Tire Lessons from This Weekend

[Greg Field]

After work last night, I pulled off the unfaithful, brand-new Michelin Pilot Power tire that got punctured this weekend and subsequently spit out three plugs and was very surprised by two things:

 

1) It had not spit out the plugs; rather, it had sucked them in. All three were there, inside the tire, bathing lazily in fix-a-flat goo. How can this happen? Especially if I was riding aggressively, shouldn't centripetal force sling the plugs out? Has anyone else seen this?

 

2) That goo is a horrible mess to deal with and had already begun to lift the paint from the inside surface of the rim. I had put that tire on on Wednesday of last week, and there was no evidence of paint peeling then, so I have to conclude that the fix-a-flat did it. After that, I rushed home to remove all the goo that had been slung all over the rest of the bike. No soap I could find would take it off. I had to use solvent. Nasty.

 

I also learned a thing or two about what I need to carry with me: All the tools, all the time.

 

I have always been the guy who has all the tools and spares to get everyone home. I've changed out clutches and broken shift-return springs and a bunch of other stuff for myself and others on the side of the road and in motel parking lots thousands of miles from home. Such repairs require borrowing a floor jack or boards to prop up the engine, but I carried everything else I need with me. In fact, until Saturday, I had an unbroken record of getting everyone home who came with me, since at least the late 1980s, unless my failing memory is failing me now. Yet Saturday I was unable to get two bikes home. Bad day.

 

First, because I left my tire patching and inflation tools in the H-B bags in camp. And second 'cause I didn't have any means to solder a wire back onto Lardenzo's Cobra. Because of this, I'll be figuring a way to stash on each bike a permanent set of tire tools and will have to always remind myself to transfer my normal two tool pouches onto the bike I'm riding that day.

 

As others have noted, it would probably also be wise to ride slowly and carefully on plugged tires. Then again, the plug that failed the quickest was the one I drove most gently on, so who really knows?

[guzzi323]

All three were there, inside the tire, bathing lazily in fix-a-flat goo.

93511[/snapback]

I've never had a problem with plugs failing on me though the thought that occured to me was the tire goo might be lubing the plugs. I'd try one or the other, not both. Actually, having worked in a bike shop where we always cursed (and eventually started charging extra for) people who put goo in their tires, I'll stick with plugs and forget the goo.

 

My 2 cents..

 

johnk

[Dan M]

After work last night, I pulled off the unfaithful, brand-new Michelin Pilot Power tire that got punctured this weekend and subsequently spit out three plugs and was very surprised by two things:

 

1) It had not spit out the plugs; rather, it had sucked them in. All three were there, inside the tire, bathing lazily in fix-a-flat goo. How can this happen? Especially if I was riding aggressively, shouldn't centripetal force sling the plugs out? Has anyone else seen this?

 

2) That goo is a horrible mess to deal with and had already begun to lift the paint from the inside surface of the rim. I had put that tire on on Wednesday of last week, and there was no evidence of paint peeling then, so I have to conclude that the fix-a-flat did it. After that, I rushed home to remove all the goo that had been slung all over the rest of the bike. No soap I could find would take it off. I had to use solvent. Nasty.

 

I also learned a thing or two about what I need to carry with me: All the tools, all the time.

 

I have always been the guy who has all the tools and spares to get everyone home. I've changed out clutches and broken shift-return springs and a bunch of other stuff for myself and others on the side of the road and in motel parking lots thousands of miles from home. Such repairs require borrowing a floor jack or boards to prop up the engine, but I carried everything else I need with me. In fact, until Saturday, I had an unbroken record of getting everyone home who came with me, since at least the late 1980s, unless my failing memory is failing me now. Yet Saturday I was unable to get two bikes home. Bad day.

 

First, because I left my tire patching and inflation tools in the H-B bags in camp. And second 'cause I didn't have any means to solder a wire back onto  Lardenzo's Cobra. Because of this, I'll be figuring a way to stash on each bike a permanent set of tire tools and will have to always remind myself to transfer my normal two tool pouches onto the bike I'm riding that day.

 

As others have noted, it would probably also be wise to ride slowly and carefully on plugged tires. Then again, the plug that failed the quickest was the one I drove most gently on, so who really knows?

93511[/snapback]

 

Hey Greg,

 

The fix-a-flat is most likely the cause of your trouble. It is indeed, nasty stuff. We have to deal with it periodically in car tires, what a mess. I believe your plugs wouldn't hold because the slime from the fix-a-flat would not allow the plug to adhere. Or the hole was just too big for the plug to be a tight fit.

What kind of plug did you use?

We have the larger brown rope type radial inserts that have never given us trouble. We probably repair 5 or so (car) tires a week and have been using this type of plug for decades. About a month ago while meeting up for a group ride I noticed a screw in a buddy's front tire. We plugged it on the spot and did about 250 miles that day without incident. Not long after, a guy who works for me picked up a nail in the rear of his brand new Metzeler Z6. He plugged it and has been using it ever since.

 

BTW, I'm lovin my motobits pegs/shifter.

 

Dan

[Tom M]

FWIW I carry the "sticky rope" type plugs and a neat tire filler hose/gauge in a bag under my seat, and a mountain bike tire pump in my tank bag. I haven't had to use the patch kit yet, but I use the filler gauge thing all the time. I doubt I could get the mountain bike pump onto the tire valves without it. It was $10 at a local auto parts store and it's come in real handy a few times when riding buddies needed air and couldn't get a gas station chuck onto their tire valves. I highly recommend this thing:

 

http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm?...pid=2348&cid=90

[Greg Field]

They were the brown rope-type plugs. I had left my chuffer device for filling tires back in my H-B bags in camp, so fix-a-flat was the only thing available to me. Else, I never would have used it.

 

Here's another lesson learned:

 

A centerstand is a very useful device when dealing with flat tires. Even on off-camber dirt roads. I rode pretty hard, too, and it never once touched down.

[Guest Nogbad]

I wouldn't touch any kind of tyre snake oil. There are a few of them, Slime and Ultraseal being the most common round here.

 

If it was so good, why would anyone work on run-flats, and surely the stuff would be an OEM fitment on cars and bikes.

 

Yes I know there are plenty people who swear by Ultraseal, and the Suzuki OC seem to sell shedloads of it. Ultraseal on SOC site

 

I guess it would prevent a plug working at that.

[docc]

You've skeered me into it. I'm taking my BMW M Roadster on a jaunt next week. It has no spare and originally came with a compressor and fixit kit.

 

Today I bought a plug kit ( the brown ropes) and a 12v compressor to take along. I'll look at repackaging it for use on the Sport for the South'n Spine Raid to the TN-NC-GA mountains next month.

 

Like the Sport, the Roadster has no jack ( aka: "centerstand")

[Greg Field]

I'm glad my mistakes can potentially benefit some here.

 

Didja also buy a big old can of Lardenzo repellant? Mayhaps you should . . .

[dlaing]

Didja also buy a big old can of Lardenzo repellant? Mayhaps you should . . .

93562[/snapback]

Why would one want LardEnzo repellant?

Please don't beckon us to choose sides.

I suspect you both could have handled the situation better and I hope y'all can bury the hatchet somewhere other than inside one another's craniums.

[Greg Field]

It was meant as a joke, Dave. Sorry it failed. Surely you have noted that I posted no harsh words here about the incident, let alone asked anyone to take sides?

[docc]

I thought it was funny. But I hadn't looked too deeply into the controversy.

 

One of the aspects of motorcycling that has always appealed to my dysanthropic nature is when you don't like the company you can crank it up and ride off in your own direction. Assuming it starts.

[dlaing]

I thought it was funny. But I  hadn't looked too deeply into the controversy.

 

One of the aspects of motorcycling that has always appealed to my dysanthropic nature is when you don't like the company you can crank it up and ride off in your own direction. Assuming it starts.

93586[/snapback]

Here is a funny one:

Greg is such a big lame D I C K that even if he took V I A G R A, he'd still be a big lame D I C K!!!!

[Greg Field]

Dave's ability to recognize humor is about at same level as his ability to create humor.

[jrt]

That depends entirely on what he's been smokin'

[Murray]

A riding friend founf out that the self vulcanising plugs don't take to michlens a couple of years ago. Supposedly its because witht he advent of synthetic compounds like silica used in tyres the vulcanising process is unable to take to the tyre. Where as in a tyre with a natural rubber content the vulcanising process can take place and all is well. Where the plugs end up after they don't take tot he tyre .