BMWMCON - Tech

I’ve put a lot of get-home miles on two tires that I plugged with the Stop and Go brand mushroom plugs without problems.  If the tire is steel belted, the steel can cut the mushroom plug and the tire can deflate on short order according to internet chatter.  At a national MOA rally several years ago, I asked the owner on Stop and Go if it was true about the steel belt complication and he responded that it was indeed a problem.  His advice was that if, when reaming the hole, the steel belt is felt, it’s best to use the cheap been-around-forever rubber-rope plugs with the cement.  

Take the whole wheel and tire and let somebody fix it

Thanks for all of the feedback. I’m going to wrestle the tire off and patch from the inside.

Great meeting you guys on Saturday.

I have repaired tire both ways: a plug and an inside patch. I've used the plug method when on a long ride days from home stuck on the side of a trail miles from anything. I've used the patch method (better method) when I went out to the garage to find a flat tire with a nail in it. Both punctures were small, round, and in the middle of the tread. Neither tire leaked.

I worried about the repairs until I forgot that I had done them. I remembered the repairs when I replaced the tires several thousands of miles later. Motorcycle tires wear out so quickly that the repair will out last the tire.

Two exceptions. 1. High speed use like racing or long, long highway rides at speed. 2. Any damage close to or on the sidewall.

Personally, I would inside patch the tire and try my best to wear it out. If I was headed for a two week ride out to California or the race track, I would replace it for peace of mind.

John Bowman

Hey, it might be a good idea to just go ahead and patch the tire. 

If you’re riding a modern bike with TPM, then a patch job isn’t so scary.  

As an experienced auto tech that advanced myself to Volvo service mgr. Patch from the  inside.  For a small hole that made visible damage to the core will be fine.   Bike tires are subjected different chewing and stressing. But my frt and rear tire patches on bikes have been fine   Just monitor tire pressure as I do. Regularly already. 

I have had a few motorcycle tires plugged from the inside that worked great and all was successful. Maybe start by calling the local motorcycle shops and ask if they can plug from the inside. We had a car tire shop in Bowling Green that did it for years but now out of business. 

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Assuming it is a tubules tire…its always best to replace the tire.  Tough to do with prices these days but most people will tell you that.   Tube type tires is a matter of replacing the tube.

Discovered a very small puncher in my relatively new Dunlap Trailmax rear tire. Could have been a staple. It’s in the middle of the tread and not the sidewall. Any thoughts on plugging the tire or should I replace. $300+ for a new Trailmax and $100 installation unless I do it myself.