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[greglyon]

We all have limited space when we go out of town.  Being a relative newcomer, I would appreciate the feedback from the more experienced among us.  In the event of a flat,  do you carry
1. Plugs and CO2; and if so, what type of kit
2. The can of slime,
3. All of the above, or
3. call for a tow.  
I assume most agree to replace the tire as soon as possible thereafter.  
I searched for a previous thread on this topic but did not see one.

[Fired00d]

Since I purchased the extended warranty with wheel and tire option, and I'm HOG member. I carry my cell phone (and hope that I'm at a place where I can get service) and my HOG Touring Handbook.

Will get a tow from HOG, and a free tire (minus deduction) with extended warranty. Before having new bike and this warranty option I had considered the CO2 way, but never acted on it.

 [smiley=pumpkin.gif]
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 [smiley=fireman.gif]

[spydglide]

I'm presently riding on a 'plugged' tire......too frugal (Hubbard would say: 'cheap'....har!) to throw away a almost new rear tire.  If it was a front tire, I'd change it, but......well, everyone has their own thinking on this issue.  Great subject for a thread, though.   spyder

[SPIDERMAN]

My advice would be to plug the tire and then use the slime and also carry C02 in case the slime did not fully inflate. Make sure you get on the road very soon after doin the slime so it spins out into the tire and does not pool in one spot. Have your bike all packed up and ready to roll as soon as you do the slime or you'll have a tire so out of balance you won't be able to ride it. Of course my last flat was a total blow-out at 70 mph and I've yet to figure how to prepare for that in advance. Hubbard - - any lessons learned on ridin out at blow-out other than don't touch the brakes or clutch and hang on till you either stop of have to put it down ?

[spydglide]

My advice would be to plug the tire and then use the slime and also carry C02 in case the slime did not fully inflate. Make sure you get on the road very soon after doin the slime so it spins out into the tire and does not pool in one spot. Have your bike all packed up and ready to roll as soon as you do the slime or you'll have a tire so out of balance you won't be able to ride it. Of course my last flat was a total blow-out at 70 mph and I've yet to figure how to prepare for that in advance. Hubbard - - any lessons learned on ridin out at blow-out other than don't touch the brakes or clutch and hang on till you either stop of have to put it down ?

Hey Spiderman, my only experience was a one time deal.........back tire.........I did exactly what you said......don't do anything except hang on with the most finese that you've got........experience riding in snow and ice would help.  [smiley=nervous.gif] Har!  spyder

[ggraves427]

I bought a small air compressor that plugs into the cigarette lighter and a plug kit.  It works great (on tubeless tires). They are always in my saddle bag.  Kinda like AX, don't leave home without it.  

[jeffj]

I am a Life Member of HOG and I don't leave home without a cell phone and HOG 800 phone number.

Preventive Maintenance is the Key - I know it doesn't solve all issues but I see so many riders riding on worn out skins. My thoughts are a tire is all there is between me and the rode and I want as much rubber as I can get. I change my rear tire every 7,500 to 8,500 miles and the front tire is changed every other rear tire. If I ever have a flat tire a new tire is put back on, no thanks for a patched or plugged tire for me.

[SPIDERMAN]

guess I thought we were talkin about what to do in the middle of nowhere, no dealer for a couple of hundred miles and takin care of business on the road. All of this stuff about preventative maint and tire wear and cell phones etc is great when you're in an area with cell towers.dealers ect, but I think the idea of this thread was to talk about what to do to keep going till you get to a place where you can do it right. Shared experiences help prevent dumbass mistakes. For instance, [highlight]never plug a sidewall ![/highlight]

[jeffj]

OK if I can't use my cell phone and call the HOG help desk I will flag the 1st car down or have a riding partner get to the next area where they can and call HOG and get a Tow Truck (Flat Bed) headed in my direction. Now if it happens to be late at night I will make sure my scooter is secured and I will check into a motel and wait for a qualified person to replace my tire the next morning.
 
I know all of us aren't the same in regards to skills on repairing a bike and that's why I try and do as much preventive maintenance as I can so I don't get in these type of situations.

[greglyon]

The consensus seems to patch and limp to nearest HD dealer for a replacement tire.  Use the slime only after it is patched and when you are ready to roll so slime does not build up in one place.

Many however would go the cell phone route and wait for help.  

[grc]

My two cents worth:

[SPIDERMAN]

As a PS ; something I learned a long time ago from an old Panhead buddy. Take the same amount of time and care doing a roadside repair that you would if the bike was on a lift in your garage. I know this sounds simplistic, but in practice, getting your mind set on taking your time, not rushing, not getting frantic and dealing with a situation in an ordely fashion actually makes roadside repairs a lot less stressful and more importantly reliable. I'm not gonna go so far as to say I enjoy unpackin the tools and fixin stuff with semi's wizzin by at 70 or 80, but as I said, going at it in a positive frame of mind certainly makes it an easier task to deal with.

[msscull]

I carry the setup by Slime that has a bottle of Slime with a small air compressor.  I got it for about $20 at Pep Boys Auto Parts Store.  I also carry a tire plug kit I bought at Wal-Mart.

I used the compressor to air-up an air mattress I used for camping.  It little slow & loud, but it did the job.