Just Catching Up & Some "heads up"

ADK Jim

ADK Jim

Site Supporter
Joined
Apr 25, 2016
Messages
142
Location
FL
Bike
2010 Red NT700V
Hello All:

It's been awhile since I've been on the Forum, but I am riding more now and even camping once again pulling the Bed4One trailer I had built.
The posting might not be in the proper area, but wanted to pass along some hopefully useful information to others who might get a rear flat tire. I ride Michelin Road 5 tires and the other day I went out to start the bike and found a flat rear tire. Could not find the problem, so pumped it up and took off on some errands. By the time I started to head home I noticed the "wiggle" that I've learned means low air in the rear tire. Refilled the tire with my portable plug-in air compressor and headed home. Put the bike on the lift and kept spraying the tire, valve stem, bead, etc. Finally found a small stick had punctured the tire. Removed and tired to use the Stop-n-Go mushroom plug with no luck - tried twice! Tire was nearly new, but I figured since it wasn't going to hold air (still tiny air leak), it's worth buying a new one since I am only riding on 2 tires.
The learnings:
1. According to the dealer, the Michelin Road 5's are made of a silicon rather than rubber, so that might explain why I wasn't able to get the mushroom plug to completely seal - still not sure.
2. I started to do the procedure as outlined in the shop manual for getting the rear wheel off to take to the dealer and remembered that on my Lincoln Highway trip when I got a flat, I didn't take off the panniers or the muffler, etc. I double checked with the dealer and he confirmed I was right. My lift has a "trap door" so getting the bike on the lift and center stand, you can remove the rear wheel and also reinstall it without pulling off all the "goodies". The stop bolt for the rear brakes does not come out, but when it is fully disengaged you can remove the rear brake caliber and cable tie it up out of the way and slide the wheel down. Repeat in the reverse order to reinstall.

I didn't find anything explaining this procedure on either YouTube for the NT700V or on our forum. It works just fine and saves a whole lot of time and frustration removing old brittle plastic parts.
Hope this is of some help to others.

Remain safe, enjoy the ride and a SPECIAL big hello to Phil T! Hope we finally get to see you again at one of the NT700V gatherings soon.
Jim
NT700V rear tire removal.jpg
 
PS - The tank was raised so I could also adjust the throttle cable at the engine. This is not required for the rear wheel removal. :)
 
I really like Michelin Radial motorcycle tires been using them since 1989 but have had alot of trouble pluging them, they don't want to stay in, pluged one tire a half dozen times on a trip just to get home.
 
I've only had one flat in141K miles of riding my 2 NTs. It was at the '12 NT/ST Owners rally in Spearfish. Falcon AF and I probably tried 5 or 6 Stop'n'Go plugs. Frosty walked across to the K-Mart that used to be behind the Perkins and bought some sticky rope plugs and they got me back to the campground. But I ended up having to be transported to the Honda dealership in Rapid City and got a Dunlop Roadmaster. I went back to Michelins on the next set of tires. I had PR-4s put on Horse when I bought him.

I'm looking forward to see the folks coming to SE Ohio!
 
As a returnee to motorcycling, I have never plugged a tyre. Lots of experience with innertubes.

I invest in gummy worms and watch YouTube. One demonstration says to put one and a half turns on the tool before withdrawal. It was with a closed loop tool instead of the customary spring loop. The idea seems to be to put four strips of worm into the hole, leaving a knot on the inside of the tyre.

I intend to use the tyre repair solvent, stick the tool into the wound and wait a couple of minutes for the solvent to cure, then twist and withdraw. The hope is that some form of knot will form inside the tyre.

There is very interesting footage on the subject from FortNine on YouTube .
 
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Phil Tarman said:
I've only had one flat in141K miles of riding my 2 NTs. It was at the '12 NT/ST Owners rally in Spearfish. Falcon AF and I probably tried 5 or 6 Stop'n'Go plugs. Frosty walked across to the K-Mart that used to be behind the Perkins and bought some sticky rope plugs and they got me back to the campground. But I ended up having to be transported to the Honda dealership in Rapid City and got a Dunlop Roadmaster. I went back to Michelins on the next set of tires. I had PR-4s put on Horse when I bought him.

I'm looking forward to see the folks coming to SE Ohio!
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Phil:
I looked and was unable to find any info on a gathering in SE Ohio - can you give me the link, dates, etc. Thanks, Jim
 
Nick:
Thanks for the video. Might pick up some gummy worms as a back up or maybe use both. Hopefully we won't have another flat :cool:
 
I used the rope plugs for years working on customer cars, working as a tech. Never had any returns. The trick with them is to give the threading needle one full turn before removing, this makes a ball of the goo inside the tire which minimizes the chance they'll pull out on the road, then trim the outside of the rope plug with a razor blade so it mushrooms over once the tire is rolling again. I would trim them just above the tread.

I carry them in my NT, along with a mini compressor and the tools. Have never used them on the NT, but would have no qualms about using them in an emergency.

The size and shape of the puncture really determines the needed repair. Last year I picked up a large nail in the rear tire of the NT, it cut the tire when it folded into the tread, I had to replace fairly new tire in that case, luckily I was close to home. A nail that goes straight in and just makes a small hole, I would have plugged and kept an eye on it.
 
Nick Wilkinson said:
As a returnee to motorcycling, I have never plugged a tyre. Lots of experience with innertubes.

I invest in gummy worms and watch YouTube. One demonstration says to put one and a half turns on the tool before withdrawal. It was with a closed loop tool instead of the customary spring loop. The idea seems to be to put four strips of worm into the hole, leaving a knot on the inside of the tyre.

I intend to use the tyre repair solvent, stick the tool into the wound and wait a couple of minutes for the solvent to cure, then twist and withdraw. The hope is that some form of knot will form inside the tyre.

There is very interesting footage on the subject from FortNine on YouTube .
Click to expand...
Alot of what this guy says is true but some is completely bogus.

I have weak hands so I carry a set of graduated tapered rat tailed files to make the hole any size I want.
For small holes, the dynaplug is quick and easy. And works. We agree on that.
For big holes, the gummy worms are the way to go. I would strongly urge anyone to take an old modern motorcycle tire, drill some holes, and practice practice practice. I ended up modifying my gummyworm seater a tad.

I am not dissing Jim here. I am just saying this is my experience. For inbetween holes, I would not hesitate to try a mushroom plug. You make the hole you need AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE (see practice practice practice) Keep the lamimated instructions in the kit. They are not intuitive. Here are pics of a mushroom plug I put in an old tire. The hole I made was smaller than the stem . There are 42 psi pushing the plug to seal the hole if properly seated, as in the pic. If it isnt seated and the hole is too big, you are SOL. Air will sneak by the mustroom and the stem. As with any repair, a small bottle of soap (very small) and some bottled water will tell you if it seals and it should be checked every so often till you get to a place of saftey. I do not subscribe to the vid guy's "Push" meathod at all. If for some reason, you cant make the mushroom plug work to get you to safety, then you can always use the gummy worms. Its all about options. IIRC, Stop and Go does NOT reccommend you use glue on their plugs. As I am sure you all know, MC tires use dual compound and the compound in the center is very hard.
bogus 1.jpg
bogus 2.jpg
 
I rode my NT everyday for almost 10 years and never had a puncture. After I traded it in on a Yamaha XMAX I picked up a nail in the first 300 miles. I used my Stop N Go mushroom plug kit to repair it. That tire now has over 7,000 miles on it and the plug is still holding air and looks like it will last the life of the tire.
 
suvcw04 said:
Just curious. What brand is the top box?
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The top box is the Honda model that came with the bike. My modifications were the addition of a trailer hitch to allow me to pull my mini teardrop camper for one.
 
Warren said:
I rode my NT everyday for almost 10 years and never had a puncture. After I traded it in on a Yamaha XMAX I picked up a nail in the first 300 miles. I used my Stop N Go mushroom plug kit to repair it. That tire now has over 7,000 miles on it and the plug is still holding air and looks like it will last the life of the tire.
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The one thing that I get some heartburn over with mushroom plugging Michilins is the knobby pattern found on the inside of the the tires. Here is a new one on the inside with a .22 LR round for scale. The channels could let air in around the mushroom head so there should be a good tight fit of the plug body in the hole. I still would be tempted to, after making the hole, to squirt patch cement in the hole right before inserting the plug installer. I run tubeless on my lawn tractor and they wouldnt last 5 min on my thorny property without "Slime" for tubeless tires. I used to carry a can of the stuff with me while touring.
a knob.jpg
 
Coyote Chris said:
The one thing that I get some heartburn over with mushroom plugging Michilins is the knobby pattern found on the inside of the the tires. Here is a new one on the inside with a .22 LR round for scale. The channels could let air in around the mushroom head so there should be a good tight fit of the plug body in the hole. I still would be tempted to, after making the hole, to squirt patch cement in the hole right before inserting the plug installer. I run tubeless on my lawn tractor and they wouldnt last 5 min on my thorny property without "Slime" for tubeless tires. I used to carry a can of the stuff with me while touring.
View attachment 17658
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Thanks Coyote Chris for your thoughts and information. My mushroom was such a slow leak that I am sure it had also to do with the location in the tire and potentially causing the hole to be made slightly irregular, therefore causing the stem of the mushroom not to seal 100%. Anyway, I haven't given up on the system which I still believe is what I want to carry on long trips. Stay safe and enjoy the ride. Jim
 
I have used the mushroom style plug on 3 or 4 occasions and it always has worked like intended.

Mike
 
Although I do have the DynaPlug and Mushroom plugs, I only carry the sticky worms because I've found they'll get me back home safely where I can decide what to do.
If the tire is fairly new, I'll dismount it from the wheel and make a permanent repair with a patch/plug.
 
I want to know where you got that cartridge?!?!?!?!?
Every store I have been in since November is cleaned out.
I'm going to have to practice with a cork gun!!
 
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