the tire manufacturer or go to their web site as most motorcycle tire companies have a tire repair recommendation as well as tire repair reduced speed & other cautionary recommendations.

 

[JimD]

I have run tires with the inside patch repair that SOS sells. These patches have a plug type stem on them which pulls thru the hole & leaves a 1" diameter patch on the inside of the tire. Many cycle dealers use this type of repair.

[Rainor]

Interesting that you should bring this up. Here's my recent experience (2007 R1200RT)...

 

I was riding on a secondary hwy and picked up a nail. My tire pressure sensor gave me a warning for about 15 seconds then went into a flashing red triangle indicating SOMETHING'S SERIOUSLY WRONG. I pulled over to hear my tire hissing and within a minute it was dead flat.

 

I got the bike back home and just plugged it from the outside. The tire was near replacement and since we only had another couple of months riding I thought I'd try to hold out for a new tire until next spring when the sales were on.

 

I put about 1500 klms on that tire, about half with 2 up. No problems with losing pressure at all. Then last weekend I went 2 blocks from home and got the red flashing triangle again. For whatever reason it had decided to leak significantly again.

 

Contacted local shop who wouldn't put a patch on due to liability. Had them install a new Pilot Road 2 for $305CDN all up!

 

The moral of this story is the TPMS which I previously poo poo'd was invaluable in 2 instances. Without the warning I "may" have driven on the tire in an unsafe condition.

 

Not sure if this helps, but it's my story about tire repair.

 

Rainor

[Jaguar]

I guess it's a crap shoot. I've plugged a tire from the outside with a generic plug kit I carry under my seat. Tire was around half worn and I rode it to my next new tire with no issues. There's a lot of variables with tire punctures, so there's nothing wrong with being safe and replacing it.

[bobbybob]

Plugging it from the outside might last hundreds of miles or 1 mile. But it will usually work loose over time and either start leaking again or come all the way out (pffffft). Some folks have been lucky with outside plugs. I would only use outside plugging in an emergency, to get home. Then I would apply the "plug-patch" from the inside. I have never had one of them to leak and have run the tires to the carcass.

[Kritou]

I have fixed two nail punctures with Stop n Go The basic $32 kit will insert a soft mushroom headed plug through the tyre and is then pulled back snug against the carcass

 

You do of course have to have a system to reinflate the tyre

 

Both tyres went on to complete a normal life

 

 

 

[racer7]

There are a lot of variations of plugs ranging from rubber discs or plugs to the traditional coated strings and newer hard plastic ones.

Rubber plugs can be cut by steel belts if the puncture isn't reamed right. Hard plastic is simply replacing one hard item in the hole with another- no way in heck I would use one of those. I have used the string type many many times, even in race tires in a pinch, with never a problem.

However, its all about whether you use them in a suitable way (I would only plug a small puncture and certainly never use more than 1 plug except for very temporary use). That includes installing them properly and cutting off flush when done. If one loses plugs regularly the proper install method is not being used.

It doesn't hurt to install an inside patch over a plug but I've rarely done so and never had an issue either way. So I have no hesitation at all about using plugs and leaving them in for the life of the tire. There are plug kits in every vehicle I own- it is easier and faster to plug even if you carry a spare and a jack in your car and if you catch it soon enough on a car, you'll have enough air in it to drive carefully to a nearby air source if you don't carry a pump. Sometimes I have simply driven to a service station and plugged the tire while sitting next to the air line. This job takes me 3-4 minutes but might take you a few times as long if you lack practice (the biggest variable is how fast one can spot the puncture- wire staples can be tough to locate compared to the more common roofing nail or screw.) For a bike tire with small air volume an inflator will be needed and you probably won't get enough time with most punctures to ride to an air line location before needing to repair.

The safety worries are mostly lawyer crap and from those who could drive a car with a flat all day and not notice it. If a plug is used correctly, even with a total plug failure the most one would get is another slow leak over a period long enough to easily allow a controlled stop (and another temporary repair followed by replacement at that point).

Re the dealer stuff- they sell tires so have an interest in replacement and there is also no doubt that a full replacement is a conservative, if wasteful, way to go. If I used a dealer to service my bikes and cars my operating costs would go up well over $2k/yr- no thanks.

 

One of the few good things about this lousy economy is the great decrease in construction trash falling out of worker pickups. Punctures are way down for my vehicle set....

 

[oldironhead]

Regardless of the fact that it may not have contributed to an accident, a patched or plugged tire is a good easy target for an ambulance chaser. Thus, no dealer or shop will patch or plug a tire, nor will a tire maker recommend it.

 

A patched or plugged tire is completely safe, if it is properly and prudently done.

 

I recommend the belt and suspenders approach. Plug it, and patch it.

 

[LPOL]

A NEW rear tire would cost about $150-160.

 

If you have the $ and want peace of mind...then get a NEW tire.

 

I won't risk my life/bike/lives of others for $160.

[na1g]

Since the prefered inside patch/plug repair involves removing the wheel and tire, you are already into the shop for that labor. Will that be cheaper than having a new tire mounted? Sure, but it does reduce the difference between doing it absolutely right (new tire) and doing it maybe/sorta right (repair). Guess it depends a lot on how much tread is left on the flat tire, where you are, where you are going, and the state of you Visa card.

 

p

[fastbikedroid]

YMMV but as a rule I won't ride a plug/patched motorcycle tire. I figure I have 0 margin for failure versus a patched tire on a car where a flat would likely be more irritating than catastrophic.

[bobbybob]

YMMV but as a rule I won't ride a plug/patched motorcycle tire. I figure I have 0 margin for failure versus a patched tire on a car where a flat would likely be more irritating than catastrophic.

 

I'll bet that if you had a tire changer and changed your own tires, and could see exactly how the plug-patch works when you patched it, you would no longer fear riding on one.

[RTJohn]

I replaced both tires 500 miles ago. Then, checking the tire pressures, I found a large nail in the rear tire. I was, ahem, annoyed. I called LB BMW and went in and replaced it. I keep a tire plugging kit in my tank bag just in case it happens on the road. But ultimately I want to know that my tires are 100%. 99% just doesn't cut it for me.

[EddyQ]

The relatively new rear tire of my RT (a Metzler Tourance) was punctured by a screw. I've plugged it, and now I want to get it repaired or replace it. BMW dealer says they won't repair tires because liability is too high. I've seen some opinions that say motorcycle tires should not be repaired. Too risky if repair fails on a tire that gets more abuse than car tires. So... Should I try to find someone who will repair the tire, or play it safe, trash it, and get a new one? BTW: I'm not a mechanic and won't do it myself.

 

Sounds exactly like what happen to me a few years back. I never found a shop that would repair a tire. I gave up and had a new tire put on. Although, I save the old tire. . . .

 

After two months, the new rear tire was trashed by a rather large bolt. The bolt made a hole my pinky would fit through and broke several steel cords. I brought the old tire with the minor injury to an automotive tire shop and the promptly installed a mushroom type patch. Then, I had a bike shop install it. Now, mind you, this cost a bit more than a simple mounting.

 

I rode the tire til the front tire was to the wear bars. The repaired rear tire still had tread, but I had both front and rear replaced.

 

Now, I am not suggesting you take this route. Most my riding was commuting backroads from and to work. Even so, I was a little uneasy. Take a good look at a worn rear tire. There is very little material for any plug to grip. The mushroom type (IMO) is the only plug type I would consider riding miles on. But, you weight the options and decide.

[g_frey]

plug a tire? Done it for 45 years with no problem using string type. Patch a tire? Same, no problem. Latest on a Shinko Raven rear tire, 4,000 miles later tire is worn out but holds air just fine.

[tomk99r11]

I too have run on several plugged tires over my 50+ yrs of riding. It all depends on one's comfort level. If the plugged hole is not mangled the tar snake type plug will work just fine. It is a judgement call. Those who say ALWAYS replace a tire rather than plug it feel more comfortable doing so. I personally won't hesitate to plug a tire and ride it until time for normal tread wear replacement. It is an individual call, either of which is right. A lecture is not in order either way, do what makes you feel comfortable. FWIW.

[philbytx]

+1

IMHO - just patch to get home...and then buy a new one!

[malcolmblalock]

There's a bit of knowledge necessary in being consistently successful in plugging tires. Angle of penetration is extremely important to keep from making a second hole in the carcass which does not get sealed. I've been 100% successful (skill or luck?) over a lot of years of plugging both automobile and motorcycle tires.

 

Plugs will ultimately leak when the carcass gets too thin to maintain enough "grip" on the plug. Even then, they leak just like a nail; slowly.

 

Given this, I'm comfortable using and riding on plugged tires.

[bobbybob]

There IS one other reason to use the plug-patch instead of plugs alone that I forgot to mention. The patch covers the hole and surrounding carcasss, and becomes one with the carcass and prevents air from seeping into/between the plies and causing problems that would look like this--->>>

 

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=730879&gonew=1#UNREAD

 

Not that the "bubble" was caused by a plug, but that is exactly what can happen using a plug only.

 

[jaytee]

I didn't mind plugging my cruisers but relying on my tires for my life up in the canyons and mountains has me replacing tires on the R12S. Ymmv.

[Autocom Matt]

I have no issue properly patching a tire, re-balancing and continuing down to the wear bars for street use including aggressive riding.

 

Never patch on the sidewall or shoulder. Always clean and scuff tire, take your time and patch right.

 

That said, if tire has less than 1,000 miles to wear bars, it isn't worth my time.

[SuperG]

Roadside repair -- > plug it get it home. slime kits are inexpensive and they work.

 

once at home ----> patch from the inside. Inside patch will never fail in a sudden matter. Unless installer failed to use rubber cement.

 

Being able to patch at home = the tire changer just about paid for it self (again).

 

PS: an interesting finding,

there is no steel belt under the running surface of he tire, just a nylon cord system.

 

I have cut 6"x6" pieces from an Avon storm tire to use as a rubber dampener on a machinery.

I was able to cut through the rubber tire with a utility knife.