Replace or repair?

**PrincessBandit** · 5th December 2009, 20:35

After reading dangerous's sticky on puncture repair kits it got me wondering about the replace or repair debate.

This weekend we had to, for the very first time, use the "dog turd" sticky plug to bung a small puncture in my rear tyre. (Tyre was down to 15 psi!!!)
Because we were at home at the time we used our foot operated pump rather than the canister to replace the air. The disgusting brown thing was excellent actually, and relatively easy to use.

What I'm now wondering is - do I take the tyre in to get it repaired, or should I just bite the weenie and buy a new one? Or does it depend entirely on the circumstances? (Probably the latter....)

Just asking.

p.s. royally brassed off about it as I'd only done 2000km on it!

**zahria** · 5th December 2009, 20:40

Originally Posted by PrincessBandit

After reading dangerous's sticky on puncture repair kits it got me wondering about the replace or repair debate.

This weekend we had to, for the very first time, use the "dog turd" sticky plug to bung a small puncture in my rear tyre. (Tyre was down to 15 psi!!!)
Because we were at home at the time we used our foot operated pump rather than the canister to replace the air. The disgusting brown thing was excellent actually, and relatively easy to use.

What I'm now wondering is - do I take the tyre in to get it repaired, or should I just bite the weenie and buy a new one? Or does it depend entirely on the circumstances? (Probably the latter....)

Just asking.

I took my bike to the local Honda shop, had a nail hole in the back tyre, and was told that they do not repair motorcycle tyres.
I bought a new one, and to be fair, I would probably replace it as a matter of course.
I quite like piece of mind. On my bike, they dont last long anyway...

**p.dath** · 5th December 2009, 20:44

A dog turd style repair (aka, plugged from outside of tyre) will fail a wof.

A proper repair place will fit a plug from the inside of the tyre. Should be safe enough. Your not planning on riding at 200km/h are you?

**ManDownUnder** · 5th December 2009, 21:05

Brand new rear tire (and a good one at that) suddenyl went flat on me on the way to work. I limped the distance to the neartest tire repairs place (at Westgate) where the full extent of the damage was revealed.

A gash - right through... about 50mm long? I was not happy.

They said not to worry they'd use their special thingies on it. Oval cross section ribbons, coated in sticky good, folded in half and shoved in while keeping air pressure in the tire. They must have stuck ... 8 or 10 in there... and finally the air stopped pissing out as fast as they were pumping it in.

I had to eventually replace the tire, but only when it didn't have enough tread to pass the warrant.

The patches were good for the life of the tire.

**The Stranger:Me** · 5th December 2009, 21:14

Would take it to a motorcycle tyre shop and seek their council.
If it's small, not cut a cord and repaired properly it should give no problem.
I have run one tyre for 8,000km on a good repair, but they said had a cord been cut they would have recommended replacing it.

Mishy here on KB knows a thing or 2 about tyres (I would hazard a guess few here would know more). It wouldn't hurt to seek his opinion if in doubt.

**YellowDog** · 5th December 2009, 21:16

Originally Posted by ManDownUnder

Brand new rear tire (and a good one at that) suddenyl went flat on me on the way to work. I limped the distance to the neartest tire repairs place (at Westgate) where the full extent of the damage was revealed.

A gash - right through... about 50mm long? I was not happy.

They said not to worry they'd use their special thingies on it. Oval cross section ribbons, coated in sticky good, folded in half and shoved in while keeping air pressure in the tire. They must have stuck ... 8 or 10 in there... and finally the air stopped pissing out as fast as they were pumping it in.

I had to eventually replace the tire, but only when it didn't have enough tread to pass the warrant.

The patches were good for the life of the tire.

That's good info.

If it's just for commuting, the a gash can be repaired however for regular blasts up the motorway, I wouldn't risk it.

It all depends upon the type of puncture. I have seen and had some excellent inside-out repairs that I would trust at any speed. Those were for nail goles and not up close to the tyre wall.

Take it in and get some advice.

If you've only done 2k on it.........

**gijoe1313** · 5th December 2009, 21:24

Take it into Drury tyres ... they'll do you a proper job ... when the same thing happened to me, they put a proper internal mushroom patch onto it and you're away again!

**ManDownUnder** · 5th December 2009, 21:48

Originally Posted by YellowDog

That's good info.

If it's just for commuting, the a gash can be repaired however for regular blasts up the motorway, I wouldn't risk it.

Mate - it was on the RF900 and it was my daily commute. Not track riding but there were a few moments where it was pushed along a bit

To confirm - it was Pitstop in Westgate I took it to. not a bike shop - they didn't even remove the wheel... just plugged it from the outside

**Toaster** · 5th December 2009, 22:16

Originally Posted by PrincessBandit

After reading dangerous's sticky on puncture repair kits it got me wondering about the replace or repair debate.

This weekend we had to, for the very first time, use the "dog turd" sticky plug to bung a small puncture in my rear tyre. (Tyre was down to 15 psi!!!)
Because we were at home at the time we used our foot operated pump rather than the canister to replace the air. The disgusting brown thing was excellent actually, and relatively easy to use.

What I'm now wondering is - do I take the tyre in to get it repaired, or should I just bite the weenie and buy a new one? Or does it depend entirely on the circumstances? (Probably the latter....)

Just asking.

p.s. royally brassed off about it as I'd only done 2000km on it!

Should be okay for a repair by the sounds of it.

Stop avoiding our Tuesday ride!!!

p.s. I am at home where I belong.... finally! May it all go well from here.

**oldguy** · 6th December 2009, 08:50

Ive used them, bloody handy when you get a puncher out in the middle of nowhere, easy to use, got me mobile so I could get home, just took it easy as they really only a temporary patch, but hay tyre was all good the next morning but still took it in to be repaired properly.
If tyre is non reparable, you would hope the bike shop would tell you.

**Pixie** · 6th December 2009, 09:23

I get punctures in about 80% of my rear tyres.

I've ridden 4000 km with dog turd repairs,but now that I have a tyre changing machine I put patches on the inside.

Last week I thought the bike was handling funny below 130 km/h and when I stopped it was veeery hot and melted on the edges. -Had a slow leak and had dropped to 17 psi

**Cheshire Cat** · 6th December 2009, 21:51

you just have to make sure they put it on properly and that theres no dirt what so ever between the rim and tyre or the pressure will keep going down

**Stone_Duck** · 8th December 2009, 20:21

Many factors come into this (but mainly $), After riding since 1983 I have always replaced punctured or split tyres, my personal opinon has been that it is cheap insurance when you have two contact patches the size of your palm, and I have parked up bikes until I could afford to replace them.

**Headbanger** · 21st December 2009, 20:45

Originally Posted by ManDownUnder

To confirm - it was Pitstop in Westgate I took it to. not a bike shop - they didn't even remove the wheel... just plugged it from the outside

Excellent to know, Now If their name ever comes up I can recommend people to stay well clear of them.

**ManDownUnder** · 21st December 2009, 22:32

Originally Posted by Headbanger

Excellent to know, Now If their name ever comes up I can recommend people to stay well clear of them.

Yeah the bastards gave me nothing but good service, fixed it up there and then, cheap as chips with a solutions that lasted the rest of the life of a new tire with no discernable performance degradation.