I must have been lucky as after almost 40 years of riding, I got my 1st flat on a tubeless rim. Unfortunately the tire is new with only 500 miles use. Cost of tires has me questioning my next step.

Walked out as usual after work and started to leave and noticed the rear tire was almost flat. Rode across the street to the tire store that refused to plug it but offered their tools and a plug to fill the hole left by a #10x1.5 screw. I plugged the tire, filled it up and went on my way. In all my previous experiences with flat tires I had spoke rims and a tube. For those I either replaced a worn tire or plugged booted and put a new tube in a good tire. Now this flat was on a tubeless rim, tire was new and my plug is still holding air this morning as i rode it back to work.

Does anybody have any experience they want to share about trusting a plugged rear tire?

I

 

Lots of opinions/experience about running a plugged tire on here. It's a personal choice. In a car, no hesitation at to run a plugged tire. On a bike you only have the two tires seperating you from the pavement. I have been in your position before and for me it was an easy decision.....New Tire. My life and my wife's life are worth a whole bunch more than the cost of a new tire.

 

agreed^

 

Yep. ... Can get into a serious argument much like oil, helmets and armor.

My philosophy .. If the tires integrity is impeded in any way, it goes in the garbage.

 

I have an appointment Sat am to get my new tire replaced. Asked the dealer if he would consider booting and balancing, he said no as they have had mixed results. As stated above nobody life is not worth spending the $415 to replace the plugged tire.

Rode it home from work that day then back and forth 2 days. Every trip I was asking myself if it was safe. I'll make 1 more ride to the dealership Saturday then home with a new tire and peace of mind.

 

Hello Scrmnvtwins,
Did the dealer want to replace the tire? I just got a screw in my tire but it didn't go through the tire and now I am wondering how safe it is. So I was wondering what they said?
Thanks for the info,
Josh

 

I use ride on tire balancing and sealer, if it happens to me I will plug and ride. Ride on will seal that hole no problems.

 

With friends over the weekend and one of them had a slow puncture in his rear tyre. One can make a joke about how many of us it took to fix and plug it, having the good fortune to have got to our hotel for the night, but replacement at the time was out of the question. I would have no hesitation with using a plugged tyre, although would prefer to have it vulcanised asap.

 

All, My dealer stated that Dunlop is 1 of a few tire manufacturers that approves of plugging a tire in an emergency situation to get you home. They also said that was because the tire carcass has the thickness to support and hold a plug in a tire not worn below the minimum tread indicators. My dealer stated they no longer plug tires because they have had mixed results. They offered to trim my plug and boot the inside and install a tube in my tubeless tire for $100 but reminded me if I got another screw the tubed tubeless tire would not be pluggable and i would be stuck where I was.

For that reason I chose to discard my new plugged tire and install a new tire that can be plugged if necessary to get me home in the future. Time is money and I really had less than 30 minutes in plugging and going with the flat and assume that would be much faster than waiting on the HOG trailer and transport to the nearest dealership.

As for the goo options.... I have disassembled many tractor tires with goo finding it difficult to clean up the mess. For that reason I did not use the goo.

 

Every time I have had my tire changed with the ride on gel, it was all concentrated to the contact area, none on the rim, I asked the tech if it caused him trouble and always they say, no issues whatsoever. I was curious if it was a mess .