Found a nail in my rear tire this morning, and the pressure was a bit low. I’ve topped it up and ridden cautiously into work, and the pressure hasn’t dropped again, but I’d like to get it sorted ASAP.

Anyone any advice on products to do this myself? I could take it to the shop, but I’d rather learn how to sort things out myself. It is bang in the middle of the tire, so no worries about sidewall damage. It’s also not likely to be taken to a track or absolutely thrashed at silly speeds, so I don’t really see the need to replace it. Your opinions may differ and I will gladly entertain them.

When you say you “don’t really see the need to replace it”…

Just asking what bike, what tyre, what do you use it for etc?

Motorbikes have 2 (small) contact patches with the road where cars have 4 much larger ones! It sounds and obvious thing to say but as far as I’m concerned a puncture repair on a motorbike tyre is only a “get you home” temporary fix until a new tyre can be fitted. But then both of my bikes have engines north of 1100cc and make well over 150bhp, so…

MT-07, used almost exclusively for commuting – 73bhp official, and I’m still new at all this, so it really doesn’t get pushed that hard.

I have read every single Internet Opinion on this, and they range from Replace Tire Immediately Or Die to Don’t Worry, A Plug Will Last As Long As The Tire. I guess the truth is somewhere between the two?

You can buy a kit similar to a MTB tubeless repair kit. Loads on eBay. I recently purchased a Sealed one. You would use this as an emergency get you home/to the tyre shop repair.
After that you can get an internal repair done, most likely at a tyre shop. Needs tyre removed and a plug and patch thing from the inside. There is a chart somewhere describing safe limits but basically one repair unless you are on a bike like mboys and you would then look at a new tyre.

Rema make a decent barbed plug kit. It’s advertised as a get you home device, but in reality will last much, much longer.

I’ve also known people cut up those mini compressors and store one under their seat.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F161577023048

Fwiw, I recently got a puncture, got a proper repair and was confident in it but it looks like it has given up the ghost. It’ll be a new tyre now or in fact a pair as I’ve now worked out the tyres are quite old.

years ago I had a rear tyre on a ZXR400 plugged and patched.

They effectively cleaned out the hole made by a screw I’d picked up, the plug and patch were 1 piece and the plug got pushed through the hole and it was all coated in some glue basically so it all bonded together. The plug then proceeded to survive the remaining life of the tyre including a few track days.

As I recall I dropped the wheel off and then picked it up again the next day so no idea if the resin/glue needed time to go off or it could be done as a drive in/ drive out job.

Was doing a trackday at knockhill a few years ago, a couple of miles before I got to the circuit I got a puncture. A boyo in the garage there said he could repair it for me. I went off to sign up for the day and the puncture was patched when I got back. Managed to do the trackday and ride home on it, patch lasted the tyre life

Take it to a tyre shop and get them to plug it correctly, they’ll take the tyre off and the plug is inserted from inside. Shouldn’t cost much more than 20 quid. That will be good for the lifetime of the tyre. Its the same process for car tyres.

Any plug inserted from the outside might not last as long, don’t do it yourself unless it’s a temporary repair.

Take it to a dealer and have it done properly. Have you got the equipment to remove a tyre? It’s not the easiest thing to do. Breaking the bead is one thing, getting it off the rim, even with big tyre irons is damn hard. Getting it to seal on refitting takes it to a whole new level.

Never again!

As others have said,just take it to a dealers.
I got a tyre plugged years ago on my FZ750,I was wary at first but I had no problems whatsoever & the bike was ridden ‘enthusiastically’.
These days I use tyre sealant in the tyres & have this under the seat
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/101778

Have plugged it from the outside with a single bacon strip, and have run it for a couple of weeks. No air loss yet, but I’m keeping a close eye.

I’m glad I did – it was a useful rehearsal for having to fix a flat in the rain by the side of a B-road somewhere.

Reminds me when I had my VFR750, went for a first ride of the year and felt like a couldn’t corner at all, bike just wouldn’t hold a line. Didn’t realise you could get that rusty after a few months off. Got home and checked the tyre pressure, rear was at 4psi..

In case anyone was worried (I’m certain you were), this is all still fine and I am Not Dead. It has lost maybe 2 psi in 2 weeks.

THIS is the kit I used. Very easy process.

I’ve done trackdays on properly repaired tyres without giving it a second though.
Two things though – the longer you ride it with the nail in the greater the chance of carcass damage which could result in structural tyre failure – very dangerous. Secondly the kit you have used is very much a get you to somewhere where it can be repaired properly type of thing. By properly I mean a mushroom shaped plug inserted from the back so the tyre has to come off to do it.
Having said all that assuming there is no structural damage the worst that will happen is the temporary plug comes out and the tyre goes down again. But as you enlarged the hole to get the plug in it’ll go down rather quickly – lets hope its not in the middle of a nice long fast bend when it happens!

I know this is an old thread but the little strips are only meant for a temporary repair and at reduced speed running. You should really get it plugged from the inside properly.

Yeah, plugged from the inside is a proper job. Insert from the outside is far less ‘proper’, though some are better than others

More interestingly, if you were doing it on a trip, and tried to plug it, how are you planning to reinflate the tyre?

More interestingly, if you were doing it on a trip, and tried to plug it, how are you planning to reinflate the tyre?

Enough CO2 cartridges to make it rideable, then VERY SLOWLY find the nearest air hose.