Tire Repair and Inflation Kit

[markmartin]

 Any recommendations to which brand or kit is good?

[Pat Conlon]

I swear by (not at) the Stop and Go tire plugs. The have a mushroom cap which seals very well. I use the 16oz CO2 cartridges, 3 for the front 4 for the back. (wear your gloves, they get cold) I carry 8 cartridges and the kit at all times in my tank bag.
I tried a 12v plug in mini compressor but I ended up running my battery down. The 12v 's are fine on a water cooled bike where you can let the bike sit and idle while the compressor runs, but alas, not so on our air cooled engines. My 1350 needs all the juice it can get to start.

I was traveling late at night about 300 miles from home when I exited a dark off ramp and picked up a bunch of roofing tacks in my front and back tires, about 8 total if I recall, That kit was a pleasure to work with and got me home safe and sound.

Cheers!  Pat

[fj11.5]

8 punctures in one sitting,must be some sort of unlucky record, , ive carried a plug kit since november ,  but as yet no co2 or compressor,,  first puncture i ever got was the front tyre on my 125 honda,  way back when on L plates,  tubed tyre so instant jelly handling

[Pat Conlon]

I thought the same thing. I saw them too late and had to ride right thru them. Bugger. Stopping in the parking lot of the adjacent (closed) WalMart, I walked back to the off ramp and with my flashlight, I found a 1/2 empty box of nails which must have come off the back of someone's truck. I got all that I could find off the roadway, then put a call into the CHP on the hazard.
The plugs got me home but a set of perfectly good Pilot Powers were trashed.  

[fj11.5]

aww hell, kind of lucky it was only eight, at least you had somewhere to park off the road,, you probably save a lot of people new tyres that night,  a lot of guys would of just left the dam things on the road,  , shame it trashed new tyres though, always seems to happen on good tyres, ones near the wear marks that should get punctures never seem to

[Dan Filetti]

I also use a supply of the 16oz CO2 cartridges.  I think I'm in the minority here, but I could not get the Stop and Go system to work, to save my life.  There was a small nail in the very middle of the tread on the little Ninja last year should have been a piece of cake.  Having never used the kit, I read the instructions carefully.  Despite trying 4 times, the plug would not hold for very long.  I was frustrated and disappointing.

By contrast, the simple tar snakes (red seems to be best) work EVERY time.  I noticed a nail in the tire of my wife's car last year.  I used one of the red tar snakes to plug it and it worked a charm.  I saw it the other day, still holding just fine for at least 10K miles.  I had forgotten about it.

I guess I'm old school on this, but I did not like, and will not use again, the Stop and Go kit.  I still have the stop and go tools and plugs if someone wants 'em.  $10 plus shipping. Maybe you'll have better luck than I did.  Ping me if you do.

Dan     

[SlowOldGuy]

Well, despite Dan's unfortunate experience, I have nothing but praise for the Stop&Go kit.

I've used it successfully many times and even ridden on several S&G plugged tires until they wore out.  Always worked great for me.

Excellent tool for getting you back home in an emergency.  The kit allows installation of the plug with minimum loss of air.  So if you catch the tire before it's totally flat, you might not even need to carry a compressor.

DavidR.

[Pat Conlon]

Dan, when you inserted the plug and removed the tool, did you pull on the stem to seat the cap?

[Dan Filetti]

Dan, when you inserted the plug and removed the tool, did you pull on the stem to seat the cap?

Yup, as per the instructions, I tugged on it each of the 4 times, with progressively more force each time.  This was a bias ply tire so maybe that made it more difficult to use the Stop and Go mushrooms?  Maybe some of the cords had broken away internally and were preventing a good seal with the underside of the mushroom??

Either way, I don't think I'll try it again, as the only way to test it roadside, is to use your CO2 canisters, and I do not carry enough to fill more than one tire.

To each their own I guess. (Ted Kazinsky and I will remain firmly in the Luddite camp)...

Dan

[Pat Conlon]

I never tried it with bias ply tires.....do they still make bias ply tires for motorcycles? 

I noticed that with small finish nails, you have to open up the puncture by reaming  the hell out of the small puncture hole with the round file before you will even have a chance of getting the snout of the tool far enough into the tire carcass to insert the plug.

[FJmonkey]

In for a Penny, in for a pound eh?

[movenon]

Now I am really confused   

[Pat Conlon]

George, what Dan points out is that on small punctures, the small shank on the tool used on the rope type plugs, fits in the tire easier as opposed to the larger snout of the Stop and Go tool.
You've got to ream out the small puncture hole with the Stop and Go.
Also....on nails that go in at an angle, I think the rope type plug would work better.
I do carry both types of tools/plugs.

[movenon]

Got yea... I will start putting a kit together next this week.
I am thinking that with FJMONKEY'S new rear riding partner you could just hook an air chuck up to her and no need for CO2 cartridges.... Ref: the "No Shoes" post.... 
George

[yamaha fj rider]

Everybody wants that one size fits all answer but in the real world things don't work that way. I like Pat's answer two is better than one.

Kurt