Tyre repair - is this true?

[mikerj]

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

My tyre fitter refuses to plug tyres, he don't want anyone coming back to him with that kind of crap.

I guess he feels that he doesn't have the ability to make a decent job of it - I guess that's a laudable trait compared to just having a go when you don't know what you are doing. OTOH he's likely made quite a few new tyre sales from his policy...

There is nothing wrong with a properly repaired tyre; the chances of failure are negligible.

Originally Posted by NTECUK

I fixed my own as I work in a car shop regualy did 140 on the gpz 900 and never went down that was sometime back when we had hot repair kit . I'd patch my own with a glue one now. But if it failed I won't sue myself . 6 months inside if your at fult if you mess up as we'll as £50,000 fine max ...

noticed today ive got 2 possible puncture making items in my tyre.

Was having a look at work, and as tempting as it was to prise them out, sensible head said leave it or i might have a flat tyre come home time. The tyres only got about 2k miles left in it at best, so might take my chances and leave them there, although they both look like theyre just going to push in more.

Lee

Originally Posted by the100thidiot

the tyre is unrepairable as the SV is too powerful(?)

the guy is a 'er and a

Originally Posted by specialone

in a lot of cases people will just replace the tyre so they ultimately sell more tyres.

Originally Posted by mikerj

he's likely made quite a few new tyre sales from his policy...

+ 10000

[NTECUK]

Squirt it with soapy water and that will give you a bit of a clue ifits that deep

[Sid Squid]

Can we stop this? Just because someone declines to repair a tyre does not mean they are thieves.

There are many factors that decide whether a tyre repair is suitable or not, much of which is the liability that a repairer will be obliged to shoulder because of the situation surrounding the business, repairs are not illegal, but they are not allowed by the relevant British standard, (BSAU159), which does not allow repairs to 'Z' rated tyres - so despite the feelings related above the tyre place aren't just being robbers. Following BSAU159 advice is hardly the wrong thing to do, this standard, (like most British standards), isn't bad advice, but of course sometimes it may be considered overcautious.

The fitter suggesting that the SV is too powerful is simply a poorly explained reference to the fact that the SV wears 'Z' rated tyres.

That said, some tyre manufacturers - not all - will allow repairs to 'Z' rated tyres, but they are very specific about what can be repaired and how those repairs can be made - mostly their requirements are broadly similar to the repair standards laid down in BSAU159. Also you should know that once the tyre has been repaired it will have a significantly reduced speed rating. Whether you choose to follow that is a personal choice of course.

This bears repeating:

BSAU159 is not specifically a legal requirement, so a garage that will repair a 'Z' rated tyre is not breaking the law, and dependant on which brand your tyre is it may or may not be OK with the maker. That said any repair is, again broadly speaking, decided on three factors: firstly the tyre must be examined to ensure that its structure has not been damaged, secondly that the injury is within an allowable area for repair, and thirdly that the damage caused can physically be sealed - not all can.
There are plenty of places that will repair tyres, and most simple punctures are suitable for repair, but when they won't it isn't just that they want to sell you another tyre, it just isn't that simple.

As mentioned above Essential Rubber will do repairs, but depending on the damage they too may decline to do so.

[Biker Biggles]

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

Use a Sticky-String or a Bung kit, then head over to Essential Rubber in London.

If its patchable they will do it, cost will be about £20.

They moved to just off the A12, so its easy to get to, just head for Lewisham/Blackheath/Blackwall Tunnel.

Of course there may be someone closer to you, but I don't know of any.

Have they?No longer in Islington?What a pita

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

Have they?No longer in Islington?What a pita

Landlord decided to swap flat tyres for just flats I believe.

Still the same staff, same service and everything, just with added shiney new workshop with a proper reception area (at the front) with seats and a drinks machine and everything.

Still worth the trip.

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Can we stop this?

Just because someone declines to repair a tyre does not mean they are thieves.

That said, some tyre manufacturers - not all - will allow repairs to 'Z' rated tyres

firstly the tyre must be examined to ensure that its structure has not been damaged, secondly that the injury is within an allowable area for repair, and thirdly that the damage caused can physically be sealed

Originally Posted by the100thidiot

My OH's SV650 has a nail stuck right in the middle of the tread

This was without even seeing the damage or make of the tyre.

Nothing you have posted convinces me that the correct advice has been given to the OP over the telephone.

Even relating the 'too powerful' comment to the Z rating is pure speculation on your behalf.

A Triumph main dealer recently told me that I could never fit a particular sports touring tyre to my Daytona, as, and I quote, "the sidewall is not strong enough for a bike with a single sided swingarm, the bike would rip the tyre to pieces". This example is exactly that, one example, and has no bearing on this tyre fitter, but it does demonstrate that there are tyre fitters out there who talk bollox and wouldn't know what the BS regulations were if they were slapped in the face with the documentation.

If there is an intelligent reason for not repairing the tyre, or for having a no repairs policy, then treat the customer with the respect they deserve, credit them with the same intelligence, and take a couple of sentences to explain it to them. After all understanding your post was no problem at all. If that had been done, the thread wouldn't exist.

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Even relating the 'too powerful' comment to the Z rating is pure speculation on your behalf.

The SV has 'Z' rated tyres, we didn't listen to the conversation - speculation maybe, but is that any more or less reasonable than the speculation that the dealer is dishonest and simply wants to sell another tyre?

Also nothing I wrote - other than the above - was intended to say, (and, having read it back, neither does it say), that in any specific incident is it reasonable to expect a repair or otherwise. Simply that there are many tyre dealers who will not repair motorcycle tyres, as I have some experience in this industry I know why, and despite the cynism often exhibited in this matter, (and others similar), it isn't by necessity because they're crooks.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

If there is an intelligent reason for not repairing the tyre, or for having a no repairs policy, then treat the customer with the respect they deserve, credit them with the same intelligence, and take a couple of sentences to explain it to them.

Utterly agree, I suspect that many customer complaints - reasonable or otherwise - wouldn't occur if communication were better. Many businesses fail to treat their customers in the manner that could resonably be expected when someone's electing to spend their money - that's always unforgivable.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

After all understanding your post was no problem at all.

Thank you, I try .

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

If that had been done, the thread wouldn't exist.

Almost certainly true.

To make it utterly plain: Nothing in this post other than where explicitly stated is intended to be any comment upon the circumstance encountered by the OP.

I think I may have spoken to the100thidiot yesterday..

We repair Z rated tyres with a TUV approved vulcanised permenant repair and have the insurance to do so. It does depend on many factors as to whether the tyre is repairable, size and angle of the object, whether the tyre has been ridden on flat and whether the carcasssidewall has been damaged and where the puncture is on the tyre. 95% of repairs roughly are repairable but you wont know until you remove the tyre to inspect it. Tyre gloop can also render it non fixable as some products prevent or interfere with the vulcanisation..and make a mess of my yard!!

Most places either dont understand or know about the types of repair, some places talk ********, some wont get involved full stop.

IMHO i wouldnt use a normal plug for repairs. A tyre failure will hurt and be expensive!