Preparing for flat tyre

[viva_unix]

Hello!
I just wonder of how do you usually handles the flat tire? Or how would you handle it?
I do not have access to track (no friends or relatives with truck :) ). What is the best "Do It Yourself" way of handling a flat tire 50 miles from home? I saw some "special" staff on internet that will temporary fix the flat tire. What do you think about that? Maybe adding a tow to the insurance is the best solution?
Any idea?
Thanks.

[pmapp]

You can get the little packs to store on your bike with rubber "plugs" and compressed air canisters .... http://www.biketrade.co.uk/motorcycle-accessories/motrax_motorcycle_products/puncture_repair_kit.html .... the bottom one.

http://www.biketrade.co.uk/product-images/puncture_repair/products_large.jpg



Also, having the breakdown option on your insurance is always a good idea, 'cause theres lots more things than a puncture that could stop you riding.

Hope this helps :-)

[fizzwheel]

Are you in the UK ?

If so go to your nearest Hein Gerricke and get a "Rep and Air" kit.

I've seen one used to plug a rear tyre with a split and then that bike ridden 400 miles near enough all the way back down the motorway and never had one bit of bother with it.

Its really easy to use, it comes with plugs and cannisters of compressed air which you can use to re-inflate your tyre.

Or you can put "Slime" into your tyre that means the tyre doesnt loose air if it does get punctured as the slime fixes and seals the hole, but I cant remember what its called.

I prefer to know I have a puncture rather than riding around with a hole in my tyre that I dont know about, but thats just personal preference.

Hope that helps.

Edit beaten to it on the Rep and Air by Pmapp

[Lozzo]

I carry a little blue card thing in my wallet for situations like this. If the bike develops a fault there's a phone number on the card to call, and a nice man in a truck comes and picks me and the bike up.

Hand on heart, I can honestly say I have never got a puncture that's stopped me completing my journey in 29 years of riding bikes all year round. I've gone out to the bike in the morning and found a flat tyre, but it's never happened out on the road.

[yorkie_chris]

Or you can put "Slime" into your tyre that means the tyre doesnt loose air if it does get punctured as the slime fixes and seals the hole, but I cant remember what its called.

Ultraseal

[K]

Well - first you make sure your drive is nice and clear and that the bike is correctly set up (tire pressures n all that).

Then place you prefered weapon of choice squarely in the centre of the drive.
You can use a public road, but much the same as leaving a strategically placed bannana peel on a public path, you turn your back and someone else uses it and takes all the fun out of hiding in the front garden with a camera.

So, line yourself up nice and straight, after all, if you are going to do this then do it right - you don't want some wonky hole or nail sticking out of the tyre wall or something...

... then off you go.

It may take a bit of practise getting the speed right - but in time you'll be able to get a lovely neat puncture right in the centre of the tread.
Kwikfit will be proud of you.

Alternatively you can go for the 'Scatter debris all over your drive & don't sweep it for a few months' technique. But personally, though you do get to play the game of 'Guess the Stabby Thing', I don't think it's worth the extra time and effort.
Neat and precise, better by far.











Sorry - have I got the wrong end of the stick here? ;)

[-Ralph-]

Personally it's the AA or the RAC, but I'm lazy.

[yorkie_chris]

Lol!

What the f### are you on about K? :mrgreen:

[northwind]

Those kits in the top pic are OK, but they're hard to use with a smaller hole... The bung is pretty big. I've used them fine on a decent size hole but I couldn't get them to work with my last flat. I just get it home by whatever means- breakdown service, or just riding if I think it's not too stupid- then fit a proper mushroom plug, I'm not one of those folk that think using a patch from outside is instant death but I prefer to do it "right".

[yorkie_chris]

Where do you get the mushroom plugs from?

[Stig]

Hand on heart, I can honestly say I have never got a puncture that's stopped me completing my journey in 29 years of riding bikes all year round. I've gone out to the bike in the morning and found a flat tyre, but it's never happened out on the road.

No way. Jeez. I've had plenty. Mind you, I do overtake in places where most vehicles don't drive. :lol:

[northwind]

I just got a couple from my friendly local dealers... But I've run out now I think of it :rolleyes:

[DarrenSV650S]

Those kits in the top pic are OK, but they're hard to use with a smaller hole... The bung is pretty big. I've used them fine on a decent size hole but I couldn't get them to work with my last flat. I just get it home by whatever means- breakdown service, or just riding if I think it's not too stupid- then fit a proper mushroom plug, I'm not one of those folk that think using a patch from outside is instant death but I prefer to do it "right".
I could be wrong but I think with some of those kits you are supposed to dig the hole out a bit, to make it bigger, and then plug it

[Stig]

I could be wrong but I think with some of those kits you are supposed to dig the hole out a bit, to make it bigger, and then plug it

Quite correct. Otherwise the bung wouldn't fit in the hole.

[K]

Lol!

What the f### are you on about K? :mrgreen:

Hey - he asked how you prepare for a flat tyre...

... making one - repairing one...

... ahhh, potaytoe potartoe. :p

[northwind]

I could be wrong but I think with some of those kits you are supposed to dig the hole out a bit, to make it bigger, and then plug it

Yep, but that's the last thing I want to do with a small hole, when there's repair methods that don't involve making it bigger and probably damaging the carcass more.

[Lozzo]

No way. Jeez. I've had plenty. Mind you, I do overtake in places where most vehicles don't drive. :lol:

Wales?

[-Ralph-]

... ahhh, potaytoe potartoe. :p

Good heavens and golly gosh! Thats a mighty posh accent you've got there my dear.....

[jambo]

Unfortunately I'm not as lucky as Lozzo and have had to plug plenty of my own and other people's tyres, so I carry sticky string repair kits, as I prefer them to the Rep&Air kits for getting the patch in there, I always found using the rep&air kit a bit tricky for getting the bungs in without damaging them.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EZseal-Tyre-Plug-Repair-STRINGS-Choose-Car-or-Truck_W0QQitemZ320161208470QQihZ011QQcategoryZ1477 1QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p16 38.m118

[Fraser24]

I bought a cheap 12v tyre compressor a few years ago and stripped it down to the small useful bits which I keep under the seat for emergency's + a selection of self tapping screws to temp repair hole. You have to keep your speed down but it's better than walking !

[jambo]

I bought a cheap 12v tyre compressor a few years ago and stripped it down to the small useful bits which I keep under the seat for emergency's + a selection of self tapping screws to temp repair hole. You have to keep your speed down but it's better than walking !

Uhm, I think I'd rather use one of the kits listed above. If the screw's already in and what caused the puncture, and the tyre's not loosing much air, I've been know to leave it there while driving to the tyre shop, but I don't think I'd use it as a preferred fix when there are neater, more reliable options available.

[northwind]

I get a small child to put his finger in the hole, and hang on tight. It's character building.

[Robw#70]

the trouble with most of the temp repairs is they render the tyre unrepairable.
slime etc softens the rubber inside so a proper plug wont stick and the ones you glue from the outside mean it cant all be drilled out without too big a hole to plug correctly.

ive replaced loads of customers tyres at work that are nearly new because of a temp repair and seeing as proper repairs are now ce approved so they can legally be done on Z rated tyres

[STRAMASHER]

I have Breakdown cover through my insurance company.

Been tested too:smt003 More than happy.

Temp repairs are poor. The AA used to just put these repairs in and tell you to not exceed 40mph. No good on a ****ing M/way as i was to find out. 2nd repair got me to a shop for a new tyre/proper repair. Learned a lesson.

:)

[N8te rider]

the trouble with most of the temp repairs is they render the tyre unrepairable.
slime etc softens the rubber inside so a proper plug wont stick and the ones you glue from the outside mean it cant all be drilled out without too big a hole to plug correctly.

ive replaced loads of customers tyres at work that are nearly new because of a temp repair and seeing as proper repairs are now ce approved so they can legally be done on Z rated tyres

Sorry, new rider here. Do you mean it's better not to use a repair kit if you want to save the tyre, and won't mushroom plugs do a good job?

[yorkie_chris]

Where can you buy the proper internal patch kits?

Anyone know?

[northwind]

Like I say, any dealer that repairs tyres will have them, so I just asked for a few. You can get them on ebay too, or you could anyway a while back.

[yorkie_chris]

Whats the proper name for them?

Found a site that seems to sell something like, call it a pin plug or something like?

[jambo]

I have never had an issue getting a tyre repaired after using rep&air, or sticky string bungs. They really don't cause an issue as they're just pulled out by the fitter and the hole is then inspected. Slime / Ultraseal is a totally different ball game and tyre fitters hate the stuff

[Robw#70]

Im just saying that generally more tyres are scrapped than successfully repaired when theyve had a temp repair, they can be salvaged sometimes, but not when slime/weld is used.

minicombi are the plugs but the is a routine to fitting them and repair centres have to be approved/certified since they allowed the repair of high speed rated tyres which used to be illegal/invalidated insurance.

[viva_unix]

Thanks everyone!
After reading the posts I decided to add the tow srvice to my insurance and buy some temporary fix-pack. I am in US, so I need to check availability of some here meantioned fix-packs.
Thank you again!