Tire Repair or Replace it...

[kbasa]

After my first 50 years in adjacent Sonoma County with numerous forays south, I cannot think of a single place where 80+ would not attract the ire of oaf-fishals.

Since the statue of limitations has long run out and I am protected by distance, I will confess to crossing that line A BUNCH of times in air-cooled Porsche 4-cylinders and a BSA 650 Thunderbolt cafe'.

I wholeheartedly agree with your main point. With 4-wheelers not nearly as much is riding on each tire's integrity. Nevertheless, I did not gamble on them either. On 2-wheelers, bargains are not clever, and false economy compared to the price of losing control only once.

It ain't a day on two or four wheels in a sporting way unless I hit the ton, eh? Chileno Valley, Hicks Valley; all those dairy roads are where you can play.

[PoorUB]

I am in the ride it camp, as long as the patch plug job looks good and went well. If you are unsure, then swap it out.

I have ridden thousands of miles on tires plugged with the cheap tire plugs, never had one fail.

I was visiting a buddy and he walked around mt motorcycle. He reached down with a pliers for the back tire. I stopped him and asked what he was ding? He was just about to pull a nail out of the back tire. I told him to leave in it as once it was pulled out I was stuck. I rode three mile to town and had a buddy at a tire shop plug it and rode it until it was bald.

Another time I was rolling my Harley out of the shop to go on a ride with some friends. I noticed it rolled hard and checked the air pressures and the rear was flat. I found a screw in it, rammed a rope plug in it and went for the ride. For the record, the tire was all but bald, maybe 1/32nd left. I had a new tire, but didn't have time to swap it out. I did after we got back.

[chrisinsc]

A properly plugged and patched tire is fine. I worry not at all. If you have tire sensors even better. If really worried put a little Slime or some of the white stuff for tubeless bicycle tires in the tire as well.

A proper patch becomes part of the tire. Look up vulcanization.

[GlobalRider]

I had the generous folks at the EAA in Oshkosh fix a front tire on my R100 GS many years ago and it lasted till the tire was worn out. It never lost air any faster that a tire generally would.

Not an issue at the posted speed limits. Now if I were tracking the bike, absolutely NO.

Some clown on the Porsche forum wanted to know if he can patch his tire and if it was OK for track use. One really has to wonder about the human race.

[Omega Man]

Some clown on the Porsche forum wanted to know if he can patch his tire and if it was OK for track use. One really has to wonder about the human race.

On the positive side, the person asked ahead of time.
OM

[GlobalRider]

On the positive side, the person asked ahead of time.
OM

Yeah he did, but like many on forums that already have their minds made up, he ended up repairing the tire and will take it to the track. Good thing I am not on the track with him.

[MedicMikey]

John,
As a fairly new member, I bought into the . BMW MOA platinum roadside assistance. I called my insurance companies road side assistance. It would take 3 hours to get to me. I was on a very busy state highway outside of Wickenberg, AZ. (About 50 miles outside of Phoenix). When I called the BMW MOA number for roadside repair, the contracted company couldn't find any of my MOA information. The customer service rep had me on hold for over an hour! Still nothing! When I called my local BMW dealership, they referred a towing company that could reach me in about an hour, the driver was even going to bring some extra bottles of cold water since it was above 90 degrees without shade.

I cancelled my platinum road side assist with BMW MOA and will just be a member as that experience was terrible. I just bought the bike from a dealer in Vegas and was riding it home to Scottsdale. Because I flew to Vegas, I didn't have my road side repair kit with me, my bike now has 2 tire inflation pumps and tire plugs.

I would think with a vast dealer network already in place, BMW MOA would look to its dealers first, then out source to a third party.

Thanks,
Mike
2018 R1200GSA, 2016 K1600GTE

A couple of years ago I discovered that I'd picked up a nail in a Dunlop RoadSmart III rear tire on my RT. The discovery came while my bike was sitting in my garage. I had purchased the BMW MOA Platinum Roadside assistance membership option which allows for two replacements of tires damaged by road hazards each year. It also allows for 100 miles of towing and overnight accommodations while the repairs are made.

In my case, I didn't have the need for the towing or the accommodations which can complicate the tire issue a lot it seems. In my case, the replacement of the tire went very smoothly. I wrote an article about my experience which appeared in the May 2021 issue of the ON.

Here are the present rates for the various types of membership in the MOA:

Attachment 89213

[MedicMikey]

All,
I agree that replacing the tire after you plugged it is the optimal solution. At 75mph, most of us have felt the wobble of a flat tire.
I just bought a used 2018 R1200GSA and had a nail, or something puncture my rear tire. The tire was plugged and I slowly road home to Phoenix from Vegas. I was about 75 miles from Phoenix and while I road home, I stayed below 60mph. Tire plugs work great as a TEMPORARY solution, I am going tomorrow to my BMW dealer and getting a pair of Dunlop TMM's installed. The "temporary" plug has kept the rear tire inflated for over a week now, but the knowledge of having a secure footing on the road is worth the price of a replacement tire. As riders, we need to be as aware as we can for the idiots that don't see a motorcycle on the road, and being sure footed is part of that.
Stay safe y'all,
Mike
2018 R1200GSA, 2016 K1600GTE

[BC1100S]

Tire plugs work great as a TEMPORARY solution......

One man's opinion.

Personally, I've never seen or heard of a properly plugged tire failing.

YMMV

[ExGMan]

John,
As a fairly new member, I bought into the . BMW MOA platinum roadside assistance. I called my insurance companies road side assistance. It would take 3 hours to get to me. I was on a very busy state highway outside of Wickenberg, AZ. (About 50 miles outside of Phoenix). When I called the BMW MOA number for roadside repair, the contracted company couldn't find any of my MOA information. The customer service rep had me on hold for over an hour! Still nothing! When I called my local BMW dealership, they referred a towing company that could reach me in about an hour, the driver was even going to bring some extra bottles of cold water since it was above 90 degrees without shade.

I cancelled my platinum road side assist with BMW MOA and will just be a member as that experience was terrible. I just bought the bike from a dealer in Vegas and was riding it home to Scottsdale. Because I flew to Vegas, I didn't have my road side repair kit with me, my bike now has 2 tire inflation pumps and tire plugs.

I would think with a vast dealer network already in place, BMW MOA would look to its dealers first, then out source to a third party.

Thanks,
Mike
2018 R1200GSA, 2016 K1600GTE

Mike - well, I'm certainly sorry to have read your tale of woe regarding the Platinum Roadside Assistance Plan. I think the intricacies and demands of the plan are substantial, and require MOA members to prepare for the eventuality of needing the plan's assistance. I'd suggest that any member of the MOA who has purchased the plan take a look at the requirements here: https://www.bmwmoa.org/page/roadside_restrictions There are many hoops through which to jump, telephone calls which have to be made, and documents and receipts which have to be submitted. I suggest that each member with the plan print out the PDF document which outlines the requirements, read it throughly, then put it into a water-tight envelope of some sort and store it in his/her tank bag or other protected location on the bike. Then, if any untoward event occurs, the member is aware of the needs of the plan, and has ready access to the various contacts which to be made.

I know that many members have made successful use of the plan, and it would work for you, should you choose to try it again.

[RIDERR1150GSADV]

To the OP, I'm in the ride it camp. If you took the time to actually patch it from the inside than this will last the life of the tire. I used the mushroom plugs on a friends bike and it lasted the life of the tire too. The trick with any repair is to make sure to use the proper procedure and if you feel bad about it, the do it again. It is like tying knots in lines, if the knot looks like poo it likely is a bad one..... YMMV

[mhigginbottom]

Mike - well, I'm certainly sorry to have read your tale of woe regarding the Platinum Roadside Assistance Plan. I think the intricacies and demands of the plan are substantial, and require MOA members to prepare for the eventuality of needing the plan's assistance. I'd suggest that any member of the MOA who has purchased the plan take a look at the requirements here: https://www.bmwmoa.org/page/roadside_restrictions There are many hoops through which to jump, telephone calls which have to be made, and documents and receipts which have to be submitted. I suggest that each member with the plan print out the PDF document which outlines the requirements, read it throughly, then put it into a water-tight envelope of some sort and store it in his/her tank bag or other protected location on the bike. Then, if any untoward event occurs, the member is aware of the needs of the plan, and has ready access to the various contacts which to be made.

I know that many members have made successful use of the plan, and it would work for you, should you choose to try it again.

This seems excessively onerous in the year 2022/2023. The underlying data is readily available to any reputable service provider. To me it sounds like a patch kit. Anonymous Book and dealer locator would be much more reliable ans cost effective than a BMW MOA roadside assistance plan.