Author Topic: patching -- is it safe? (Read 4543 times)

suprcivic · « **on:** August 08, 2005, 12:00:36 PM »

so i just bought a brand new bt-020 front tire for my 98b12. i had i for one week, about 250 miles, before i managed to run over a big fat screw. i have no idea where on my 180 mile ride i did it, but i consider myself lucky that it didn't cause any problems because i didn't notice it until i got home. sometimes my riding gets a little spirited

.

anyhow... i already have the replacement tire ordered (which thrills me to no end). what i am wondering is whether or not i could have had the tire patched and kept on riding the bike safely for the life of the tire. or, should i have it patched and keep it as a spare? or, patch it and try to sell it (obviously disclosing the patch to the buyer)? or, patch it and try to sell the brand new one? this is costing me way more than i have to spare.

thanks for the input!

suprcivic

Red01 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 08, 2005, 08:15:05 PM »

Some will say it's no problem to patch it; some will say it's OK to patch it - but keep the speed down to legal limits; some will say you should only patch it to get you home/to a point of service; and some will say it should never be done. Pick one.

Keep in mind though, that almost no m/c shop will patch a tubeless tire.

ribbitism · « **Reply #2 on:** September 09, 2005, 12:47:51 AM »

My 2 cents:

Personally, I have had punctures before and I have always had them repaired due to the fact I cannot afford to replace tyres when they haven't done much mileage.
The kind of repair generally dictates what you expect from the rest of that tyres life, ie: externally applied "temporary" roadside repair, 'professional' applied internal repair, etc.

FWIW I have had 2 punctures on my current rear tyre within 2000 miles of each other, and both times I have had it repaired (one was less than 50 miles ago). The first repair has no problems. I have been able to see inside the tyre and see the patch etc to set my own mind at ease and I have faith in these kind of repairs as I can see in my mind how hard it would be for it to acquire a problem and therefor give me a problem.

The repairs were done by a 'professional' place that do many every day, with a large patch that has a length of rubber attached in the middle.. Minimal detail.. Everything is prepped, cleaned, and this length ends up filling the hole in the tyre and the patch is glued down inside the tyre to form an air tight seal and help span any air pressure on the area away from being directly on the rubber filling the hole, alone. Neither the patch nor the attached 'fill' are going anywhere, so I'm fine with this. Recommended speeds are the legal limits and they suggest only 1 repair per tyre before replacement is required.

I have heard of people who regard this repair as perfectly acceptable (I vaguely remember reading one person on this board has 4 of the same repairs in 1 tyre and it's still going strong) and some people discard tyres after acquiring 1 puncture.. As Paul said, pick one. It's your choice, but if you want an honest opinion, I have never had a problem with a 'professional' repair, and would recommend them to people like yourself who cannot justify throwing away a good tyre just yet. :)

tacoman · « **Reply #3 on:** September 09, 2005, 01:29:53 PM »

It probably comes down to location and severity of the hole. If its a clean puncture and professionally patched, not plugged, you'll probably be fine. If its a larger, torn hole, I'd watch out. A good tire person should know when not to fix a tire. My only issue is this, the front tire of a motorcycle is everything; steering & braking. A new BT 020 front can be had for around $100. $100 doesn't seem like much to me when I'm doing 70+ mph and have semis behind me. Just my .02 worth.

Desolation Angel · « **Reply #4 on:** September 09, 2005, 02:03:35 PM »

I tend to agree with replacing the tire, much as I hate unexpected expenses. For my peace of mind while cruising at 80 MPH down the highway I have to have a new one. I won't be happy about the expense, but I also won't worry about something happening to me. At least, not due to a patched tire.

Be safe!

B12Teuton · « **Reply #5 on:** September 09, 2005, 04:15:09 PM »

Patch-> YES
Plug-> NO

snofrog · « **Reply #6 on:** September 15, 2005, 07:24:53 PM »

i have used a plug to get home on and it prolly would have been fine to ride on for a while but EVERY time i would start getting into it (speeding excessively) i would think about the repair so off it came an it was replaced. just wasn`t worth it to me

Mark

Stevie B · « **Reply #7 on:** September 20, 2005, 11:40:24 PM »

Some may call me crazy, but I PLUGGED the rear tire on my B12 and then rode 12000 miles on it. They say the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree- my son plugged his rear tire on his Nighthawk 750 TWICE with no ill effects.

Luck of the...cajuns?

B12Teuton · « **Reply #8 on:** September 21, 2005, 08:59:39 AM »

Plugs may very well work fine, but there is a higher risk of them failing, and on a bike, it's just not worth the risk. Bikes are dangerous enough without the added risk of a rapid deflation.

I plugged a tire on my car, but that's a whole different story.

amboman · « **Reply #9 on:** September 24, 2005, 07:03:06 AM »

Using a plug just to get home is in my opinion exactly what they were designed for. I also don't think there is anything wrong with having a professional repair done.