Picked up a damn finishing nail in my 200 today. It's about 1/3 in from the outer edge. Got about 1/2 the tread left and thinking about just plugging it. I've personally never had trouble with plugs on car tires. Worst case it would develop a slow leak. So who's done it and how did it work out?
Ron

 

I have plugged tires when travelling, temporary measure only.
When I plugged them, I was very careful keeping an eye on it and checking pressures.
They all held air without losing anything. When changed the plugs were in good condition looking on the inside. When I plugged, I used the long string style plugs. I still carry a patch kit with them.
I changed tires as soon as possible.
1 tire I only had about 1000 km on it when I changed it.

 

It is not recommended to perform repairs on punctures on a motorcycle tire.

If you must do so, it should only be utilized as an emergency measure to get you to "civilization", where you can get the tire properly replaced ASAP. Such a repair is not intended to be utilized indefinately...actual tire failure could be the end-result...not pretty if you are going 70-plus MPH on your bike...!


Ride Safe!


Cheers

 

Tube it and ride on.

 

TEMP plug then tube or replace!! We don't need a tire blew and we lost someone thread,be safe!!!

 

Please don't plug it if you have laced wheels. If you go through the trouble of changing the tube, you might as well change the tire. You may also need rim bands.

 

The below is copied from the Dunlop tire web site. Follow it carefully and you will be ok. Note that the "plug-patch" mentioned is not a simple patch nor a thread-like plug. It looks kind of like a thumbtack and requires installation from inside the tire.


Can I have my motorcycle tires repaired?



Some punctures in motorcycle tires can be repaired if no other damage is present. Dunlop recommends only individual permanent plug-patch repairs of small tread area punctures from within the demounted tire by a qualified tire repair shop or motorcycle dealer. Never perform an exterior repair and never use an innertube as a substitute for a proper repair. Your bike should not exceed 50 mph for the first 24 hours after the repair and the repaired tire should never be used over 80 mph. Dunlop speed ratings are voided by repairs.

No form of temporary repair should be attempted because secondary damage caused by the 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 that may adversely affect ply material and mask secondary damage caused by the penetrating object. Reliance upon sealants can result in sudden tire failure and accident.

 

Well reading all this and threads in the search function it would appear that I'm splitting the difference with the opinions. Since the hole is right in a thread groove to the considerabley off center, for the time being I plugged it. Did a test run an it's just fine, and where the plug is it would likely outlast the tire. However for two reasons I have ordered a new one. One reason is I do a lot of 2 up, and secondly I can't tolerate Mickey Mouse things on my bike. The worm in my tire qualifies as Mickey Mouse. The plug will work just fine for trips to Tim's in town and back home in the mean time while waiting for the new one to show up.
Ron

 

Not the best answer, but the best compromise, I suppose. I mean, we wouldn't want you to be unable to ride at all for an unspecific period of time due to no tire, would we?

However, I would stress to you to get that tire replaced ASAP! The sooner the better! Your local dealer should be able to receive a tire from their distributor via ground shipment inside of a business week; and if you ordered online, you can get next-day shipping if you are of course willing to pay for it! But if it is the default (and sometimes "free") shipping method, then it is also ground, and may take anywhere from a few to several days to arrive.


Ride safe!


Cheers

 

Just ordered it and be here Wed. No way I would step into a HD dealer for that. Checked a couple of bike shops, and once again the women that runs a scooter shop got me the best price, like 100 bucks cheaper. Pays to shop around. On another note, this wheel on the fxstc is not a candidate for stick on weights due to it's taper. No existing weights on it now for balancing and it's smooth. May not be that lucky with the new tire so I ordered some DynaBeads just in case. Anyone have experience with these things, good or bad?
Ron