How many punctures before you replace a tire?

[Grey Thumper]

This poll was in "polls and surveys" but hasn't been getting too much action (maybe you have to scroll too far down).

Anyway, I'm really curious about the rough consensus here on patching vs. replacement. Having had two punctures in a year-old tire (and no punctures at all on my previous tires) has been a bit frustrating. I wasn't planning to replace the tire after one puncture, but after my second, I'm now deciding what exactly is my personal level of acceptable risk. What's yours?

[RhadamYgg]

Loud clothes definitely save lives - and I'd be nervous on a tire with a patch. Tires are so damned expensive, though - and I've never had a tire that needed to be patched. Of course, I might run in to that, since they are building a new building right next to where I work and construction workers will leave fod around...

[storysunfolding]

One puncture is too many for my peace of mind. After spending a year before getting full use of my right arm (check out my blog below [car accident]) I'm not willing to risk an $70k+ medical bill plus the loss of life and limb over a measly $100-200.

[Wrider]

One puncture is too many for my peace of mind. After spending a year before getting full use of my right arm (check out my blog below [car accident]) I'm not willing to risk an $70k+ medical bill plus the loss of life and limb over a measly $100-200.

Same here, bike tires undergo so many more stresses and pressures than car tires it's crazy. And after what I went through with my knee I'd much rather spend 6 insurance co-pays on a new tire than have to pay my 500 deductible, 40 co-pays, my 500 in hospital co-pays, lose my job again, and spend 6 months getting back to being able to walk without a limp.

[HYPERR]

I personally don't see how a motorcycle tire is under more stress than a car tire. A car tire IMO is under much more stress due to the fact that they are supporting far more weight. They also have to flex more as well as slide and skid more during their lifetime.

If installed properly I don't think how a plug could be dangerous. As a matter of fact, I trust a plugged tubeless tire more than a fresh tubed tire.

As for the poll, I voted for two. I would probably replace a motorcyle tire before I put a second plug in, but probably wouldn't hesitate to put two plugs in a car tire. Not because I feel that the motorcycle tire is more likely to fail(I believe the opposite), but because the result of a failure in a motorcyle tire is far more catastrophic.

[jstark47]

As a matter of fact, I trust a plugged tubeless tire more than a fresh tubed tire.

????????? Explain, please. I have a bike with laced wheels, I've ridden thousands of miles on tubed tires. How are they not to be trusted?

[BuzZz]

I think we all need to keep in mind that 'motorcycle tires' is a pretty general term. Tires and the demands on them are as varied as the style of bikes out there.

A cruiser is not too likely to consistently get furry edges or see the temps and cycles that a sportbike tire may get. Both type of bikes put differing stresses on their rubber.

Putting a tube in 17" wheel/tire and bolting it onto a pavement scratcher will both create more heat as well as hold that heat longer, bad tings for tubes. A plug in the same tire will also see more heat and deformation/stress w/o a tube, just a bit less of it.

Putting a tube into a tire/wheel designed for it (spokes for instance) and bolting it onto a cruiser is a different story. Even a big heavy/powerful cruiser is not going to put the same kind of stress on that rubber as a hard charging SuperSport will. By the same token, don't ride your sportbike hard, and the tires won't see the same forces....

You want to think about stuff like that before deciding to plug your tire. Lots of grey area, and every case is unique. Just saying.......

[shane-o]

Id patch a tyre at least twice b4 I gave it the flick.

This also depends on the wear of the tyre, ie. if it was a fairly new tyre id patch it a couple of times if needs be, if it was getting long in the tooth, id replace it.


Ive had to patch near every rear tyre ive had at least once, and to date, ive never had a patch fail.



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[HYPERR]

As a matter of fact, I trust a plugged tubeless tire more than a fresh tubed tire.

????????? Explain, please. I have a bike with laced wheels, I've ridden thousands of miles on tubed tires. How are they not to be trusted?

I never said they can't be trusted. I said that I trust a plugged tubed tire over a fresh(un-repaired) tubed tire. For example, I have a plug in the rear tire of my Hypermotard(tubeless). I have a tubed(ultra heavy duty tube mind you) tire on my KLX. I trust the former a lot more than the latter. To start with, the former never loses psi. The latter will, over the course of time as all tubed tires do.

Over the years, I have observed many different types of failures in tubed tires due to their inherent limitaions. Here are a some examples.

1. Failure at the valve stem base. On tubes, the valve stem is attached to the tube, not the wheel like on tubeless tires. Where it is attached is only just a little thicker than the tube itself.

2. Failure from spoke puncture. For this to occur literally, the spokes would have to be tightened way too much. However, where the spokes go into the wheel, that area is obviously rough. It is covered up by a strip of rubber that goes around the circumference of the wheel. This prevents the tube from rubbing against it. I have seen failures due to the rubber strip shifting and the tube rubbing against the rough surface.

3. Improper installation technique. There are many things that can go wrong during an installation. A tube can get pinched. It may not puncture it but will severely weaken it possibly causing failures in the future. Unless you are the installer, you never know if the tube was subjected to abuse during the installation process.

I do the tires on my KLX so I know it is installed right. How tight the valve stem nut inside the wheel gets tightened is critical to prevent failure there. Too loose and the valve stem shifts. Too tight and it has no free-play and it can rip from stress. I always make sure the rubber strip is centered so there is no chance of the tube rubbing against a rough edge. I slightly inflate the tube and coat with talcom powder before install so there is no chance of the tube getting pinched. I always install the tube so the stem is just centered.

I'm not saying that tubes are gloom and doom. If installed properly, I don't really see a problem. Use a good installer, always use fresh top quality tube, keep your eyes on the psi, and you should be fine. However, there is no denying the fact that it does have its inherent limitations compared to tubeless. On most dirtbike, you really don't have a choice as spoked wheels are a necessary evil. On cruisers, they are strictly used due to the aesthetic appeal of the laced rim. I don't know if I would go tubed just for the looks. That's why I think the cross spoke wheel on the BMWs or the Honda ones that attach the spokes to the extended lip are so great as it allows for a tubeless tire.