Advice on puncture repair

It’s the Canary Islands not the ends of the earth and there’s two bikes. In the unlikely event of a puncture on one of them push it to somewhere safe, take the wheel off (tools, you have got the tools haven’t you) and get on the pillion of the other bike. Ride to the nearest bike shop or tyre fitter and ask for a repair. If you don’t know where one them is ask someone. If they don’t speak English and you have insufficient Spanish point at the flat tyre and say kaput or broken or something . They’ll soon get the idea. You’ll be back on your way in a few hours all the richer for your experience and with a great holiday story.
Not sure which Islands the op is visiting, but I can speak from experience. On Gran Canaria it's actually quite possible to be a long way from help. Plenty to screw up your entire day. It gets quite rugged in the interior...

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With tubed tyres, you can normally break the bead with your thumb. If that fails, just stand on it.
 
Personally I think you are totally over thinking this.
You are going to the Canary Islands not the wilds of Africa. The odds of getting a puncture are, while not zero, extremely remote. I did 23,000 miles through 14 countries on my Americas trip, sometimes on some pretty rough gravel roads, and didn’t get a single puncture on my F800GS. Even when the tyres had almost 12,000 miles on them and were needing to be changed.
I would just make sure the tyres on each bike have a decent amount of tread, that you have contact numbers for the hire company and then plan on having a good trip. If you carry on worrying about things that might happen, even before you go, you’re going to spoil the trip before you get on the airplane.
 
Personally I think you are totally over thinking this.
You are going to the Canary Islands not the wilds of Africa. The odds of getting a puncture are, while not zero, extremely remote. I did 23,000 miles through 14 countries on my Americas trip, sometimes on some pretty rough gravel roads, and didn’t get a single puncture on my F800GS. Even when the tyres had almost 12,000 miles on them and were needing to be changed.
I would just make sure the tyres on each bike have a decent amount of tread, that you have contact numbers for the hire company and then plan on having a good trip. If you carry on worrying about things that might happen, even before you go, you’re going to spoil the trip before you get on the airplane.
Personally, I think you haven't read my post correctly.
I quite clearly state that the hire company will not entertain breakdowns unless we're on the island of origin of hire.
Whilst I've completed some 70000 miles on various bikes I've never had a puncture (touch wood) I know it's going to happen at some point and probably at the most inconvenient of times.
I have no desire to sit at the side of a road waiting on a Spaniard to finish his two hour siesta before coming to my aid, especially if I have somewhere I need to be ie a ferry, an airport or the pub.
I'm certainly not worried about a puncture before I've even started but anyone who goes touring, especially in a foreign country, without the basics covered is a fool.

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I have no desire to sit at the side of a road waiting on a Spaniard to finish his two hour siesta before coming to my aid, especially if I have somewhere I need to be ie a ferry, an airport or the pub.

So spend 2 hours now watching some of the thousands of YouTube vids on how to fix one & go from there........

D
 
I did, and have, read your post correctly.
If you are staying within Canary Islands then any reputable hire company should cover the bikes for breakdowns no matter which island you are on. The ultimate sanction you have is to both get on the working bike and leave the broken one exactly where it is.
My experience of Spanish motorcycle shops has only ever been positive and I have never had to wait for “a Spaniard to finish his two hour siesta”.
I still say you are over thinking this.
 
I rather thought the op was just 'planning ahead'. Does that qualify as over thinking?



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Ok I had a gsa 800 and my experience is that the rear tyre didn’t break down easily. The rim is a safety rim which has a hump around each side inside the rim the same as a tubeless rim and the tyre has to be got over that hump. That’s my experience and I replaced the tyre 3 or 4 times and also made it into tubeless by sealing the spokes and tapeing the Center of the rim. I didn’t do it on the front because it’s not a safety rim and the tyre bead almost falls off the rim. That’s my experience and if it’s any help to anyone-great. JJH
 
Hi all,
2000 miles completed over Gran Canaria, La Gomera, Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzoriti.
Not one puncture occurred, thankfully. The biggest problem encountered was the 850GS had lowered suspension but still had the original side stand so every time I parked up I had to be very careful the bike didn't topple. Especially on the numerous ferry journeys we took.
For future info if anyone is thinking of hiring bikes and doing this. The hire companies are not keen on you taking their bikes to another island and will only give you a phone number of a friend, if indeed they have one, to come to your aid. From the people we met this also applies to cars as well as bikes. Breakdown and its your problem.
Apparently we were the first people to be allowed to take bikes to another island in the hire companies 20year history.
Thanks for all the info regardless.
Pictures and some form of write up will follow at some point.

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Wow. 2000 miles just in Gran Canaria!

Look forward to some pics of you manage to get some up

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