REAR TYRE.......Replace or Repair?

[MIKE R]

Had a great ride out on Saturday with some friends over a couple of Lakeland passes.

Unfortunately on the way home, the back end of my 1200 began to act like a wet fish on ice. Not very nice at 80mph but luckily I was on a slight bend on a dual carriageway and not throwing it around the twisties.

Cause = total and swift deflation of the back tyre. I have been meaning to put Ultraseal in since I got the bike, but not got around to it + my puncture repair kit and compressor were on the workbench at home. A quick call to BMW Assistance and an hour later I was being transported home by Nissan with the bike closely behind on a trailer (what a humiliation!).

So this morning I thought I would inspect the damage. The tyre pressure was so low in the tyre it would not register on the comressor guage. When I attached the compressor to try and inflate it, the air came out as fast as it went in. Using the spit test and listening I soon found the hole, although there was no sign of the offending nail etc...either thrown out or pushed right in.

The damage is right in the middle of the tyre, between the tread. As the tyre has only done 1400 miles is a repair a realistic option? Is a professionally repaired tyre as safe as a new one? My instinct is to suffer the damage to my wallet and replace the tyre, but what do you in the know out there think?

Mike R

 

[MikeO]

At 1400 miles I'd definitely repair it. If you can get a hot patch put on at a tyre dealer (do they do that any more?), then that's probably the best solution.

I rode my loaded Adv for almost the entire life on a rear Tourance (5k) with a plug repair effected using a Tyre Plugger with no adverse effects.

Mike

 

[GSAde]

Should be OK

Similar experience (except still had Philips screw in situ between tread blocks on a 100 mile tourance). Guy at ATS, who rides bikes himself said it was fine to repair, did so, & replaced tyre some 7000 miles later when worn out - no problems.

Ade

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

Agreed - I've had repairs done on tyres before - no problem. The only time I couldn't get one done was when I got a puncture near a previous repair on the rear and had to replace....

 

[phil adams]

Pump some ultraseal in it and inflate tyre, should do the trick.

Had a puncture two days after having new fitted, ultraseal worked well, 4000 miles on it now!!

 

[Captain Beaky]

Yeah - repair it.

I'd take it to a tyre dealer and get them to put a patch in it. shouldn't cost too much. Then use Utraseal.

 

[Straypuss]

Do it

Ran a Bandit 1200 for two years on tyres robbed & repaired from the local dealers pile some had less than 100 miles on them most tested to at least 130. See if you can find a 'back street' second hand car tyre place as the big boys seem, like the bike shops (profit?), to be a bit leery of doing repairs

 

[GSmonkey]

Yeah - repair. I've had Z rated sportsbike tyres repaired without consequence. As long as its in the middle and not near the side, you should be ok.

 

[finglonga]

Yep repair it.
The tyre I have on at the moment has a plug in it and that happened about 2000 miles ago. I have had no troubles at all with it.

 

[MIKE R]

Sharples at Bolton said there would be no problem repairing the tyre.......you should see the size of the nail the fitter found inside the tyre!

Total cost was £7.99, better than £92 for a new tyre.

Now, where's that Ultraseal!!!!

Mike

 

[Jimb]

Depends what value you put on your life, mines worth more than £65.06 http://www.mynetmoto.com/

 

[Mouse]

Depends what value you put on your life, mines worth more than £65.06

That argument doesn't really stand scrutiny. Do you spend £1000 on a crash helmet so you have the best possible? The £100 helmet is tested to the same standards.

There's no evidence that a professionally repaired tyre is unsafe, although I'm sure the tyre manufacturers would love to sell you a new one.

 

[MIKE R]

I agree that life cannot be given a monetary value.

In life, however, we have to trust the professionals. Has the mechanic put the tyre on correctly, is the internal composition of the tyre perfect etc? A few years back I had the complete tread beginning to depart from the carcass of a new tyre due to faulty constuction. Some things we can double check ourselves and some we can't.

Taking into account the position of the puncture and the age of the tyre I was assured by 'the professional' that the repair was permenant and that the strength of the tyre would not be compromised. I hope I don't live to regret my decision.

Mike R