Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Nail in rear tire.

I noticed a nail in my rear tire when I got home.
It looks like a roofing nail.
It has about a 5/16 head.
The tire has not lost any air in the 3 hours I have been home.
I put over a 150 miles on the bike today.
I also smoked a 2005 1200 Sportster.
Kinda a stupid to be doing that when I am almost 60.
I am going to pull the nail out & put a plug in it if leaks.
My question is,if it doesnt leak will I be ok?
If it does leak will I be ok with the plug?
I have used them on car tires with no problems.
The tire is in good shape otherwise<2200 miles>.
A little off the subject,I have the Thunderpipes on.
I can really feel the difference.

Hiya Pat
Stoopid question coming up but is that a yellow and black Speedy?
If it is, then you obviously have no inner tube so, if the tyre, sorry, tire doesn't go down, I wouldn't worry.

Over here, if it's a roofing felt nail, it won't be too long but if it's a galvanised 'clout' nail, it may be long enough to cause a flat.

I'm no expert but I wouldn't have thought a plug repair will cause any problems to the tyre - providing it's not too near the wall.

Either way, good luck.

As for smoking the Harl*y? you really should know better at your age
Bloody good fun though eh?

Thanks for replying.
It is a Yellow & Black Speedmaster.
Thanks again.

Most roofing nails are rather short. Take a careful look at it and the position it's in. If it's short enough and angled right so that it didn't penetrate through the rubber into the cords, the damage is probably negligable.
If it did reach the cord, there is about an even chance whether the tire has had enough damage to be dangerous. At any rate, if it holds air with the nail removed, it should be safe enough to ride at what regular people would consider "normal" street speeds to the tire shop.

TBike pipes are nice, eh?
As to the nail, from what I've read, motorcycle tires are not to be trifled with. Plugs are not recommended. Eventually, the tire will begin to weaken and fail. Plugs work on car tires but with the small contact patch of a motorcycle tire and the fact that there are only 2 of them they see a lot more stress, especially in curves.

I,ve had tyres plugged a couple of times ,always had the work done at the tyreshop and i,ve never had any problems at a later stage(touch wood),Good luck.

Moe,
Man all them nails you pick up.
Oh wait, a nail in a tire that's not moe's?? Waht a new concept.

Welcome other Pat though. I would say if you pull it out and it leaks, buy a new tire, but then again I would try a patch/plug myself first. But I'm rather reckless. Or would that be wreck-less?

My local dealer has a large volumn tire tire business. I know he plugs tires with nail holes. Recently saw him plug a Rocket rear tire.

Here's what Dunlop has to say about tire repair from their web site;

Can I Have My Motorcycle Tires Repaired?
Some punctures in motorcycle tires can be repaired if no other damage is present. Dunlop recommends only individual permanent plug-patch repairs of small tread area punctures from within the demounted tire by a qualified tire repair shop or motorcycle dealer. Never perform an exterior repair and never use an inner tube as a substitute for a proper repair. Your bike should not exceed 50 mph for the first 24 hours after the repair and the repaired tire should never be used over 80 mph. Dunlop speed ratings are voided by repairs.

No form of temporary repair should be attempted because secondary damage caused by the penetrating object may not be detected and tire or tube deflation may occur at a later date.

Dunlop does not recommend the use of liquid sealants. These are a form of temporary repair which may adversely affect ply material and mask secondary damage caused by the penetrating object. Reliance upon sealants can result in sudden tire failure and accident.

.. I wonder how much of that is to cover their arse .. ?

I think a patch from the inside is the only way I'd go... and then it would only be until I could get the tire replaced. You only get a couple of inches of contact patch with a motorcycle and you need the best rubber you can get. A patch or a plug would probably go you until the end of the tread life, but man, what if it doesn't?

And as for the gooey stuff, I put Ride-On in the tubes just for grins

I pulled the nail out this morning.
It was 2in long.
I called 3 different shops.
They said they would plug it.
I have faith in 2 out of the 3 shops I called.
I plugged it with out removing the tire.
I put 90 miles on it since.
It seems fine.
I am still a little nervous about it,but I think I will leave it alone for a while.
I bought a emergency tire repair kit today.
If it was a front tire there would be no question,I would buy a new tire.
Had a front tire go on me about 30 yrs ago on a BSA.
I almost lost it.
Thanks for all the replies.
I will keep you posted.

Hiya mate
As I thought, a roofing nail (over here anyway) is between 35-50mm (1½" - 2") long.
Keep an eye on it and take it easy.
Leave those Harl*ys alone ..
As has already been said, with two wheels, things get .. interesting .. if either goes.

I wouldn't want to lose either (though I've lost the rear for other reasons ... ).

Be good mate

I put about 250 miles on the repair so far.
Have not lost any air yet.
If I decide to replace the tire,how hard is the rear tire on a Speedmaster to remove?

dowop,

So you plugged it with out removing the tire?


You should remove the tire from the rim to inspect the inside surfaces of the tire.
When you’re riding, keep in mind that a plug is a temporary fix to get your bike to a shop to permanently repair or replace the tire. Slow down, and don’t ride any faster than you’re willing to crash.

-Repairs of all tires (radial and non-radial) must be of the plug and inside patch type. Using plugs alone on any type of tire is not a safe repair.
-Any tire repair done without removing the tire from the rim is improper.


A tire's speed rating is void if the tire is repaired, retreaded, damaged or abused, or otherwise altered from its original condition. Thereafter, it should be treated as a non-speed-rated tire.

Speed should not exceed 50 mph (80kph) in the first 24 hours after a repair is made and the properly repaired tire should never be used at speeds above 80 mph (128 kph).

So how do I feel about plugging a motorsickle tire? Well, I wouldn't want to ride next to you. You have to PATCH and PLUG the tire. A plug alone is not a long term fix and may further denigrate the tire.

Regarding removing the rear wheel, break the nut loose on the rear axle (Torque 85Nm). Slacken the chain adjusters to allow lifting of the chain off of the rear sprocket. Remove the brake line’s swing arm mounted clamp, remove the rear caliper and support it. Lift the bike off the ground, pull the axle out while holding the caliper’s floating plate and while noting the spacers that are on the right and left side of the axle. Ensure the chain is clear of the rear sprocket, then jack your bike up high enough to remove the wheel from under the fender. Once the wheel is clear lower your bike to a safer height, remove the sprocket carrier from the hub, noting the cush drive orientation, and you are ready to have the tire serviced.



Wheel Components

Moe,
So you answered my post.
Thanks for the information

I hope I didn't sound like a son of a preacher man

And you're welcome. A search will yield the size sockets you'll need. If memory serves me a 15/16 socket will handle the rear axle nut. The left side of axle should stay put and I have not had to use a socket to hold it. In mm, try a 24mm for the nut and a 22mm for the integrel axle nut? Pat eluded to my rear tires affinity for nails. I have had my rear wheel off a few times.

The chain adjusters again from memory are 8mm?

I've had 4 nails in my rear tires. After the 2nd one, I decided to buy a road hazard warranty through Cycle Gear when I bought another Metzler 880. For $8.49 it prorates the wear on the tire if you have to get a new one. Last time it saved me $70 on a new tire. The way my tires are nail magnets, it's worth the extra bucks to get the coverage.

On my trip last weekend, I noticed a non-leaking cut in my front tire straight across the center. Already have one on order with Cycle Gear and it should be in by Friday. Won't get much through the road hazard warranty since this tire has 12,000 miles on it, but I should get a few bucks off.

note: America owners need not apply. They don't cover tubed tires.

Moe's right on the socket sizes.