How to deal with flat tire

[Peteoz]

As soon as Joe got off his bike the screw in the tire was quite obvious.

hmmmmmmm. Maybe I can fit a centrestand to the F3-L, Ann......that’d workhyea:

Pete

 

[manxman]

Tire puncture

Thanks Jaybros.....I know and accept all that. I was just wondering if anyone had a good method of finding a leak. Looks like you don’t, eh

Pete

If you have a small compressor try filling the tire and listen for the air leak. If you do not have a compressor you do not need to look for the hole as patching it without air is futile.....

 

[Big Juice]

On my "conventional" trike, I used Ride On in all three tires (I'm not accustomed to repairing tires on the road) and had no problems in 30K miles. I now have an F3 Limited and have not done anything to prepare for a flat, so I am in the same boat as others. Has anyone used the Ride On for their Spyder? I had good luck with my 2wheel and previous 3wheel experience, but this is my first Spyder. Any thoughts..........?

 

[AeroPilot]

Listen for the TIC, TIC, TIC and look at the tires at every stop..

On our way to Red Rocks, we rode through some rainy weather over Wolf Creek pass and stopped to warm up, Lunch and Fuel in Pagosa Springs. One of our members said she heard a strange clack clack from the back of the bike when maneuvering for fuel under the awning in Pagosa. Didn't see anything and rode on to Durango for the night. Next morning after stopping before heading out of town (another bike had a brake warning light--added a little fluid to the rear reservoir and good), the rider said she was still hearing something, and this is what we happened to see...Sunday morning so nothing open except Walmart. Pulled into Walmart automotive lot, and asked to use their airhose and park at the side of the garage. The StopNGo kit and mushroom plug went it easily after unscrewing the 1/4" self tapping screw, and with their air it was easy to put 30 plus psi in and down the road to Page Utah that night. Had a slow leak with about 20 psi the next morning, but with a little air, we toured the North Rim of the Canyon and on to St George Monday evening.

If I was to use the plug on a larger screw like that again, I would use some rubber cement as Joe suggested. Just carry a plug kit and compressor and with a couple times of practice, don't worry.. BE HAPPY!! PS..our Ryder got a new Kumho mounted on Wednesday and was ready for the ryde and rest of the trip home:yes:

 

[newbert]

Invest in a tire plugging kit https://www.stopngo.com/motorcycles/ and an emergency compressor or a Lamonster pump http://www.lamonstergarage.com/lamonster-approved-air-pack-black/ and tire sealer http://www.lamonstergarage.com/lamonster-approved-tire-sealant/.

Thanks for providing these links! This is a very useful thread.

 

[cptjam]

hmmmmmmm. Maybe I can fit a centrestand to the F3-L, Ann......that’d workhyea:

Pete

Pete,
put the centerstand down before I looked. Right there! Too easy! Joe

 

[Idaspud]

Try a product called Ride On, it's a tire sealant you put in before you go, self seals if you get a nail or other hazard.

 

[Peteoz]

Try a product called Ride On, it's a tire sealant you put in before you go, self seals if you get a nail or other hazard.

Thanks Idaspud, but nooooooo. I have a great relationship with my tyre fitters that would disappear quickly once they had to work on rims full of Ride On ( as much as I’d like to have an “auto” plugger :thumbup....I’ll stick to my Lamonster Balancers and credit card (with a plug kit in the frunk just in case)

Pete

 

[Buckeye Bleau]

I filled all three tires with the Ameriseal tire sealant that Lamonster sells, but also purchased his Air Pack, along with a kit mentioned above. Covered all my bases along with an AMA membership with towing plan.

My prescription as well, said nstalled on the front, rear and 622 tires, plus the battery powered Compressor. If you are going to do all those tires you will need to purchase two bottles of Amerseal.

During the recent Maggie Valley rally, I used the pump to inflate the air bags on two bykes, they did not even know were there. That is a great tool, just charge it up once in a while.

Joe

Permit me to add a short note. I too also dispose tire sealants until Amerseal. Even my tire guys had no problem changing a tire with it in there, it is water soluble and really just wipes off.

 

[Fatcycledaddy]

Thanks Idaspud, but nooooooo. I have a great relationship with my tyre fitters that would disappear quickly once they had to work on rims full of Ride On ( as much as I’d like to have an “auto” plugger :thumbup....I’ll stick to my Lamonster Balancers and credit card (with a plug kit in the frunk just in case)

Pete

Ride on is not like the fix a flat that tire changers hate. Ride on leaves a narrow band of sealant around the inside center of the tire, nothing is on the rim, no mess for the tire changers. Had several changes with ride on and have never had any complaints or extra charges. :thumbup:
Used fix a flat once and the tire guy wanted to shoot me.:yikes:

 

[jaherbst]

As soon as Joe got off his bike the screw in the tire was quite obvious.

Either Joe is reading the directions (men don't read directions) or he is making a homeless/help poster from a piece of cardboard in the picture. :joke:

​Jack

 

[jaherbst]

I would suggest that after plugging the flat the next stop be at a tire shop or dealer to have it fixed properly or replaced. Putting a patch on the inside of a

tubeless tire is recommended after you plug. This is a proper fix. Plugs do have a failure rate that I would not want to test.

Also if the nail/screw is within an inch/app. of the sidewall get the tire replaced. Tire shops will not fix a flat with this condition and recommend replacing

the tire. JFYI

Jack

 

[regor]

Fix a flat

We always carried a can of fix a flat atv riding. You can use it to air the tire, and a lot of times it would show you where the hole in your tire is. I can’t tell you how many tires I plugged for rookies out on the trail, sometimes miles from nowhere. We put 6 plugs in a friends tire, he rode the rest of the day with all 6 intact at the end of the day.

 

[RinconRyder]

....down the road to Page Utah that night.

Page is in AZ, not UT. It is just several miles south of the state line.

 

[trucker1]

I usually carry a air pump, plug kit and a spray bottle full of soapy water. Done this for years thankfully only had to fix a flat one time on a ride. And another time the valve stem was loose. Just tightened it up added some air and off again. Also keep a stem tool in the tool bag just in case.

 

[UtahPete]

We always carried a can of fix a flat atv riding. You can use it to air the tire, and a lot of times it would show you where the hole in your tire is. I can’t tell you how many tires I plugged for rookies out on the trail, sometimes miles from nowhere. We put 6 plugs in a friends tire, he rode the rest of the day with all 6 intact at the end of the day.

I've seen on other threads that knowledgeable people discourage use of fix a flat on high speed tires. I think it creates balance issues plus pretty much renders the tire useless for a permanent repair.

 

[UtahPete]

Never had to but I also have an RS... lots of viewing area. But I have found most times what made the hole is in the hole and fairly easy to spot. If it's raining you'll see bubbles...:roflblack: but to make life easier carry a scissor jack. :thumbup:

Do you carry a scissor jack? I hadn't considered that, but not a bad idea. That, or one of those small floor jacks HF sells.

 

[2dogs]

Check out youtube.......

There are approx. 6 thousand :roflblack: videos on this subject involving "fix-a-flat kits" and which is the best and how to use them. Check it out. As luck would have it I've only had one flat (that I remember) on a motorcycle tire and I was close enough to home to get it into the garage and fixed it by replacing the tire. About 10 years ago I was on my ATV trucking down a dirt road when I noticed this green stuff flying passed me through the air! It took me about fifty yards to figure out what was going on. This green stuff was green slime which I'd installed in all four tires. I'd gotten a nail in my rear tire and the slime was trying to plug the hole, but the nail on each turn of the tire would hit the ground and move and wouldn't allow the slime time enough to dry and plug the leak. I pulled the nail out and a few more bubbles of slime emerged and within about 30 seconds the leak was sealed. I've never repaired that puncture and it still holds air to this day. It's only about 5 psi. of course, but if it were on a higher pressured vehicle tire I'd replace the tire for a proper fix. Today I run with a green slime repair kit, including their mini compressor, along with the gummy strip(s) puncture repair kit all tucked away in my spyder. By the way, don't forget the rubber gloves and the plastic tarp and handy wipes. :thumbup:

 

[ahh-cool]

I had a blowout going 80 mph on the fl tpk. It tracked straight, no problem.
Only problem was the $500 tow bill.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

JACK

Do you carry a scissor jack? I hadn't considered that, but not a bad idea. That, or one of those small floor jacks HF sells.

:agree::agree::agree: .... I have one from a small car .... it's even Alumin , folds down to about 2 3/4 in. .... if you have a junk yard you can visit check them out .... you can probably get a dozen :roflblack: or so for cheap ....... Mike :thumbup: