Flat tire on Motorcycle

[Dave Hounddriver]

I have had about half a dozen flat tires on various motorcycles I have ridden around the Philippines.  This happened over many years so its not an extremely common occurrence.

It is always a nail, and it is always near someone's backyard tire repair (vulcanizing) shop.  Coincidence?  How about other riders?  Same experience?

[Gratefuled]

They sell a small aerosol can of FLAT FIX. Available at most stores that carry auto parts accessories. I don't know the exact name of it here but I always had one with me back home.

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Gratefuled said:

They sell a small aerosol can of FLAT FIX.

I think that would work great on tubeless tires?  But many of the motorcycles here run on tubes and when the nail gets in the tube it makes a mess of it and almost always needs a new tube.

[DavidK]

3 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

It is always a nail, and it is always near someone's backyard tire repair (vulcanizing) shop. 

Obviously you've just been very lucky.

[Gratefuled]

1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

I think that would work great on tubeless tires?  But many of the motorcycles here run on tubes and when the nail gets in the tube it makes a mess of it and almost always needs a new tube.

You're right. I didn't know your motorcycle used tires with tubes. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

8 minutes ago, Gratefuled said:

I didn't know your motorcycle used tires with tubes. 

Perhaps I should switch to tubeless tires?  I have resisted the compulsion to switch to tubeless as there are few tire repair places that work on tubeless tires so it may restrict a person to either fixing it themselves, buying a new tire, or searching harder for a tubeless repair person.

What about other members?  Tubeless or tube type motorcycle tires?

[Jack Peterson]

49 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

 I have resisted the compulsion to switch to tubeless as there are few tire repair places that work on tubeless tires

[robert k]

7 hours ago, Gratefuled said:

You're right. I didn't know your motorcycle used tires with tubes. 

Mostly the motorcycles without the mag rims, which mean most. There is tire sealants for tubeless motorcycle tires.

[Sander Martin]

I have had a couple flats with rental bikes and there has allways been a vulcanizing shop near aswell (or some local calls a friend to come and fix the tyre). That canned hole fixer is really meant for an emergency only, so you could drive to the shop. I wouldnt shoot it into the tube as that would mean a new tube. Even with tubless tires its a shit job to clean it out and it wont hold forever - you going to have to get the tyre fixed+that shit cleaned out. Much better to have a local fix the leak as its not that expensive (unless your in the middle of nowhere, but thats not likely in PH as theres a Vulcanizing shop in almost every tiny village).

[robert k]

For tubeless tires, there are a number of products that seal leaks and is permanent but they may unbalance tires on vehicles that are driven over 50 mph in my opinion but it says 65 mph on their recommendations. They have Slime for tubes also, supposedly sealing punctures up to 1/8 inch. I don't think I wouldn't bother if I had tube tires, just take it to the vulcanizer.

I wouldn't be surprised if vulcanizing shops threw every nail and piece of wire or whatever they pulled out of a tire back out on the road, it's good for business.