Tire Repair Kits

[JimLor]

Getting ready to make some longer trips with my wife and I know it's probably not "if" we ever get a flat, but "when." Any recommendations on a good tire repair kit to stick in the sidebags?

 

[FJReady]

I bought one of those sticky wad tire plug kits. Actually used in on my Concours once. Glad I had it. I also bought one of those mini air compressor things (about 10bucks at Walmart). never had to use it but carry it around hoping it provides good flat tire deflecting karma. Both items fit in a fairly small plastic box that I keep in my tail bag. Good insurance I hope.

 

[FJRocket]

Is that a picture of your tire going flat in your avatar, FJReady?

I'd like to know where to get one of those kitstoo, maybe with the CO2 cartridges? I see some of them have 2 and some 3 cartridges. Need more than that, or is the $10 Walmart compressor the better way to go?

Is there a specific type of plug that works better than others?

 

[escapefjrtist]

Some folks have mentioned /are using the stop and go tire plugger with the CO2 cartridges. I recently bought the kit #1001 for longer trips. Haven't had the opportunity to use it yet. Also found a compact bicycle hand pump that fits in the tank bag or saddle bags easily. For back up, I carry Camel string type and a can of fix-a-flat.....you never know.... h34r:

--G

 

[leebunyard]

I carry the sticky string type tire repair kits, plus a small manual bicycle type tire pump. All fit easily into the side case on my '04 FJR. I've used these string type repairs on my cars and trucks for over 20 years, probably 30-40 times or more, and have never had a tire failure after doing one of these repairs. Until recently, I had never used this type of repair on a mc tire. Last summer, I was visiting a friend who was helping me do a TBS on my FJR, when I went to leave, discovered I had a large nail in the rear tire. My friend had one of those mushroom type plug kits (Stop'nGo, Plug'nGo, something like that ??) and offered to plug the tire for me. He did, we checked it for leaks, it was OK, and I rode home about 60 miles. Next morning, the tire was flat again. I later read that the mushroom type plugs can't be counted on if you are using steel belted tires. Apparently they will be OK some of the time, depending on where the plug is in relation to a steel belt strand, but if in the wrong place, the steel strand will cut the inside head of the plug off and the repair will leak. Anyway, I decided to plug the mc tire using my string plug kit. I plugged it, using the string plug WITH rubber cement, and ended up riding the tire an additional 2750 miles without a problem-- altho I wouldn't recommend that anyone consider any type of tire repair on a mc tire to be other than a temporary repair until you can replace the tire.

My two cents worth.

Lee in the Mountains of Northern California :agent: