I have only just realised that the S40 has tubed tyres and also that it has to have tubed tyres because of the spokes. Recently I found a screw embedded in the tubeless tyre on my GS500 and I had never encountered tyre plugs before, I thought that was the end of the tyre which was almost new. But then I heard about plugs and I reamed the hole and plugged it with a self vulcanising worm.

This was a revelation to me and I promptly bought a micro 12V battery powered tyre pump which I keep on my bike with a reaming kit and spare worms. I did this because the screw inserted itself when I was very very far from help. I did not know it was there at the time and I ended up riding home with the screw in, which I probably would not have done had I known it was there as I need to go a couple of hundred kilometres and on a freeway as well.

Now I have discovered that the S40 uses tubes and if I got a screw or nail in my tire when I was in the boondocks I would not be able to do a roadside repair. So my questions is...

What do members of this forum do to cover themselves for a flat tyre when touring. It seems that it would be a major drama to remove the wheel, and belt especially with no centre stand. Is this just one of those things that you have to put up with?

If a tube gets punctured, you're pretty much done unless you are just Badassed enough to pull a wheel, get the tire off, patch, etc. If it's holding air, go home..
I bought about seven cans of Tire Leak Stop one day.. Gakk, what a mess,, but I got it home,

If you can Find actual rubber tubes instead of PVC, then you have a much better chance of getting home. The Ride On sounds like a plan. I also like the green slime. If you have a puncture, and it's not wiggling around, leave it, and add sealer.

I was on the highway for a lot of that ride. Seventy MPH on a low Rear tire isn't bad on the straight lines.. A low front? Have fun with that..

OK the Ride-On product looks pretty good. But how does it work with a tube. If it is on the inside of a tube and say a screw gets into the tyre and tube, does that meant that the tyre has to removed later and plugged? Or is the sealant mean to leak out of the tube and repair the tyre as well?

PVC tubes tear. Rubber tubes don't.

Kris01 wrote on 07/06/16 at 17:00:33:


Yeah I know right. I was amazed. You need to get the right plugs they have to be self vulcanising so they become part of the tyre rather than the cheap plugs where you have to use rubber cement with them. Or I should say crappy plugs because the good ones are already cheap at five buck a packet.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Safety-Seal-Tire-Plugs-6-PIECES-one-packet-tire-repai... you can read about them on the at http://www.safetyseal.com

Safety Seal make a kit but I just bought a cheapo reamer and inserter for a few bucks. I was astounded. The tyre was almost new and just forgot about it after 10,000 kms. However this of course if for tubeless. I've written to Ride On to get more clarification as to how the goop in the inner tube is able to plug the tyre, I don't quite get that bit yet.

You can have a hole in the tire as long as the tube holds air. Obviously you can't ride with a hole large enough for the tube to contact the pavement. It wouldn't last 3 miles.