Motorcycle tire repair out on the road, best kit?

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I have to admit this is one aspect of riding that intimidates me: Getting a flat out in the middle of no where while on the bike. I've never had it happen. Yet. What's worse, all I carry is the kit Ducati provided which has several CO2 cylinders to inflate with.

While back, read a comparo online of various kits and the one that used the mushroom style plugs was voted superior to something called sticky strings (?...) but the final analysis I think said having a few of each type on board was best. Even more important seems to be method of inflation. Some pumps are weak, some are strong.

Lastly, I think it would be ideal to be able to practice with a run out tire that's still mounted. puncture the thing and then take a shot at fixing it, in the controlled environment of your own garage or ideally at a instructional setting maybe some class put on by AMA or someone.

What sort of tire repair kit do you carry ?
 
6 of my friends and I took a trip from Iowa to California on bikes and one of the guys picked up a screw in the back tire and we pulled it out and used the sticky strings and we had a little compressor with us. He rode it all the way back to Iowa that way and it never lost any air. He just put a new tire on when we got back. Any kit is better than no kit. Just carry a compressor with you.
 
Does the Multistrada have tubeless or tube tires?

On my SV650, I keep a simple goofy string repair kit and a Motopumps pump that connects to my Battery Tender SAE connector.

Haven't had to use it yet but glad it's always there!
 
I carry the Stop & Go off road and a 12v compressor. On a bike, several cartridges make sense.
 
The Stop 'n Go kit is overpriced and overcomplicated for the job it needs to perform.

If there's anything that interferes with the expansion of the mushroom head inside the tire, it'll leak air. Plus, a small hole (from something like a small brad nail), will have to be reamed out and expanded to the size of a 16 penny nail, before you can even think about using the Stop N go kit to plug it.

I had a Stop N Go kit. Used it, saw the flaws, decided it wasn't worth what I had paid for it, and sold it to someone else. Now only carry sticky string repair kit, at a fraction of the cost.
 
What's the smallest yet fastest compressor to have on board? I don't trust CO2 cartridges.
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
What's the smallest yet fastest compressor to have on board? I don't trust CO2 cartridges.

I'd just get a mini hand pump for mountain bikes, some are two stage which will inflate a motor bike tire fast enough.
$10-30, small and light and it will probably work in 7 years when you need it.
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
What's the smallest yet fastest compressor to have on board? I don't trust CO2 cartridges.

Guys here get one from WM and remove the plastic cover and the cooling fan. Makes a package small enough to carry under some seats.
YMMV

Smoky
 
Smallest, lightest, fastest compressor I know of is the Motopump Airshot. http://www.motopumps.com/
canbus compatible, and at 4 amps won't blow your fuses.

Best repair kit I've used/carry is a Safety Seal auto/light truck tire repair kit. Two reasons: Safety Seal makes the best
"sticky rope" type plugs that just plain always work for me. Second reason: The auto/light truck tire kit comes with nice
stainless tools that will never break and insures you get the plug in straight right away with no bending or
re-do's. It's not always easy to get through the steel cords on bike tires...the Safety Seal tool will save you a lot of time and frustration...and save your hands. http://safetyseal.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=77
 
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Originally Posted By: JonfromCB
Smallest, lightest, fastest compressor I know of is the Motopump Airshot. http://www.motopumps.com/
canbus compatible, and at 4 amps won't blow your fuses.

Cool, I think I'll get that!

I carry a bicycle mini pump, but I hate trying to inflate a flat tire with one. I had looked at a few mini compressors but wasn't convinced. That one looks better.

I've had issues with mini pumps too. Key take away for me from those--check to make sure it's actually there, and check to make sure there's actually enough room to put it on the valve stem.

As far as tire repair kits, most of the gummy worm kits I see have t-handled tools. I expect those are easier to use on a reluctant puncture, but I carry kits with straight handled tools under my bike seats because they take less room.
 
The Motopump Airshot came today. Thanks JohnfromCB! I could well believe your description (smallest, lightest, fastest).

I partially deflated a tire and pumped it up. I replaced a bike minipump under one of my motorcycle seats with it. May get one for my other bike, but I've got a foot pump under the seat of that one, and I think it would be much easier to inflate a motorcycle tire with than the mini pump--though much easier with the compressor of course. Didn't have enough room to fit the foot pump under the seat of the bike that now has the compressor, but the compressor fits.
 
Its simple for me, I carry a can of fix a flat in my saddle bag.
I also carry tire plugs, cost less then $5 in any autoparts store or walmart. I also have a small 12 volt compressor though not needed as the "Fix a Flat" can will inflate the tire. No need for expensive CO2 cartridges.

Ps, keep my fingers crossed, never had a flat on a bike. I have repaired our car and truck tires MANY times over the years using plugs, takes a few minutes and your done for the life of the tire.

Dont overthink the mushroom plug thing, they are all good, after all, once you plug a bike tire, once you are done with your trip, you will be replacing it.
 
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Speak for yourself, dude. Unless the puncture is not fixable (like the one that ruined a brand-new Metzler on my wife's PC), I will be repairing the tire with a patch and running it until it wears out!
 
Ended up ordering an Aerostich Mini Compressor and some Nealey sticky plugs. No cement is used with the Nealey's (similar to Safety Seal) they are self-vulcanizing. The Nealey's also form a knot on the inside which the centrifugal force when you ride off flattens out to a sort of mushroom head type of deal on the inner wall of the tire. Probably more like a wad of bubble gum than a mushroom head but I like the concept that the inner wad of sticky rope flattens out some and vulcanizes to the inner wall making the whole repair [somewhat] similar to a patch-plug.
 
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