Tire repair

[Chasinsparks]

A few days ago I filled the tires with proper air pressure, then parked in the garage, I went to ride today and the right front is flat, picked up a small nail center of tire apparently on the way . Would you plug or have a patch put on. Never had to take a Spyder tire to a tire shop, anything special I need to know?

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

A few days ago I filled the tires with proper air pressure, then parked in the garage, I went to ride today and the right front is flat, picked up a small nail center of tire apparently on the way . Would you plug or have a patch put on. Never had to take a Spyder tire to a tire shop, anything special I need to know?

IF you have a Kenda …. best get a new tire ………….. If you have an Auto tire just plug it. auto tires can be safely plugged, they have way more tread plies than any Kenda ………… jmho ….. Mike

[Chupaca]

The best is an internal patch but I have found the mushroom plugs work the best. Have used them on all kinds of vehicles with never a problem. Now how new/old are the tires..? what kind are they..? Where and how you ryde are facts to consider....

[hypurone]

The best is an internal patch but I have found the mushroom plugs work the best.

Yup and the best kit I have used for these is the Stop-n-Go brand. Really high quality stuff, excellent design to do the job yourself. Especially with their "plug gun" model:
https://www.stopngo.com/standard-model-tire-plugger/

[Bob Denman]

I'll patch a wheelbarrow tire, a lawn mower tire. or a garden cart tire...
Beyond that: I'm always extra cautious, and simply replace one that has been damaged.
Your life, and the lives of your Family members ride on those tires: why take even the smallest chance?

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I'll patch a wheelbarrow tire, a lawn mower tire. or a garden cart tire...
Beyond that: I'm always extra cautious, and simply replace one that has been damaged.
Your life, and the lives of your Family members ride on those tires: why take even the smallest chance?

Bob I'm all for caution ….. But please tell me what you think happens if the plug or patch fail ????? ………...….. Mike

[Chasinsparks]

Thanks for the input, Kenda with 2000 miles.

[Chasinsparks]

I kind of agree but seem horrible to trash a tire with 2000 miles on it. But I see what you are saying.

[canamjhb]

If I were you, I would trash the Kendas and take this opportunity to upgrade to CTs. The Kendas are so flimsey that I would worry about their ability to function well after being wounded. You can replace the fronts with better tires for half the price most dealers charge for Kendas. Good luck..... Jim

[AeroPilot]

I Plugged the OEM Kenda on my 15 RT when I experienced a puncture middle of the tread on the front coming home from Arizona using the mushroom plug in my StopnGo kit. It was the first time I used the kit and recommend trying it out in the comfort of your garage, but it worked quite well in the shade of the drive of a MomnPop detail shop in Gallup NM.

I rode home and put another 5-8000 miles before changing them out to Federal Formosa AZ1's. The FOBO tire monitors alerted me of the initial puncture, and continue to provide confidence on the tires I have on now.

[2dogs]

Depending on the age and which Kenda you have could well determine what your options are. If it's and older Kenda get two of the new ones or two new car tires. Like BK911 said don't patch the old one. The older Kenda tires were very soft, didn't last long. The new ones are much stronger and have stiffer tread and sidewalls.

[Chupaca]

So we all can agree that a sidewall puncture is a tire replacement. I have plugged sidewallls to get me home and then replaced the tire. The most common failure from plugs is they can get pulled out if not installed right. The doubled over type the sticky twist and pull type or the strech type all have minimal expansion and if not trimmed flush with the tire can pull out with a burn out or gravel road. The mushroom type has the best expansion on the inside and the plugs wear down with the tread so it will never be longer than the tread. This is just me and being from a third world country and things are not cheap nor easy to get we make things last. That tire has 30,000 miles left on it and my first set got 33,000 miles and the second set are doing just as well. My problem is if I were to change the tire I would not be comfortable not changing both...The problem is no one is going to plug it at a shop.... steel belted radials are hard to plug and will damage most plugs...The whole trick is in the installation. If you don't have anyone you trust change the tire....Jmo

[asp125]

Plug it until you can get a new tire. C'mon, it's not like a regular motorcycle that will fall over if you get a flat. Shops won't plug a tire, too much liability.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

If I were you, I would trash the Kendas and take this opportunity to upgrade to CTs. The Kendas are so flimsey that I would worry about their ability to function well after being wounded. You can replace the fronts with better tires for half the price most dealers charge for Kendas. Good luck..... Jim

Read what AeroSpark & Chupaca posted ………… with what they said ….. As to WORST case scenario, the patch/plug will fail and the Air will leak out ( in today's type of tire ) ………… Before TUBELESS tires a BlowOut was a dangerous thing.... Tires that had tubes could have a violent flat, tubless tires don't react the same way …… good luck ….. Mike

[canamjhb]

My thoughts..... And I have absolutely no scientific background to defend my position. But, I believe that plugging a radial steel belted tire CAN compromise the integrity of the tire. And I would especially worry about that with a flimsy 2 ply Kenda. I think an internal patch, while more inconvienant to apply, is a better fix and less intrusive. For my money, paying $150 to have 2 four ply tires installed is money well spent. And the benefits of improved handling that most experience is something that justifies switching..... I have ridden both 2 and 3 wheel vehicles that experienced internal tread seperation. It is not pretty..... Jim

[Bob Denman]

Bob I'm all for caution ….. But please tell me what you think happens if the plug or patch fail ????? ………...….. Mike

I'm glad that you asked...
If the plug (or patch) fails: it's going to cost you even more riding time. It probably won't fail in your garage, so you'll have to deal with it out on the road.
Fix it once, and fix it right!

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

combi patch if you want it to be safe & permanent.

[Chasinsparks]

Thanks all for the input, have taken much of the advise and ordered some Vredestein Quatrac 5 now to find someone to mount and balance. Gotta hurry Saturday is supposed to be in the 70's.

[canamjhb]

Thanks all for the input, have taken much of the advise and ordered some Vredestein Quatrac 5 now to find someone to mount and balance. Gotta hurry Saturday is supposed to be in the 70's.

GREAT choice. After going through this and sorting out all the suggestions, It will be good to know your thoughts after you have a chance to experience your new tires. BTW, I had my front tires mounted at Costco. Just took the wheels off and took them to their tire department. When mounted they specified "vehicle unknowen" but I was prepared to say they were for a home built dune buggy. The issue never came up. Good luck..... Jim

[Chasinsparks]

Thanks Jim will post an update, Like the dune buggy answer I was prepared to answer small trailer. going with the 175/55R15

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

Thanks Jim will post an update, Like the dune buggy answer I was prepared to answer small trailer. going with the 175/55R15

i have that size with my vredsteins, i think they are very good, runs smooth, balanced well

[missouriboy]

I had a thick hex-head bolt (3/8 or 7/16, I dunno) poke its way through the tread of a front Kenda on my 2015. A tire shop dismounted and inside-patched the hole, and it now runs just fine. That was several tens of thousands of miles ago, and it's still running with no ill effects. I now have over 66,500 miles on those OEM Kendas, they still run smooth enough, and have lots of tread left. Just the other day I punched it up to 110mph briefly, with no handling problems (just pay real close attention!).

YMMV.

Edit: I just found my record where I paid $7.00 for the patch. It was when the Spyder was exactly one year old, and had right at 20,000 miles on it.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I had a thick hex-head bolt (3/8 or 7/16, I dunno) poke its way through the tread of a front Kenda on my 2015. A tire shop dismounted and inside-patched the hole, and it now runs just fine. That was several tens of thousands of miles ago, and it's still running with no ill effects. I now have over 66,500 miles on those OEM Kendas, they still run smooth enough, and have lots of tread left. Just the other day I punched it up to 110mph briefly, with no handling problems (just pay real close attention!).

YMMV.

Holy crap that's not a hole … it's a Crater ….. just shows how poorly / weakly Kenda tires are made …. I seriously doubt any thing that large could puncture even a well worn Auto tire …..jmho …. Mike

[hypurone]

Holy crap that's not a hole … it's a Crater ….. just shows how poorly / weakly Kenda tires are made …. I seriously doubt any thing that large could puncture even a well worn Auto tire …..jmho …. Mike

You would be absolutely stunned at some of the things I have pulled out of tires when I was in the industry! Here are a few that I remember vividly:
Wire cutters, slip-joint pliers, drill bits, various sized bolts (one had a 9/16 shank"!), railroad spike!! Of course all of these were non-repairable!!

[Motorcycledave]

No big deal just remove it from the Spyder and take it to a trusted tire shop and
have them dismount it and patch / repair it from the inside, We do it here at Motorcycle Daves often.
however on a two wheeled rig only no guarantee, three and 4 wheeled no problem
Dave