Ride on a slow leaking back tire? (2024)

Anyone ride ona rear tire that has a slow leak? The brand new tires i just paid for and had installed ( along with chain, sprockets, etc..) a month ago, already got punctured from construction giant staple last week! Road crews started ripping up the roads and now I have a flat on new tire for it!

I called the same shop that did new parts last month, ( I paid around $900 ), the guy I spoke with said he'd give me a deal for the same rear tire I just had installed , for $120 plus $60 install fee. I agreed. He said it would be in by yesterday, wednedasy. So I called today, Thursday its in but now they tell me the cost is around $180 plus $60!!!! Tried to pawn it off as if i agreed to a less expensive tire,, which is not true.. and if i had they would have ordered the less expensive tire,, not the Bridgestone they did order and is now there they are saying i have to pay $180 plus $60 for! Bait and switch!

I can't afford to keep paying for new new tires like this!! And don't like being lied to, bait and switched!!

So...wondering if anyone rides with a slow leak, and just reinstated their tire every couple days?

I wouldn't have replaced that tire anyway. I would have just plugged the other hole and ridden it.

If you buy your tires from BARF sponsor Santa Clara Cycle Accessories, they'll install them for free if you bring the wheels in, or for a reasonable charge, wheels off the bikes.

https://santaclaracycle.com/collections/street-motorcycle-tires

davidji said:

I wouldn't have replaced that tire anyway. I would have just plugged the other hole and ridden it.

If you buy your tires from BARF sponsor Santa Clara Cycle Accessories, they'll install them for free if you bring the wheels in, or for a reasonable charge, wheels off the bikes.

https://santaclaracycle.com/collections/street-motorcycle-tires

Click to expand...

They were plugged with mushroom plugs, but because there are 2 holes right next to each other it didn't seal all the way. This still leaks. I am not comfortable removing and installing my wheels do it needs to be done by a shop

cozy said:

They were plugged with mushroom plugs, but because there are 2 holes right next to each other it didn't seal all the way. This still leaks. I am not comfortable removing and installing my wheels do it needs to be done by a shop

Click to expand...

But getting it patched from the inside shouldn't cost $240, right?

berth said:

See Also

The Marías Dive Deep on ‘Submarine’: ‘We Played Through’ Romantic Breakup Between Members, and Deluxe Album Reveal (EXCLUSIVE)

But getting it patched from the inside shouldn't cost $240, right?

Click to expand...

I didn't know that is an option

cozy said:

I didn't know that is an option

Click to expand...

Most shops won't do it. The (now defunct) shop I found that would, ruined my tire & the patch didn't seal.

It's a really easy job though (other than the tire removal & installation).

cozy said:

They were plugged with mushroom plugs, but because there are 2 holes right next to each other it didn't seal all the way. This still leaks. I am not comfortable removing and installing my wheels do it needs to be done by a shop

Click to expand...

Ah. I thought from your earlier post that the person only plugged 1 hole. They aren't too close together for gummy worm plugs, but I don't know mushroom plugs.

Look at that link for SCCA tires. If you see something you like there, call them, make an appointment, and ride in ride out. It may not be what you were looking for but I think the Shinko 705 comes in Bandit rear size, is affordable, and at least for me lasts practically forever.

When I commuted to that area, they'd replace my tires over my lunch time.

Riding on a leaky tire?

Bad idea!

That place in San Bruno on El Camino (Motorcycle Madness?) might patch it, if it's not beyond repair.

davidji said:

Ah. I thought from your earlier post that the person only plugged 1 hole. They aren't too close together for gummy worm plugs, but I don't know mushroom plugs.

Look at that link for SCCA tires. If you see something you like there, call them, make an appointment, and ride in ride out. It may not be what you were looking for but I think the Shinko 705 comes in Bandit rear size, is affordable, and at least for me lasts practically forever.

When I commuted to that area, they'd replace my tires over my lunch time.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I was going to go to them originally, but there was a miscommunication and given the much farther distance from me and cra*$y freeway roads and wind that way I decided to go with the place in Santa Rosa . The latter did a good job. But I really don't like being lied to, bait and switch and the guy I spoke with last week clearly said he'd do a deal of $120 plus $60 instsll for the same tire i just bought a pair of from them, since I just spent do much monymeubwith them and only a month after new tires. He even ordered the same tire I have now, so for them to act like he meant a cheaper different tire is blatantly dishonest. If he meant the cheaper tire he would have ordered the cheaper tire. At this point its the principle of honesty that matters as much as now even a bit more than price.

I'm hesitant to get a new tire at all again now after this one so quickly was rendered damaged. Especially as construction road crew apparently are doing to be working on the roads in front of my place where I park for the rest of the friggin year. So getting another staple, nail, etc in tire seems likely

I do not like the mushroom plugs, my experience is they often leak.
I think if you patch the tire with a different type of patch it will hold, and on a rear tire would have no hesitation riding on it. But I do check the pressure more often on a patched tire.

The internal patches usually are the best patch.

I have had very good luck with the yarn rope plugs.

I have patched a lot of tires close to several hundred.

ocoas said:

I do not like the mushroom plugs, my experience is they often leak.
I think if you patch the tire with a different type of patch it will hold, and on a rear tire would have no hesitation riding on it. But I do check the pressure more often on a patched tire.

The internal patches usually are the best patch.

I have had very good luck with the yarn rope plugs.

I have patched a lot of tires close to several hundred.

Click to expand...

Thanks. The guy who helped me out the day I got the leak, he used mushroom plugs because he said he feels they are better at sealing and a more permanent repair than the stringy rope rubber pieces. And I've read the stringy rope rubber pieces are only for temporary sfixes until a plug or replacement can be obtained. Thiougu he did say the plugs are not as reliable can can fail to seal fully when punctures are very close together as the style holes are in my tire currently. He didn't even charge me because it still has a slow leak.

The 3 links below are the items I ordered after I got the puncture. I've already used the foot pump once to inflate my tire this morning and it actually works pretty well for a manual pump. Took maybe 7 minutes to inflate the rear tire from its partially deflated condition to around 38 psi. It went down from around 35 to around 19 psi over the course of the 3 days it's been parked.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075NBRN2R?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B085FQPVG3?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07N41TXTQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

cozy said:

I'm hesitant to get a new tire at all again now after this one so quickly was rendered damaged. Especially as construction road crew apparently are doing to be working on the roads in front of my place where I park for the rest of the friggin year. So getting another staple, nail, etc in tire seems likely

Click to expand...

But next time you'll be prepared to properly plug your rear puncture and it won't leak, right? If there is a next time.

Consider your best way forward for this tire.

If you do ride to a shop to have your tire replaced you can ride home with the old one around your waist. Then repair it at home in your own time, and have it installed next time you need a rear tire. You'll know if you did it right.

cozy said:

And I've read the stringy rope rubber pieces are only for temporary sfixes until a plug or replacement can be obtained.

Click to expand...

Don't believe everything you read (or is it everything you think?).

I have no problem using a plugged rear tire on the street until worn out.

One of the reasons patching is preferred over plugs is taking the tire off the rim you can inspect for damage on the inside. If you rely on a plug you'll have to trust your judgement as to whether there's inside damage.

The consensus here seems to be string plugs are better than mushroom plugs, and the only mushroom plugs you've had leaked. Yet you bought mushroom plugs? OK I'm not so sure about this anymore

davidji said:

But next time you'll be prepared to properly plug your rear puncture and it won't leak, right?

Click to expand...

I get that you have to exercise judgement on which conflicting claims you believe. But shouldn't your personal experience factor into that as well?

I hope you find a way forward that works for you.

String type plugs and a high quality inflator have worked well for me.

davidji said:

Don't believe everything you read (or is it everything you think?).

I have no problem using a plugged rear tire on the street until worn out.

One of the reasons patching is preferred over plugs is taking the tire off the rim you can inspect for damage on the inside. If you rely on a plug you'll have to trust your judgement as to whether there's inside damage.

The consensus here seems to be string plugs are better than mushroom plugs, and the only mushroom plugs you've had leaked. Yet you bought mushroom plugs? OK I'm not so sure about this anymore

I get that you have to exercise judgement on which conflicting claims you believe. But shouldn't your personal experience factor into that as well?

I hope you find a way forward that works for you.

String type plugs and a high quality inflator have worked well for me.

Click to expand...

All I had heard up to now was that string type are only useful for temporary repairs. And plugs are better for long term except in cases like apparently mine is where the holes are too close together.

Probably not a wise idea to try jamming in string type plugs on top of the mushroom plugs?

There is also the less than optimal but viable option of putting a tube in a tire that won't plug well.

Need to make sure the hole is well covered from the inside so the tube doesn't get pinched or cut, and I doubt a shop would be willing to do it, but I wouldn't hesitate to do it on my own bike.

May as well learn to change tires yourself, paying for tire changes on motos makes riding pretty darn expensive.

Few thoughts. First, that isn't a slow leak!! I'd call ~2 psi in a week a slow leak. I would not ride with a tire leaking as much as yours is.

Second, your tire place, was it the owner that gave you the great deal price? Maybe the owner told you the $120 price ... tire was ordered ... tire showed up ... other normal worker guy sees tire cost $180, calls you up to let you know tire is in and mentions the $180. Possible? Or was it like "Jeff" told you $120, you order it, and "Jeff" now tells you it is $180? So maybe just a mix up vs. a bait and switch plan meant to get $60 more out of ya.

Next, I've had nails in my tires and the pressure really didn't drop much. Like it was down 2 psi. Rode the bike 30 more minutes, same pressure. Rode 30 more minutes, same pressure, all the way home (~2 hrs of riding). So then I did a rope plug at my house vs on the side of the road somewhere. And if you do this, each time you stop you pull into a place that would be good to do the repair ... like a gas station. So if it was down 10 psi you could either try adding air or do the plug there.

I'm another person in the rope plug camp. They've worked fine for me. And after doing a rope plug, you can then watch the air pressure carefully. If it doesn't drop at all in a week, they you know it was a good plug. But I would still keep an eye on it going forward, like check each day before riding.

Good luck