Ethang Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 Hi all, went out to my bike this morning and the rear was flat. found a small nail in the tread. The bike is just to 2700 miles so the rear is brand new. I called 4 dealerships in MI nobody has the Bridgeston BT57 in stock. One shop does have Dunlop 208s that he said also came OEM. Is it taboo to mix Bridgstone and Dunlops? I did not check on any other tires for availability. I don't like the idea of my bike being down a week while they order the tires in. Ethan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 Plug it and ride. I rode a rear with 2 plugs for around 5K miles without problems. I will prolly get flamed for saying that, but it worked and was a means to continue riding. I don't know about mixing the tread designs, I have always kept them the same, usually go 1 front for every 2 rears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99blackbird Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 I think you're taking a big chance if you plug the tire. I've done it as a means to get home, but changed the tire ASAP. I've ridden with a BT56 on the rear and the OEM Dunlop on the front. The bike wasn't as flickable then as it is now with the BT010's on it. My guess though is unless you're really riding the bike for all its worth, the mismatch tires won't slow you down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada0937 Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 I did the same a couple of bikes ago. Had a flat and just happened to have a can of tire inflate/sealer. I used it and went directly to the dealer and he couldn't find the hole, the sealer plugged it up. Rode around for 2 more seasons on the tire, with no problems. Having said that, I was nervous when I went on my high speed runs. Just to be safe, I would replace the tire, that way you know it's safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbird Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 I had a plug let go on me once. That's all it takes, once. Never again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XX Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 parts411.com or chaperall's got the version of the bt57 for the xx at a decent price. imho, plug it, ride really cool while waiting for shipment, change it out when you get the new tire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobicus Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 Agreed. I'd ride on a plug until I could get to where I could get the tire off the bike and get a new one. I'd hate to have to worry about it for the next 4000 miles (at the rate I'm going, that's about a month). I prefer to keep the vendor's tires the same. Dunlops with Dunlops, Avons with Avons. Since the front is so new, buy a front/rear set of whatever they've got in stock that match, but keep the front. When the time comes that you need to replace the front, you'll already have one. Smart man buys the matching rear and keeps it around as a spare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hookman49 Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 I had the same problem. Had a piece of wire in my Avon last year. Tire had less than 2,000 mile on it. The bitch was I was heading to Canada that weekend (Mosport) and had it plugged. Rode it up there and back. But took it real easy. That plug was always in the back of my mind. Changed the tire as soon as I got home. I know quite a few people that ride with different brands of tire on the front and rear. I don't care for it my self though. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in PA Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 If you dismount the tire and fix from the inside with a mushroom type plug it will be fine. Generally considered to loose 1 speed rating for the fix, which means you can only "sustain" 150 mph, no big deal. With the insert from outside type I've never had a failure personally, all the way for the life of the tire, but from this list heard of some. I've never got a puncture with this bike (yet) so with the speed capabilities, I think I will only do the internal type if the time comes. I mix brands of tires, no problems. Just don't mix bias with radials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrdxx Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 I carry a plug kit on my bike only so I can ride the bike home or get it to a shop to replace the tire, so I won't be stranded on the road. That's as far as I will trust a plugged motorcycle tire. It's just not worth the risk, in my opinion. I also think the D208 is too soft a compound for general use. It would be excellent for a track day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyv65 Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 Pull the tire and plug it from the inside...you'll be fine. I've done it about three times in the last two years on rear tires and I've had zero problems with the buns at speed. OTOH, if you don't have the stuff to pull, plug, and reinstall the tire then it might be about the same cost to just buy a new one. Bryan...but it ain't hard to do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XX Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 btw, an extra tire makes a great way to stack your mounted tire/wheel in your car trunk or garage without damaging the rotors laying the tire/wheel on it's side :grin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawkxx Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 Put the 208 on it. If it doesn't feel right, put a 208 on the front also. Next time, you can put Bt57 on both ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 I plug all my flat tyres and never had a problem, even at top speed. I use the same repair kit as the tyre-dealers (string impregnated with some sort of vulcanising glue), and a mini pump. At almost no cost and 10 min later and I'm back on the road. I even drove a completely flat back-tyre for 5 km, no problem. Redbird, what exactly happened when the plug let go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbird Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 Young, stupid, and with a friend on the back, fucker (the plug, not the friend) let go while I was doing about ninety through traffic on the expressway, tire went flat fast. Crossed two lanes of traffic that I had just pissed off by passing them like a compete dickhead with a rear flat, a 190lbs passenger and the back end all over the place, thought I was going to die about ten times in thirty seconds. Make it to the shoulder, come to a stop, then kick back and enjoy the parade of people driving by laughing, pointing and flipping me off, as I had been using them all as my own personal slalom course five minutes earlier. I totally had it coming, so I just waved and smiled, and told myself, no more plugs for me......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stretch Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 New tire= 100/125$ New XX= 11,000$ New Body= priceless You do the math!!!!! It's just my opinion, I could be wrong. :smokin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirtster Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Was just wondering Redbird, was that a typical " Outside-in" plug, or a "Break-it-down-mushroom style" plug? I put the 190-120 set of bridgestone's on my bike,(from my post) and found out one had a very small leak. I took it back to the shop, and I broke it down with their changer, "honed" out the hole, applied some vulcanising glue, pulled it through, then used a roller to adhere the patch part of the mushroom after scraping that part clean beforehand. Done this a bunch of times, but y'all are making me question the integrity of my fix. I rarely stay in it over one hundred, but the combined weight of me and my girl is at about 240lbs, I'm 155, she's 95. I've never seen one go, but the math that Stretch points out is making me "think about it" every time I ride. Anyone else ever had one of these style patches let loose? :sad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2equis Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 One shop does have Dunlop 208s that he said also came OEM The 208 is too soft a tire for the XX. Real sticky - but won't last more than 3000 miles (been there, done that :sad: ) as far as plugs......riding my XX and having to worry about a plug giving out at some critical moment takes all the fun out of riding - and I thought thats what we were in this for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbird Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 My plug (the one that let go) was the apply from the outside type, not the type you describe using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red J Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Was just wondering Redbird, was that a typical " Outside-in" plug, or a "Break-it-down-mushroom style" plug? I put the 190-120 set of bridgestone's on my bike,(from my post) and found out one had a very small leak. I took it back to the shop, and I broke it down with their changer, "honed" out the hole, applied some vulcanising glue, pulled it through, then used a roller to adhere the patch part of the mushroom after scraping that part clean beforehand. Done this a bunch of times, but y'all are making me question the integrity of my fix. I rarely stay in it over one hundred, but the combined weight of me and my girl is at about 240lbs, I'm 155, she's 95. I've never seen one go, but the math that Stretch points out is making me "think about it" every time I ride. Anyone else ever had one of these style patches let loose? Â :sad: We used these at a car shop I worked at years ago (exotics, and others) and these were the only things we used. I never heard of an issue, one tire we plugged was on a Ferrari, and he drove plenty fast. But that's four wheels, and while I wouldn't want a flat at speed on my car, I would like one less on my bike. I would probably replace the tire, but that's a personal call. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey_XX Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 I've replaced a BT57 with a 010 after a puncture. I was still running BT 57 in front. The bike tankslapped at 120/130. I recovered, just barely (right before it hit the steering stops). I have not mixed tires ever since, dunno why. Might have to do with my unconditional love for my ass. Hugo PS: I got no warning on the tankslapper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaine Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 After less than 1200 miles (it still looked like a new tire with tons of miles on it), I got a nail in the rear tire that caused a slow leak. I thought about plugging or repair it to save money, but was told by most other riders, the service manager at several stealers and on this site, that it was a bad idea for the long haul and to replace it I replaced the stock 057 with a 020. The front looked great so I left the stock 057 front tire. This has worked perfectly for me on the Bird and I had a blast riding in the mountains of Virginia around my parents home and in Tennessee /NC on the "Tail of the Dragon". I rode to my limits and those chicken strips on the rear are long gone. They also do great on the Florida roads. IMHO these tires held and handled perfectly, of course I'm not the expert rider that a lot of these guys on this site are, so check out what they have to say and them make a decision based on what you find out and what you want to and can afford to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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