Puncture. Repair or replace?

[carpkisser]

Just been for a spin & came back with a small nail embedded in the centre of the back tyre. The air is still in but I can hear a hiss when I move the nail. Both tyres have around 1500 miles left, 4 months ish for me. Would you ever consider a repair & if so anyone to recommend, or is it time to splash out for a new pair, again any recommendations?

Many thanks.

[playerone]

First storm I bought had a plug in an almost new back tyre and it held out no problem, even at silly illegal speeds

[lloydie]

just get a race scrub there cheep enough and will last 2k

[AMCQ46]

yes get it plugged, main section of the tread is OK........get it done by a garage, they should know what they are doing

[VTRDark]

+1

I have had tyres in the past with half a dozen plugs in on my old work (despatch) bike. I used to do my own repairs with the kits you buy with the co2 cylinders. Those kits got me ought of a lot of trouble while out on the road and work great when applied properly.

But go to a tyre repair shop get it done with proper equipment, it will only cost you a tenner or something. Loads cheaper than a new tyre.

(:-})

[tony.mon]

I used a plug when I had a puncture a week prior to Bulldog Bash drag strip, and I wasn't going to put a new tyre on when I was going to kill it with burnouts a week later.
It got me there, loaded with camping gear, and withstood the weekend's track action- so recommended.

[carpkisser]

Many thanks to all.

I'm going for the plug.

[agentpineapple]

just make sure not to use a butt plug, easy mistake to make

[AMCQ46]

you should also consider buying one of the DIY plug kits and CO2 cylinders.........keep it under your seat incase you or your mates get a puncture, and this will get you home.

[Kev L]

just make sure not to use a butt plug, easy mistake to make

In Marty's case these are also referred to as "Pineapples"!

[seb421]

Just been for a spin & came back with a small nail embedded in the centre of the back tyre. The air is still in but I can hear a hiss when I move the nail. Both tyres have around 1500 miles left, 4 months ish for me. Would you ever consider a repair & if so anyone to recommend, or is it time to splash out for a new pair, again any recommendations?

Many thanks.

Personally I wouldn't ever use a plug on a tyre, for the sake of hundred plus quid its a lot of risk if it does go wrong down the motorway at high speed.

Loose control with traffic around and go down and that's your spine wombles when your run over.

Carrying a plug kit as was suggested is fine, use it in an emergency and then get a new tyre asap, well that's what I would do any way.

Here is a question to ponder,

If you lost control at speed due to a plug coming out of the tyre and it resulted in a crash with another road user would you be held liable because you had defective tyres if the bike was inspected and found to have a poor repair plug jobbie, would insurance pay out or would you be out of pocket with your insurance refusing to back you because your tyre was defective and not fit for use on a public road?

[VTRDark]

If you lost control at speed due to a plug coming out of the tyre and it resulted in a crash with another road user would you be held liable because you had defective tyres

That's like saying If you lost control at speed due to a nail puncturing your tyre. If a plug came out, which IMO is no easy task, it's not difficult for an amateur to do a good repair job on the street, let alone a professional. It's no more difficult than a cycle puncture repair kit.

A plug is just a tapered bit of rubber glued into the hole. With the friction heat from the tyre, the plug more than likely moulds/melts or welds itself into the the surrounding rubber on the tyre anyway, so it becomes a part of the tyre. We are only talking about a nail size hole in the tyre. Any excess rubber that may protrude from the tyre when the plug is fitted just wears down along with the life of the tyre. IMO there's more danger going out with a set of tyres that are not scrubbed in.

Yes six plugs in one tyre as I mentioned in an earlier post is a bit extreme and there is a legal limit to how many plugs you can have (can't remember how many) before the tyre needs changing. But £100 compared to £10, How many nails can one average in a year in a tyre. This could easily add up to £300-£500 a year. It depends on your luck and how wealthy one is, otherwise it's just throwing money away. If you have a perfectly good tyre with loads of tread left on it, then get a nail in the tyre, what is wrong with a plug.

At the end of the day it depends on the individual, knowledge, paranoia, funds, time etc etc etc......

(:-})

[Wicky]

Carrying a plug kit as was suggested is fine, use it in an emergency and then get a new tyre asap, well that's what I would do any way.

Here is a question to ponder,

If you lost control at speed due to a plug coming out of the tyre and it resulted in a crash with another road user would you be held liable because you had defective tyres if the bike was inspected and found to have a poor repair plug jobbie, would insurance pay out or would you be out of pocket with your insurance refusing to back you because your tyre was defective and not fit for use on a public road?

Dunlop advice is quite the opposite and as long as a damaged tire was repaired professionaly then there's no liability issues, but if anything happens with a temporary roadside repair - well your on your own. Hence why I have roadside recovery and a mobile in the event of a disabling puncture, and if possible get it fixed at a Universal tires dealer.

TYRE REPAIR
Some punctures in motorcycle tyres may be repaired. Dunlop recommends only permanent patch/plug repairs of small (maximum 1/4-inch diameter) tread area punctures from within the dismounted tyre by a qualified tyre repair shop or motorcycle dealer. Never perform an exterior repair and never use an inner tube as a substitute for a proper repair.
Speed should not exceed 80kph (50mph) for the first 24 hours after repair, and the repaired tyre should never be used at speeds higher than 120kph (75mph). Check inflation pressure after tyre
cools for at least three hours following run-in, or sooner if air loss is suspected.
No form of temporary repair should be attempted because secondary damage caused by a penetrating object may not be detected and tyre or tube deflation may occur at a later date.
Dunlop does not recommend the use of liquid sealants. These are a form of temporary repair, and may adversely affect ply material and mask secondary damage caused by a penetrating object.
Reliance upon sealants can result in sudden tyre failure and accident.

http://www.dunlop.eu/dunlop_euen/mc/tyres/tyre_care.jsp

[wiltsdan]

If just a small nail, Wang a bit of slime in there. Goes inside the tyre.