Puncture Repair

[oexing]

For a more reliable inner tube repair I´d keep to the traditional repair kits plus a high pressure hand pump. I had BMW pumps which were allright for motorbike inner tubes but there are lots of useless types. Test some with high compression because any excessive air space inside the pump will get you no sufficient pressure for driving, no matter how hard you try. Today you´d look at high pressure bicycle pumps,light, small and effective for decent pressure. It will take some time as they deliver small quantity of air each stroke but in time you´ll get there.

Vic
high pressure pump

 

[danno]

I had BMW pumps which were allright for motorbike inner tubes but there are lots of useless types.

Vic
high pressure pump

Yes. I bought an Oxford one but could never figure out how it fitted on the valve.

 

[bmetcalf]

A pump for a /2 BMW fits on the tank if the spring is shortened by one coil or so.

 

[Gary Gittleson]

I'm very familiar with the bicycle types. I rode off-road bikes (mountain bikes) for years. One wants a way to keep going out in the wilderness. The thing about the valve is that most such bicycles have Presta valves, rather than Schrader types. Most of these pumps today have a facility for each type. The Presta type is much thinner and quite different in its function, so the motorcycle tube (with the Schrader valve) won't fit the bicycle port. If the pump only has the Presta type, you'd need some sort of adapter. There are adapters for Presta to Schrader. Not sure about the other way.

Vic is right. These pumps are slow but will achieve very high pressures. Road bicycles often run their tires at over 100psi.

 

[Comet Rider]

Thanks for the repair kit recommendation.

I never had much faith in the CO2 capsules in other kits I've had in the past so I've "deconstructed" a 12 Volt car pump so it doesn't take too much room in a tank bag or pannier.
Each piece of "string" in the kit is wrapped and impregnated with glue.

Commonly known as "Rats tails"
I carry a kit on my modern bike with some big 45g CO2 cartridges, which will inflate a tyre to around 30 PSI

 

[Robert Watson]

OK I tried 3 times to load a picture showing a small cardboard box with one each of a 19 and 20 in tube, plus a small cylinder operated compressor about 1 1/2 in in dia and 3 1/2 in long and a hose to connect the compressor to the tire. Blows a tire up in about 1/2 minute.

Picture takes a long time to load and then just disappears when I click on it

I try and be prepared to deal with punctures. If I am out of earshot from home this is what is in the top box. Same top box fits either of the two I generally venture forth on. The top box is on the bike with 19in front and 18 in rear right now so the inner tubes are appropriate for it. It also has a much shorter hose and this is my spare pump. Suzuki dealers had them in the 80's Don't try one on a Comet unless it has a twin plug head or you will pass out from exhaustion. Been a few times over 20 or 30 years (not always mine!). Most recently about 5 years ago on I 5 near Mt Shasta in California. 20 min stop, new tube and on the road. Pretty sure I would have been there for hours if I was waiting for recovery, and then to some place that didn't have a tube. The tube had split along a mold joint for about an inch, two up with luggage -- that was fun.

 

[TouringGodet]

And what luck, a nice large shady area, well off the road, to set up shop.

 

[Robert Watson]

Just as well too, it was a warm day! Plus a helpful passenger, after I had inspected the tire and set it just so, to be reinstalled, thought she should have a look whilst I was occupied and set it back down again. I had one side mounted and was just putting the new tube in when I noticed the tire was on backwards, could not figure out how that had happened until she confessed that she had also gone looking inside for foreign objects, and paid no attention to the direction it should run, otherwise it would have been a 15 minute stop!

 

[bmetcalf]

I was on US50 (the Lonliest Highway) Nevada and stopped for lunch. Came back to my bike (BMW) and saw the front tire was flat, after 70+ mph travel. Luckily, a gas station that actually had tube repair kits was next door and I was on my way in short order!

 

[danno]

For a more reliable inner tube repair I´d keep to the traditional repair kits plus a high pressure hand pump.

I guess for tube type tyres, that’s the only option.
Finilec might be ok for a small puncture. I just know that I would’nt want to attempt a repair on my R60/6 again, particularly on the rear wheel.
I find that I need to rest the bike at an angle on the cylinder to be able to get the wheel out.
A small high pressure pump would be a good start.