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View Full Version : Fixing a flat on tubeless tire


Navaho6
06-21-2006, 09:28 PM
I found a nail hole in the rear tire on my sportbike. The tire is probably good for another 1500 miles if I can fix the leak. The M/C dealer will not fix flats for liability reasons. I tried the superglue trick but it didn't much longer than a day. Can I fix this without taking the tire off the rim? Will the standard car tire repair kit work on a tubeless streetbike tire? Or should I just replace the tire.
Juice
06-21-2006, 10:09 PM
I would replace the tire ASAP. Maybe, I would roll the dice with the KLR but never on my sport-bike. I don't have any data to back up my opinion and I do not care what anyone else says. I see guys do it all the time but there is no way that I could ride with a clear mind @ high speeds on a patched tire.
Ritten
06-21-2006, 10:41 PM
I would replace the tire ASAP. Maybe, I would roll the dice with the KLR but never on my sport-bike. I don't have any data to back up my opinion and I do not care what anyone else says. I see guys do it all the time but there is no way that I could ride with a clear mind @ high speeds on a patched tire.



Dito on a sportbike. Back in January I picked up a nail in the rear tire of my GS with only 2000 miles on the tire (can get up to 11,000 miles). I patched it, and rode around on it for another 1000 miles, but I pretty much kept it under 65. It would leak about 10psi over a few days so I was constantly checking it when I was out riding. A tire patch kit with the rubber "worms" works ok when if you need to get a few more miles. I hear the "mushroom" type (patch and plug) works alot better, but I wouldn't push the tire hard, or get up to sportbike speeds on a patched tire. I'd say start looking for a new one.
Drivin&Cryin
06-22-2006, 09:54 AM
Agreed, replace it as soon as you can. I had that happen last year on a tire that had less the 200 miles on it....... Not worth the risk.



I would replace the tire ASAP. Maybe, I would roll the dice with the KLR but never on my sport-bike. I don't have any data to back up my opinion and I do not care what anyone else says. I see guys do it all the time but there is no way that I could ride with a clear mind @ high speeds on a patched tire.
chappy
06-26-2006, 02:00 PM
qwer Guess I am crazy or cheap or both but I have plugged many a sportbike tire and forgotten about it, never had a problem other than the plug will start a slow leak when it gets thin from wear. This includes my Blackbird, which managed to pick up a nail the first week I had it.
kenwelshons
06-26-2006, 05:44 PM
Dunlop used to have "patching" guide lines on the website for tubeless motorcycle tires. They make a patch that is a plug/patch combination. You can use those without any problems. The catches are has to be close to down the middle, and cannot be larger than about the size of a standard nail. A pencile size hole would be to big.

The Michelin Sport on my Hayabusa has a patch like this on it now. It has been on there since the first ride on the new tires which is about 2500 miles now. It doesn't leak at all, and it has no strange wear patterns around the plug part that sticks out.

http://public.fotki.com/kenwelshons/2005/august_2005/tire_patch/ (http://public.fotki.com/kenwelshons/2005/august_2005/tire_patch/)

Here are the pics and it was done by a local motorcycle shop although they did ask me not to talk about it....

Oh yea, and it's tested up to about 140mph I would say.
Navaho6
06-26-2006, 07:20 PM
Sounds like the tire was a good candidate for patching. It was a very small hole in the center of the tire but I decided against it and had LightSpeed put a new one on. I had 3400 miles on the old one anyway.

BTW, I heard about using superglue on small leaks so I tried it. The 1st time I did it wrong, and it started leaking again. The second time it worked. I filled it up to 30 psi, and went for an 80-mile ride. No leaks, and I know I hit 90.
Navaho6
06-27-2006, 11:15 AM
Superglue huh? I have never heard of that one.

I think it was the AMA Magazine where I read about it. Remove the valve stem core to bleed the pressure. Push the glue nozzle into the nail hole as far as you can and squeeze while pulling it out. Let it cure 15 minutes.
Navaho6
06-27-2006, 11:15 AM
OOps. Double post.
Juice
06-27-2006, 11:23 AM
I just googled it and wow it is very common for people to repair a tire with super-glue.qwer




I think it was the AMA Magazine where I read about it. Remove the valve stem core to bleed the pressure. Push the glue nozzle into the nail hole as far as you can and squeeze while pulling it out. Let it cure 15 minutes.