Tire plug/patch would ya?

[rrrdbw]

Hey folks,

Soliciting feedback from experienced riders that have plugged/patched rear tires and ride the heck out of their bikes.

Last weekend after spooning new Bridgestone T32 I went to test them out. They are awesome on my KTM 1290 Super Adventure S, alot stickier and smoother than my trusted Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2. Like riding on sportbike tires.

About 200 miles from home on Pigs Trail Arkansas. I hit something in the rear that caused a thud, about 90mph. I looked at tps and it read 38psi I usually run 42. Then rear puncture warning light comes on. I pull over and see a slash on rear, get her up on center stand and see the damage. See picture.

Visually I see that this tire is done and I am not gonna make it home. I carry new style tire plug that I thought would not fix this. With air cartridge.

Cussing and spitting I am mad not cause of 3 hour away from home but because I just got new tires called my girl and after a, yoartyu should have been prepared lecture she takes my truck, loads my ramps, chocks, and straps she picks me up. A long day.

I digress, I order same tire from Motomummy again and the tire arrives in one day. That's service. I pop the punctured one off and I noticed that the severity of the puncture was not as bad as it looked in the outside.

I could have repaired it and rode home. Lesson learned.

That's where I need some feedback. Ive plugged rear tires before on my gixxer and rode the sh*t out of them to the cords. The puncture is closer to the sides than my usual middle of tire experience.

See pictures. Would you guys plug from outside and then patch from inside since I have tires off. Double job. Or just say not worth the mind fu#k it will cause when riding.

Sidenote. I'm pretty hard on tires, don't let the 1290 Super Adventure S big bike fool ya. This thing rocks on the twisties. FYI this is not in california.

Feedback please.

Thanks.

 

[HadesOmega]

I would say you could plug that, patch plugging it would be the best since it's off the wheel.

I've had some pretty bad cuts on my tire from riding around the city but I have a tubed tire, I could have a huge hole in my tire and it'd still hold the tire.

 

[rrrdbw]

Ohh definitely if I was on my 450 Exc Supermoto 17 rims with tube. I would patch the tube and not even worry about the tire.
I'm leaning on plug and patch. Take my time with it since I already have another rear to mount. This will be my backup.

Take away from experience is that I should have tried to plug , looks could be deceiving like in this instance.

I've put off buying a compact compressor since I have a plug kit with air cartridges. I could have patched and limped home if I had compressor. Ordered one from Amazon. Because Bridgestone just sent me a $50 visa card for buying a set of T32.

Wanted to pass this on to new adventure riders out in the boonies, don't give up too easily like I did cause I had my girl to pick me up and.most.importsnt I had cell signal. Not always gonna be the case. I was tired from riding all day. I ordered pizza delivery and waited for my girl to arrive in 3 hours.

 

[usedtobefast]

On a high horse power bike that you will run high speeds on ... no way I'd use that tire again.

 

[rrrdbw]

Thanks , exactly feedback i am soliciting. Keep em coming.


Thanks.

 

[ScottRNelson]

I wouldn't trust that tire regardless of how it gets patched. Especially on a 1290 KTM.

When I had about 600 miles on a rear Heidenau K60 Scout, I ran over a razor blade of some sort on my KTM 990 Adv. It made about a 3/4" slice through the tire. That bike ran tubes, so I could have just replaced the tube, but thought better of it. I figured I couldn't really trust it some time in the future when running at freeway speeds on a hot day. So I spent another $200 on a new tire. That was a case where the guys at Folsom Cycle (no longer in business) came and got me with a pickup truck, at no additional charge, rather than me trying to ride three miles to their shop on a flat tire (which would have worked well enough). Those guys were great.

 

[Jammer]

Be safe, be wise and spoon on new rubber. Buy the set of tires with 200 miles on them from Pappy for $125.

 

[OaklandF4i]

I've plugged a few street bike tires over the years and ridden a few thousand miles on them without issue. Plugged them and then patched from inside as soon as conveniently available to do so. Commuter bikes, not a track bike.

That said, they were always nail or screw type punctures, not a gash/slash. The typical plug won't hold too long on a gash/slash type puncture for very long in my experience, and I've only attempted once on a car tire. It was my Mini while I waited for a new tire to come in. It leaked slowly even with multiple plugs and had to add air regularly until it could be swapped out. No idea if a patch from the inside would have worked, perhaps, but for how long? Dunno.

Bottom line, I'd replace that tire. Lots of folks won't plug or patch any tire regardless. I'm not that guy, and would still replace.

Just my opinion and experience, others will vary.

 

[buellistic]

I have always used a tube for those. Never had a problem.
But it you have the cash for it . Go new.....

 

[bmwbob51]

Nealey tire plugs. Best plug I've used in over 500K miles!

 

[wheel_muse]

I've ridden a good plug in a screw hole, but that slash looks pretty bad. Best advice is to replace it.

 

[NoTraffic]

To me it depends on the actual hole created if it's not the entire slash. If hit it with some soapy water, does the entire slash bubble or just a small pinhole. If it's just the pinhole, I'd plug it and use the tire as a commuter tire.

 

[budman]

On a high horse power bike that you will run high speeds on ... no way I'd use that tire again.

I am in this club too. No way I am risking my life for a few hundo.

Have no experience with doing it because I have not. Plugged to get home and then replace yes.

 

[sniper1rfa]

People are ridiculously over the top on this subject. Put a plug in and forget about it. Zero risk.

 

[davidji]

You mentioned location of the hole being nearer the sidewall that what you've repaired before. There are rules for where is considered safe to repair & where isn't. I don't remember them, but I'd look them up. I think that's near the boundary of what's considered repairable & what isn't.

If you were going to repair it, the correct thing to install at this point is probably this sort of patch:
https://www.amazon.com/HARZOLE-LCU-...UQC-8203/dp/B07GHBHM4Q/ref=asc_df_B07GHBHM4Q/

Before doing that, you drill out the hole. If you perform that step you'll have a better idea if the carcass of the tire is damaged in a unsafe to repair way.

So I'd either throw the tire away, or drill the hole, and decide.

I've used that style patch a couple of times on motorcycle tires, but not one with that sort of hole.

 

[motomania2007]

I have plugged punctures before but that's a cut and I would not try to plug a cut as there are too many threads severed in the belts in the tire.
I would not trust the tire.

 

[ScottRNelson]

People are ridiculously over the top on this subject. Put a plug in and forget about it. Zero risk.

Yeah, zero risk to you of someone else riding on a sketchy tire.

 

[dittoalex]

That's a cut, not a puncture; bye tire. Otherwise I'd run Ride-On Tire Sealant or Sahara tire sealant.

 

[Darkness!]

That's a cut, not a puncture; bye tire. Otherwise I'd run Ride-On Tire Sealant or Sahara tire sealant.

There is a reason very few experienced professional mechanics/technicians will ever recommend using a sealant after the fact...small puncture? Maybe. Slash of that type and location? Nope.

OP, if you're going to keep the tire, drill a hole from both the outside in and inside out, smaller in diameter than the patch you plan to use.

Scuff the tire properly on the inside so that you get down to bare, dry rubber material and the patch adheres properly to the inside wall of the tire. This is key.

Wipe area clean, Use rubber cement on the scuffed area and let dry for few minutes. Take off the sticker on the patch, install it through the drill hole (from the inside out), roll over the patch with something to make sure all the air is out and it is sealing well.

If you have a vise, grab the metal portion of the tire patch and let the whole tire hang upside down for about 10 minutes or so.

Cut the extra portion off appropriately and ONLY use the tire as a backup for commuting. Stay aware that it is compromised...

 

[ST Guy]

Plug it to get you home and ride conservatively to get there. Then either patch it from the inside and still ride conservatively or replace the tire.