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Puncture repairs when away from home.

  • 009jim
    009jim
    2 years ago
    I am considering riding around Australia. Many years ago all bikes had a centre stand, so if you got a puncture you could put the bike on the stand, remove the wheel, use tyre levers, remove the tube and patch it. It was possible to accomplish all of this by just carrying a tyre iron, patch kit and pump. Fast forward to 2022 and I need a special lifting device for my harley, I also need a wide selection of tools. These days I usually carry a plug kit which can be used for the rear tyre. But I am not sure about the front. If any of you has done a long trip on your harley, what did you do for the possibility of getting punctures?
  • Soapbox2627
    Soapbox2627
    2 years ago
    I have a plug kit, tubeless tyres, no need to remove anything
    a patch kit is pointless with no tube,
  • 009jim
    009jim
    2 years ago
    Quoting Soapbox2627 on 01 Jan 2022 03:38 AM

    I have a plug kit, tubeless tyres, no need to remove anything
    a patch kit is pointless with no tube,

    My front wheel has a tube. It's a spoke rim. Did you replace your spoke front or was it always an alloy wheel?
  • Soapbox2627
    Soapbox2627
    2 years ago
    I have a Roadglide SP, both standard mags

    Spoke front, yep, Tube, the dalema of patch or spare tube, then also spanners, tyre irons, jack up front device and a pump

    might be cheaper to get a RAA-RACQ-NRMA road side assist/recovery membership
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    2 years ago
    Quoting 009jim on 01 Jan 2022 03:11 AM

    I am considering riding around Australia. Many years ago all bikes had a centre stand, so if you got a puncture you could put the bike on the stand, remove the wheel, use tyre levers, remove the tube and patch it. It was possible to accomplish all of this by just carrying a tyre iron, patch kit and pump. Fast forward to 2022 and I need a special lifting device for my harley, I also need a wide selection of tools. These days I usually carry a plug kit which can be used for the rear tyre. But I am not sure about the front. If any of you has done a long trip on your harley, what did you do for the possibility of getting punctures?

    Luckily have done 75k around Aust and several around USA and Canada trips with never having a puncture. All bikes had tubeless tires and we carried a repair kit including a small compressor and a hand pump. Changing tubes in the middle of nowhere doesnt enhance your trip in anyway in my opinion. All trips in Aust included a subscription to Harley Assist....highly recommend them.
  • Smokey61
    Smokey61
    2 years ago
    Between Windorah and Quilpie. 1989. Already on spare tube, so patching. Small jack, tyre levers, tube of K-Y, footpump.
    flattyre_1.jpg
  • steelo
    steelo
    2 years ago
    Quoting Smokey61 on 01 Jan 2022 12:51 PM

    Between Windorah and Quilpie. 1989. Already on spare tube, so patching. Small jack, tyre levers, tube of K-Y, footpump.

    flattyre_1.jpg
    What was the KY for Smokey?  😂 

    is it like the pack of cards in a 4wd recovery kit?
  • Smokey61
    Smokey61
    2 years ago
    Quoting Smokey61 on 01 Jan 2022 12:51 PM

    Between Windorah and Quilpie. 1989. Already on spare tube, so patching. Small jack, tyre levers, tube of K-Y, footpump.

    flattyre_1.jpg
    Quoting steelo on 02 Jan 2022 03:19 AM

    What was the KY for Smokey?  😂 


    is it like the pack of cards in a 4wd recovery kit?

    Helps get the rubber over the rim. 
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    2 years ago
    Quoting Smokey61 on 01 Jan 2022 12:51 PM

    Between Windorah and Quilpie. 1989. Already on spare tube, so patching. Small jack, tyre levers, tube of K-Y, footpump.

    flattyre_1.jpg
    Quoting steelo on 02 Jan 2022 03:19 AM

    What was the KY for Smokey?  😂 


    is it like the pack of cards in a 4wd recovery kit?

    Seems like it could get awful lonely out there with nothing but a flat tire and a herd of goats....
  • steelo
    steelo
    2 years ago
    Never lonely pb. That’s why you have the cards. 
  • Far Canal
    Far Canal
    2 years ago
    Quoting 009jim on 01 Jan 2022 03:11 AM

    I am considering riding around Australia. Many years ago all bikes had a centre stand, so if you got a puncture you could put the bike on the stand, remove the wheel, use tyre levers, remove the tube and patch it. It was possible to accomplish all of this by just carrying a tyre iron, patch kit and pump. Fast forward to 2022 and I need a special lifting device for my harley, I also need a wide selection of tools. These days I usually carry a plug kit which can be used for the rear tyre. But I am not sure about the front. If any of you has done a long trip on your harley, what did you do for the possibility of getting punctures?

    Sometimes it is best to just throw caution to the wind and go on your round Aussie trip.
    You might get everything together so you have all the wherewithal to fix a flat tyre, then have a wheel bearing fail.
    I never got a flat going round Aus in 86 but have had a few since, 2 at home after parking the bike, one at Bunnings due to a roofing tech screw in the carpark and once at the local pub with a stick puncture.
    Hard to prepare for all scenarios, just go and deal with trouble as it happens
  • steelo
    steelo
    2 years ago
    Nobody ever remembers the incident free trip. Imagine the mdb’s adventures if he had an uneventful journey anywhere “without Gucci girl”
  • 009jim
    009jim
    2 years ago
    Quoting Smokey61 on 01 Jan 2022 12:51 PM

    Between Windorah and Quilpie. 1989. Already on spare tube, so patching. Small jack, tyre levers, tube of K-Y, footpump.

    flattyre_1.jpg
    This is a useful pic brother. How did you jack the bike? Did you carry a "car type" scissor jack? Or borrowed from a car driver?
  • Smokey61
    Smokey61
    2 years ago
    Quoting Smokey61 on 01 Jan 2022 12:51 PM

    Between Windorah and Quilpie. 1989. Already on spare tube, so patching. Small jack, tyre levers, tube of K-Y, footpump.

    flattyre_1.jpg
    Quoting 009jim on 03 Jan 2022 01:59 AM

    This is a useful pic brother. How did you jack the bike? Did you carry a "car type" scissor jack? Or borrowed from a car driver?

    I carried a small hydraulic jack on this trip. It was a 25,000km trip over a couple of months. Tyre carcass had a small split which pinched the tubes. Ended up putting an old semi-knobby on the front at Charleville, the only tyre in town to fit a 21" rim.
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