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To Patch or Replace? That is the question!!

F

Fenris38

Tricycle
So, there I was motoring along in sunny Sanford, FL, when I felt the bike bounce kinda funny.  A few minutes later I fell rear of my Concours start to wander.  Upon inspection I find a Brad Nail has punched a TINY hole in my rear tire.
I am able to get my bike home, but then begins the fun.  I am calling around and apparently it is against the law in FL to repair a tire (at the dealerships), but I (the novice tire guy) can repair it (because that's safer than having a pro look at it and do the repair).
So I am faced with trying to do a simple patch/plug repair for a couple bucks, or replacing my half worn tire with a shiny new one, but 5k miles earlier than budgeted.
What would you do? ???
 
This subject comes up frequently, and there is no black and white, cut and dried answer.

Some will say a repaired tire is a tire just waiting for the right curve to blow, and you are playing Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun.

Others will pipe up and say they have run the last 20,000 miles on a tire with three plugs, and it is perfectly safe.
 
WillyP said:
This subject comes up frequently, and there is no black and white, cut and dried answer.

Some will say a repaired tire is a tire just waiting for the right curve to blow, and you are playing Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun.

Others will pipe up and say they have run the last 20,000 miles on a tire with three plugs, and it is perfectly safe.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

I have really crappy luck, and 200$ is cheap insurance to me.  When in mid-turn, i don't want to learn that i don't know the proper plugging procedure.

:))
 
The guys above are right about what's probably safest, along with the fact that it's like an oil thread and you'll get different opinions.

For me personally, I do a good bit of in-town commuting.  I would patch and ride, monitoring as mileage roles up, and to be sure the plug is holding.  However, if I planned a trip of any significance, I'd change it at that time.

I wouldn't argue with the idea of changing it though, cause piece of mind is worth something too.  (or is that peace of mind??)

How's that for wishy-washy.  ;)
 
I'm a new tire believer, just for the piece of mind, and especially if you have passengers. 

$200 is a LOT cheaper than a hospital stay.
 
I am one to tempt death at every opportunity.  I ALWAYS plug until I see cords... and I'm still plugging along.
Of course I have never had a plugged tire OVER 150 mph (no sense being stupid).  However, I have been 145 on the turbo with no plastics, the rear Avon plugged in the flatted center, the front Dunflop worn out and cupped, and a red rag wrapped/taped around a leaky fork seal for safety.  I think I also had the sidestand switch deactivated for good measure (it still is).
It looked something like this at the time.  Note tourniquet on fork.
2323647720080494746S600x600Q85.jpg


Do what ya gotta do.  I'll support your decision.
 
I believe the Metzler web site said you could run one plug as long as you kept speeds below 80 mph.  I had a small hole and had it repaired by one of those used car tire places from the inside, no plugs.  It held just fine until the tire wore out.  I have also run the plugs several times without issues.  I'm not sure I would start out a cross country trip with a plug but I wouldn't think twice about commuting with one.  I would travel with the inside repair. 
 
Fenris said:
So, there I was motoring along in sunny Sanford, FL, when I felt the bike bounce kinda funny.  A few minutes later I fell rear of my Concours start to wander.  Upon inspection I find a Brad Nail has punched a TINY hole in my rear tire.
I am able to get my bike home, but then begins the fun.  I am calling around and apparently it is against the law in FL to repair a tire (at the dealerships), but I (the novice tire guy) can repair it (because that's safer than having a pro look at it and do the repair).
So I am faced with trying to do a simple patch/plug repair for a couple bucks, or replacing my half worn tire with a shiny new one, but 5k miles earlier than budgeted.
What would you do? ???
Click to expand...

Patch from inside and ride it.
 
If you have it patched properly (radial patch, but a tire shop), i would have no problem riding on it.  It's plugging them i'm nervous about.
 
I agree with Norm on this...IF you are going to patch it.  A patch from the inside would probably be fine. Since it's a small hole. If you see inside that the nail has routered out a larger mess you couldn't see from the outside then you need to replace it.  Like many here say, it's cheaper than a hospital stay.
 
If it's a brad, that's really tiny, like <1mm.  You'll make a much bigger hole trying to plug it.  I'd patch that, and keep an eye on it if I had budget issues, but plan on an early replacement. 
 
Thanks to all for your input.  It is good to see a "solid" consensus and I have decided to err on the side of safety because my wife rides with me so often.  I have ordered a replacement from SWmoto and it is on the way.  Now to find who will mount it.  Kawasaki wants $50, I had a dealership in Louisville that would do it for $20.  Hope to find one here that does a good job, but on the cheap. 
 
Or use it as an opportunity to get the HF changer and do it yourself.  The changer will have paid for itself after a couple of changes, and it'll make it easier to patch a tire in the future if you need to.  I've changed nine car tires and a couple of MC tires since I got mine, so I think I'm dollars ahead now. 
 
troidus said:
Or use it as an opportunity to get the HF changer and do it yourself.  The changer will have paid for itself after a couple of changes, and it'll make it easier to patch a tire in the future if you need to.  I've changed nine car tires and a couple of MC tires since I got mine, so I think I'm dollars ahead now.
Click to expand...

That may be the only way to get a patch put on in my town.  No shop will patch or plug a tire in this area.
 
Hogboy said:
$200 is a LOT cheaper than a hospital stay.
Click to expand...
I thought they were free in Canada?
Maybe you need a coupon or sumptin?
Getting any nefarious emails from Bobo B., Peter?  ;)
 
The No-Mar changer is probably the next best option unless you can find a HF unit on ebay.  Or build a wooden box to hold the wheel and brake rotor clear of the floor and use spoons.  That has the advantage of being really cheap, but you probably won't want to do car tires that way.  If you can weld, you might be able to copy the HF unit (and make some worthwhile improvements while you're at it). 
 
Rev Ryder said:
...  I think I also had the sidestand switch deactivated for good measure (it still is).
It looked something like this at the time.  Note tourniquet on fork.
Click to expand...
Chuck, I like the red rag concept and will see if I can convert my Connie over the winter.

To reciprocate I would provide a similar tip:  Never disconnect the sidestand switch as it works perfectly fine as an auxilliary kill switch for places like Bonneville (i.e. no need to get out of your crouch or even search about on the bars when you do a plug check).  Yes, you must use your right hand on the clutch, but that is a small price to pay for innovation.

On right-side shifting bikes you can even use it to momentarily cut revs when you speed shift (and it looks way cool when you do it in front of a crowd).

Yer Frend,

Pete
 
Hoggie, this actually prompts a question I've been wanting to ask for some time with regard to the fairing stay Canadian Rope Trick.  Are you using a Bimini Twist knot to hold it all in place?  If so, how do you get it to pull down neatly?  Mine always come out looking like Chornbe (throw salt over shoulder) tied em.  Would a surgeon's knot suffice and if so, how many wraps would you give it?  Thanks for your autistic artistic inspiration and devotion to all things Connie-ificent.

Your glazed, dazed, and amazed fan,
Rev
 
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