Flat Tire woes

[Flashfire65]

So depressed :YMSIGH: ....I come home from a long weekend away. All I want to do is take a nice ride to clear my head. Low and behold, I notice I have a flat rear tire when I walk into the garage. Upon further investigation, I find a screw in the tire. The worst part is I just replaced this tire late in the fall. My question is how much should this cost me to have repaired? (approximately) I know the local Honda shop raked me over the coals to put the new tire on. They actually charged me $80 extra because I have a tow hitch on the bike.... :evil: I mean seriously, $80 to remove a couple nuts and bolts?
Any info will be greatly appreciated.

[unionjack]

So what if you have a tow hitch, no need to remove it!

Just lift the bike and drop the wheel out underneath it, you can pull the wheel yourself too, just remove the lower shock bolts, then pushing the shocks backwards lift the rear wheel and remove the axle bolt above the exhaust, now lower the wheel and drop it out under the bike.
If you lift the bike this is easy enough, although another option is to lay the bike down on the right crash bars and then extend the center stand to lift the wheel 1" off the floor.
Your tire can be plugged from the outside in an emergency, but a permanent patch/plug combo should be installed from the inside out by a shop asap, these patch/plug combos do not ever fail.

[Roleketu]

If you want to fix the tire, get the Stop N Go tire plugger kit. $32 plus shipping. I carry this in the Wing. Tire and wheel removal not necessary.

[seabee]

That's a nice repair kit. I use the plug/patch to repair tires. While I have used regular plugs in a truck tire when off roading I never used them for a bike tire. This kit is very similar to the regular plug/patch and is a better choice than a regular plug. Thanks for the info on it.

[Flashfire65]

Thanks guys for the advice. I agree with you Union, why worry about the tow hitch. I actually argued with the shop but they said that they are always in the way to remove the tire. I said okay I can accept this but an extra $80???
I would definitely do this repair myself but I have no lift and I am recovering from a severe back injury. The doctors even told me not to ride...hahahaha, like that will happen...lol :-J

[unionjack]

If laying the bike down on the right side is not an option you can also park the bike on it's center stand up on a block/high curb and then picot it until the rear wheel is out over the edge and then drop it out from under the bike.

[85GL1200I]

I have the Stop n Go plugger, last year I plugged a front tire and in 2 weeks it didn't lose any air. Put a new tire on because it was the front, and because the old one was pretty worn.

I called Stop n Go and talked to the owner of the company. He rides a wing. He told me that officially the plugger is for temporary repairs only. But he did go so far as to say that guys with non steel belted tires have ridden many miles with a plugged tire. Apparently the steel belts cut into the plugs.

Those plugs are mushroom shaped, once it's in it's not coming back out. I think everybody should carry one.

[Flashfire65]

This just gets better and better. Just got off the phone with the Honda shop, they do NOT repair tires. They only replace tires. I said this tire is only 6 months old but they don't care. Now it looks like I am going to have to try to accomplish this on my own.

[bs175dths]

... the shop will not repair the tire because it is a liability issue.
Some car tires can't be plugged because of the location or size of the puncture.
Some car tires can't be patched from the inside because of the location of the puncture.

I know it hurts (in the wallet) but if it were me, I would replace the tire altogether.
Remember, our bikes have two tires and if one goes down, we may go down, and I just wouldn't risk it.
I have my wife, four children and tomorrows ride all to take into consideration.

My $.02 is replace the tire (take it off yourself and sove some $$), service the splines (save some $$) and get that much more intimate with your bike!
(of course you can save $80 be removing the trailer hitch)

-Ride On

[admin]

In my experience I have seen a properly repaired hole in a tire successfully repaired by using a plug to get you home, then once home you remove the tire and properly patch the area over the plug with a vulcanyzing patch and it lasted for years. I would never just rely on a plug alone as it could blow out and cause you a serious problem at high speed. I would not trust a tire with 2 puncture areas and would replace the tire just to be safe.

[KnoxSwift]

Here's a question for all of you...I too am having Tire woes. Tire with 2K on it flat due to a shard of metal. Plug doesn't seem to seal it well. Still a slow leak.

SO...being these tires are so new, I'm a bit pissed and low on funds.

Has anyone repaired a GL1200 tire with a TUBE? Anyone one know the pro's/Con's of running a tube in our rims?