New learning opportunity - I've got a flat!

[shoemonkey]

i've had two punctures in 4000 miles had them patched, watched the whole thing and its very neat.
Drills the hole them threads a bunge with a wire at the end pulls it tight then puts a small patch on the inside then a second patch over the top of that and trims the bung on the outside and that wears with the tyer. haven't had a problem with deflation but i have been told 3 times is the limit but not sure how true that is?

 

[dog]

Couldn't help myself. Woke up this morning thinking about the waste of just tossing the tires. Decided to patch the tire while waiting on the new tires. Spent a lot of time with a couple of friends doing it, but got it done. Pulled the wheel off the bike, got the tire off, then took it to a local guy who patched it for five bucks. Marred the wheel some, but got it done. Called the Honda dealer this morning to price changing out the tires with the new ones I ordered: $110. I'll do that, but will look around for a better deal. Learned a lot, maybe that letting somebody with the right tools do it could be worth it. Got a TPMS system yesterday and will install it tomorrow.

Do have a question though. Do you gays/gals who use the bike as your main mode of transportation keep spare tires around for this kind of thing?

 

[JDE]

What TPMS did you go with? I've been looking I to getting one, not sure which brand to go with though. I would like to here what your experience with it is.

 

[happy]

It is real simple guys really.
1. If you've got the money, change the tires for new. Peace of mind, etc.

2. If you want to save some bucks, then check to see if this is a hole which is really repairable. If not, goto 1, else exit or wait for more money.
If repairable, try to patch it from inside (best bet for long term riding).
If repairable with the plug (from outside), do it and then ride carefully, strictly no offroad and just reasonable riding with no racing-mode etc.

Hope this helps.

 

[dog]

Thanks for pointing out those tires. I was looking for something which would provide better performance on off roads, the few times I would be on one. Didn't want or need off road performance tires.

Happy to do it. Took me a couple of hours of research to find that 95/5 blend of performance, but that's what I needed. They get good reviews.

 

[dog]

What TPMS did you go with? I've been looking I to getting one, not sure which brand to go with though. I would like to here what your experience with it is.

I decided to go with the Tire-Safeguard offering:

Motorcycle Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) : Amazon.com : Automotive

It came via USPS the same day I got the flat. I will review it after I've had it long enough to form an opinion.

 

[JDE]

I decided to go with the Tire-Safeguard offering:

Motorcycle Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) : Amazon.com : Automotive

It came via USPS the same day I got the flat. I will review it after I've had it long enough to form an opinion.

I've got that one in my Amazon wish list. Just been trying to do some more research before hitting the buy button.

 

[dog]

The culprit....



Got busy this weekend and didn't have much time for the forum. That was the problem and it was straight in the center of the tire. Like I said, I removed the tire myself and had it patched. When the new Pirelli's come I'll have them mounted and hold on to the Metzeler's as spares in case the same thing happens again. I HATE to be at the mercy of a situation and without options. Plus, Houston has to be one of the worse places in the nation for this kind of thing. It's booming so there is lots of construction/deconstruction going on around here.

I hope the people who advised just replacing the tire aren't insulted in any way. I will replace both tires later this week, but I still haven't heard what the people who rely on their bikes solely for daily transportation do. I would think the only thing you could do is have spare tires laying around in case of emergencies. I could be wrong. I suppose some might just call from the road for assistance to get somewhere to buy a new tire or to get home. Or maybe most do the plug thing until they can get a new tire bought and mounted. Priced new OEM wheels ($602 front/$665 rear) so I doubt very many people have spare full assemblies ready to go at home in the garage. Then again, maybe this really doesn't happen very often on a bike and I was just unlucky.... So for now I'm riding on a patched tire.

Wasn't joking about the learning opportunity. I knew nothing about how to remove the rear wheel. Now I have a pretty good understanding of that, the rear sprocket, alignment, chain tension adjustment, the axle, etc.... Discovered it's really not too complicated back there.

 

[dduelin]

I didn't answer the original query with the questions you posed in post #28. I don't rely on my bikes for daily transportation but it would not change my reply. I always carry tools to insert a gummy worm plug and a 12v compressor to reinflate it in order to get home. If the tire is holed in a manner to get home that is what I do. If not there is always roadside assistance. Most of the time I am within 200 miles are so of home.

When more of these bikes are crashed and parted out more parts will show up on fleabay. I have a spare rear wheel for the ST1300 and I keep a good used tire mounted on it for situations like this so I can get home and swap out the wheel and ride the next weekend or three without having to buy a tire right away. New ST1300 wheels are not any less $$ but I watch for used ST1300 parts to appear. I paid $150 for the ST wheel when one showed up on the net. I have started looking for NC700 parts but they are scarce.

 

[Mike Cash]

I know a guy here in Japan who may not ride every single day, but who when he does ride it is several hundred km of tire-trashing per day, and that quite frequently. He goes through a set of tires roughly once a month, I believe.

His solution has been to buy a simple set of the minimal tools required to do his own tire changes and balancing at home. Apparently there are tools and equipment made for the budgets of shade tree mechanics which do the job quite adequately. The only question is whether you do it often enough to feel that you will recoup the cost of the equipment in saved service charges.

 

[showkey]

I know a guy here in Japan who may not ride every single day, but who when he does ride it is several hundred km of tire-trashing per day, and that quite frequently. He goes through a set of tires roughly once a month, I believe.

His solution has been to buy a simple set of the minimal tools required to do his own tire changes and balancing at home. Apparently there are tools and equipment made for the budgets of shade tree mechanics which do the job quite adequately. The only question is whether you do it often enough to feel that you will recoup the cost of the equipment in saved service charges.

Really all that is needed simple hand tools to remove the wheel, tire rubber lube, tire irons, tire bead breaker (can be home made) and compressed air to inflate. But a few learned critical techniques can change the tire changing experience from a night mare to a walk in the park.

Tire tools other than the compressor $25 to $50 all in. Cheaper balancer can add $50-100 to that cost as well (home made is possible for the handy) Tire machine to make things easier start to run up the costs. If you learn to change a tire with tire irons is the best training to later use a tire changing machine effectively.

Technique is everything to avoid:
Rim (scratches etc) and tire damage. Proper seating of the tire bead on the rim can be a major safety concern.

http://www.amazon.com/three-spoon-motorcycle-levers-changing/dp/B004NV6FE2

 

[JDE]

View attachment 3497

Got busy this weekend and didn't have much time for the forum. That was the problem and it was straight in the center of the tire. Like I said, I removed the tire myself and had it patched. When the new Pirelli's come I'll have them mounted and hold on to the Metzeler's as spares in case the same thing happens again. I HATE to be at the mercy of a situation and without options. Plus, Houston has to be one of the worse places in the nation for this kind of thing. It's booming so there is lots of construction/deconstruction going on around here.

I hope the people who advised just replacing the tire aren't insulted in any way. I will replace both tires later this week, but I still haven't heard what the people who rely on their bikes solely for daily transportation do. I would think the only thing you could do is have spare tires laying around in case of emergencies. I could be wrong. I suppose some might just call from the road for assistance to get somewhere to buy a new tire or to get home. Or maybe most do the plug thing until they can get a new tire bought and mounted. Priced new OEM wheels ($602 front/$665 rear) so I doubt very many people have spare full assemblies ready to go at home in the garage. Then again, maybe this really doesn't happen very often on a bike and I was just unlucky.... So for now I'm riding on a patched tire.

Wasn't joking about the learning opportunity. I knew nothing about how to remove the rear wheel. Now I have a pretty good understanding of that, the rear sprocket, alignment, chain tension adjustment, the axle, etc.... Discovered it's really not too complicated back there.

I have used "Stop and Go" tire plugs before. Used it for a my last bike when I picked up a sheet metal screw in the rear tire. I rode with it in for a couple thousand miles before getting new ones when they needed to be replaced anyways. After that I started using the "Ride-on" stuff that's supposed to balance your tire and seal a leak in the contact patch area of the tire if it gets punctured. I now have the ride on goo in my tires, plugger kit and mini compressor in the frunk , just in case.

 

[Alabama Al]

I have the same, only instead of the compressor, the cartridges to blow up the tire. I mounted two "tool tubes" to my Givi case guard & have a tool kit in one & chain lube & the Stop & Go tire plugger in the other one. The Tool Tube, motorcycle storage tube, tooltube, operators canister, tool storage, fuel storage, 1 liter fuel bottle caddy I mounted them to a alunimum plate & used a U clamp to mount them on the front of the case guard. I also mounted two on the rear of the bike in front of the saddle bags, I use them for water bottles. I removed the passanger foot rests as I have no intension of rideing a passanger.

 

[670cc]

I have used "Stop and Go" tire plugs before. Used it for a my last bike when I picked up a sheet metal screw in the rear tire. I rode with it in for a couple thousand miles before getting new ones when they needed to be replaced anyways. After that I started using the "Ride-on" stuff that's supposed to balance your tire and seal a leak in the contact patch area of the tire if it gets punctured. I now have the ride on goo in my tires, plugger kit and mini compressor in the frunk , just in case.

+1 for Stop N Go plugs. No glue needed. I carry the kit with me in the frunk. I never needed to plug a motorcycle tire, but I used one in a car tire and it lasted the 50,000 miles until the tire wore out.

Greg

 

[Daboo]

...but I still haven't heard what the people who rely on their bikes solely for daily transportation do...

See post #19. My daily commute is 60 miles, plus trips to the jail and prison. The bike is my transportation unless it is snowing.

Chris

 

[dog]

See post #19. My daily commute is 60 miles, plus trips to the jail and prison. The bike is my transportation unless it is snowing.

Chris

Yes, you answered the question before I even asked it in post #22 -- thanks. Based on your post and others I ordered 2-8 oz. bottles of Ride-On to put in the new Pirellis that should be here by the weekend. Just for grins I called another Honda dealer for a quote on mounting the tires: $150. Cycle Gear quoted me $70, but said I'd have to pull the wheels off myself and bring them in with the new tires. I'm getting ready for yet another "learning" opportunity. Have already ordered the right size spoons and rim protectors. Need to watch a few youtube tutorials this go round though....

 

[Daboo]

Calling around, or letting your fingers do the walking helps a lot. This is from a different bike, but the example is still valid.

I had to replace my rear tire on my Burgman 400. I called the dealership and they wanted $70 for the tire and about $60 for removing the tire, mounting it and reinstalling it. (This was a few years ago, the charge would be higher now.)

I called a local used bike shop that sells tires. They too wanted $70 for the tire, but would mount it on the rim if I brought in the wheel. They had no capability to balance it.

I then called another motorcycle shop, and he charged the same $70 for the tire...but would remove the wheel, mount the tire and reinstall the wheel for free. His only charge was if I wanted the tire balanced, and also for the usual disposal fees. Guess which place got my business for the next several years?

On the last tires, I decided to use Motorcycle Superstore. They have links to shops in the area that will replace your tires. You can see exactly what services they've agreed to do, and then contact them by phone to confirm nothing has changed. If you like what you hear, you can have the tires drop-shipped directly to them and then just make arrangements to get the work done.

The local Ducati dealer charged me $30 per wheel for the entire job. The idea is to get you in for tires, and then perhaps you'll turn to them for the rest of your work later.

And of course, you can do as it appears you're planning to do and get the tools to do the work yourself.

Chris

 

[dog]

Calling around, or letting your fingers do the walking helps a lot. This is from a different bike, but the example is still valid.

I had to replace my rear tire on my Burgman 400. I called the dealership and they wanted $70 for the tire and about $60 for removing the tire, mounting it and reinstalling it. (This was a few years ago, the charge would be higher now.)

I called a local used bike shop that sells tires. They too wanted $70 for the tire, but would mount it on the rim if I brought in the wheel. They had no capability to balance it.

I then called another motorcycle shop, and he charged the same $70 for the tire...but would remove the wheel, mount the tire and reinstall the wheel for free. His only charge was if I wanted the tire balanced, and also for the usual disposal fees. Guess which place got my business for the next several years?

On the last tires, I decided to use Motorcycle Superstore. They have links to shops in the area that will replace your tires. You can see exactly what services they've agreed to do, and then contact them by phone to confirm nothing has changed. If you like what you hear, you can have the tires drop-shipped directly to them and then just make arrangements to get the work done.

The local Ducati dealer charged me $30 per wheel for the entire job. The idea is to get you in for tires, and then perhaps you'll turn to them for the rest of your work later.

And of course, you can do as it appears you're planning to do and get the tools to do the work yourself.

Chris

Thanks for the hint on Motorcycle Superstore preferred installers. I noticed it on their website, but forgot to check it out. Found a place that will do them on the bike for $30 each!

 

[tew47]

From 1970 to 2000 I did not own a can. So I plugged or patched the inside of the tire and rode on for thousands of miles.

 

[dog]

Replying to my own post...

Thanks for the hint on Motorcycle Superstore preferred installers. I noticed it on their website, but forgot to check it out. Found a place that will do them on the bike for $30 each!

The place I found was called "2 Wheel Toyz" in a little town due south of Houston appropriately named "South Houston." Called them a couple of times before bringing it in this morning. Told them it was a Honda NC700X. They had never heard of it, but said no problem. I decided to copy the pages from my service manual for them just in case. Got there (with some drama that I'll post about in another thread), left the bike with the mechanic and went to lunch. Came back to find it right where I left with the Metzelers still on it. The guy behind the counter said "the boss" will NOT let them change tires on ABS bikes period. Something about a Ducati with ABS that they had problems with. Nice guys there, but don't bother taking them your ABS bike to replace the tires. BUT they will do it if you pull the wheels off and bring them in. Guess I'll be having another learning experience this weekend. This time I'll at least have the correct spoons.