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Taking Care of the Unexpected 153
If You Have a Flat Tire
Due to the uncertainty of any temporary repair, you should ride slowly (not over
30 mph, 50 km/h) and carefully (preferably without cargo) until the tire is
replaced or permanently repaired. Stop frequently and check the air pressure. If
the tire is losing pressure, it may be unsafe to continue riding. As the tire gets
low, it will affect the handling of your motorcycle (especially with cargo) and it
may overheat and blow out.
Types of Temporary Repairs
The following types of temporary repairs generally require a source of air to
inflate the tire. Possible sources include CO
2
cartridges or cans of compressed
air designed to inflate a tire.
• Inflate the tire: Tubeless tires have some self-sealing ability if they are
punctured and the result is usually just a slow leak. If this is the case, you can
try inflating the tire to see if it will hold air pressure. If you can see a nail or
other object embedded in the tire tread, do not remove it at this time.
• Plug the hole: The idea here is to do something to temporarily stop the leak.
If you have a tubeless tire repair kit, you can pull out the nail and try inserting
an external plug in the puncture. Follow the instructions that came with the
repair kit and be sure to inflate the tire to the correct pressure.
Should You Repair or Replace a Tire?
We strongly recommend that you replace, not permanently repair, any tire that
is punctured or damaged, even if the tire has only a minor puncture. For a full
discussion of repairs and replacement, see page 128.
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