imported post
LarryG wrote:
Hey all,
Have been riding to and from work on my 83 Aspy for a bit and it's running great! Wooohooo! beautiful weather too here in the desert. EXCEPT...today I went to leave work....have no idea why I looked at my rear wheel, but I was glad I did as I noticed a large nail head protruding from the tire. Turned out to be a 3inch long nail buried to the hilt...Agghh!
Since it was not in the center but closer to the edge of the right sidewall and apparently I had been riding on it for a bit as it was partially grinded, I limped her home the 15 miles and made it safe and sound. My question is, am I looking at buying a brand new tire? Is it a general rule on a bike this heavy to not patch or repair a tire? or an absolute NO WAY situation? This one is near new and has about 5/16 tread depth on it. my main concern is...is it SAFELY professionally fixable? Sucks cause I can't really afford a set of tires right now, so it looks like I'll be out of commision for a bit, but I don't definitely don't wanna eat pavement over a couple hundred bucks. Not worth it.
If I have to, I decided if I am buying a new rear, then I'm buying a new front too, as I think I'd be more comfortable with new rubber all the way around. Any suggestions on tires? Read some of the posts on Dunlops/Bridgestones..etc., but not sure what to get. Right now I have a 491 in the rear and a k177f in the front.
Larry, personally I don't repair a tire & ride on it for long. Not that they can't be repaired but in most cases repairing a motorcycle tire lowers it's top speed rating to 75 MPH or less & I regularly travel at much above that.
Secondly, to properly repair a tubeless motorcycle tire it should be removed from the rim. If I am going to to go to all the trouble (& expense) of removing the tire from the rim I am going to replace it with a new one.
Twisty
Beloware 2 separate tire repair guide lines posted on the Dunlop tire web pages...
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Dunlop recommends only permanent repairs performed from the inside of the tire, using a combination patch/plug method. Never attempt a repair from the outside, or inject a sealant, or simply use an innertube, a patch or a plug as a substitute for a proper repair.
Only a qualified tire repair shop or motorcycle tire dealer should perform repairs. Inspection of the tire and adequacy of repair becomes the responsibility of the person actually performing the repair and Dunlop does not warrant the results of a repair in any way. Combination patch/plug repair kits for use by the repair shop or dealer are available with accompanying instructions from companies such as:
Remarco Inc.
200 Paris Ave.
Northvale, NJ 07647
(201) 768-8100
Technical Rubber Co.
P.O. Box 486
Johnstown, OH 43031
(740) 967-9015
Tip-Top/Moto Combi Kit
Tech Uni-Seal® Repair Kit (Also has been marketed by Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha with their own part numbers.)
NOTE: There may be suitable repair kits and materials provided by manufacturers other than those listed above.
Before any repair should be attempted, however, a tire must be removed from the wheel and thoroughly inspected. The following are minimum guidelines for the repairer:
Tires should not be repaired if any of the following conditions exist:
- A tire has been previously injected with a sealant/balancer.
- The puncture is larger than 6mm (1/4") in diameter.
- The puncture is not perpendicular to the carcass.
- The puncture is in the tire sidewall.
- Separation of plies, tread separation, separation of any other components.
- Cut or broken ply cords.
- Broken or damaged bead wires.
- Cut or damaged chafers (bead area).
- Deterioration of the carcass inside the tire due to "run flat" or underinflation.
- Cracks or other damage to the integrity of the inner liner.
- Excessive wear - tire should have at least 1/32 of an inch of tread depth, excluding tread wear indicators.
- Cracks in sidewall or tread.
- Impact breaks, cuts, snags or gouges that penetrate the surface.
NOTE:
- There should be no more than one repair in any quarter of the tire and no more than two repairs per tire.
- The wheel itself must be in good condition. Any cracked or bent wheel, however slightly, may allow the loss of air and cause subsequent deflation of the tire.
- Following repair, the valve assembly should be replaced and the tire/wheel rebalanced.
- Speed should not exceed 50 mph for the first 24 hours after tire repair and the repaired tire should never be used at speeds over 80 mph. The repairer is solely responsible for instructing the motorcyclist as to the restrictions to be placed on tire use following repair.
In summary, NO form of temporary repair should be attempted. Motorcycle tire repairs leave no room for error and any doubt as to inspection or adequacy of repair should be resolved by discarding the tire.
Be sure to consult our Motorcycle Tire Limited Warranty, Care and Maintenance brochure for additional information regarding the use of Dunlop tires.
Seek a qualified motorcycle tire repair center for more details. NEVER ATTEMPT TO REPAIR A DAMAGED TIRE WITHOUT THE AIDE OF AN EXPERIENCED TIRE MECHANIC.
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Some punctures in motorcycle tires may be repaired.
Dunlop recommends only permanent plug-patch repairs of small (maximum 1/4-inch diameter) tread area punctures from within the dismounted tire by a qualified tire repair shop or motorcycle dealer. Never perform an exterior repair and never use an inner tube as a substitute for a proper repair. Speed should not exceed 50 mph for the first 24 hours after repair and the repaired tire should never be used over 75 mph. Check inflation pressure after tire cools for at least three (3) hours following run-in, or sooner if air loss is suspected.
No form of temporary repair should be attempted because secondary damage caused by a penetrating object may not be detected and tire or tube deflation may occur at a later date.
Dunlop does not recommend the use of liquid sealants. These are a form of temporary repair, and they may adversely affect ply material and mask secondary damage caused by a penetrating object. Reliance upon sealants can result in sudden tire failure and accident.