Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[1abastarsmda]

I know I could walk down the steps into the garage and find out the answer, but the question is, on my 09 SEUC, are they tubeless tires?  I know I had tubes in my RK, but those were spoked wheels.  Just making sure, since all the plug kits in the world aren't going to help if you have a tube.  One thing I'm planning on packing for long trips, now that I have more cargo space on this bike, is my portable compressor that plugs into the lighter.  It saved me in a jam with my SUV.  I came out to find my tire completely flat and within a matter of minutes, I had a fully inflated tire to drive to the shop and replace my tire.  It's only one step away from the run flat tires on my other car.  I drove it around with a leak for a few months...just went and pumped it up every time the indicator light would come on.  Now that we are on the subject, I think I may go out and look around and see if there are any smaller compressors available than the one I have now.  I wouldn't mind having one dedicated for the bike. 

Last year, I saved a guy on a sport bike from being stranded on the side of a busy highway because I happened to have a can of fix a flat in my saddlebag.  It wasn't going to seal the leak, but it did pump up his tire enough for me to follow him to the next exit and get him to a gas station, where he was able to relax and wait for someone to come pick him up and put his bike in the back of the truck.

[Fired00d]

I think what he means is a system similar to what we use in the U.K. Mines from a company called REMA.9se pics below
You plug the puncture with the plugsand solvent supplied and then reinflate the tire with the gas canisters. The manufacturers claim one canister will inflate your tire to 20 psi but in real life it takes all 3 canisters to get you to20-25 psi so you can amble quietly to an air line. I know it happened to me.

Those would be the ones I was speaking of. Never used them so didn't know how they would work, but sounds like you have real world experience. Thanks for the pics.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[kansaskim47]

            

My 98 Roadking has 106,000 miles on the factory original belt.  It is still  working fine and has never required adjustment.  I do check it for tension with every oil change. 

I changed the belt on my 84 FSXB at 50,000 miles and still had the original available when a friend of mine needed it for his 83 FXE after he had two of them fail due to mis-adjustment issues (one too tight and one too loose).
The 83 now has over 80,000 on it and has not needed another belt.

The only other failure I have heard of is another friend getting a rock through his belt and destroying both pulleys without breaking the belt.

These things are really pretty tough.

Kim

[sadunbar]

I never heard of a belt failure unless the bike was doing burnouts. I carry an air comp. and plug kit on long trips.

My riding buddy had a belt failure a couple of years back while we were on the road (out of town).  We found a rock embedded in his pulley.  An emergency kit would have been handy - as we wasted the better part of the day getting to a shop from where he was stranded....

[1abastarsmda]

Sears has those portable air compressors on sale for $12.99 right now.  It's the same model I paid more for a year or 2 ago, so I think it's worth finding some space in my bags for that price. I guess for long trips, if I'm really hurting for space, I'll leave it at home, but for more localized riding, I always have extra room in the bags.

[VaEagle]

Here is some info on tire repair kits :
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/escape/tourtechntips/123_0444_motorcycle_repair_kit/index.html

FYI 1abastarsmda as a general rule if you have cast rims then you have tubless tires, spoked rims need a tube tire setup. You could save space and consider the repair kit where you take out a spark plug and attach the hose to the spark plug hole and let the compressed air inflate your tire too.

[1abastarsmda]

Here is some info on tire repair kits :
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/escape/tourtechntips/123_0444_motorcycle_repair_kit/index.html

FYI 1abastarsmda as a general rule if you have cast rims then you have tubless tires, spoked rims need a tube tire setup. You could save space and consider the repair kit where you take out a spark plug and attach the hose to the spark plug hole and let the compressed air inflate your tire too.

As a general rule, I understood that, but didn't know if there was any reason we might be the exception.  I'm aware of the kits that work off the spark plug hole also, but I'm not that concerned about the space issue, as the one I have isn't real large.  Having both options would be even better.  I've lost energy in the last 5 minutes, and I may not make it as far as leaving to go buy anything today.  If I don't do it today, I promise that it won't pop back in my mind again anytime soon, and then I already have one here that I can use.

[Fired00d]

Sears has those portable air compressors on sale for $12.99 right now.  It's the same model I paid more for a year or 2 ago, so I think it's worth finding some space in my bags for that price. I guess for long trips, if I'm really hurting for space, I'll leave it at home, but for more localized riding, I always have extra room in the bags.

Can you provide a link or part number? Thanks.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[SIX38]

If you do any type of long distance touring, there is a certain comfort level to having spare parts with you, and if you never use them, so much the better! I do a lot of trips including an annual ride with 12 or more long time friends that typically is 4000+ miles and quite often find ourselves 100 mile this side of no-place. As part of our pre-trip planning we will assemble an assortment of spare parts (we all ride HD) that includes Emergency Drive Belt, tire repair/plug kit, compressor, voltage regulator, spark plugs, cables, oil, bulbs, fuses,wire, splice kit, tape, tyraps, liquid gasket maker, tools, etc. etc. We then divide everything among all the riders and make a list of who has what. This has saved the day on many an occasion, and the emergency drive belt was used on a Road King with only 12000 miles on it. If these parts do nothing more than get you to the nearest town they are worth their weight in chrome!
Tom P       

[1abastarsmda]

As far as portable air pumps go, I found 2 that were small enough to handily fit somewhere in your bags.  The smallest I located was the Adventure Pump http://www.happy-trail.com/Products/Cycle-pump-Adventure-Model__BRP-CPA.aspx  It's $100 and a bit to pricey compared to the next size up I located.  The next one is from Slime, the place that makes that flat tire repair stuff www.slime.com.  This is the one I looked at http://www.slime.com/product/111/Power-Sport-Tire-Inflator-(%2340001).html.  It's 6" X 6" X 2.25" and that's in the case with all attachments.  The compressor itself is actually smaller than that.  I found it locally at Pep Boys for a better price of $29.99.

They also have another product that comes with a bottle of Slime and a compressor  http://www.slime.com/product/122/Smart-Spair-15-Minute-Emergency-Tire-Repair-(%23SS-PDQ/06).html.  The kit is a little bigger because of the bottle of Slime included.  I did find that for a MUCH lower price locally.  Advance Auto has it for only $9.95.

To me, for minimum space, I think I'm going with Slime's small compressor and a plug kit.  I think that should be enough to get me to a dealer for a replacement tire and take up minimal space and at a very reasonable price.

I may, however, end up buying a bunch of those $9.95 kits for Christmas presents later in the year.  Talk about getting off cheap with something useful and that will be appreciated, although I have to wonder if Advance Auto has it priced wrong.  Slime's website shows it for $29.99.

[MUFFMAN]

there only usefull in u happen to have a air compressor with u to  pump up the tyre after u have plugged it or u have ur puncture at a service station

I got a flat in 02 while driving the Lake Placid area. The guys I ride with always kidded me about bringing along the shop in the bags. I have always carried a mini air pump and a tire plug kit. First and only  time I needed it but that time alone made it worth it.(happened @ around midnight.)

[Fired00d]

I believe this to be compressor that was mentioned earlier for $12.99 from Sears...

Craftsman 12 volt Air Compressor/Inflator Sears item# 02875113000

Looks like a good deal and small enough to travel with.



 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[MUFFMAN]

I believe this to be compressor that was mentioned earlier for $12.99 from Sears...

Craftsman 12 volt Air Compressor/Inflator Sears item# 02875113000

Looks like a good deal and small enough to travel with.

I have basically the same thing. I use it every spring to make sure it still works then just leave it in the saddlebag. It's great for topping up pressures while on the road.



 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[1abastarsmda]

I believe this to be compressor that was mentioned earlier for $12.99 from Sears...

Craftsman 12 volt Air Compressor/Inflator Sears item# 02875113000

Looks like a good deal and small enough to travel with.



 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

I forgot how bad my local Sears is.  I went there to buy it yesterday.  They had it marked at $35.99 on the shelf.  I was the only customer in the automotive section and the employee there completely ignored me.  I finally called over to him and told him that this was shown online for $12.99.  He said, "I'd have to check that."  I thought that was what he was doing back at the counter and I waited for a few moments and then looked over and he was stocking some things on the shelves.  I walked out and shouted A-hole on the way out.  I have no idea how my local Sears stays in business.  I have had problems with them every time I have walked in that door, yet I seem to forget and try again, only to be reminded.  Anyway, yes, that's the one. I already have the one just like it with the digital gauge in my SUV and they do work perfectly as intended.

[VaEagle]

Just read the customer reviews on the Sears tire inflators and most people say "You get what you pay for" and they don't seem to like any of the 12 volt inflators. The $12 one was rated 2.7 out of 5 stars and the digital version was rated at 3.9 out of 5 stars.
Seems to me the CO2 cylinders  method would be the easiest to store and maintenance free?
I do like the idea of the emergency drive belt though and am considering getting one just in case. I don't know they made a version that was not a continuous belt. I would not consider trying to put a standard belt on a bike alongside the road but the emergency model could be done if need be.