Tyre repairs - DIY or Garage

[Beemerman59]

Took the GSA out for a run last night and TPM's threw up red warning triangle and let me know the rear tyre was running at 1.8 bar. Took the bike home and sure enough I have slow puncture which I managed to find easily enough. +1 for the TPM's in my opinion.

My question is whether there's any real difference in permenance between me using my DIY puncture repair kit to fix it, or taking the tyre off and taking it to a garage for repair?

With my kit I have to ream the hole and insert a mushroom type plug from the outside keeping the tyre on the rim and on the bike. If I take the tyre to a garage they would also put a mushroom type plug into the hole but from the inside of the tyre. My tyre has less than a 1,000 miles on it and whilst my head is saying fit a new tyre I would like to try out my repair kit whilst I'm not a million miles away from home and the safety of my garage if I can't do it right. On the other hand, if the garage repair is better than I can do, and considered "more" permenant than a DIY job I will put the effort in to take the tyre off.

Opinions? (Based on experience)

 

[cookie]

while it seems the DIY plugs are indefinitely good in practise, if i made it home, i'd take the wheel off and get it professionally repaired.

i buy most of my tyres at the same place & they often do me jobs like that for nothing, or minimal cost.

 

[GSmonkey]

Also wanted to try out my own repair. Got a puncture in a worn front. Used a cheapo repair kit off eBay and it's still going strong 2.5k later.

That's my limited experience of fixing my own, previously i'd always taken them to a garage.

 

[WindyChuffer]

Get one of these kits: http://www.stopngo.com/motorcycle.asp#tireplugger

No adhesive. Simple and easy to use. Try that first and if still no joy, then go to tyre shop.

I got mine from flea bay.

Learn how to use it and carry it with you + a mini compressor (e.g.

http://www.metalmule.com/news/latest/mm---uk-distributor-for-bestrest-products.html

Really really good products.

 

[Yellow Peril]

Blow up tyre take bike for ride to get tyre warm throw in ultraseal to recommended levels do another short ride to coat tyre and she'll be a good um for the life of the tyre.

 

[Ali-bear]

I just had a slow puncture on the rear, whipped it off and got it repaired for a tenner.

Not sure what I'd have done if I had a puncture repair kit to try out. Considering the cost and a waste of two or so hours getting to the tyre place and waiting around while they did it, I'd probably have a go at the repair myself. If you have the kit with the intention of being able to use it by the roadside somewhere sometime, its worth having a practice in the comfort of your own garage.

Maybe I'll get myself one of them kits

 

[Possu]

If you're able to remove the tyre yourself & if it's only a small hole, why not just patch it from the inside using a tube patch? It's worked for me more than once.

 

[edmac]

Hey fellas,
Go buy some tarry plugs from any motor factors and these will do the job. Exactly the same as the garage will use, i wouldn't use a patch on the inside to be honest.

 

[BBB61]

I wouldn't use a patch on the inside of a tubeless tyre either, as the inside of many tubeless tyres has a ribbed finish which could make the application of a patch much more difficult. If you can get the tyre off I would get it fixed professionally as most of the roadside repair kits are not intended as a permanent repair.

 

[RickG]

The BuMW kit (that used to be supplied with 1150's when they gave you decent tool kits) was intended as an emergency repair only and in my view doesn't provide the peace of mind I get if a proper fix with a mushroom shaped plug has been performed

Good point regarding the ribbed inside of some tyres (like Mich's) no idea why they do this unless it's specifically to prevent fixing with plugs! I've had a tyre returned unfixed from a tyre shop for this very reason. There are places that have the wit to grind off the ribbing to produce a flat surface for the underside of mushroom to stick to so it's worth checking before you turn up.

 

[motoscot]

tyre repair

all these temporary repaair kits are exactly that ... temporary

go to a garage or an independant like myself and have a mushroom bonded properly which is safe and will last till the end of the tyre

Steve onyack

 

[Beemerman59]

Blow up tyre take bike for ride to get tyre warm throw in ultraseal to recommended levels do another short ride to coat tyre and she'll be a good um for the life of the tyre.

No chance - not with TPM's fitted.

 

[Beemerman59]

Get one of these kits: http://www.stopngo.com/motorcycle.asp#tireplugger

No adhesive. Simple and easy to use. Try that first and if still no joy, then go to tyre shop.

I got mine from flea bay.

Learn how to use it and carry it with you + a mini compressor (e.g.

http://www.metalmule.com/news/latest/mm---uk-distributor-for-bestrest-products.html

Really really good products.

I already have a kit. My question was if this would provide a less permenant repair than taking the tyre off and getting a garage to do it.

 

[mr badger]

Blow up tyre take bike for ride to get tyre warm throw in ultraseal to recommended levels do another short ride to coat tyre and she'll be a good um for the life of the tyre.

Not too sure about ultraseal and TPS. Otherwise good for an emergency but won't control a more 'splitty' type puncture.

 

[Beemerman59]

OK - taking the above advice into account I'm going to repair it myself so I know how to use the kit I have in the future, run the bike for a few hundred miles and then get it repaired by a garage. It seems most opinions are a professional bonded mushroom repair from the inside of the tyre is better than a DIY bonded mushroom repair from the outside of the tyre.

 

[Yellow Peril]

Just goes to show you pay twice with TPM's, waste of money IMHO and not as accurate as the good old fashion tyre pressure gauge.

 

[t'other dave]

Your emergancy repair is not a mushroom and has been stated it's a EMERGANCY/TEMPERY only plug. Take the wheel off or take the bike down to your local shop to get it repaired by the guys that know how. They will buff the inside/ clean the hole and plug with a mushroom patch so called because its mushroomed shaped asin a patch with a stalk..

 

[Format]

I got a puncture once and was given a helping hand by a yamaha dealer, all he did was plug it with a screw that was big enough to wind it up and then laid liberal amount of superglue around the end.
Result...got me home 60 miles later and no air escaped.

 

[RickG]

I already have a kit. My question was if this would provide a less permenant repair than taking the tyre off and getting a garage to do it.

The small mushroom emergency repair plugs as described in this thread are inserted from the outside and work like a cork in a bottle with the mushroom 'head' preventing it popping out under pressure.

The fix done by decent tyre shops involves a mushroom shaped plug with a much larger and flatter head which is bonded to the tyre insides. The plug is thus mechanically stuck and air tight.

Now then, if you define a permenant repair as one lasting for the remaining life of the tyre, then I suspect many tossers will have achieved this with a range of external-type fixes and hence feel this approach is entirely adequate.

However, do you want to take the risk? I can imagine the grief one of these little plugs must get as you haul out of a fast corner at full welly. If it does all go wrong and you end up on your ar*e, will your wife/passenger/kids/insurer or the police regard your interpretation of 'permenant' as valid, or simply a dangerous bodge?

The kits are a brilliant way of getting you out of trouble and back on the road to a tyre shop.

 

[BlueBird]

Bmw crap

Hiya

I wouldnt bother with the BMW kit,stick to the cheapie

last week I was in Brecon and pulled in to get fuel and this old boy comes up all flustered with a rear wheel of a cx500 with a puncture,tryed to get a mobile fitter,no chance,the tyre was worn right out anyway ( he was maximising his rubber a man after my own heart!!) the local car tyre depots in Brecon wouldnt touch it,which I was surprised at considering the amount of bikes that get up around there,nor would the local push bike shop.

I carry a bmw repair kit along with a another kit I had for years,

Couldnt get the funny shaped bmw plug through the hole,the plug just kept breaking so used the old kit with the usual shaped plug and that fixed it.

The bloke rang me Sunday to say he carried on with his tour 2up with full camping gear and did a thousand miles back to Norfolk.

All part of the adventure I reckon.