Was riding around today and had a flat on the rear, and it's a new tire that is only a few months old with about 500 miles on it. Ended up finding a 2 1/2" ring shank nail right in the middle of the tread pattern so no sidewall damage from the nail.  However, before I realized what the issue was I rode for a few miles until things got progressively more squirrely. Once I located the nail I pulled it out and used my emergency plug and inflation kit to plug the hole, but unfortunately since these are spoke rims and tube tires (I did the math after wondering why it didn't hold) the plug is useless since the air just bleeds out of he hole in the tube and out through the valve stem opening in the rim.

Anyhow, since I rode for a bit with the tire pretty much going flat as I nursed her into a nearby parking lot for safety and hoping they had an air pump, I am wondering if I risked sidewall damage from rolling on it while flat?  

Trailered it home and taking the tire to the shop tomorrow and I presume they will still patch the interior of the tire where I plugged it and likely instal a new rim strip and tube.  

Can they visually tell if the tire is toast or can there be internal damage they cant see, or are they pretty resilient tires? Steel belted in any way or just solid rubber? Pirelli MT66 140/90 15.  http://www.bikebandit.com/tires-tubes/motorcycle-tires/pirelli-mt-66-route-mo...

I just don't want to have a blowout going 65mph with the tire shredding off of the rim all stemming from the weak point of the tire initiated by the nail hole and my subsequent plugging.

Thanks!

Is it truly safe to ride on a rear tire that has been damaged and subsequently "fixed"? That rear tire is half of the tires on your bike. I would be very nervous about using it again. My car is a different story. I've got 3 more tires.

YMMV

so, just don't risk it and get a new tire?

What Dave said.

I've spent a lot of time busting flats.  If you get a nail hole or similar in the tread, plug it and you're good to go.  If there's a large hole in the tread, get a new tire.

If you ever have sidewall damage of any kind, get a new tire.  Yeah, I know there are ways to patch a sidewall but none of 'em are truly reliable...and most of the stress on your tire is in the sidewall.

..and fix-a-flat is 'orrible nasty stuff.  Sure it might get you a few miles farther down the road but you can forget patching or plugging the tire or tube.  More than 9 times out of ten the plug or patch won't hold if fix-a-flat has been used.

You might not be able to get anyone to patch the hole you made with the spike before sticking the plug in. And I'd be leery of it with a hole that big and a patch between the tube and everything the world has in it that could get in that hole and eventually eat away at the patch. If you had not tried to plug it, I'd be for running it.

Your tube is what keeps the tire inflated... a hole in the tire from a nail will not cause it to "shred" if it is in the corded tread part of your tire.

What will the odds be that another nail will hit the same small hole?
A patch to the tire will be sufficient to make the tire usable again, but buy a new tube! and if you haven't, have them replace the spoke rubber strap also.

If you rode it until the side wall was damaged, replace the tire... if you had no damage to your sidewall, the tire should still be good.

If you are having problems thinking the tire is not good, replace it.... there .... now you are not worried anymore

The shop is ridiculously busy, and they haven't touched it yet. I rode a few miles on it nearly flat, so there could be sidewall damage or a higher propensity for it to want to start to give issues over time.

Wifey said to replace it, so with that I called and gave them the approval today. I will take the old tire home too as a backup if it's not totally shot and I ever need it in a real bind...plus it'll make a nice $150 piece of wall art for the shop alongside the two other factory IRCs.