There are many benefits to repairing a punctured motorcycle tire using a patch or plug method. However, some disadvantages of plugging or patching your motorcycle tire should be noted as well. The following is an overview of the pros and cons of each method. First, you should remove the offending item. Patching or plugging your motorcycle tire should only be attempted if you have a proper tool.
Although replacing a motorcycle tire is the safest and most reliable solution for a punctured tire, it’s often not done, and many motorcyclists don’t bother. While the plug method is easier and more convenient, it has its own risks. Read on to learn the steps and safety precautions before trying this method. There are some important things you should know, however, before trying this method.
The first step in repairing a punctured motorcycle tire is to determine the size of the hole. Larger punctures, such as tear-shaped holes, are unlikely to be repairable. For smaller holes, a plug or patch can be installed. A small puncture, such as a few millimeters in diameter, may not need a patch. Generally, however, a puncture smaller than 1.6mm is the safest option.
If a punctured motorcycle tire is not a road bike, you can try plugging it with a standard wire. A tire plug wire has a sticky structure and can expand or contract to fit the hole. It works by sensing pressure from the wound and expanding to fit the size of the plug. Depending on the material used, this method can be hazardous to a motorcycle’s safety.
A plugged motorcycle tire can be repaired safely. But it’s best to avoid riding the motorcycle for long distances while the puncture is repaired. In fact, most tire companies advise against driving the bike for long distances if it has been punctured. The plug method should be used as a temporary solution and should be checked by professionals. When in doubt, do not try it at home.
The area of the tire that is eligible for the plug repair is the crown of the tire and the center seventy-five percent of the tread area. The shoulder and sidewall are also off-limits. Plugs can be installed successfully on a tire that is made of tubeless material. When you have completed the repair, make sure to store the plug in an unopened container to avoid any contamination.
A basic plug kit includes a rasp, a needle tool, sticky strings, and rubber cement. Sticky strings come with adhesive already on them. Other tools needed include pliers to remove nails, screws, dinner forks, and 10mm wrenches from the tire. Before beginning the process, make sure that the puncture site is in the middle. You don’t want to patch the tire from the inside.
While plugging and patching are popular motorcycle tire repair methods, they aren’t recommended for all motorcycles. The type of motorcycle you ride may also have a determining factor. Tubeless motorcycle tires are not suitable for patching.
Tubed tires contain steel belt ply beneath the tread. This metal belt provides structural integrity and can hold patches or plugs until the motorcycle tire repair shop can replace the tire.
The size of the puncture is also a key factor. Some punctures are too small to repair permanently. Others, however, may not need to be patched. Depending on the size of the puncture, patching or plugging the motorcycle tire may be the best option. Make sure you have enough glue to fill the hole. Then, dismount the bike to inspect the tire and repair. The plug/patch will be installed.
There are also many benefits to using this method. Despite the inconvenience, it requires minimal tools and time. A patched motorcycle tire may cover up to 60 miles of travel, and many riders have extended their riding distance by plugging their motorcycle tires. If you are worried about the safety of patching motorcycle tires, take a moment to research all the options before making a decision. It is definitely worth a try.
When riding on a plugged motorcycle tire, the most common problem is an air leak or a puncture that is smaller than seven millimeters. The size of the puncture should be based on the location and shape of the puncture. A plug can be inserted through the tire without causing any problems, but it should not be used to replace the entire tire. In addition to plugging the tire, it is important to avoid driving too fast.
Whether plugging or patching motorcycle tires is safer than replacing the entire tire depends on the shape of the puncture. A slice or tear-shaped puncture is too risky to patch. A tear-shaped puncture is considered rare and should be replaced with a new one. A standard tire patch kit will last three years with regular use, and five years if it’s not used that frequently.
The reliability of plugging or patching motorcycle tires depends on whether you’re dealing with a sidewall puncture or a cut-out in the face of the tire. The former can be effective for small punctures, while the latter is more risky.
Oftentimes, a patched motorcycle tire can be reinstalled with a new tube. Regardless of the type of motorcycle tire, however, the old-fashioned method remains the best choice.
The reliability of patching or plugging a motorcycle tire depends on how well the repair is done. It is important to ensure that no patches overlap, and that you limit the repairs to three per tire. If a patch doesn’t hold, it might spit out and cause an accident. Patching or plugging motorcycle tires should only be attempted by a professional. A patch is not recommended if the puncture is severe and the sidewall is damaged.
Although a plugged motorcycle tire is not recommended for long rides, it’s safe and can be done on a limited distance. If done correctly, it can help you get to a repair shop. In case of a flat tire, however, it’s always a good idea to bring the motorcycle to a mechanic for a proper repair. If you’re unsure of what to do, consult a professional first.
While plugging can work on motorcycle tires with a small puncture, patching is not a long-term solution.
If you have a puncture, it’s better to get a replacement tire. But be careful when patching – even if it’s a temporary fix, you could end up with a flat tire that blows out. You may have to use a patch every few miles to get the repair done and then have to replace it again.
A motorcycle tire can go flat for several reasons, including wear and tear. In these cases, there are two possible solutions: patching or plugging the tire. A patch is a temporary solution that bonds with the interior of the tire, while a plug prevents air from escaping and keeps moisture out. Regardless of which method you choose, the best option for flat motorcycle tires is to replace them as soon as possible.
While many motorcycle riders choose to patch a bike’s tire, it is best to stick with professional repair. You can patch a motorcycle tire yourself, but if you choose to use a shop that does not recommend this practice, you may be liable for damages resulting from the patch.
For this reason, it is important to be sure that you have a mechanic who is familiar with motorcycle tires before attempting to patch them yourself.
The size of the puncture is important. If it is large and oblong, it is unlikely that you can patch it. For the most durable and cost-effective solution, you should opt for a patch/patch combination. A patch will be more durable than a plug, while a plug may be a more permanent fix. But don’t let that deter you! A patch can help you save thousands of dollars on medical bills.
If you choose to plug or patch a motorcycle tire, make sure you choose a suitable location to repair it. In most cases, the crown and the center 75 percent of the tread are acceptable for this repair. Shoulder areas and sidewalls are not safe for plugging. If you choose to patch a tire, you must follow the instructions carefully. If you don’t, it may not be safe and you could risk damaging the tire or worse, causing further damage.
Another reason for plugging or patching a motorcycle’s tire is the need to avoid riding the motorcycle.
If you are unsure whether to patch or plug a motorcycle tire, consult a professional. Many motorcycle repair shops will refuse to repair a patched motorcycle tire because they don’t have the necessary equipment to fix the problem. If you’re not sure, check online for motorcycle repair shops or call them directly.
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Home Features How to Plug and Repair a Tubeless Motorcycle Tire
Sacre bleu! The discovery we all dread, usually right before a ride. Don’t attempt to repair a severe gash or cut, or a puncture in the sidewall of the tire. Once you get the hole plugged, it’s off to your dealer for a new tire.Considering how bulletproof the rest of our motorcycles have become, it’s ironic that it only takes a little 1 ½-inch box nail in a tire to bring the whole show to a halt.
We’re fortunate today that tubeless tire technology prevents intrusions by nails, screws and other foreign objects from becoming catastrophic blowouts. The object usually stays in the hole, the only place from which the tire can lose air, so it deflates more slowly than a puncture in a tire with a tube on an unsealed spoked wheel (which can lose air through all of the spoke nipples and even the tire bead). But even if that pointy thing does stay put and flush with the tread surface, as it flexes back and forth in the carcass the tire will eventually deflate enough to become a problem. Hopefully you will have noticed its presence or even received a low tire-pressure warning before that happens.
Of course, if it doesn’t stay put or is large enough to stick out of the tire (like a 6-inch gutter nail — don’t ask), the tire will probably deflate rapidly enough to strand you by the roadside. Unless you’re lucky enough to be next to a motorcycle shop at the time, you’re going to need either a good roadside assistance plan or a tubeless tire repair kit.
(We’ll cover tube-type tire roadside repairs in another installment).
Here at Rider we’ve fixed enough tubeless punctures to appreciate that the most dependable tire repair kit you can carry uses rubber strings or “worms” for the plug that gets inserted into the tire, preferably the large red ones like those in the T-Handle Tubeless Tire Repair Kit from Stop & Go. There are more convenient plug types, but the strings rarely let us down. If you’ve had good luck with liquid sealers, installed either pre- or post-puncture, more power to you — we often carry Slime for tube-type tires on bikes that have tubes in the hope of avoiding a roadside tire dismount. But we change bikes too often to make using the pre-installed sealers practical, and prefer to avoid irritating the mechanic who has to change a tubeless tire on a wheel full of messy sealer.
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Repair kits that use string plugs often come with rubber cement, which — depending on the string type — may not be necessary to complete the repair, but at a minimum it acts as a lubricant to ease inserting the plug, and seems to help vulcanize the plug to the tire.
It’s important to keep your glue supply fresh (preferably unopened), or you may find that it has dried out when you need it.
No matter what sort you use, any plug inserted from the outside should be considered a very temporary repair used to get you and your bike to the nearest replacement tire. Limit your speed per the plug kit instructions, and replace the tire as soon as possible. Special patch plugs inserted from the inside of a tubeless tire are certainly safer, but even if you can find someone who will install one for you, every tire manufacturer (and even those who sell patch plugs) recommend replacing the tire instead since it has to come off anyway.
The photos in this article cover the basic plugging process with rubber strings. Depending on the size of the hole, you may need more than one — I once used three in an ATV tire and it got me back to camp.
The motorcycle gives a feeling of freedom, allowing you to discover new routes. However, in reality, this freedom can turn into a trap in an instant if you are unlucky enough to puncture a tire somewhere in the middle of the road. The feeling of annoyance will be ten times stronger if there is no way to fix a punctured wheel. At this point, it remains only to hope for cellular communication and help from other drivers on the road. Therefore, consider the basic recommendations for repairing a motorcycle tire on the road.
Always keep a rubber band or tire repair insert in the trunk. This simple tool will add peace of mind on the road. It will be much better if you learn how to use it in advance. You don't want to be the guy who has the right tool but lacks the skills to fix a problem, even something as simple as fixing a tire, do you?
The repair technology for tube and tubeless tires is different, but both types are subject to restoration (at least to such a state as to get home). Repairing a tubeless tire is easier. Repairing a tubed tire requires removing the wheel, removing the tire, and removing the tube to install the patch.
So you run over a nail, screw, glass, or that damned sharp stone and punctured a motorcycle tire. If the object that caused the damage is still in the rubber, the first step is to remove it. Pliers are great for this. Therefore, you should always keep this tool in the trunk: with it, you need to grab an object sticking out of the tire.
Try to pull it out along the same path that it entered the tire so that the puncture does not increase and become torn.
After removing the object, clean the edges of the pierced hole. To do this, the repair kit must have a special tool - a tool for cleaning holes. All debris and rough edges must be removed to create a surface for patching.
Then you need to install a patch. Different kits offer different types of patches, so you should read the kit's manual to complete this step correctly. However, there are two main types of patches: long cord patches and fungus patches. Some kits may include adhesive to bond the patch to the tire rubber.
Patches or cord inserts are supplied with an awl for installation. It is necessary to bend the cord in half, and thread one half into the tool. This is necessary for a tight fit of the material. Next, bring the cord into the hole until it protrudes above the tire by about 1 centimeter. Then you can pull it out of the awl and put the tool aside.
Take a knife and cut off the excess patch material by about 0.5 centimeter.
Fungus patches (plug and play type) require the use of a special tool for installation. Again, you must follow the instructions for the specific repair kit. Then stretch the patch material with pliers. When the puncture is closed, you can cut the patch over the tire.
After installing the patch, the tire needs to be inflated. For repairs on the road, you will need either a 12V electric compressor that can be connected to the motorcycle's electrical system, or a CO bottle 2 . Carrying a compressor with you is not always convenient. A more compact and more portable option is to use the small CO 2 bottles in combination with the tire inflator. This is the fastest way to inflate tires on the road.
If possible, apply some soapy water to the patch to make sure it is airtight. If there is a leak, you will see tiny air bubbles around the repaired area.
On-road retreading of tube tires is a more labor-intensive process. If your motorcycle is equipped with such tires, then you will need a few more tools to repair them. In most models, you will have to remove and disassemble the wheel in order to get to the camera. The vehicle owner's manual should describe how to do this and what tools to pack in your luggage. In addition, you will need a tire removal tool. It makes the job easier.
Once the inner tube has been removed from the wheel, the remaining air must be completely bled out. The next step is to prepare the camera for patching. The repair kit should include a special scraper to roughen the surface around the punctured hole. This treatment is necessary to ensure adhesion of the patch to the chamber material.
After completing the preparation, you can start installing the patch. Follow the instructions in the repair kit manual. Some patches come pre-applied with adhesive, while others require the use of the included adhesive.
It is necessary to place the patch on the damaged area of the tire and lap it firmly, moving from the center to the edge, to ensure a snug fit without air bubbles.
Now that the tube has been repaired, the tire needs to be checked to make sure the object that caused the puncture has been removed from the tire. Then you can install the camera and tire in place, after which it remains only to pump it up. If possible, the tire should be checked for leaks.
So, after retreading a tire yourself, the best solution is to immediately go to the nearest tire repair shop. Specialists will perform a much more efficient repair, guaranteeing driving safety.
For tube tires it would be nice to just replace the tube. According to many riders, the peace of mind that a new tire guarantees is much more than its small cost.
Tire repair kits are space-saving and easy to use. Every motorcyclist should have this kit in their gear to make quick repairs on the road.
There is not always a way to call a tow truck, and driving on a flat tire, “chewing” the rubber and killing the rim is at least uncomfortable.
The very first replacement of rubber on a motorcycle or scooter gives reason to think - what is better in terms of quick repairs: tubeless ones that do not require wheel disassembly to eliminate a puncture, but leave the rider helpless if, along with damage, it “led” and flattened the edge of the disc? Or chambers - allowing sealing almost ring breaks (if only there were enough patches), but requiring the removal of rubber from the rim for this? The unequivocal answer is no. Few classics, straights or tourers today remain "loyal" to tube rubber models: tubeless tires are lighter, softer, warm up and cool down faster thanks to simplified heat transfer. In sports, more precisely - enduro and motocross, chamber - on the contrary, prevail: only spoked wheels can "play", withstanding strong alternating loads during landings and impacts.
The nuance is that a tire with a chamber can be put on any spoked or cast disc, and a tubeless one can only be placed on a cast one, because only it can ensure tightness. Tube – can be installed in a tubeless tire as an emergency measure. In case of major damage to the sidewall, cracks or curvature of the edges of the rim, this will make it possible, after pumping up the wheel, to reach the nearest tire service (and there already - straightening, balancing and other maintenance according to the rules). True, for such a focus, it is advisable to take a camera with a face value one less than the diameter of the disk, otherwise it will create folds inside that will rub for a couple of hundred kilometers. The resource of such a “treatment” is large - until the next puncture, like a new one.
It depends on the magnitude of the damage whether it will be possible to eliminate it on your own, or whether you will have to “surrender” to the motorized tow truck.
In tubeless - holes up to 5–6 mm are patched, in chambers - as much as there is enough glue and patches, the main thing is the condition of the tire. To determine the extent of the disaster - find a place where you can safely stop without violating traffic rules (where it is prohibited - you will have to sacrifice tires and drive on).
If the wheel deflates slowly, and the object that pierced it is still inside, you can try to carefully drive to the tire shop. A completely deflated "pancake" will have to be resuscitated on the spot, or - remove the wheel and take it to the service.
To find a hole in a tubeless tire, if it is very thin and not immediately visible, the wheel must be pumped up, slowly pouring water - bubbles will go. In place, tubeless tubes can be “harnessed”, or filled with sealant inside, without removing from the motorcycle.
With the second type of tires - more difficult. A torn balloon must be removed from the tire to detect a defect and seal.
In a good way, the wheel must be removed from the motorcycle and disassembled on a clean, flat, hard base. Suppose such a “patch” can be provided even off-road, but how to remove the wheel on a motorcycle if it does not have a central stand? And shooting is not required. The motor must be carefully laid on its side, after making sure that the faucet is closed, gasoline does not flow out through the tank cap (antifreeze does not flow from the tank if the motor is “dropsy”), and removing the plastic or wardrobe trunk with fragile contents (if any).
You will have to unscrew the wheel from the motorcycle only if you need to replace the tire, or it is decided to patch the tubeless tube with a “fungus”. In the absence of a central stand, this will also have to be done on a lying bike, or - make this stand from improvised materials (bricks, stump, car jack), placing them under the crankcase protection from below, the central tube of the frame, the duplex jumper (but not under the plastic, itself engine crankcase or attachments!), under both footrests - if they are not folding, or - under the pendulum.
Before removing the rear wheel on a motorcycle, the front fork must be loaded with something, or an even higher lining is made.
In a motorcycle tire fitting shop, tubeless tubes are repaired by cold vulcanization. They are removed, disassembled, the puncture site is cleaned from the inside, degreased, lubricated with glue and a calibrated “fungus” patch is inserted into the hole from the inside. The fungus itself is a thin plate of rubber with a “leg” tube in the center. The leg - by the guide wire is dragged through the hole of the damage, and the "hat" seals it.
After half an hour - you can put the tire back. The reliability of such a repair is high, the patch does not cause a significant imbalance, the service life of a sealed tire does not decrease.
This method is also applicable on the road, the main thing is to have the necessary equipment and materials with you:
The fungus repair procedure does not require much experience. The main thing is to keep it clean, fully clean the place where the patch fits, let the glue dry slightly to a dull finish and press (roll) the surface of the fungus with high quality, expelling all the air between the layers. If necessary, you can degrease the place before gluing with gasoline, but without the rest of the above, it will not be possible to fully carry out repairs.
The compressor is sometimes replaced by a small cylinder of compressed air or carbon dioxide. Unlike a mechanical pump, it will immediately create a “throw” of pressure, pressing the tire beads against the rim flanges (in emergency cases, even a fire extinguisher was used to pump flat tubeless wheels). When connecting the compressor, start the bike's engine before you start inflating the tire - let it idle.
Otherwise, the motor can "land" the battery, and you will not start.
Manometer - needed for control. It is undesirable to pump over the repaired tire. It is recommended to "inflate" 0.2 atmospheres less than the nominal value. Inflating too little is also bad: a flat tire has a larger contact patch with the road, so the place of a fresh patch will deform more.
“Burning” a tubeless tube and sealing its internal cavity through a nipple are quick, simple methods that do not require special skills. To repair the damage, you only need the materials themselves, and how to pump up the wheel.
Now in Moscow, and not only, 6-5 varieties of cans with a sealant are sold - a quickly hardening "liquid rubber", with a volume of 800 to 250 ml.
Applying "Anti-Puncture" is simple: put a tube with a fitting on the nipple of the camera, turn the can over, and hold the button according to the instructions.
Then - pump up the wheel, cleaning the nipple from the foam, roll it, making a full turn to distribute it.
The sealant is blown out with air into the puncture hole and clogs it, solidifying. After 20 minutes - you can go. Reliability of repair is high. Resource - until the next puncture.
If you have a compressor, start immediately pumping up the wheel, so it will be easier to work with a puncture, insert a patch, and it will swell faster.
Procedure:
You can go in 5 minutes, you just need to make sure that it doesn’t descend anywhere else.
Outwardly identical, repair kits for harnessing wheels can differ in price by almost half. This variation is explained by different configurations - one will have only three items, the other - six or seven.
A complete tubeless tire repair kit contains:
Regardless of the cost, you need to choose a kit in which the harnesses will be reinforced, and the awl - with a deep spiral winding (notch), and not a “needle file”.
Inserting a flagellum is sometimes easier with a regular thin screwdriver. If there is no glue in the kit, or it has dried up, the flagellum is moistened with gasoline.
At motorcycle service stations and car services, holes in the chambers are closed by hot vulcanization: a layer of raw rubber is applied to the cleaned, fat-free puncture site and, after squeezing it well, it is heated with a special “iron”. Iron - burns, layers - are fused into a single whole. Reliability of repair is high. The resource will be almost like a new one.
Cold vulcanization (patching) - used if the workshop is not equipped with a vulcanizer. In this case, the quality of the service and the reliability of the repair will depend on the accuracy of the master. For the convenience of gluing, the camera is completely removed in the service, but, I repeat, this is not necessary. It can be repaired on the spot in the same way (there are no other options except for replacing the camera), but without removing it from the motorcycle.
This can only be done if you have two metal mounting blades. At least one, the second can be replaced with another flat tool. You can still disassemble the wheel with a wide screwdriver and a “family” key wrapped with electrical tape. But this is only as a last resort, otherwise you can damage the cord.
Sequence of work:
Let the glue dry for a minute. The fencing must be carried out twice as carefully and more slowly than dismantling, lubricate the side with water or soap, “help” more with your hands, otherwise there is a risk of picking up the edge of the chamber with a spatula and tearing it.
Important! If the wheels of the motorcycle are equipped with tow bars - before pressing the tire bead from the rim, you need to loosen this tow bar! But do not unscrew the nut completely, do not disassemble to the end.
A standard “first aid kit” (a set for repairing classic motor rubber) contains only patches and glue, so it is advisable to supplement it yourself with a piece of “skin” or a needle file. You can degrease with gasoline, or apply a little glue first and wipe off immediately, rolling up the dust with it.
Now there is no shortage of specialized motorcycle workshops not only in Moscow - in all major cities there are motorcycle helpers who help motorcyclists directly on the track, or tow to where you can quickly change the camera, or patch the tubeless correctly, so that there is no trace left. Where there is a guarantee.
Self-replacement of a tire on a motorcycle requires a certain physical condition, and for the first time - a “kilometer of nerves”.
At the service station, instead of you, automation will “sweat”, which will not lock up the board and will not scratch the disc coating with a spatula. The main thing is to do it quickly (if you need to go urgently, the price sometimes does not matter).
Repair at the service - may be the only possible one if, due to driving on a flat tire, the tire nipple is turned and torn off. Especially if he flew off and got lost, but there is no spare. In mototiremontazhke - there is always a set of consumables for any wheel diameter. In the same place, in extreme cases, you can buy a new tire, or a used dokatka.
In addition to the patch, for normal operation of the wheel, balancing must be ensured. This is generally a useful procedure during any change of rubber, otherwise if there is a strong imbalance, the wheel bearing will inevitably break due to vibrations, and the hands will quickly get tired and “buzz” after long rides.
The first couple of tens of kilometers - do not drive, go at the speed of the flow.
