Plugging a tire

[2stangs69-91]

I plug tires all the time. Had new Avon on the rear a few years back. Nail at 75 miles :damn angry:. Pluged the tire rode it until it was bald no issues. if it is in the tread just plug it and go. I have done fronts also. Motorcycle cases are very strong to begin with.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

I've plugged M/C tires for over 20 years, including radials, and never had a stitch of a problem with a single one of them.

Conventional wisdom does say that a plug is a temporary fix only....

Undoubetdly a patch on the inside is better, and if I had a reason to dismount a tire I'd patch it, but I've ridden the crap out of plugged tires in the twisties and never lost any sleep, or skin, over it........or noticed the slightest ill effects....

I use nothing but the old fashioned leather plugs with the glue coating....I've seen some of the newer more "highly designed" plugs, those ones that try to "simulate" an internal patch, fail in just a few miles, or even get spit out in high speed runs....I don't trust them at all......not saying they haven't worked for others....

To each his own I'd say tho', If it's something you are going to stress out over or worry about, then replace the tire............I don't; so I won't....

Rusty

 

[satariel666]

Well, here in PL we must pay about 200$ for good sport rear tyre, for example michelin pilot road 190/50R17.
Its not funny when Your salary is about 800$ per month LOL

So throwing awaythe almost new tyre with a small hole is a blasphemy.
I use to run with vulcanized tyres all the time, Never heard about any accident related with vulcanized tyre, of coure at profesional shop - not at home.

Altough I will never trust in any plug(pin as we calling it here) in the long distance at higher speeds.

Plug - no.

Profesionaly vulcanized patch - all the time.
In one condition: only if you have a hole at the front part.
Never repair a tyre with hole on the sidewall.

 

[Woody]

i have a nail in my rear tire right now.
it looks like a carpet tack. But i'm not sure. so untill I fell like yanking the wheel off.
and taking it in for an inside patch.
i just check my air before i ride.hasn't gone down yet.
then i go rip it.
i do like the idea of just roasting that sucker till it blows. Hmmmmm Iowans

 

[Maxnos1198]

I ran a plug in my tire many times my last Metz. 880 was brand new and had a nail after 75 miles put a plug in and put over 3,500 miles on it before finally blew it off the rim at Thunder yrs. ago . I never had a problem in 20 yrs of plugging tires , just my .02 cents. Later Kurt

 

[Jayhawk]

Two things.

First, RA, interesting story about the ME880 flat rear. My experience was similar. Parked the bike, went inside a bookstore for 15-minutes or so. Boarded the bike, not noticing the tire sitting low, or anything. But, I knew something was wrong with that squishy, wobbly feeling and pulled over. Had what looked to be a gash, right in the tread on a tire with about 4k. Didn't feel odd when I parked it, and I suspect that either I hit something right before I pulled into the lot, or someone with a knife helped me out while I was stopped. Nasty gash, and wouldn't hold air for more than 30-seconds or so, aired up. Air tank, Slime and then a trip to local shop for a new ME880.

The other thing interesting in this thread...where are all the complaints about nails, flats, etc. from Dunlop and Bridgestone owners? Seems odd that so many ME880s are reported to be going flat. Maybe it's due to the number of VMF users that are running them...???

 

[RaWarrior]

I doubt that ME880s are any more prone to flats, just a lot more people here use them. I'd guess probably 75% of members here run either 880's or Shinkos....both seem to be very popular choices.

 

[wood1]

Maybe I am being overly cautious but I wouldn't ride a plugged or patched M/C tire except in emergency situations. Why not ask the manufacturer what they suggest?

 

[Woody]

i'm pretty sure the manufacture will say to replace the tire.
just like when I raced atv's. helemet manufactures. say to replace a helmet after any hits.
or blows to the helmet. i couldn't afford to replace 1 every time i got thrown off. or every time i didn't duck far enough. and got clubbed by a tree branch.

i don't see how any inner patch could fail.( it either seals and holds air or it don't) it's not like a plug that could get thrown out of the tire. while riding.

 

[wood1]

The last time I patched a car tire my buddy (has his own garage) used a plug/patch from the inside. It was a patch made with a shaft of rubber sticking up from the center which you hooked with a plug installer and pulled through. Seemed to be as good as it gets really.

I wouldn't think a patch would fail either, I just would rather spend the money and not risk it. If I ever dumped from something I could have prevented I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror.

 

[vmax2extreme]

I'm not willing to be my life on a plugged tire, are you? Imagine riding at 100+ miles and that plugged tire fails.................. Its worth the money to replace it. Save that plugged tire for a burnout.

 

[95spfldmax]

The other thing interesting in this thread...where are all the complaints about nails, flats, etc. from Dunlop and Bridgestone owners? Seems odd that so many ME880s are reported to be going flat. Maybe it's due to the number of VMF users that are running them...???

Actually I just switched to Metzlers recently. So my 2 flats were years back on Dunlop and/or Bridgetones (not sure which one was on at the time)

BUT what I find interesting also is that no one has reported a problem with plugs. Of course only 30 replies is a pretty small sampling for this unofficial poll....

 

[RaWarrior]

It's one of those risk vs reward things. The risk is potentially very serious, but in all reality extremely unlikely. The reward is you don't have to shell out for another overpriced motorcycle tire. What about the risk of picking up a nail in a corner, or at high speed riding? People don't really consider that risk because they don't know about it, where a tire that has picked up a nail makes it glaringly obvious that this risk exists.

Manufacturers always say to replace,replace,replace. They say it's for your own safety, but you couldn't look someone square in the face and say it's not because they also want to sell more tires at the ridiculous rates MC tires go for. Automotive tire manufacturers often approve patches, and last 5x as long for 1/2 the price. Like Woody said helmets (and most other protective gear) say to replace after any sort of impact. I don't know about you, but I'm not going to go drop $200 on another helmet after mine slips off the seat and hits the ground. My MX style offroad helmet has been whacked countless times by rocks, tree brances, handlebars, and the good 'ol ground.

The absolute only exception to that I've ever seen is with Ford cylinder heads on 4.6 and 5.4 motors that had a tendency to shoot spark plugs out. Rather than demand the head be replaced, Ford actually approved an aftermarket company's solution (Time-Serts) for dealers and such to use.