How To Permanently Repair A Flat Tubeless Motorcycle Tire

Not all tire manufacturers condone plugging a tire, but those that do insist on a plug/patch repair performed from the inside of the tire. It’s the only form of puncture repair that’s considered permanent because it fully fills the wound and seals the tire from the inside. Use only patch kits sized for motorcycle tires, like this Stop & Go system. Now, here’s how to use it.

Mark the puncture, remove the offending item, and then dismount the tire. Yes, you have to remove the tire from the motorcycle! Also, be aware that punctures on the edge of the tread or in the sidewall cannot be repaired. This is because your motorcycle tire flexes as you ride on it and the plug will not hold air and could possibly rupture. The same goes for holes larger than 7mm in diameter.

Carefully inspect the tread and inner liner for damage, which most often occurs from being run underinflated. Any bubbling or signs of delamination are cause for tire replacement. Delamination means that the layers of your tire have separated or peeled apart, resulting in water and moisture rusting out the tire’s belts, leading to more serious problems down the road. This inspection is the critical part of the repair that can only be performed with the tire removed.

Prepare the repair site by buffing the inner liner of the tire to expose fresh rubber. You can accomplish this with a file or 100-grit sandpaper. Buff an area slightly larger than the patch portion of your plug and patch. Finally, ream the hole to clear it of debris and to help make the shape of the puncture more uniform.

Apply rubber cement to the repair site and allow it to dry for several minutes. Remove the covering from the patch head and push the quill through the hole from the inside. Pull it flush with the inner liner.

Cut the quill flush with the tread and then carefully press the patch into place. Use your thumbs to force air out from under the patch by pressing from the center of the patch toward the perimeter. The patch will stay in place with the aid of the rubber cement you applied and the air pressure from inside the tire.

Reinstall the tire and inflate it to the recommended pressure. Inspect the repair for air-tightness with soapy water or saliva. Recheck the repair after the first few miles of riding, and keep an eye on the repair throughout the life of the tire. If done correctly, your plug and patch job should hold throughout the rest of the tire’s life.