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New bike and a puncture problem


Wrenchmonkey
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Hey everyone,


Looking for a bit of advice. I was riding my bike back along the A1M last night and after a couple of miles the rear end felt ridiculously wobbly so pulled over to the hard shoulder. When I got off the bike and had a look the bike was rather annoyingly flat. The bike is 2 months old and has done about 2000 miles. I bought it brand new from motorcycles direct over in Watford. Luckily all Kawasaki’s are sold with 1 year free RAC cover so I got on the phone to them and some one was out fixing the tyre in about 20mins.


My question is this though. When I bought the bike they tried to up sell me various bits and bobs. One thing I did buy was the puncture safe gel that they put in the tyres. The sales guy told me this would plug the tyre so that you can get it home or to a garage with out being stuck high and dry at the side of the road. Well this clearly didn’t work. Do you think I am within my rights to call them up and ask for a refund for that particular upgrade. It’s not a lot of money about 50quid if memory recalls. It’s just annoying paying for a product that clearly has not lived up to its intended purpose.

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I wouldn't put this gloop down the bog never mind in my tyres . £50 for two bike tyres ? I think that's how much you pay for four car tyres. I've never believed in this stuff even when I was obliged to sell it . There's just something a bit desperate about the way this stuff is marketed that I find off putting. I understand that it used to be called Ultraseal . I wonder why they felt the need to change its name ? I think there's a good profit margin to be made by dealers who squirt it into tyres while you wait .

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I suppose it depends also on how big the hole/tear was though.


Ultra seal is sold for nail holes etc I believe. I would not have had it done to be honest, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.


The re-frame is that you eventually got sorted and you are now safe and sound :thumb:

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Why not try asking them for a refund and tell us how you get on. You'd need the damaged tyre as evidence though. If it was a big tear in it then the puncture gel isn't going to do it anyway. You'd need to show it was a reasonably small hole.


I've always thought this stuff is pretty useless and also liable to throw the balance out.

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@Stu had to have the wheels on his FJR replaced when he got it, because the gloop had eaten into the inside of the rims..... :shock:

 

:stupid:


Horrid stuff


It eats alloy and it had eaten away at some unpainted areas and there was holes as deep as 5mm


Anyway back to your question! I would only be asking for a refund if the stuff isn't in there as there is no guarantee that it will seal the hole yo may have

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The tyre sealants of years gone by were corrosive but the new tyre sealants are water based and are perfectly safe and have been for a few years.

So the tales of doom and gloom are historic.

 

Water based ? And that's not going to cause corrosion or oxidisation ? No thanks , its an aggressively marketed gimmick that's bloody dangerous. What this muck does is disguise the fact that you have a puncture. It can seriously unbalance a wheel , trust me, I've felt it thumping around at high speed and it isn't fun. Like I said previously, I wouldn't put it down the bog .

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It's not difficult fixing a puncture on a tubeless tyre. It takes me longer to reinflate than the actual repair. Personally, I think this is a vital skill if you're commuting in a town or city and can't afford the time wasted faffing about while rescue sorts themselves out. A nail. Under 5 minutes to repair, assuming it's repairable and easy to find.

One thing I've noticed though... Carrying a puncture repair kit and pump everywhere you go is virtually a guarantee that you will never have to use it away from home. Every puncture I've had in recent memory has been less than a 1/4 mile from my door. And it's easiest to just carry on home and fix it while a cuppa brews.


This is the main reason I'm swapping wheels on the new bike, from tubed to tubeless.

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It's not difficult fixing a puncture on a tubeless tyre. It takes me longer to reinflate than the actual repair. Personally, I think this is a vital skill if you're commuting in a town or city and can't afford the time wasted faffing about while rescue sorts themselves out. A nail. Under 5 minutes to repair, assuming it's repairable and easy to find.

One thing I've noticed though... Carrying a puncture repair kit and pump everywhere you go is virtually a guarantee that you will never have to use it away from home. Every puncture I've had in recent memory has been less than a 1/4 mile from my door. And it's easiest to just carry on home and fix it while a cuppa brews.


This is the main reason I'm swapping wheels on the new bike, from tubed to tubeless.

What's your preferred type of puncture repair kit ? Is it by any chance the type with the brown lumpy strips that you push in with a needle / hook ? I've watched this being used and I was well impressed.

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I'd see if it was in there, and if not get a refund. But in future I'd never use tyre sealant.


Just keep a puncture repair kit under your seat with 5 gas canisters (cheap off ebay)


It's a simple procedure, the tools with the kit let you ream the hole, you then have another tool to insert a long sticky brown/black plug. You can be pulled up, repaired, and on your way inside 15 minutes. I'd replace the tyre if I ever had 2 plugs in one at the same time.

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This is just a statement of fact, I am not trying to sway opinions in any way. Please make your own decisions.

I have used Punctursafe for over 70,000 miles in about 7 years. I have only had a flat tyre once where a piece of metal went through the side wall (which tyre sealant don't pretend to prevent). My wheels are still in excellent condition. Some bikes front tyres are more sensitive than others with regard to balance. My BMW K1200GT was unaffected by the amount of sealant. MY Yamaha FJR front tyre is sensitive to the amount of sealant used, once you find the right amount the balance is unaffected by speed.

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Does Puncturesafe affect Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems ? If so, it's not an option for me (or anyone else with TPMS)


I've helped repair a puncture in a tubeless tyre with the use of a "sticky string" repair kit and a mini compressor. It was a relatively simple operation, didn't take too long and lasted the remainder of the life of the tyre. I now carry one of those repair kits and a mini compressor and I'm hoping never to need them for my own bike ! :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

It's not difficult fixing a puncture on a tubeless tyre. It takes me longer to reinflate than the actual repair. Personally, I think this is a vital skill if you're commuting in a town or city and can't afford the time wasted faffing about while rescue sorts themselves out. A nail. Under 5 minutes to repair, assuming it's repairable and easy to find.

One thing I've noticed though... Carrying a puncture repair kit and pump everywhere you go is virtually a guarantee that you will never have to use it away from home. Every puncture I've had in recent memory has been less than a 1/4 mile from my door. And it's easiest to just carry on home and fix it while a cuppa brews.


This is the main reason I'm swapping wheels on the new bike, from tubed to tubeless.

What's your preferred type of puncture repair kit ? Is it by any chance the type with the brown lumpy strips that you push in with a needle / hook ? I've watched this being used and I was well impressed.

 

No. I use and highly recommend the Stop&Go system... One of the worst things I've found about glue-in repair plugs is just when you need it the glue has gone off as you might buy a repair kit tomorrow and then not have a puncture til next October.


Ive never used the repair type you describe.


The system I use forces a large soft mushroom through a very small tube, and into the tyre, with the "stalk" of the mushroom left protruding. once the mushroom has been forced through the tube it swells up back to its original size. The "stalk" plugs the actual hole and the flat underside of the mushroom is then pulled back and lies flat against the inside of the tyre covering the "stalk" and hole, increasing the seal. As you pump up the tyre air pressure pushes the mushroom even tighter against the inner wall and there, puncture fixed. Al that's left to do is cut off the bit of "stalk" that's protruding. it takes just a few minutes. I carry a small compressor with me and so have the tyre back up to full pressure a few minutes later and am on my way. no glue to go off. And it's a permanent repair... I have a never had one fail.


Buy the kit and... Aside from some means of reinflating the tyre, all you need is a small pair of pliers, to remove the nail.... And then, pull on the "stalk".


Compressor I use is an "airman"... A great gadget, with a very accurate pressure gauge as an added bonus.


By the way, the fella in the video says it won't work on a hole that's at an angle. I had no problem with such a hole. The "stalk" still fills the hole... Pull it tight, so it stretches to 2x its length and the mushroom seats itself just the same. If in doubt.. Check the pressure after a few miles. So easy.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3NfuBFNaA1U

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And it's a permanent repair... I have a never had one fail.

I've had a couple fail, one after ~35 miles and another after ~14 miles. Both times the mushroom fell back inside the tyre, leading to a very quick deflation.


Having tried the brown lumpy strip with a needle hook thinger as a kind bloke kindly provided me last time a mushroom fell inside (which was very kind of him) I was immediately converted, that bit of plugging rubber isn't going anywhere. I think it may be leaking air ever so slightly (maybe 1PSI a week or so) but often so do the mushroom plugs and the glued-in types so no big deal. The kits can also be found for about £6 which is cheaper than the stop 'n' go kit.

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My wheels are still in excellent condition.

 

Are they all painted inside? with no alloy showing?


If so its not a problem. The problem is when the stuff is left touching bare alloy it will start to corrode it!


When I had the problem with mine I was talking to the dealer and they said its pretty common and harley's are the worst as they don't paint/seal their wheels.


The dealer in question does not stock this stuff and point blank refuses to

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I've had a couple fail, one after ~35 miles and another after ~14 miles. Both times the mushroom fell back inside the tyre, leading to a very quick deflation.

 

That's been my experience with stop n go. I'm not a fan.


These days I use sticky strings - not the easiest things to use but they make for a very strong repair.

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