Who Has "plugged"?

Who has Plugged (not patched) their tires and rode the bike afterwards, and did you just ride to the nearest tire replacement place?
Or did you go on and ride with the plug, until it was time to change the tire normally?
We can assume rear tire, unless you have ridden long term with a plugged front.

Also would like to know if there were any problems riding with it plugged?

I'm not using the pole abb.... I'd rather hear what you have to say about it. Thanks

monk a plugged tired tired is fine.. i have had a grand total of 5 F I V E plugs in my rear tire that held air..AT ONE TIME>> and put a good 3000 miles on it before being almost bald..and getting plug #6.. then i changed it after i got home.


new tires are steal belted radials not the bias ply cords of 30 years ago. back THEN..i would have got a new tire.

I will always plug a rear and run it to normal wear. I've Never had an issue with one not holding and I use the simple Rope type plugs one teh side of teh road type repairs. :biggrin:

Front NO, to much at risk. Ride to a shop and that's it.

BR

i have and it sure beat walking

[image: View Post]gll429, on 11 November 2010 - 11:00 AM, said:

monk a plugged tired tired is fine.. i have had a grand total of 5 F I V E plugs in my rear tire that held air..AT ONE TIME>> and put a good 3000 miles on it before being almost bald..and getting plug #6.. then i changed it after i got home.


new tires are steal belted radials not the bias ply cords of 30 years ago. back THEN..i would have got a new tire.


+1
Five plugs on one rear, then ride tire to bald.
Working as a motorcycle courier these things have to be bone.... no adverse problems at all!
Only tool kit i take on a bike now would be the tubeless tire repair kit!

Running a patched rear now ..................seems to be holding well. Not sure I would start out on a long tour with a patched/plugged tire though.

I've plugged a tire while touring two-up and loaded, with good results. I too use the gummy ropes. Once we plugged a tire mid-morning and then rode through 109 degrees in the afternoon just fine, though I was a bit nervous and held the speed down that day. I used the tires till they were worn out. I think I've plugged tires twice or three times over the years.

Carrying a plug kit and a teeny 12v pump has saved the day and I always have one aboard now.

I may be completely wrong, but if a plugged tire is holding pressure and the repair is inspected every ride and looks good, what's the problem? It seems like we've got a lot of positive experiences with plugged tires and no bad ones. Myth busted.

I'm riding with a plugged rear tire. I've probably got 3,000 miles with it plugged. I ride a mix of two up, solo and twisties with some highway. Never a problem.

95% of the time I carry a rope plug kit and with a 12v pump just in the case.

[image: View Post]jaimev34, on 11 November 2010 - 12:16 PM, said:

I may be completely wrong, but if a plugged tire is holding pressure and the repair is inspected every ride and looks good, what's the problem? It seems like we've got a lot of positive experiences with plugged tires and no bad ones. Myth busted.



well MYTH..???
no.. in the old days as recent as 20 years ago there were so many tires that had good construction for the time.. but if you pluged them .. the cords made out of cotton or weak nylon or whatever it was. would bulge either in or out.. and the plug would come out sooner or later.
there are lots of "myths" out there now a days.. that were good logic back in the day.. like 500 mile break in ..keep the revs low.. back then.. you drop the oil pan and clean out lots of little metal shavings and grit.. now.. good luck with that.. maybe if you ran water through instead of oil you may get some wear..

Viffer Plugs for Men. I am not only a member, I am the president. :laughing6-hehe:

I've plugged the front, the rear, had a rear with 3 plugs and two patches w/o any issues.
Currently I have a nice nailhead sticking out of the rear. I just leave it there unless there is a loss of pressure. It wares nicely with the rubber.
In my trunk I have a tire repair kit and a slime mini compressor - The only tools I've ever needed on the road.

To all who have punctured almost new tires laying in the trash - Please send them to me (NOT THEM).
I'll pay shipping.

a plug , if any road contact, normally last around 1000 miles , external mushroom plugs if any road contact, between 3 and 500 mile

internal patch will go lifetime

If theres no road contact plugs will go lifetime , rain riding is detrimental to plugs, they start disoiving

Got a fence staple in my rear tire near the center of the tread last summer while touring fully loaded. Pulled it out, plugged with a Big Red gummy worm, string-type plug (advertised as: "the permanent repair"), and kept riding--carefully. I did a couple of slab days in Colorado right afterward, with the ambient temp reading 99F (thank you, Pueblo!), and it held just fine. Put another 2,000 miles on it getting home. Since I'm cheap, the tire still had some tread, bike tires are expensive, and it wasn't leaking, I kept riding it until my new PR2's arrived from Jake Wilson. (Thanks, Monk et al for the PR2 recommendation.) Another time I might change the tire sooner, but it's good to know that it's not strictly necessary.

The choice is yours but I'd start pluging because there is mounting
evidence that plugged tires work and are safe... I have yet to note
anyone armed with first hand knowledge to the contrary...

This is my heatless vulcanizing mushroom plug tire that lasted 4K miles...

2 track days... 1 at Thunder Hill and 1 at Laguna Seca...

1 H40 race with speeds hitting 140 mph and beyond...

1 1221 mile round trip to Las Vegas and back...

My good testimonial was quite by accident... you see after I plugged the
tire I forgot about it and just rode normal... but during the tire
change I inspected the plug and discovered that the mushroom part was
showing signs of coming un-stuck... I believe the rope type plug will
not come un-stuck and thus is a better seal for the life of the tire

[image: Posted Image]





My plugged Rennsport that covered 2K miles and not in moderation
either... keep it a secret but it's seen over 140 more than
once...
[image: Posted Image]

Inside the Rennsport for proof that the rope type plugs stay intact
whereas my mushroom tyre plug started to come unstuck

[image: Posted Image]

You can see by the diagram that Safety Seal plugs that are installed
properly establish an mushroom shape inside the carcass that holds
fast under pressure... you'd have more luck pushing the plug inside
carcass than you'll ever have it pop out under pressure...


Nylon Rope type plugs found at any auto parts store...
[image: Posted Image]

I don't recommend the mushroom type plugs...
[image: Posted Image]

The other side of my patching is teh fact that only avg. 2200(PP's) miles from a rear tire so I'm not about to toss a tire because of a plug! :blush:

Thanks to Pilot Road 2's I now avg. 3400 miles from a rear! :fing02:

BR

[image: View Post]Monk, on 11 November 2010 - 10:43 AM, said:

Who has Plugged (not patched) their tires and rode the bike afterwards, and did you just ride to the nearest tire replacement place?
Or did you go on and ride with the plug, until it was time to change the tire normally?
We can assume rear tire, unless you have ridden long term with a plugged front.

Also would like to know if there were any problems riding with it plugged?

I'm not using the pole abb.... I'd rather hear what you have to say about it. Thanks


On 2 new rears, caught nails and ended up plugging them. Both times, I had just shelled out a chunk of bucks for the new tires and didnt want to do it again. I ran 'em both down to normal wear out. No problems.

- I'm also running a plugged rear on my Valkyrie. Its definately bald and due for replacement.
------------what is it about rear tires? I never had a flat in the front.... :mellow:

Wow, a post I can actually answer without any mechanical know-how. I plugged ( well, had it done for me ) a rear tire that only had about 100 miles on it. I ran it all the way until the end of its life. For me, that's usually a good 13 - 15 thousand miles. Yes, I ride very moderately. Anyway, although I ran it that long/far, it was ALWAYS in the back of my mind that the tire was compromised.
Was a bit nervous the entire time. But it kept me from riding at very high speeds most of the time. That is a good thing AND a bad thing.

[image: View Post]mello dude, on 11 November 2010 - 04:54 PM, said:

------------what is it about rear tires? I never had a flat in the front.... :mellow:

It is my belief that the front rolls over the nail while it's lying flat on the road, and kicks it up by the time the rear comes along.

Anybody ever use one of those Stop & Go plugs long term ? Seems like it would need glue to hold up.

[image: View Post]blackberry, on 11 November 2010 - 05:46 PM, said:

Anybody ever use one of those Stop & Go plugs long term ? Seems like it would need glue to hold up.


I bought one of those and used it once.... And it leaked about 5 psi a day.... Plus it takes up a lot of space to carry.... I agree it needs glue(and that won't work well with the gun.... And the reemer sucks as well.... I went with two T-handles and some gumbo-ropes.

[image: View Post]Monk, on 11 November 2010 - 06:18 PM, said:

[image: View Post]blackberry, on 11 November 2010 - 05:46 PM, said:

Anybody ever use one of those Stop & Go plugs long term ? Seems like it would need glue to hold up.


I bought one of those and used it once.... And it leaked about 5 psi a day.... Plus it takes up a lot of space to carry.... I agree it needs glue(and that won't work well with the gun.... And the reemer sucks as well.... I went with two T-handles and some gumbo-ropes.


I'm running a Stop n Go on the Valk. Agree that the reemer sucks, I just found a drill bit close to the size and drilled it. (On the road I think I would just take the drill bit and a T handle. ---- I'm not using any glue. -For me the plug doesnt leak at all. I think it may come down to your install technique.

[image: View Post]gll429, on 11 November 2010 - 12:58 PM, said:

[image: View Post]jaimev34, on 11 November 2010 - 12:16 PM, said:

I may be completely wrong, but if a plugged tire is holding pressure and the repair is inspected every ride and looks good, what's the problem? It seems like we've got a lot of positive experiences with plugged tires and no bad ones. Myth busted.



well MYTH..???
no.. in the old days as recent as 20 years ago there were so many tires that had good construction for the time.. but if you pluged them .. the cords made out of cotton or weak nylon or whatever it was. would bulge either in or out.. and the plug would come out sooner or later.
there are lots of "myths" out there now a days.. that were good logic back in the day.. like 500 mile break in ..keep the revs low.. back then.. you drop the oil pan and clean out lots of little metal shavings and grit.. now.. good luck with that.. maybe if you ran water through instead of oil you may get some wear..


Yes, Myth. Many still think a puntured tire NEEDS to be replaced. That's the myth I speak of. On this website alone, there's ample evidence of plugs working for rest of the life of the tire. I don't think the people who think punctured tires need to replaced are referring to older tire technology, though, but rather the fear of riding with a less than perfect tire. They're worried the "temporary" plug will pop out and the tire will catastrophically lose pressure and cause the bike to end up on the ground on the freeway.

[image: View Post]mello dude, on 11 November 2010 - 07:09 PM, said:

-For me the plug doesnt leak at all. I think it may come down to your install technique.

That could verywell be... I was having trouble with it

If someone says don't do it they're trying to sell you tires, or they've never done it.

I've had 1 out of 4 rear tires punctured, plugged right there or rode to nearest tire shop of whatever stripe.
This is the value of living in a place where all things must serve until they die; people will repair, not replace. The one time at a shop in Toronto (that used to be called McBride until they closed after 97 years), that told me they could not be patched, I actually laughed. -Same shop that once told me "oh your lid's got a scratch. gotta replace it man, it will run right thru the helmet material!".
Goodbye McBride!. I never missed your chain replacements finished with zero slack.

PS; Toronto comrades;' Rosey toes' patches them all the time, bring him a hot Tim Horton's and he'll drop whatever he's doing to get yours done.
I once asked him where do all these tire carcasses go. "Jamaica, mon. They retread, tires never die". Right on.

I had to plug my front tire on the RC on Friday before I did a weekend at Beaver Run. And followed that up with a weekend at VIR, on the same plugged front tire. As said before. If you got a new tire that needs plugged, but you won't do it. send it my way. I'll use it. I've runned a few plugged tires before. :biggrin:

I've saved a bundle on tires from friends that won't run one with a plug in it. I'll gladly run a plugged rear at warp speed through the corners if I'm the one that fixed it. Front tires I would still run but only for commuting.

Losing air in a rear tire at speed is not really that dramatic either. Steering gets sluggish and the bike gets all squirmy but it's nothing that can't be handled safely.

Currently running a plugged PR2 rear. Mostly commuting, but have run it VERY hard in the twisties. No issues. :fing02:

-For me the plug doesnt leak at all. I think it may come down to your install technique.


I agree with this (above).

I always make sure it is really hard to get the plug rope in. Then I don't shove that much in there. Then I give the plug a twist to get it to tighten around the tool and then yank it stright back out. Never have I had a leak.

Plugs work.

[image: View Post]blackberry, on 11 November 2010 - 05:46 PM, said:

Anybody ever use one of those Stop & Go plugs long term ? Seems like it would need glue to hold up.


I checked out Stop & Go and I liked what I saw... I believe I would use it at the shop but not carry it as a inflight flat tire solution...

[image: Posted Image]

[THe problem I've had and i've run near a dosen of them, they dont hold up if any road contact for very long , half the life of a worm which also has limited life

its such a neat idea, but I just didnt see the results, a slime worm as been my best external repair, but it generally starts leaking around 1000 mile or so, if you burn the throttle , youll shread plugs fairly quick if any road contact.

I dont bother with the external mushrooms any more




[image: Posted Image]
[/quote]

[image: View Post]BusyLittleShop, on 11 November 2010 - 04:36 PM, said:

[image: Posted Image]


Larry, I would think this plug would make a bunch of noise like a card in the spoke kind of thing sticking way up there like that!

:goofy:

I plugged a rear and kept going till it was time to replace the tire.

[image: View Post]jaimev34, on 11 November 2010 - 08:24 PM, said:

[image: View Post]gll429, on 11 November 2010 - 12:58 PM, said:

[image: View Post]jaimev34, on 11 November 2010 - 12:16 PM, said:

I may be completely wrong, but if a plugged tire is holding pressure and the repair is inspected every ride and looks good, what's the problem? It seems like we've got a lot of positive experiences with plugged tires and no bad ones. Myth busted.



well MYTH..???
no.. in the old days as recent as 20 years ago there were so many tires that had good construction for the time.. but if you pluged them .. the cords made out of cotton or weak nylon or whatever it was. would bulge either in or out.. and the plug would come out sooner or later.
there are lots of "myths" out there now a days.. that were good logic back in the day.. like 500 mile break in ..keep the revs low.. back then.. you drop the oil pan and clean out lots of little metal shavings and grit.. now.. good luck with that.. maybe if you ran water through instead of oil you may get some wear..


Yes, Myth. Many still think a puntured tire NEEDS to be replaced. That's the myth I speak of. On this website alone, there's ample evidence of plugs working for rest of the life of the tire. I don't think the people who think punctured tires need to replaced are referring to older tire technology, though, but rather the fear of riding with a less than perfect tire. They're worried the "temporary" plug will pop out and the tire will catastrophically lose pressure and cause the bike to end up on the ground on the freeway.

hhmm yes i understood you the first time..
like it says below.. deaf, not dumb..
people believe their dad and grands when hearing " dont run on a plugged tire'" i gave the reason for the myth..and another myth.. both myths are good advice.. if your messing with old school stuff.
i wont run a plug on an old school harley tire.. yes, you can still buy them.. bias plys and cotton construction.. and it will deform around the plug and either pop it in or out..
i know from restoring harleys..
i do get your point .. my point.. the world is filled with people who cant think for themselves.

[image: View Post]spud786, on 13 November 2010 - 03:46 PM, said:

[THe problem I've had and i've run near a dosen of them, they dont hold up if any road contact for very long , half the life of a worm which also has limited life

its such a neat idea, but I just didnt see the results, a slime worm as been my best external repair, but it generally starts leaking around 1000 mile or so, if you burn the throttle , youll shread plugs fairly quick if any road contact.

I dont bother with the external mushrooms any more



Do you have a photos to support your claim???

[image: View Post]BusyLittleShop, on 14 November 2010 - 01:42 AM, said:

[image: View Post]spud786, on 13 November 2010 - 03:46 PM, said:

[THe problem I've had and i've run near a dosen of them, they dont hold up if any road contact for very long , half the life of a worm which also has limited life

its such a neat idea, but I just didnt see the results, a slime worm as been my best external repair, but it generally starts leaking around 1000 mile or so, if you burn the throttle , youll shread plugs fairly quick if any road contact.

I dont bother with the external mushrooms any more



Do you have a photos to support your claim???



Photo wont show a leak, but there are two things that Ive seen happening with mushroom externals, the rubber gets eaten by road contact, and the Tire internals seem to cut the plug, the only time ive had one last , it was in between a tread block with no road contact. Litterally 500 mile they start leaking like clock work ive done several different tires and brands.

The slime worms are far more reliable, ive seen up to 1200 miles on those befor they degrade and start leaking, rain riding is very hard on Goo worms also.

sorry but no pictures. I bought a whole assortment of lead wire combo patches last year for internal repair , but id still use a slime worm for conveinience if conditions arose.