Flat tire repair help plz...

My bros just got a flat on the rear of his cbr600...its has a almost half worn set of pirelli super corsas on it.

Looks like a small nail in the center of the tread.

Can that be plugged?
Or is a patch the only way to go?
Or...?

Advice is appreciated.

mucker wrote:

My bros just got a flat on the rear of his cbr600...its has a almost half worn set of pirelli super corsas on it.

Looks like a small nail in the center of the tread.

Can that be plugged?
Or is a patch the only way to go?
Or...?

Advice is appreciated.

A lot of folks only recommend plugs for emergency road side repair with a patch being the preferred option.

There are just as many folks that say "get a whole new tire once it's compromised".

It really depends on how aggressive he rides. If he's a pretty reasonable adult that's mostly commuting he might consider it more safe to roll on a plug than someone that's running track days on the weekend.

His riding is alot tamer than his mouth...lol

It's a fancy commuter for him.

That being the case... I'd probably roll with a plug, but I'm a cheap bastard.

Cheap bastard is our style

Thanks.

I'm also guessing a standard automotive plug...?

yup... same little rubber plug and t-handle.

Very helpful...thanks

Having worked in a tire shop in my younger days I've seen many plugs fail. They're really only meant to get you home. It's always just a matter of time before the plug begins to leak.

When it comes to motorcycle tires, some people will tell you to replace the tire.

If it were me (and assuming we're talking about a tubeless tire) I'd patch the tire from the inside. A patch is a much more permanent solution than a plug. For the DIY-tire patcher at home, you need to properly sand the inside of the tire, apply the patch with proper rubber cement, then use a big C-clamp with a couple of blocks of wood and squeeze the shit out if for at least 15 minutes while the cement bonds to the rubber.

For a tube-type tire, patching a tube is no problem either for reliable long-term results.

My 2 cents -

There's very little between living and dying on a motorcycle.
The contact patch of the tire is part of that thin ragged edge.

A new tire is expensive, but no where near as expensive as hospital bills, rehab time, or much worse.

For a sportbike that makes well over 100 horsepower at the rear tire......I'd not want to trust a patch or a plug with my life.


I'd replace the tire.

With the above advise, I can't tell you what to do and take whatever risk you are willing to...

But my personal experience: I've patched three tires on my SV with the rope plugs. One was just to limp home because the tire was shot anyway. The other two times I put about 4k miles each with no issues. I have also plugged car tires and currently have 20k miles on a plug in one of my tires. It does leak very slowly, and I need to add about 5 psi every other week. If the plug blows out, it's not like you're going to explode and die or anything. The belts in the tire will hold it together just fine. The air will slowly leak out of the hole over a period of a few minutes or less and you will find yourself with another flat tire. At least that's what I told myself, and never had a problem.

dmmcd wrote:

It does leak very slowly, and I need to add about 5 psi every other week.

I have good luck with plugging tires on the car with no leaks. One tire plug kit that I bought had rubber cement with it so I use it every time I have to plug one. I put some rubber cement on the plug and a little on the hole and push the plug in. It makes a seal very well. I wonder if it helps vulcanize the plugs like it does with tube patches.

I have never plugged a motorcycle tire. Because I change my own tires, even on my street bikes, I will just break the beads and patch it from the inside. I have only had to do this once though.