Arg.  Ran over a screw with my 1-year old rear tire.  doh!  Do tire plugs work on motorcycle tires?  I've used them successfully on car tires before but not sure if there's a difference on bike tires.  Thoughts?  The screw is just off the center of the tread.

i wouldnt put a tire plug in a dirt bike tire let alone a tire that will see constant speeds like a street bike....patch or replace just my 2 cents

Yep, the consequences of a tire blow out on a bike are more severe than on a car. This isn't something I'd choose to save a few dollars on...

Vulcanized plug-patch (tire removed, patch with large internal area and a little plug for the hole cooked onto inside of tire, tire remounted and balanced) or a new tire. The consequences of a blowout or flat on a bike are considerably worse than in a car. The only place I'd even consider a plug would be (if you also carry a pump) to limp very slowly and cautiously from the place you have a flat to home, or the closest place with motorcycle tires.

thanks guys -- looks like I'll either patch or replace it then.

Not suggesting what you should do, just saying what I did.  Your bike, your life, your choice.

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=39965.msg449136#msg449136

http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.co.uk/tyres/tyreSafety/

see the section "Tyre repairs"........its the law here.

I've plugged my tires quite a few times, but they are super hard radials. So hard that I hardly noticed when I got the hole cause the deflated tire could hold the weight of the bike. I only knew because the bike started cornering really wobbly. If you do plug it though be extra generous with the rubber cement and give ample time, like 24 hours to dry. This is especially important when the puncture is near the edge because the cornering forces tend to pull on the plugs. After you trim the end you'll find in a few dozen miles a little more will pull out then you need to retrim. I've done this on one of my tires 3 times, yes I got 3 nails in it in the span of just a month or so, I replaced it after about 1000 miles cause delivery took almost 2 weeks for my replacement tires. But plug and ride at your own risk, I'm not saying you will or won't have a blow out, just I've ridden numerous times without problems except when a plug gets pulled out.

I don't care what anyone says. My Bike, My Life. I am going to patch the tire from the inside. I am going to run a tube inside for the rest of the life of the tire.

That being said, if the puncture is more then 1 and 1/2 inch from the very center of the tread? The tire is garbage! Throw it away. DO NOT play with side wall damage. 

keep in mind other people are counting on you to not go down and take them out in the process. just something to chew on.

a tar is like, $70. seventy. if you say it slow enough it sounds like heavenly. new tars are heavenly. ok. good.

Plugs are fine on tires mounted on tubeless wheels. On tubed wheels, a patch to fix the tube solves the problem, no need to do anything to the tire.

Now, if the sidewall is cut in any way, then it needs to be replaced.

Quote from: qwertydude on August 08, 2009, 03:24:45 PM
   But plug  at your own risk, you  won't have a blow out,  except when a plug gets pulled out.

im retarded

My own words heavily edited like a reality show. Pulling the plug out won't cause catastrophic failure of your tire, just a slow deflation.

Next quote will be "Pulling plug out cause catastrophic failure," I was recently talking to a guy who just took his msf and one of the "real housewives of Orange County" was taking her msf course. They too are heavily edited to make them seem cool and witty. In reality he says they're annoying cause they have to say a smarty comment after everything, they then edit out the crap comments and leave only the gems. She was taking it because she got a free harley as a gift. But imagine the pressure to perform there as a regular student, you'd hate to be the one to drop the bike on camera, how embarrassing.

yay 444 posts!

thanks for the comments -- I may just take this opportunity to go with a 140 rear tire.

The hole is pretty close to the middle of the tread.  I think I'll patch it for a week or so until I get my act in gear and get a tire.  The bike doesn't see more than 50mph very much so I'm not extremely concerned with a massive blowout on my 6 mile trek to work.