Damit flat rear tire! | GTAMotorcycle.com

Damit flat rear tire!

sburns

Well-known member
Waiting most of the day to get out and ride......then noticed the rear tire is low/flat. Pumped it with a little compressor the cigarette kind to see if it will hold some air. Was able to, then took it to a gas station to try with a proper air compressor. Filled it. Rode it back home and tire went flat again. Crap! <sigh>

Will have to go back to the dealer for this one. HD tire and all. I am hoping it is somewhat salvageable as I just put on new tires at the beginning of the season.

Plan to buy a better compressor to try and pump it again. Is it worth it to try one of those emergency can's to help seal whatever might be causing the leak?

Any suggestions on a compressor etc? I wish I could check the tire somehow to get a better sense of what is going on. I don't have a lift. Basic visual looks ok.
 
Spray it with "soapy" water to find the leak.If it's not on the sidewall,plug it.
 
Spray it with "soapy" water to find the leak.If it's not on the sidewall,plug it.


^this. If its a decent tire, worth half its salt, you'll be able to plug/seal the tire and ride it out no issues.

HD dealer will probably charge an arm and a leg
 
What above comments said... And never use the tire seal slime stuff, the one you spray through the valve, it's extreme emergencies, and alot of mechanics won't touch a tire with that in, as its a PIA to remove/clean a rim with it.
 
^this. If its a decent tire, worth half its salt, you'll be able to plug/seal the tire and ride it out no issues.

HD dealer will probably charge an arm and a leg

I know. But if the tire is no good then i will have to replace it, it would have to go to HD anyway. They are factory dunlops which they always seem to have in stock.

I tell you tires and motorcycles are a tricky part of owning them.


Sent from the moon!
 
Spray it with "soapy" water to find the leak.If it's not on the sidewall,plug it.

Thanks will do.
Could I do the plug myself without pulling the tire off say if it was on the tread etc.


Sent from the moon!
 
http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?195928-Small-nail-in-tire&highlight=nail+tire

Happened to me a couple years ago. If the hole is on the tread and not the sidewall, you can plug it and forget about it. Ream the hole, insert the plug (with out without glue, doesn't really matter.), inflate and cut off the excess plug. If it were a front I would replace it just in case.

yes you can plug it yourself, lots of you tube vids, here is one....

Perfect, thanks!
 
Assuming your bike uses a tubeless tire setup...

If there is a Princess Auto near you, I'd get this kit.
It's on sale now for $2.22
https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/8-pc-tubeless-tire-repair-kit/A-p8458291e

Otherwise, Wally Mart has the same generic kits for about $14
https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/slime-pistol-grip-tire-plug-kit/6000016956544

I prefer the kits with the augers instead of the reamers because they are a little bit easier to insert into the tire's tread area regardless of the cut. Both will work just fine.

There are people who travel with these plug kits in their field repair tool kits along with one of those 12V powered mini compressors. Pretty good idea IMO.
 
Assuming your bike uses a tubeless tire setup...

If there is a Princess Auto near you, I'd get this kit.
It's on sale now for $2.22
https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/8-pc-tubeless-tire-repair-kit/A-p8458291e

Otherwise, Wally Mart has the same generic kits for about $14
https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/slime-pistol-grip-tire-plug-kit/6000016956544

I prefer the kits with the augers instead of the reamers because they are a little bit easier to insert into the tire's tread area regardless of the cut. Both will work just fine.

There are people who travel with these plug kits in their field repair tool kits along with one of those 12V powered mini compressors. Pretty good idea IMO.
I dremel'd out a 4"x4"slot in the passenger part of my seat, pulled out a little foam and put my whole tire plug kit in there, complete with two C02 canisters and a screw-on adaptor to inflate to ~30psi. Forget all about it until you or a friend needs it!
 
Assuming your bike uses a tubeless tire setup...

If there is a Princess Auto near you, I'd get this kit.
It's on sale now for $2.22
https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/8-pc-tubeless-tire-repair-kit/A-p8458291e

Otherwise, Wally Mart has the same generic kits for about $14
https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/slime-pistol-grip-tire-plug-kit/6000016956544

I prefer the kits with the augers instead of the reamers because they are a little bit easier to insert into the tire's tread area regardless of the cut. Both will work just fine.

There are people who travel with these plug kits in their field repair tool kits along with one of those 12V powered mini compressors. Pretty good idea IMO.

Thanks, I have both close by. Will check out PA in the next day or so. If the kits are this inexpensive might as well pick up a couple of them. I also want to look at the air compressors as well.
 
All of the above, assuming you’ve found a nail In the tread of your tire, you’ve pulled it, and it’s a simple round hole...
 
I pay extra for the HD-spec Dunlop tire, although I ordered them thru Flying Squirrel moto and took my wheels in to get them mounted - much lower overall cost from taking your bike into a HD dealer.

FS Moto might be be able to work on the complete bike now (in the past they didn’t lift HDs) - possible solution for you to get a CAA tow-in.

Or may be worth it for you to invest in a jack- I see one on kijiji for $75. You’ll have to remove your bags and a muffler, but straight forward mechanical effort... Taking the wheel off lets you take it into a shop without getting a tow, and saves paying the shop to do the removal work. With the jack you’ll also be able to inspect the wheels and tires much more easily.
 
$40 for the above mentioned kit on Amazon is waaaay too much money.CDN Tire has a kit for $11.I have done truck tires with a cheap kit lots of times.I use a ratchet strap to push the plug into the tire.
 

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