Tire Talk: Tire Repair Kits
October 3, 2009

Riding a motorcycle comes with lots of bad surprises. Bikers have to be ready for motorists who are not paying attention to traffic, road debris, unanticipated changes in the weather, and even other bikers.

Other surprises are even less pleasant. Bikers have to deal with mechanical issues like engine failure, transmission problems, broken parts, fluid leaks, and flat tires.

Just like with cars, it is only a matter of time before a nail, sharp piece of metal, or screw gets lodged in your motorcycle tire. In some cases, you may get lucky and still be able to drive the bike to the closest repair shop. In some cases, the tire will be flat to the ground in minutes.

First off, if a tire starts to quickly deflate while riding make sure to slowly and smoothly decelerate as quickly as possible while getting off of the road. Blow outs, though rare, are extremely dangerous and can cause a biker to lose control. If the deflation is the result of a puncture and the leak is relatively slow then there are a few options.

Here’s the bad news. If a puncture is on the side wall of the motorcycle tire or is star shaped, then there is no way to accomplish a roadside repair. If the bike has tube style tires, then in most cases there is nothing that can be done other than calling for help. Removing the outer tire is needed to properly repair the inner tube and in most cases, that is not possible while on the road.

For tubeless tires, there are excellent motorcycle tire repair kits available that can temporarily repair the tire and either get a biker home, to a safe location, or to the closest motorcycle repair shop. These kits use plugs and/or sealant to fill the hole and either CO2 or engine powered air compression to fill the tire. The type of kit to purchase is largely determined by the tires on the bike and the amount of storage the bike has.

Make sure that once the temporary tire repair is in place to go to the nearest service station to inflate the tires to the proper PSI level; which should be clearly labeled on the side wall of the tires. It is important to remember that temporarily repaired tires need to be replaced immediately.

Reader Comments

While plugs are an option until you get toa proper repair, it should be remembered that even professionally installed plugs have their limits.
No more than 2 plugs per tire
No more than 1 plug per quadrant

#1 
Written By Robin Haynes on October 6th, 2009 @ 9:31 am

Robin,

Thanks for your comments. Very valuable additions to my blog. No doubt about it, plugs are designed for short term usage only.

Thanks again and ride safely!

– Huntdaddy

#2 
Written By mhunt on February 3rd, 2010 @ 4:03 pm

Add a Comment

  • required, use real name
  • required, will not be published
  • optional, your blog address

Spam Protection by WP-SpamFree

« Novelty Helmets are a Joke
Light Up the Night with HID Headlights »