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Equipping the Bike - what's the best gear? Anything to do with the bikes equipment, saddlebags, etc. Questions on repairs and maintenance of the bike itself belong in the Brand Specific Tech Forums.
Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



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  #1  
Old 15 Oct 2008
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Air Pump..
After an embarrassing moment this week when i got a flat, and in true Adventure rider style I whip off the wheel patch the tube, put it all back together ... then grab my co2 inflator only to find out that one bottle was empty and the 2nd did not have enough gas to inflate my tyre.. limped to the nearest petrol station (whoes air pump was out of order.... I had to get recovered !!! oh the shame...:thumbd own:

So I need to get a new pump. I have read a bunch of posts and am only more confused then before. I will carry a small hand pump as back up but i would also like to carry a 12V one..


so What experiences do people have with these? I am most interested to here from the people who have used the pump multiply times in back of beyond situations.

I have read a lot about three in particular
the Cyclepump
CyclePump Tire Inflator & mini compressor: BestRest Products BMW motorcycle accessories

Slime Power Sport Tire (tyre) inflator
Slime 40001 Power Sport Tire Inflator

and the AIRMAN SPARROW COMPAC (but i dont think this one is still made) all I can find is the.
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/83667/Automotive/Automotive-Accessories/Airman-Compact-Air-Compressor
Which i have had problems with (2 did not work out of the box)..

There is a good review on here.. but I am still at a loss..
http://www.animalnetwork.com/mcn/features/Novpumpstest.pdf

Cheers all
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  #2  
Old 15 Oct 2008
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Air Pump... another option.
You may want to take a look at these guys? Small, light weight and cheap.

MotoEssentials.com and MotoPumps.com are your number one source for Ultra Compact Pumps and Emergency Tire Repair Kits for Motorcycles, ATVs, C5 & C6 Corvettes with EMT Runflat tires. We also have comfort and safety accessories for adventure touring,

Just another option.
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  #3  
Old 15 Oct 2008
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I use the £4.99 sort you can buy in any car accessory place. Strip off the plastic box and it's as small at the more expensive types. My last one survived something like seven years or punctures and tyre changes.

Andy
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  #4  
Old 15 Oct 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
I use the £4.99 sort you can buy in any car accessory place. Strip off the plastic box and it's as small at the more expensive types. My last one survived something like seven years or punctures and tyre changes.

Andy
That's my preferred option as well. I've got a couple of them modded to hang from the handlebars or somewhere convenient so I don't get my fingers caught when they're pumping. I wouldn't want to reseat my Land Rover tyres with them but for the bike they're perfect.
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  #5  
Old 15 Oct 2008
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Slime Pump
I've got the Slime Power Sport Inflator. Seems to work well and not to
expensive, appx $35 USD.
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  #6  
Old 21 Oct 2008
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Slime pump
I've had the Skime pump for a couple of years and I have found it satisfactory. It is strapped in beside the battery on the GS and the vibration doesn't seem to upset it any.
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  #7  
Old 21 Oct 2008
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Pull cord pump
Hi folks
Any thoughts on using a small "cyclaire" pump very compact and efficient to use you stand on the unit and pull on a cord attached to a small built in compressor Not used one myself but saw one used to very quickly inflate a bicycle tyre Picture at link

Cyclaire Rapid Pump With Carry Bag (£22.95)
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  #8  
Old 5 Dec 2008
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M & P
M & P sell a tyre inflator you screww into the spark plug with a lead to the tyre involved, and just turn the engine over on the starter button. It would be advisable to not allow petrol to that chamber and on some electronic ignition systems you must make sure the spark plug is earthed.
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Old 5 Dec 2008
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I have the Slime Powersports pump as well, it has worked fine so far.
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  #10  
Old 5 Dec 2008
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Slime pumps $10.00 at the moment from these guys.
Online Auto Parts and Auto Accessories Store at PartsAmerica.com
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  #11  
Old 6 Dec 2008
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I've used a slime pump for the past 6 months, so far, so good. What I like is the nifty packing and the choice of connectors - I keep the battery lug attachment permanently connected, so that I do not even need to use the cig lighter.

But 6 months is not really a time frame in which you can judge reliability.

I had a cheaper stripped down unit for some time. That worked fine for 2 years, then one fine night the casting connecting the motor to the pump assembly split into 2 leaving the electric motor spinning uselessly, forcing me to travel on a near empty front tyre for 100 km.

Point is - this is a piece of equipment which needs to be reliable, and cheaper ones may not fit the bill.
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  #12  
Old 6 Dec 2008
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HGP47 I tried to use a cycleair pump and they really are not up to the job, the conecting pipe is to short to reach comfortably to a rear tyre and then try re seating a tyre with it it just about kills you to get anywhere near enough pressure into the tyre. There simply is not enough volume in each pump for it to work on motorbike tyres - its fine for mountain bikes etc.
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Old 22 Dec 2008
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A CyclePump went with me when I rode around the world in 2005 and it served me well. For a time I had to use it every morning because of a slow leak and it never failed. I chose it because it seemed to be the most durable and reliable 12V pump I could find at that time, and I didn't think this was item to scrimp on financially (imagine having your problem in the middle of Siberia and not being able to speak the language - having a solution at hand was priceless). Although I haven't researched this I've been told there are two basic types of compact electrical air compressors, diaphragm and piston types, the less expensive types being diaphragm designs and the CyclePump a piston design, with the piston type being superior. But, I could be mistaken about this.

I've had some experience with cheap pumps and didn't like the two I tried (slow to inflate) but have no experience with the Slime pump which may well be just as good as the CyclePump.

For whatever it's worth that's my experience. Hope it's of some help.

Mike
Idaho
www.rtwrider.net
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  #14  
Old 24 Dec 2008
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Another vote for the Slime pump. It has treated me well for the last 8 months on the road, and I use it quite a bit changing pressures for on/off road.
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  #15  
Old 29 Dec 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by daytonatwin View Post
M & P sell a tyre inflator you screww into the spark plug with a lead to the tyre involved, and just turn the engine over on the starter button. It would be advisable to not allow petrol to that chamber and on some electronic ignition systems you must make sure the spark plug is earthed.
I tried using one of these plugged into one cylinder on an R100GS. With the bike running on one cylinder (I took the float bowl off the other carb and crimped the fuel pipe with a mole grip and earthed the plug), the problem was the internal diameter of the air exit is so small that forcing 500cc of air through it at 500 rpm meant the plug fitting got so hot it melted the airline within seconds.

I use CO2 at the moment but would probably go for the Cyclepump for a longer trip because of its reputation for reliability even though it is a lot more expensive than the Slime.
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