I would be interested in how one goes about inserting a plug into a tubeless tyre. There are plugs and tools available for automobile tyres and plugs and tools available for MC tyres. What seems to work best for MC tyres? Does anyone have some good instructions?

Safety wise, I would never plug a MC tire. In a car, if you plug a tire and it doesn't hold and you lose it, you still have 3 good tires and better chances of not losing control. On a bike, because of how bike tires are designed with a rounded traction profile, the chances of the plug/patch/stem holding is less likely. It's about $150 or so for a new tire, how much would you pay not to lose control and potentially wipe out, possibly totaling the bike because you though a $10 plug was cheaper than a new tire?
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that may be true, but if you have a flat on the road in the middle of nowhere, how are you going to get that new tire installed? :)

that may be true, but if you have a flat on the road in the middle of nowhere, how are you going to get that new tire installed? :)
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that may be true, but if you have a flat on the road in the middle of nowhere, how are you going to get that new tire installed? :)

From an auto background, patches/plugs/stems are not designed nor meant to be used as a permanent solution. They're only temporary fixes. If you repair one in this manner, buy a new tire ASAP.
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again, that may be true (or not), but you still didn't answer Alex's original question. :)

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/What_can_I_do_if_I_get_a_flat_out_on_the_road%3F

don't know if this will help but...in my younger years i worked at NTB. plugging tires from the exterior is only viewed as a temporary fix, generally not to exceed 35 mph. the sticky plugs you find at an auto parts place can pull back out while riding on hot pavement. when plugging a tire its usually done with what we called a patch plug. it is a rubber nail-shaped plug with a patch on the head. you have to remove the tire from one side of the rim, sand down the area of the hole, apply tire glue, and pull it through to the outside of the tire so the patch seats on the rubber. if you get a flat on the road the temporary plugs and the co2 set-up is the easiest option. again, only use this as a temporary fix!!!

Check out this link:

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1347

There are some quick reviews of tire plug kits. I keep the stop-n-go pocket kit on one of my bikes, but I don't usually have a plug kit on board the ninjette; perhaps I should rethink that. I've had great success with the mushroom-type plugs in the stop-n-go kit, and have ridden thousands of miles with plugged tires. Depends on where the hole is in the tire to determine on whether it is more or less likely to be a reasonable fix. Nothing wrong with buying a new tire every time you get a puncture, but it can be terribly hard on the wallet, especially when it happens on a brand new tire (as it often seems to!) :)

It would take a lot to dislodge one of those Stop n' Go plugs. They are really well designed specificallyfor motorcycle tires. Stop being such a cheapskate and get another kit for the Ninjette, Alex. It's not like they're a big-ticket item that's going to stimulate the economy or anything. :rolleyes:

Stop being such a cheapskate and get another kit for the Ninjette, Alex.

:rotflmao: You're probably right. :thumbup:

One thing to note about the stop-n-go kits is that the mushrooms do dry up over time, and don't seal as well. It's not a bad idea to buy new mushroom plugs every couple years; stop-n-go sells plug replacements for almost nothing.

Alex, Thank you for the 'heads up" on Stop and Go. That`s the info I needed. Will stop at my LBS (Local Bike Shop) and order a kit as soon as he gets back from Daytona.

and what will you do to pump the air back up on the newer bike?

I don't think there's room for an onboard electric compressor on the ninjette, so I'll likely just get the stop-n-go kit with the CO2 cartridges. Those cartridges suck, and will not fully inflate just about any tire, but they can be enough to get you to the nearest gas station where you can use a normal air pump. And with any luck, one of the folks you may be riding with at the time may have a better solution to help air the tire back up.

have a buddy with pre gen in your group :D

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3548/3397888331_cec2747650_b.jpg

You sure are whoring out that picture :D

:D

and what will you do to pump the air back up on the newer bike?

I have a 12V compressor installed on board. I also have tyre irons in case I need them. I just needed a Heads Up on the plugs. I keep the compressor in my tank bag. The unit is built by Slime and is compact and light. It plugs into the same circuit as the Battery Tender. I use it all the time to check tyre pressure.

where do you hide it?

Guess you could always keep a couple sheet metal screws on your bike to use as plugs. Would be allot easier than plugging tire on the road. Hell most the time the screw or nail stays in you tire till you get home. Once thou, my tire was slashed by a piece of glass........ plug would not have helped.

I keep the plug kit in the camaro, as it has no spare :thumbup:

Guess you could always keep a couple sheet metal screws on your bike to use as plugs. Would be allot easier than plugging tire on the road. Hell most the time the screw or nail stays in you tire till you get home. Once thou, my tire was slashed by a piece of glass........ plug would not have helped.

I keep the plug kit in the camaro, as it has no spare :thumbup:

Your camaro has no spare? Why? Buy one:)

I think plugging a MC tire really depends on the senario.
It is a reasonable "permanent" fix.
I think it could be dangerous if it protrudes from the tire much though. I know they wear off but not right away. ya know.

Will a normal tire repair shop plug a tire or do we have to MC dealer? Bc I just found a screw in mines!!

Safety wise, I would never plug a MC tire.
An external plug is strictly a low-speed temporary measure to get you to the nearest safe place to do a repair.

I've seen some claims that an internal 'mushroom' plug is not safe, but I disagree strongly. I've used such internal plugs on several motorcycle tires that are otherwise near-new and low mileage. The plugs have worked just fine for literally many thousands of miles, and made absolutely no difference in handling, etc.

If I had a clean nail puncture in a tire that was less than half-worn I wouldn't hesitate to take it to a shop and have them do an internal plug. Once I get to the halfway point, then I'll spring the extra bucks for a new tire.

some shops won't do a repair due to liability.

Alex - does stop and go work as promised (inserting plug from the outside)?

It's always worked fine for me, the few times I had to use it. :thumbup: