New learning opportunity - I've got a flat!

Not sure where to start. Found something metallic in the rear tire when I got home from work. Pulling it out may not have been the best idea -- it was much bigger than I thought from what I could see. Does discount tire fix motorcycle flats? There's a HD dealer near by. Can I just pull the tire off and take it there or should I drive further out to the Honda dealer that sold me the bike? ANY suggestions are welcome. I do have the service manual, but haven't looked anything up yet.

p.s. I'm willing to do it myself if that's what most people do. I can go get the tools and patches in the morning.

First we must debate weather we should even trust a plugged tire or not.

I plug or repair motorcycle tires as a temporary fix only. If it was me, I'd have the tire replaced (but not at the Harley shop!)

You can have a hot patch on the inside of the tire. I have been riding on them for 43 years with no problem. You might have to take it to a car tire store to have it patched one here charges $25. You bring them the tire.

some car shops won't patch a motorcycle tire. best to call before you head there.

miss demeaner said:

some car shops won't patch a motorcycle tire. best to call before you head there.

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And NO motorcycle shops will. I would know people come in asking that question all the time...

If you have a Cycle Gear shop near by they can mount a new tire on there if you pull the wheel first and take it to them. I'm not sure if they charge for mounting or not if you buy the new tire from them or not. If you have a new tire and take it all to them then I believe they do charge for mounting it.

Edit. I agree with others here that you should not try to repair a motorcycle tire. Especially the rear, it's a very important tire. If the "fix" fails.. It's your life in jepordy. This is one of the prices we pay to ride.

If you can find them, there is available a patch with a plug mounted to it. They have to be installed from inside the tire. I have used them with good results, however I would not use one on a hole any bigger than a small finishing nail and only if it was in the center of the tire. Also, I use a product called Ride-On tire sealent. It is made for motorcycles. When I changed the rear tire on my Silver Wing scooter last year befor a long trip, not because it was bald, but because it had 12,000 miles on it & the trip was about 5,000 miles. I found a large nail in the tire that I did not even know was there. The tire never lost a lot of air. I check my tires the next day after a long ride to make sure everything is ok. I mount my own tires and use Ride-On both for a balancer and sealer. The first thing I did with my NC700 was put it in the tires.

Alabama Al said:

If you can find them, there is available a patch with a plug mounted to it. They have to be installed from inside the tire. I have used them with good results, however I would not use one on a hole any bigger than a small finishing nail and only if it was in the center of the tire. Also, I use a product called Ride-On tire sealent. It is made for motorcycles. When I changed the rear tire on my Silver Wing scooter last year befor a long trip, not because it was bald, but because it had 12,000 miles on it & the trip was about 5,000 miles. I found a large nail in the tire that I did not even know was there. The tire never lost a lot of air. I check my tires the next day after a long ride to make sure everything is ok. I mount my own tires and use Ride-On both for a balancer and sealer. The first thing I did with my NC700 was put it in the tires.

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I to have put Ride-On in my tires as well. But they even state that it's a temporary solution to get you home or to a place where you can get your tire replaced.

Wow, just got back from dinner to find these responses. Kinda shocked! I've only got 1233 miles on them! I was planning to get better tires for dirt roads when I replaced them, but wasn't thinking of doing it anytime soon. I'd probably been better off if I HADN'T of reamed it out to try a plug. That didn't work out well so I thought I'd get it patched. Well, Motorcycle Superstore is having a tire sale so I'll start by checking them out.

More opinions are welcome while I'm contemplating this as are any good sources for tires. DAMN!

Continental motion tires is cheap as it gets other than shinkos.

Everyone has their own comfort level with riding on a plugged tire. I used to plug a tire only to get home but I have come to trust a gummy worm in a small symmetrical hole for what life is left in the tire.

Alabama Al said:

Also, I use a product called Ride-On tire sealent. It is made for motorcycles. ... I mount my own tires and use Ride-On both for a balancer and sealer. The first thing I did with my NC700 was put it in the tires.

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Yes, I used to use a similar product back in the 70s and it worked quite well. Don't overlook the automatic balancing benefits that come with using a product like this. I find that most m/c tires will need rebalancing a couple of times during their life (especially the front) if you are going to get full tread wear without cupping wear that will eventually ruin the tire and make for a rough ride and unstable steering before the tread is low enough to require replacement.
All of the similar products sold in the car parts store (Slime, etc.) specifically say 'not to be used in m/c tires' but my guess is they just don't want the liability risk and that it would actually be ok. Still a product made for motorcycles would provide some reassurance... Thanks for the name - I'll look for it.

The thing I love most about riding is the constant undercurrent of rational fear. A patched tire for me would push that calculation of risk over the edge into irrationality. Spend the two bills and be safe(r).

Pirelli Scorpion Trail

DanH said:

The thing I love most about riding is the constant undercurrent of rational fear. A patched tire for me would push that calculation of risk over the edge into irrationality. Spend the two bills and be safe(r).

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Decided to spend closer to three ($290) and got a set of these as they will give me limited off-road capability: Pirelli Scorpion Trail.

Thanks to everybody for you input.

In the UK there are strict rules on which punctures can be fixed in a m/c tyre

Thanks for pointing out those tires. I was looking for something which would provide better performance on off roads, the few times I would be on one. Didn't want or need off road performance tires.

KGround said:

Yes, I used to use a similar product back in the 70s and it worked quite well. Don't overlook the automatic balancing benefits that come with using a product like this. I find that most m/c tires will need rebalancing a couple of times during their life (especially the front) if you are going to get full tread wear without cupping wear that will eventually ruin the tire and make for a rough ride and unstable steering before the tread is low enough to require replacement..

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Any fluid or bead balance system is controversial at the very least and some might believe as total fake, junk science and or a parlor trick? This topic can rival an oil thread in both emotion and sometimes even facts.

Front cupping or feathering especially on the front is primarily caused by aggressive braking and really can not be stopped and is somewhat a normally occurring condition influenced more by the riders braking action and use. This cupping is the tread blocks deforming under braking wearing one end of the block before the other end.......hence the feathering cupping effect.
Suspension and tire balance can play a small role in any tire wear. But I am sure someone will say they never balance motorcycle tires with no problems. I can say I never rebalance motorcycle tires during there normal use.

Anyone that has ever experience water inside a car or bike tire will say it causes far more vibration than it cures.

I had a similar experience to what you're going through. I had my bike only a few months and picked up a screw in the rear tire. I went to the local auto parts store and bought a gummy worm patch kit. Reamed out the hole like they said to and tried to get it to seal. It didn't do a perfect job at all. In the meantime, there had been a lot of posts on the subject of can I fix a leak, or replace the tire. Many of the most vocal riders said they wouldn't ride the bike further than the dealership to get a new tire.

Okay, so I bought a new tire. By the way, that Honda dealership will do an inside patch in the tread area of the tire. In my case, they wouldn't because of my reaming the hole out.

A few weeks pass by and I spot a small cotter pin in the tire. I pulled it out and unfortunately, it leaked. Not much, but it leaked. I couldn't face my wife to tell her I was going to buy another new tire so soon, so I put in some Slime. Sure enough, it sealed the leak.

I got three or four punctures in that tire before changing it out at 15,000 miles. One was a large nail. The nail was at the 3 o'clock position when I pulled it out and the air just went gushing out. I turned the tire to put it at the 6 o'clock position. A tablespoon or so of green liquid came out, then the air stopped. I left it like that while we went on vacation for a few days. When I came back, the tire had not lost any air. I rode another 4000 miles on the tire before changing it.

When I changed the tire finally, I asked to be there when the mechanic removed the tire. I wanted to see for myself if the stories were true about corrosion, etc. The mechanic made an exclamation about how big of a mess there was...but I think he had primed himself to say that knowing I was standing there. There was no mess. When you have it in for as long as I did (about 10 months), it forms a skin on the inside of the tread. There was no corrosion either.

Ride-On and Slime are supposed to be "temporary" repairs. I don't know if that's for the lawyers, or not. I do know what Slime has done for me. I also make a point of checking my tires frequently. So I don't ride blindly, like when people get in their cars and never check anything but the gas gauge.

As others have said, it is your decision on the comfort level. After being on the other forum for a few years, I also noticed that many who would never ever under any circumstances ride on a repaired tire...only rode 2-3 thousand miles a year. It's easy to rationalize a new tire every year when you get a flat. If you're commuting and putting on 15,000 miles a year, that would be several new tires a year. More than some pocketbooks can easily handle.

Chris

Rumors exists that Slime damages aluminum rims. FYI from the Slime Website FAQ:

I’ve heard Slime will ruin my rims, is that true?

Our Slime Sealant for tubeless tires is formulated with rust and corrosion inhibitors as well as a pH buffer making the product more alkaline. All of these ingredients work to protect the integrity of your rim. It is important to note there are factors which can allow damage to occur in spite of this. If you want to err on the side of caution, you can use Slime as a roadside repair. All you need is Slime and an air compressor! Slime can have an adverse effect on certain types of aluminum rims. Because alloys differ, it is difficult to predict how Slime will react with your rims specifically. Over the years, though, we have found that older rims are more susceptible to damage from Slime. Make sure that, if you have tubeless tires, you are using our tubeless formula. Our inner tube formula does not contain rust and corrosion inhibitors. Do not leave Slime inside your tires for more than 2 years. After that time, we cannot guarantee the integrity of your rims. If pre-existing damage is present, we do not recommend using Slime.

Greg