Punctures - Horizons Unlimited

**Scottie** · #1 16 Jan 2006

That ever present dread of all motorcyclists! I had the pleasure of meeting Patsie Quick just before she set off for this years Dakar Race and asked her the question, how does she deel with punctures. I got a slight strange look and she sai Moose of course!!!

It turns out a moose is a solid spongy tube which replaces the inner tube and is unpuncturable. So why don't we all use them? Any Enduro/Motorcrossers out there that know why these mavels of modern science would not suit a long distance rider?

------------------
Never again :-)

**Bill Holland** · #2 16 Jan 2006

I asked the same question of Derek Edmondson (Dakar rider and KTM agent. His answer? - They only last a couple of thousand miles.

**Scottie** · #3 16 Jan 2006

Still might be worth concidering especially if that is in race conditions. If you could get 5/6,000 miles without a puncture maybe they would be a good bet.

**beddhist** · #4 16 Jan 2006

Use the search function and you will get the answer. Not for highway use.

**NamasteBuzz** · #5 18 Jan 2006

I use that repair stuff that you squirt into the tyre to harden it then re-inflate it at an airline later.

I know it says on the can replace tyre and don't do over 50mph but that's not the case.

Had a flat in S of France and rode back to Aberdeen no problem.

Know someone who did 4,000 miles on his GSXR750 with the stuff in. Another friend did several track days without problems.

**beddhist** · #6 18 Jan 2006

Found it: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000084.html

**Grant Johnson** · #7 18 Jan 2006

Moved this thread to the correct forum - "Equipping the bike".

Grant

**zrod** · #8 27 Jan 2006

Tennis Balls work quite nicely so I here!
I just keep a spare tube and the hard mounted 12V air compressor under the right shroud!
Rod
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/zrod73...b4.jpg&.src=ph

**simmo** · #9 27 Jan 2006

Surely its just easier to learn how to replace tubes and tyres, unless its tubeless then you can plug it.

**Mr. Ron** · #10 28 Jan 2006

Quote:

Originally posted by simmo:
Surely its just easier to learn how to replace tubes and tyres, unless its tubeless then you can plug it.

...Agreed! Three things in life are guarenteed: Death, taxes and flat tires! Practice at home before you go, use dishsoap, purchase good chembond patches and vulcanizing fluid, not cheap rubber cement. Purchase good irons, and after a few, youll be a pro! Go tubeless if you can, and ALWAYS carry spare tubes! With this knowledge you can forget about it and ride!

**gsworkshop** · #11 30 Jan 2006

The bib moose does not have so much a mileage limit as a life limit they only last about 6 months so most dealers wont keep them as they will go "off" if not sold very fast. They have to be frozen!!
Other problems is the fitting and dealers often complain that they brake the tyre machines.
My suggestion is to fit tubes and learn how to remove them from the tyres and repair them. To inflate a tubeles tyre where the beads has come of the rim can be a major problem especially if you have very limited CO2 in tiny canisters.
With a tube you can inflate it using a handpump, pumping at your own leasure.
Make sure that you have at least one long lever around 300mm or 12 inches long. The second lever can be a shorty to help keep the tyre in place.

**knobbly** · #12 9 Mar 2006

you mentioned pincture repair kits, can you recommend any worth buying?

cheers

**Lone Rider** · #13 9 Mar 2006

Spare tube(s), patches for tubes, HD patches designed for inside of tires, source of air, tire changing tools, spare valve stem or two, valve stem tool.

Forget the tube(s) and tube patches if you're tubeless.

**Mr. Ron** · #14 11 Mar 2006

Quote:

Originally posted by Lone Rider:

Forget the tube(s) and tube patches if you're tubeless.

Bad idea! I learned this the hard way south of Moab last year riding through the dessert. Cut open the sidewall on a rock, no patch would hold. An old indian crawled out of nowhere and saved me! Went to the nearest town and bought a tube, lasted for over 1000 miles before i found a replacement tire. Tubes are light and don't take up much space, are cheap and will always get you out of a bind. If your a true adventurer and stray from the beaten path, ALWAYS carry tubes.
...on my last trip to Mexico, i had a problem with a wheel i had custom built, silicone sealed for tubeless. After my front TKC-80 blew the bead for it's secont time at 80mph,(this is still under investigation, BTW) i had no choice but to use a tube. I later picked up a nail and blew it for a third time! Tough luck i guess, but i never had another problem after that.
sometimes tubeless can be really tough to seal the bead with a small pump, say you don't have a strap to wrap around the tire, or just a little handheld bicycle pump. A tube will save the day! A few years ago i met a guy in Death Valley with a flat on his GS. The slice was big enough to fit my thumb through! He stuffed a couple of plugs in but it wouldn't hold air, ended up giving him a tube just to get him out of the dessert.
...carry a tube, save a life!

**bigdave** · #15 25 Mar 2006

Its not the flat tyre & having to change it that worries me it the bike going down due to getting a flat that scares me & my wife .Its 10 months since we came off on the auto barn in Germany & MY WIFES leg is still in plaster.
Since my return home we have brought the new 300c Chrysler & it comes with sensors that warn you that you have a flat it dosnt stop you getting one but if i had of had 3 seconds more warning i could of got the bike to a stop rather than comming off at 60kmph.
If my car comes standard with it why cant my bike i note you can install them for $500 on your car what about bikes.