Looking for advice from seasoned long distance cruisers. We are planning a cross US trip (ME to West Coast and back) next year. There will two of us, each on our own Softail. I have many questions but my foremost question today is whether it is worthwhile to bring a small portable compressor? Also, should we pack a tire repair kit and if so what type? We have tubeless tires. Having done a 4 week trip in Atlantic Canada we found getting our tires topped off at the beginning of the day somewhat problematic as there was often not a gas station close by. I can only guess that it will be the same as we head West. Are the tire repair kits practical? Can one really repair a flat at the side fo the road with such kits?

 

Tubeless tires only need to be plugged and then aired up to get you to a repair shop or replacement. Since there will be 2 of you together the cost and space considerations can be split up. As for the brand or type of repair gear you buy, you are on your own, everyone has a favorite.
WUZFUZ

 

Welcome to the forum!

To your questions...with a few hundred thousand miles under my belt, I have never had the need for a portable compressor.

While I appreciate your desire to keep tires properly inflated, I have always been able to find someplace that had an air hose. Be it a gas station, repair shop, fire station, and even someone's home. I've ridden many, many miles through the upper mid-west without problems. Some great people out there that will help you out as long as you're not being a butt.

As a side note, I never check air pressure unless I have a working air hose nearby. More then once I've seen guys check tires only to loose so much air that it was not too safe to ride.

Now maybe those places were not always readily available first thing each day, but I did keep track of my air pressures even after the tires were well warmed from riding. So if I needed to check/add air on the road, I knew the pressure differences between cold and hot.

As to carrying a tire kit...I do have one of the plug kind. It's a small kit with a few plugs, plug tool, glue, and a couple CO2 bottles.

I have never had to use it but did have an occasion that another rider hit a screw at an angle causing a slow leak. We pulled into a service station, checked for and found a working air hose, removed the screw, and plugged the tire.

FWIW, many tire failures are the result of lack of maintenance (pressure checks). And once they go flat, most portable compressors or plug kits will not get the bike back in service.

Good luck and enjoy your ride! Planning on another trip out there next year myself.

 

Well good for Pine Tree...A few hundred thousand miles and never needed a compressor.I just dont feel that lucky and carry one just in case.Slime sells a nice small one and if you do a search on the forum you will find more options.There is also a few different kind of plugs out there and you will find pros and cons to most of them but i have heard very good things about the "Mushroom" type.As far as repair a tire on the side of the road is absolutely and that being said you will also get opinions on wether to fix as fast as you can to some that will ride the plug to they need a new tire. Good for you for wanting to check your pressure daily...it can give you a early warning of a problem down the road... Happy Trails... :-)

 

I carry a small compressor called "Slime" with some automotive tubless tire repair strips and glue. Have used it on a nail holes with sucess but some things can't be fixed.

 

Great replies - thanks guys! Totally agree with you, Pine Tree, that often checking pressures results in loss of air so I hate checking if there is no easy means of topping off. Having said that I do prefer to check pressures with a cold tire so I have a fairly constant baseline (although I believe ambient temps make a difference). I will check out the "slime" compressor. Sounds like a tire repair kit also gets the thumbs up to bring along.

 

I would think about the tire repair kit and the CO2 bottles, but not a compressor. Space on a trip like that will be at a premium.

 

Luck has nothing to do with it.

Never needed a compressor, never had the desire to own one, and only once watched another rider use one. That rider drained his battery and, along with a flat tire, ended up with a dead battery.

Like the OP suggested, I too pay attention to my tires and the bike in general.

Yes, I have ridden with others that seem to have more then their fair share of problems. But in most cases, it simply boiled down to a real lack of preventative maintenance, attention, or just poor understanding of basic mechanical principles.

 

I carry a small compressor and a tire plug kit.
It plugs into an accessory port I have wired from the battery.
My battery never goes dead because I run the bike anytime something is plugged into it.

I maintain my bike myself and at any time it is started it is ready for a long run. But, I haven't had Pinetree's good luck. I have had flat tires on the road (nails, bolts and other shat happens). The last time really sucked because it was raining. Nothing to do but get wet and fix the tire on the side of the road.

On long runs, I also carry a pretty complete tool kit. Once you are out west, it is a long way between towns and gas stations and you can be out of cell range. If it breaks, you gotta fix it... I worked on a buddy's bike 2 years ago in the dirt at Sturgis.

 

Make some trips
My HOG premium plan is a great tool , never once had to use it but someday it gong to pay. 50 bucks a year for all it has Cheap.
One of these days I going to call 1 800 come get it while I shack up in a nice motel.
Basic fold up HD tool kit , Bike just not something that breaks down. Other than tightening a loose mirror or something like that I just not need it on the road for some time now.