boney
Miles > Posts
Since we're talking touring stuff, I'm gonna get all geeky and preachy.
Use what you want, but here's why I DO NOT use CO2 cartridges:
They are a limited air supply. Period.
Should your tire continue to leak slowly or dog forbid your plug didn't set right, you're out of air. Right there on the side of the road you're no better off then when you started because YOU'RE OUT OF AIR. Get a cheap compressor or a small bicycle pump (and be ready to pump forever) if you want to know that you'll be able to ride after a flat. CO2 cartridges are guesswork, and only a limp-home thing at best.
The flat tire is the single most easily fixed and completely disabling issue you can have on a motorcycle. As I see it, you can either be ready to throw in the towel on a day's ride by not being ready for it, or you can spend a half-an-hour on the side of the road getting the tire back into shape so you can continue. That includes having the proper tools to plug the tire, and the proper equipment to air that tire up to the proper pressures to keep riding. In my somewhat extensive experience of long-distance riding and flat (tubeless) tires, that means carrying the el-cheapo sticky-string-thing tire plug kits from Kragen (they come in a yellow package and have all the tools), and a decent small compressor. Forget Slime- but not the Slime air pumps, they're pretty good. Forget the BMW tire plugs, the foil will tear and the plugs will dry out before you use them. Forget the Stop-n-Go plugger, those things only last a short while- until the steel belts in your tire cut the rubber plug. Don't buy the plugs wrapped in blue or red plastic. Nodoby knows if you're supposed to take the plastic off, which is impossible and messy, and if you put them in with the plastic on they come right out when you start riding.
Get the stuff that works and know how to use it.
It's you're choice. It's your ride. If you want to spend a good portion of you day messing around with stuff that "kinda works," or allows you to "limp home on low air pressure" go right ahead. My ride is not going to be anything but slightly inconvenienced by a carelessly lost nail or screw.
I can't for the life of me understand why people would carry inferior, and even improper equipment to fix something as easy as a flat, when all the equipment can be had for less than $40, is packaged small enough to carry all the time, and can be employed without much inconvenience or delay.
[/rant]
Whew!
Use what you want, but here's why I DO NOT use CO2 cartridges:
They are a limited air supply. Period.
Should your tire continue to leak slowly or dog forbid your plug didn't set right, you're out of air. Right there on the side of the road you're no better off then when you started because YOU'RE OUT OF AIR. Get a cheap compressor or a small bicycle pump (and be ready to pump forever) if you want to know that you'll be able to ride after a flat. CO2 cartridges are guesswork, and only a limp-home thing at best.
The flat tire is the single most easily fixed and completely disabling issue you can have on a motorcycle. As I see it, you can either be ready to throw in the towel on a day's ride by not being ready for it, or you can spend a half-an-hour on the side of the road getting the tire back into shape so you can continue. That includes having the proper tools to plug the tire, and the proper equipment to air that tire up to the proper pressures to keep riding. In my somewhat extensive experience of long-distance riding and flat (tubeless) tires, that means carrying the el-cheapo sticky-string-thing tire plug kits from Kragen (they come in a yellow package and have all the tools), and a decent small compressor. Forget Slime- but not the Slime air pumps, they're pretty good. Forget the BMW tire plugs, the foil will tear and the plugs will dry out before you use them. Forget the Stop-n-Go plugger, those things only last a short while- until the steel belts in your tire cut the rubber plug. Don't buy the plugs wrapped in blue or red plastic. Nodoby knows if you're supposed to take the plastic off, which is impossible and messy, and if you put them in with the plastic on they come right out when you start riding.
Get the stuff that works and know how to use it.
It's you're choice. It's your ride. If you want to spend a good portion of you day messing around with stuff that "kinda works," or allows you to "limp home on low air pressure" go right ahead. My ride is not going to be anything but slightly inconvenienced by a carelessly lost nail or screw.
I can't for the life of me understand why people would carry inferior, and even improper equipment to fix something as easy as a flat, when all the equipment can be had for less than $40, is packaged small enough to carry all the time, and can be employed without much inconvenience or delay.
[/rant]
Whew!
Last edited:
but yeah, shouldnt be a problem. Access to the batter on the ST requires me to unscrew the center tank panel. Was hoping i had the convenience of just plug and play... but not a problem. removal of that panel is a nobrainer.
