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Fix-a-Flat Fix-a-Flat
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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

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


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  #1  
Old 20 Oct 2013
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Question Fix-a-Flat
I ride a Harley-Davidson Road King with spoked wheels and tires with inner tubes. One thing that has always worried me is...what happens if I get a nail or something and have a flat? I have with me a small tire repair kit, but the thought of having to somehow pull the tube out of the tire in order to patch it has me concerned.

Does anyone know if the aerosol "Fix-a-Flat" products that you can buy at any auto parts store would work to temporarily plug a hole in an inner tube so it would be rideable for, say, 1500 miles or so? (I understand that a complete "blowout" is going to just leave me stranded, but I'm wondering about the kind of leak you might get from a sharp object.)

Thanks!!!
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  #2  
Old 20 Oct 2013
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Originally Posted by rbwillia View Post
I ride a Harley-Davidson Road King with spoked wheels and tires with inner tubes. One thing that has always worried me is...what happens if I get a nail or something and have a flat? I have with me a small tire repair kit, but the thought of having to somehow pull the tube out of the tire in order to patch it has me concerned.

Does anyone know if the aerosol "Fix-a-Flat" products that you can buy at any auto parts store would work to temporarily plug a hole in an inner tube so it would be rideable for, say, 1500 miles or so? (I understand that a complete "blowout" is going to just leave me stranded, but I'm wondering about the kind of leak you might get from a sharp object.)

Thanks!!!
I've known a few people who have tried it, but not with much luck. Most of the time it just made a big mess inside the wheel. I'm considering a set of cast wheels for long trips with my 02 Road King. You can find take off wheels reasonable on places like eBay, and used parts stores.
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Old 20 Oct 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbwillia View Post
I ride a Harley-Davidson Road King with spoked wheels and tires with inner tubes. One thing that has always worried me is...what happens if I get a nail or something and have a flat? I have with me a small tire repair kit, but the thought of having to somehow pull the tube out of the tire in order to patch it has me concerned.

Does anyone know if the aerosol "Fix-a-Flat" products that you can buy at any auto parts store would work to temporarily plug a hole in an inner tube so it would be rideable for, say, 1500 miles or so? (I understand that a complete "blowout" is going to just leave me stranded, but I'm wondering about the kind of leak you might get from a sharp object.)

Thanks!!!
I have same situation with my Kawasaki ninja 250r, so I put a bolt inside wheel (that was the only thing I was able to do) and used this repair kit. I needed to ride only about 250 miles. There were some stops, but finally I get successfully. So, there were only nerves for me. I can not say if I would ride for 1500 miles.
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Old 20 Oct 2013
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There is a huge thread about this somewhere. Basic answer is that newly bought cans might work, ones that have sat in a pannier for months won't.

Gloop or ultra seal is better but still limited.

To be truly self sufficient you need to make sure you have proper tube type tyres, not TL plus tube, get the bead lubed before your trip and practice with the tyre levers. Get the prep and practice and you can swap a tube in ten minutes with a pair of 8-inch levers and then be set for the next thousand miles. TT can be better than TL but only if you fix manufacturer bodges like not using lube and practice.

Andy
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Old 20 Oct 2013
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One hot afternoon in Fry Canyon Utah a loud thud came from a Harley at the gas pump. A can of Fix-a-Flat exploded in the saddle bag.
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Old 20 Oct 2013
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I second the choice to going with a non spoke wheel and then in a pinch you can use any of the tire plugging stuff on the market to get a temporary fix.

On my Heritage ( with spokes ) I always had a concern with flats, similar to you. The HD's are heavy and they don't have a center stand, so you'd end up having to lay the bike on its side to effect a wheel removal.

There may also be some run flat tires that will fit your bike, you'll have to do some checking.
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Old 20 Oct 2013
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Can you not buy a centre stand for a Harley ?? probably cheaper than run flats.
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