[MattKas]

I got a Philips screw in the rear tire of my 2012 Burgman 650 Exec only after 600 miles. So the Bridge Stone tire is practically new with a screw in it. I went to Mission Motorsports in Irvine CA to get the new tire mounted and balanced. The technician there tells me that the old tire can be fixed since the screw went in the tread area. But he also tells me that fixing it would be $40. Well, I bought the new tire from JC motors for almost $100 after a discount. So I was thinking $40 for fixing a tire would be too much. I did a search on internet how safe it would be to fix a motorcycle tire.(I know it is generally not recommended to fix a flat on a motorcycle tire for long term use) People who had the flat patched from inside just like car tires did not seem to have any issues later on. But I was wondering which car tire company would fix the tire inexpensively and would not worry about liability issues? Any ideas? or Shall I sell it to somebody half price informing about the issue Thanks in advance,

Matt Kas
2012 Burgman 650 Exec
2009 BMW K1200LT
Dana Point, CA

 

[Jim]

I've gone 4,000 miles on a plug in the rear tire on the tread. I installed in the morning when leaving our motel during a road trip, using a cheap 12v compressor and a $5 plug kit I keep on board just in case.

No issues.

There are a few that have a failure. Personally, if your riding locally, (under 100 miles) and have a cheap 12v compressor on board (like I do), I would trust it. 99% chance it will be fine. If not, it should lose air slowly, and not explode.

 

[w-coyote]

I got my first screw back in Aug, tire only had 1K on it, the entry was in the tread, and off to the side. It was plugged. Per (2) dealers and others its not a good ideal to leave, plug may loosen up, while you are driving at speed, and when it does, rode another 500 miles till I got the tire replaced when the bike was serviced. Did not like having to get a new tire, but for the piece of mind, it was worth it.

 

[MattKas]

The old tire is off the wheel and is in my garage. I was thinking of getting it regularly patched from inside just like car tires by a tire shop. But which tire shops shall I approach? any idea? I am afraid they are going to say that they only work on car tires.( Maybe I should just go to Mexico and get it done there? )

 

[Buffalo]

I've have a couple of tires fixed with what they call a plug patch. It's a plug and patch combination that is put on from the inside. That is considered a permanent patch safe to ride long term. It does cost a bit because you are paying to have the tire demounted, the patch applied and then the tire remounted and balanced. Cheaper than a new tire though.

My local Suzuki dealer applied the plug patch. One of the tires only had 400 miles on it when I had it fixed. Road it another 6,500 miles with no issues.

 

[MattKas]

I just want to keep it as a spare tire at this point. So no mounting or remounting and balancing for me. I will start with the local Suzuki dealers then. Thanks

 

[ashby102]

I remember the 1st time this happened to me I went to the local dealer who installed the patch plug for over $100 & a whole lot of BS as to why it was so expensive ( had to dismount the tire rebalance etc) That dealer has since gone out of business. A new tire is a nice route if you can afford it but I've done very well with simple plugs you can buy @ your local favorite parts store. It comes as a kit with a tool for radial tires. I've gone thousands of miles with them , Mark

 

[Chérie]

Look like this.

 

[Buffalo]

I remember the 1st time this happened to me I went to the local dealer who installed the patch plug for over $100 & a whole lot of BS as to why it was so expensive ( had to dismount the tire rebalance etc)

$100 was way high. When I had mine done it was $43. $5 of that was for the patch and the rest was the labor charge to demount the tire, install the patch, remount the tire and balance the wheel.

Now if you had them remove the wheel from the bike then the cost would be higher as it would include the labor to do that. I take the wheel off the bike myself and just take it over to have the tire repaired.

 

[JohnK]

I have used both types w/o any difficulties. I used the plug patch on my truck because the hole was larger then normal ( caused by a bone from road kill ) and it has lasted for 20,000 miles so far. I would repair the tire and keep it as spare.

 

[Steve D UK]

If the tyre is off the rim, just get any tyre shop to apply a car 'mushroom' plug patch to it and keep it as a spare.

 

[Desert Rat]

We could install (2) plug/patch on a police car tire & still be high speed legal. Did it many a time when I was Fleet Manager at City of P.S.

 

[MattKas]

Drew from http://www.ocmotorcycleshop.com/

installed a patch from inside the tire for $25. The patch looks good

Thanks for all the replies

Matt

 

[shavian]

We could install (2) plug/patch on a police car tire & still be high speed legal. Did it many a time when I was Fleet Manager at City of P.S.

Good encouraging comments on this thread; but please tell me what is "City of P.S.".......(for the benefit of us here in the lower parts of the earth (NZ).

 

[Desert Rat]

Good encouraging comments on this thread; but please tell me what is "City of P.S.".......(for the benefit of us here in the lower parts of the earth (NZ).

City of Palm Springs in the desert of Southern California. Worked there for 22+ years. Started as a mechanic & worked my way up. If it had a engine & was on wheels we were the ones that worked on it. So from lawn mowers t0 Airport Fire trucks we bought & repaired them all.

 

[vistacatcher]

Patched it myself

Drew from http://www.ocmotorcycleshop.com/

installed a patch from inside the tire for $25. The patch looks good

Thanks for all the replies

Matt

I had a silly little wire that worked its way into my rear tire, creating a very slow leak. I took the tire to several local dealers who all refused to patch or plug it. Liability, they said. So I went to the local parts place and bought a five dollar rubber patch kit. At home, I wrestled the tire off of the rim, installed patch with the included rubber cement, and remounted the tire. Aired it up with a bicycle pump and, voila, it was ready to go. 3,000 miles later, I finally replaced the tire when the tread was worn enough. Never had a problem with the patch.

 

[MattKas]

That is cool !!! The patch that shop installed seemed to be more like heat stamp type. He told me to not to touch the patch until it cools down.

 

[bikerdoc]

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.80.dHuoLj&id=26047748801

The motorcycle repair kit here consist of half-a-dozen sticky rubber strings, and two tools cost equivalent US$1. Easy to use.

I have used plugs on tyres on Jetmax maxi scoot, Burgman 650, Dragstar 1100, with success. The most prevalent motorcycle tyre puncture repair kits here in mainland China are ones that use a very sticky rubber string, that gets inserted through the offending hole, using a special tool (pic above). The offending article that caused the puncture needs to be removed first, then the 'hole' cleaned using another tool similar to a round rasp file. The other type which utilise the more commonly found 'plugs' in other overseas locations are not so common in mainland China.

Even if one goes to a motorcycle tyre repair shop, the sticky rubber string method is what is most commonly used and offered, depending on the puncture type and location. Naturally if the puncture is in the side wall of the tyre or is otherwise a large, or extremely complicated puncture pattern, the plug/string is likely not a good candidate to effect the required repair.

The last time I had reason to use the above pictured repair method, was riding my AN650K7 though a mountain vistas. Nowhere near any towns, or places to effect any repair. Stopped the scoot with flat rear tyre. Found offending article, removed, used included rasp file in the repair kit, buffed the hole, then threaded the rubber string through the eye of the insertion tool, which I then inserted into the hole in the tread of the tyre with a significant amount of force. Twisted the tool with the string on it, once it pierced through the tyre and removed said tool. Pulled out electric compressor connected to the accessory plug in the main font cubby/glove box, and inflated to spec. Put everything away, and rode off, continuing my journey. Tyre replaced only when it was done and time to do so at the end of it's usable life.

I've never had any issues with any tyres that I have repaired using this method, despite all the negative naysayers out there.

 

[haze]

Screw in tire

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...id=26047748801

The motorcycle repair kit here consist of half-a-dozen sticky rubber strings, and two tools cost equivalent US$1. Easy to use.

This looks like the tool I bought at Harbor Freight. Costs only a few bucks and works great...
Cheers, Haze

 

[Scootermikie]

Sometimes you can luck out and get a short screw in the thick part of the tread and it won't penetrate all the way into the tire. Ask me how I know

Yep, happened on my Fatboy about 4000 miles ago and still no leaks. Simply unscrewed the screw then smeared dish soap on the hole.....no bubbles.