Good to know. Thanks RD
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First flat tire experience.
- Thread starter Rich82GS750TZ
- Start date
There's no reason at all to run the bike while pumping up the tire with your electric pump.
For one, there's just no need. Any motorcycle battery in halfway decent shape will easily pump up several tires without getting too, uh, tired to start the bike.
At idle most bikes don't produce any surplus current, so it's either worse than pointless (you're just draining the battery even faster) or you're standing there revving the engine at roadside, producing huge amounts of heat, and stressing your stator, regulator, etc. Honestly, given the "just barely enough" nature of the GS electrical system, it's really not a good idea to try and force it to generate enough to keep up with a pump.
And you have a low voltage fail-safe hanging on each side of your head. You easily tell whether the battery is having trouble just by listening to the pump's racket (these things are weirdly noisy, aren't they?); it will slow waaaay down long before the battery is too dead to spin the starter.
Just plug in the pump (make sure you've installed a beefier fuse if you're using a charging lead) and enjoy a light snack or refreshment while your tire re-inflates.
For one, there's just no need. Any motorcycle battery in halfway decent shape will easily pump up several tires without getting too, uh, tired to start the bike.
At idle most bikes don't produce any surplus current, so it's either worse than pointless (you're just draining the battery even faster) or you're standing there revving the engine at roadside, producing huge amounts of heat, and stressing your stator, regulator, etc. Honestly, given the "just barely enough" nature of the GS electrical system, it's really not a good idea to try and force it to generate enough to keep up with a pump.
And you have a low voltage fail-safe hanging on each side of your head. You easily tell whether the battery is having trouble just by listening to the pump's racket (these things are weirdly noisy, aren't they?); it will slow waaaay down long before the battery is too dead to spin the starter.
Just plug in the pump (make sure you've installed a beefier fuse if you're using a charging lead) and enjoy a light snack or refreshment while your tire re-inflates.
Also good to know. Thanks Brian. I just figured, incorrectly, that running the pump without the bike running would drain the battery quickly. I never thought it would take only 4 minutes to fully inflate the tire. I don’t recall what size fuse is in the lead that came with my Battery Tender Junior. What size would be beefy enough?
The official battery tender brand comes with a 7.5 amp fuse. Brian recommended a 30 amp.
If I put a 30 amp fuse in the Battery Tender lead, to make it safer to run the pump, is there any reason I’d need to put the 7.5 back in to use the Battery Tender.
I usually use a 20 amp; I popped a 10 amp with a compressor once. If you stop and start a hot compressor with a nearly full tire, it can cause a momentary high load.
And no, you don't need to change the fuse to use the Tender normally. The fuse is only there to protect against a dead short; you're not really giving up much, if any protection by using a larger fuse.
With the small compressors, understand that they do get hot and have a limited duty cycle. If you have to start over after inflating your tire, give it some time to cool off in between. And be careful when handling the compressor or packing it away after use; the metal bits like where the hose screws on get pretty hot.
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I did notice the the air valve fitting was VERY hot when I went to unscrew it from the valve. Great tips. Thanks again Brian.
G
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I have had 6 flat tires on bikes 5 rear, 1 front.
Stones mostly, a 3 inch nail and a roofing nail. I now carry a small compressor, but have never used it .
I have mostly used a plug kit in conjunction with with this motorcycle sized three bond, I have used 5 year old cans that get frozen every winter. It will inflate a 180/55ZR17 from flat to 36 psi. (I carry 2 cans)The "sealant" leaves almost no residue on the rim or in the tire.
Makes a flat tire a 10 minute stop. (as long as you don't crash)
This has been great, ...
I have had 6 flat tires on bikes 5 rear, 1 front.
Stones mostly, a 3 inch nail and a roofing nail. I now carry a small compressor, but have never used it .
I have mostly used a plug kit in conjunction with with this motorcycle sized three bond, I have used 5 year old cans that get frozen every winter. It will inflate a 180/55ZR17 from flat to 36 psi. (I carry 2 cans)The "sealant" leaves almost no residue on the rim or in the tire.
Makes a flat tire a 10 minute stop. (as long as you don't crash)
Isn't that interesting. Never heard of it. Will be looking into that.
Great thread!
I had a flat on the KLR outside a tavern in Madrid, NM. My bike was surrounded by Harleys and I though for sure one of those guys were the culprit. After rolling it a bit I found the offending nail I had picked up.
Had to call home and get somebody to come pick me up. After that I carried a tube and compressor.
That threebond stuff seems like a great idea. Has anybody used this Fog Hollow place?
https://foghollow.com/collections/c.../threebond-seal-n-air-for-tube-tubeless-tires
I had a flat on the KLR outside a tavern in Madrid, NM. My bike was surrounded by Harleys and I though for sure one of those guys were the culprit. After rolling it a bit I found the offending nail I had picked up.
Had to call home and get somebody to come pick me up. After that I carried a tube and compressor.
That threebond stuff seems like a great idea. Has anybody used this Fog Hollow place?
https://foghollow.com/collections/c.../threebond-seal-n-air-for-tube-tubeless-tires
yes Short bursts of duty will increase longevity of these. There's no lubrication on the piston ..
BUT the "mere" act of compressing air (and much else) also creates a lot of heat. Even a hand pump gets warm.
(Ok this thread ain't so old)
So I have just 250 mi on a new rear tire and found a puncture…ugh
I can plug it, but with that hold at 140 MPH?
This is my track bike.
Anybody trust a rope plug for track riding?
Thanks
So I have just 250 mi on a new rear tire and found a puncture…ugh
I can plug it, but with that hold at 140 MPH?
This is my track bike.
Anybody trust a rope plug for track riding?
Thanks
Bill, I don't think there are many here who regularly track their bike like you do. You're the only one of the regulars who I know do it at all. So I have no track experience. And I'm only replying to this 4 year old thread because I started it. But, I think you already know the answer to your question. At 140 mph, no way in he!! I would trust a plug.
Makes me wonder if track officials have rules that can keep a bike off the track if they see a plug in a tire. You'd know that better than I.
Makes me wonder if track officials have rules that can keep a bike off the track if they see a plug in a tire. You'd know that better than I.
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Fairly sure a proper mushroom repair will hold at speed, but it's your neck.
Fwiw, the fastest I've ever gone on a repaired tyre was only about 100, just in case.
https://www.tyrebaydirect.com/product/6mm-stem-patch-plug-combo-qty-24/
Fwiw, the fastest I've ever gone on a repaired tyre was only about 100, just in case.
https://www.tyrebaydirect.com/product/6mm-stem-patch-plug-combo-qty-24/
Some explicitly mention and ban puncture repairs, and with some the wording is something like "tires must be in good condition, with X% tread depth..." or "tires must be undamaged"...
"Undamaged" is clear enough, and would preclude plugs. "Good condition" might have a little wiggle room.
Whether an inspector thinks a plug equals "good condition" is I suppose up to the inspector, but safety aside, I would never want to gamble a track day on whether the inspector will spot the plug or not or whether he feels generous that morning.
The issue is not really the air leak; it's the damage that might have been done to the structure of the tire. I'm sure a small nail that went straight in and was pulled out and plugged before the tire was ridden with low pressure would physically be just fine at 140mph. But where do you draw that line? There's an unknown amount of risk there, to you and others on the track. If an inspector sees a plug, I don't think he's going to take that risk, and he may take a very dim view of the attempt to slip past.
Sometimes track inspections are a 30 second once-over from five feet away and you might get away with it. Sometimes they really get in there and actually look at the tires fairly carefully.
In sum, it's not worth either type of gamble. Buy a new tire for the track day.
Then plug the holed tire and use it on the street. I and many others have ridden many thousands of rapid street miles on rope plugged tires without an issue.
Thanks, right about risk level at top speed, followed by a corner.