Is it okay to attach a tubeless motorcycle tire?

Is it okay to attach a tubeless motorcycle tire?

Is it okay to attach a tubeless motorcycle tire?

And since most modern motorcycles run on radial tubeless tires, it is possible to plug the puncture. But are the plugs reliable? Are they even safe? Let's dive into the nitty-gritty of tire repair so you know when it's okay to plug a tire and when it should be replaced.

The fact is that motorcyclists repair tubeless tires all the time, but they may come off indiscriminately, with limited knowledge of the proper repair process or the risks associated with riding on a repaired tire. 

After all, there's a big difference between an emergency solution, where you stick three rope plugs into an open wound and slowly run with your dangers on you just to get home, and what we would call a long-term or permanent solution which you can ride on as normal.  

Just to be clear, not all tire manufacturers allow repairs, even in emergency situations. This is because, just like riding a motorcycle, there is danger in riding on a repaired tire, so some manufacturers will simply tell you to call a tow truck and order a new tire. The integrity of your tire is really important, so a new tire is definitely the safest option, but that's not what you want to hear if you just picked up a nail in a nearly new $200 Pirelli. 

Now, those tire manufacturers that allow repairs of any kind, even temporary repairs just to get home, say that the puncture must meet certain criteria in terms of location, shape and size.

To begin with, the allowable repair area is limited to the crown of the tire, specifically the center 75% of the tread. This is because their shoulders flex too much and they may spit out the cork like a grape. The side walls are off-limits to caps for the same reason.

The tire must also have a reasonable amount of tread left to hold the plug. Technically, the minimum is 1/16 inch or about 1,5 millimeters. An easy way to check tread depth is to stick a dime into the groove. If the top of Abe's head is visible, you're working with less than 1,5 millimeters of tread, meaning you don't have enough meat to safely hold a plug. 

Assuming the puncture is within the allowable area and there is enough tread depth left, you need to consider the size and shape of the damage. According to tire manufacturers, tears, cuts and oblong punctures cannot be repaired. Fortunately, these types of injuries are quite rare. For the most common round holes, like the ones you'd get from a nail or screw, the maximum acceptable size is three millimeters to seven millimeters, depending on who you ask. For reference, seven mm is just a little smaller than the diameter of a standard BIC pen or classic #1 pencil. 

Now, again, that's all for emergency solutions to get you home. However, for a repair to be considered permanent, at least according to tire manufacturers, all of these criteria must be met and you will need to remove the tire from the rim and install a combined plug/patch, which fills the wound with a plug and covers the hole with a patch from the inside, providing two means of closure. 

It is also important to carefully inspect the inside of the tire once removed from the rim. Tubeless tires usually don't lose pressure all at once when they get punctured – they're designed not to – so it's possible for the rider to ride on a flat tire. This is not uncommon and can lead to internal damage to the tire, either from overheating of the casing or from the nail or whatever caused the puncture that has gouged the inner surface of the tire. Damaging the liner could cause a slow leak, it could allow air to creep between the plies and cause tread separation, or it could allow moisture to get around the steel belts and corrode them, neither of which is good. 

Another caveat for repaired tires is that you should reduce their speed rating. Some manufacturers simply limit the maximum speed of a repaired tire to 75 mph. 

And, while it's obviously important to know when it's okay to plug in a tire, you also need to be familiar with how to install a plug. So next time you're about to replace a tire, screw some nails or screws into it, read the repair kit instructions, and practice the process so you're familiar with it before you get stranded on the side of the road after dark.

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