Originally Posted by soft 02

You can only run mis matched tires if you use Nitrogen in them. Read that on the internet so it must be true.

Originally Posted by LA VIC

The reason I ask is I've personally plugged at least 10 tires in the last 20 years of riding and never had an issue.

Originally Posted by ElectraGlideSteve

Dam where do you ride?
I've been riding almost 50 years and hundreds of thousands of miles and never had a flat or puncture on one of my bikes.
In fact, I don't think I've had a flat tire on a car in 25 years.
Just lucky I guess....now I've probably jinxed myself.

Originally Posted by Uncle Larry

I posted earlier in the thread ... FWIW ... Have any of you ever seen a tire come apart on a scooter on the road at speed? While many of you have "successfully" plugged a tire, I can tell you that I have a friend who had his wife on the back and the tire ( a plugged tire ) "let go" at speed on I-75 and the results were quite exciting. Fortunately they were not hurt but Fruit of the Loom made some money that afternoon!

Originally Posted by foxtrapper

It's not a glib or simple answer. I've plugged and patched many a tire myself. Motorcycle, car, truck, tractor, etc. High pressure, low pressure, high rpm or low, high flex, low flex, etc. Not all repairs work, and sometimes the repair isn't a failure but is a problematic band-aid, prone to leaking or such.

Motorcycle tire failure was a typical nail hole. Do not remember the angularity of penetration, but I think there was something unseemly about the damage. Rope cored plug. This was one that would never stay solidly in place. The plug would gradually wiggle its way out. Hole was in between the tread block as I recall. Tried red and black plugs, worked on attempting to knot the cord on the inside of the carcass. Regardless, the plug would invariably work its way out. Money was an issue at the time, so I would monitor the plug and replace it every few months.

It's not the only failure I've had with plugging tires. Many don't set well in the hole, as they are not designed to dry hard. Flexing of the tire carcass and higher pressure seems to help work them out.

I've also found them to be prone to slow leakage of air, and in a few cases, air works its way between the laminate layers of the carcass, leading to air bubbling or blistering.

In my experience, I've found the corded plugs to be superior to the solid rubber plugs. They are easier to install, require a smaller reamed hole, are less prone to breakage on insertion, and less likely to blow out in service.

I do not fear plugging tires, but I recognize their limitations. They are not a do all be all end all repair for a penetrated tire. They can work for long term repairs, but are not really well suited for it.

I have never installed a boot plug myself, that I can recall. I've seen it done and used tires that have had this repair performed. This is the type of repair I would consider an effective repair, generally speaking. I have never seen it done to a motorcycle tire.

I've also stitched tires. Ag/industrial applications only. Interesting, can be long term effective, and requires the use of an inner tube after the repair.

Originally Posted by Dark lo

you can do it as I did myself on my old FBlo with the intension that i was going to purchased a tire. i never did and sold the bike. I rode about 300 or more miles with no issues.