I don't. I personally remove the wheel and bring to my local indy. Find and fix what caused the tube to leak and then replace the tube. Ages ago I used to use tire spoons and do it myself, screw that now, my times worth more than that.
I don't. I personally remove the wheel and bring to my local indy. Find and fix what caused the tube to leak and then replace the tube. Ages ago I used to use tire spoons and do it myself, screw that now, my times worth more than that.
With the right tools I can change a tire faster at home than I can make two trips to a shop, or sit and wait at the shop. And I know it’s done to my specs
Here’s a legit question, not a challenge. I busted (installed) a lot of tires and fixed a lot of flats as a tire buster at Sears Auto Center two or three lifetimes ago as a teen.
The conventional wisdom back in the day was that, generally speaking of course, tubed tires had blow outs, but tubeless tires generally didn’t. They’d get flats of course, but not all at once unless you hit something big.
How the hell do you put a patch on a tube tire without going to the dealership and getting charged over $300 bucks?
1998 road king classic with spokes and tube.
At home: Done this before, Remove wheel and take it to indy with no appointment and drop off the wheel and then pick-up later in the day or another day with a new tube installed.
Taking the wheel off at home makes it easier for me because i can drop wheel and continue my day instead of waiting.
But an indy can do the removal / replacement of wheel for some extra labor.
On a multiday trip: I now carry a spare tube in luggage just in case and would take it to whatever shop was open.
I experienced a flat from a roofing nail one time during a trip about 20 years ago that was noticed as i was about to depart a restaurant.
Very lucky that i had a small compressor and motorcycle shop was about 2 miles or less away. They had tube in stock and changed it.
But i think you might be asking this:
It is my understanding that a harley dealership will lean towards a new tire & tube and will not just change the tube.
In that case the answer is similar. Go to an Indy.
I would like to run tubeless, but I also like spoked rims. So tubes it is. I never patch, or put a used tube in a new tire. And with a new tire goes a new rim strip as well. It's cheap insurance. I agree with Chopper Man. Take the wheel off, and run it into a dealer or an indy, put in a new quality tube, and rebalance. On my Evo Springer I run a 21" Sport Rib.(Avon Speedmaster Mkii) On my Softail Custom Im currently running a NOS Firestone tire. I've worn through at least 10 of them over the years, and have never had a flat or puncture.
Last edited by SirHarley; 08-14-2021 at 06:56 PM.
Reason: addendum correction pictures
Here’s a legit question, not a challenge. I busted (installed) a lot of tires and fixed a lot of flats as a tire buster at Sears Auto Center two or three lifetimes ago as a teen.
The conventional wisdom back in the day was that, generally speaking of course, tubed tires had blow outs, but tubeless tires generally didn’t. They’d get flats of course, but not all at once unless you hit something big.
Has that changed?
On the same bike i have had 3 flats since 1998 on a spoked tubed Road King classic.
1 front and 2 rear.
The Front tire flat was from a split tube right at new tube molding seam/rib upon over the shoulder investigation with Indy.
That Tire and Tube had been changed recently.
That front tire went totally flat with no warning while riding and would not hold air.
The two rear flats were slower deflation.
One was discovered after departing a restaurant and i was able to pump air with small 12 volt compressor into the tire but it was leaking bad as i got it to a shop.
The other created a bad wobble during a ride due to loss of air pressure and required slime plus multiple air-ups with a small 12 volt compressor to make it back to civilization and a tow/trailer home.
[QUOTE=BILLY-BOB;20118688]How the hell do you put a patch on a tube tire without going to the dealership and getting charged over $300 bucks?[/QUOT
Why do you have a tube tire on s Street ? They all came with tubeless.
Here’s a legit question, not a challenge. I busted (installed) a lot of tires and fixed a lot of flats as a tire buster at Sears Auto Center two or three lifetimes ago as a teen.
The conventional wisdom back in the day was that, generally speaking of course, tubed tires had blow outs, but tubeless tires generally didn’t. They’d get flats of course, but not all at once unless you hit something big.
Has that changed?
Some what correct. Tube tires would lose the bread easy when flat and the tubes would at times get wrapped around things and lock up rear or front tire. A flat that on a tubeless was just come to a slow stop and fix it was some times a crash on a tube tire.
We road on tube tires a long time. But Tubeless is the way to go.
08-14-2021 | 05:55 PM
