puncture kits when on road trips ?

[ukjules]

I was wondering when on long road trips abroad how
Is best to deal with punctures ?
Yes aa cover is one way but what is the best product
When eight out in the sticks ?

Is there a can inflater ?
Does it render the tyre useless after ?

[Buffalo Bill]

I've put 4 plugs in my left rear car tire. The rubber soaked rope type.
I wonder if those will work with bike tires, bias ply and radial?
I should say those 4 car punctures were: 2 drywall screws, one 6mm bolt and the end of a round file.
Probably from the contractor parking lot at Lowe's and my garage.

[tom203]

I carry one of those rope kits as insurance ,plus a small compressor. So far, never had to use either.

[bwringer]

Agreed -- the "sticky string" type repairs work quite well in tubeless motorcycle tires.

This is the best of the type -- Nealey kits are installed a bit differently than most, and they work beautifully, especially in oddball or off-angle punctures that give trouble with normal sticky strings. Plus they come in a nice little container that tucks into your kit easily.
http://www.tirerepairkit.com/whichkit.htm (You want the mini kit.)

For air, you can't beat a compact electric compressor. The "Slime" brand pump is most common and available almost anywhere. There are far more expensive alternatives from Aerostich and BestRest if you feel like spending some serious cash. My Slime pump has never let me down -- I do replace it every year or two (they're less than $20 at any Walmart or Meijer).


Some common, but flawed alternatives:
- "Stop-n-Go" tire plugging kit (this is the one that squeezes little rubber mushrooms into the tire). Useless, bordering on fraudulent. Dangerous garbage. In motorcycle tires, the rubber plugs work themselves out in a few miles. Basically, the tire seems to cut them in two and they pop out. Following a flat 30 miles from home, I finally arrived back home with four plugs bouncing around the inside of the tire and the fifth leaking badly.

- CO2 cartridge inflators - nearly useless. Seems like a good idea, until you realize that it takes at least four cartridges to get a skinny vintage bike tire to a somewhat rideable pressure. And if you have more than one flat (it's common for objects like nails to be found together, or for staples to make double punctures), or if your repair leaks, you're stuck unless you carry a large box of cartridges.


For tubed tires, you'll need to add tire irons, spare tubes (yes, one for each tubed tire -- there's an old dirtbiker's myth that you can use a front tube in the rear temporarily, but this never works for more than a few miles). Add a small tube patch kit as a "Plan B".

[dorkburger]

Hmmmm. bwringer, you have many, many more miles ridden then me, so I trust what you say.
I do however and embarrassingly still have one of those stop n go mushroom plugs in my rear tire.
It was all that was available when I picked up a drywall screw in Maryland. I didnt use the co2 though. I had the convenience of installing it at a convenience store air pump-the screw was only leaking slowly. I had no problems installing it.
It now has about 1500 miles on it. And yes, I need to change that tire.

[Buffalo Bill]

Dorkburger once posted a pic of his stripped down tire inflater pump. They come with a big plastic body and plug into the cigarette lighter.
Just cut all that plastic off and you have a rather small electric air pump no bigger than a water bottle.
I have one just like it.

[TxGSrider]

I've been carrying around a Dynaplug http://www.dynaplug.com/ kit for a couple years and actually had to use it a week or so ago when I removed a screw from my tire. It was the easiest repair Ive ever made but I don't think it would work well on a larger hole. Just push it in and pull it out and it seals.
On my ATVs I use the sticky plugs that come in a kit... and we have patched some huge gashes with those (we used 18 on one gash and we rode 2 more days like that- lol).

[fastbysuzuki]

In the uk
BSAU159f states that no repairs are allowed in the sidewalls (these flex continuously and a repair is likely to fail), and the standard says repairs are not allowed on high speed Z-rated tyres.
It says a tyre must be inspected by an expert for secondary damage (a nail which punctures the tread might also damage the sidewall inside), run-flat damage (determined by a darkened or marbled appearance inside the sidewall), exposed cords and so on.
Michelin, however, is the only manufacturer that recommends that its Z rated tyres can be repaired in accordance with the previous BSAU159e.
Repairs can only be made in the centre of the tread area, to within 25% of each side of the centre line.
Only two repairs per tyre are allowed up to the J (62mph) speed rating, and one up to the V (over 130mph with 155mph maximum) speed rating. Up to the J rating, repairs no bigger than 6mm are allowed, and up to the V rating only up to 3mm is allowed.

All repairs must be carried out with a mushroom-type plug, which fits into the puncture hole from the inside and bonds with the tyre by vulcanisation.
Anything else and the BS says the tyre must be chucked. If your tyre repairer says the same and quotes similar reasons, he’s being honest.

[GS1150Pilot]

I always travel with one of the sticky rope kits in my bags and had to use one a couple of years ago when I was about 500 miles from home. It held up extremely well, and I didn't change the tire until another 2000 miles had passed.

[1948man]

Will the slime compressor drain a motorcycle battery or is some other method of powering it recommended?

[GS1150Pilot]

I've only ever used the large CO2 inflators.

[bigsixman]

I have a Dynaplug plug kit and small 12v compressor. I have not had to use it yet, but it sure makes me feel better when I head out on a long drive or trip.

A good friend of mine used to put 12-15 thousand miles a year on his bikes and he told me that he only had to get caught once without a tire patch kit before he purchased one.

[ukjules]

Many thanks for info.
I don't need one yet but I'm on a road trip now 700 miles in
and broke down with another issue.
I realise one puncture too could cause serious issues !

So it's a dynaplug I'll get but
where do I get the sticky rope thing in UK ?
The nealey one suggested ?
Is there one on eBay I can nab ?

Cheers

[tatu]

Just carry a couple of spare tubes with a puncture repair outfit and a bicycle pump.
My GS used tubed type and I used to go all over including the Sahara, my bike pump use to cable tie under the tank together with the tyre levers but will go just about anywhere. I never needed them myself but helped others a couple of times.

[ukjules]

I don't know madly if I have tubeless tyres or not ...
Like your method though as when way out , I am stuck in Holland at mo
You need anything to get going.

Are the tyres easy to get off and on then with levers ?
Think I'll use your method but carry the others
Sticky rope method too.