How to Fix a Flat Tire on Your Motorcycle

One of the most critical parts of your motorcycle is its tires. The tires maintain constant contact with the road and hold up the weight of your bike, so they take a real beating over time. Riding on worn and neglected tires can lead to a dangerous blowout on the highway. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to fix a flat tire on your motorcycle! Read on for some helpful tips.

Gather Supplies

When dealing with a flat tire, the first step is gathering all the supplies you’ll need. You can purchase a flat tire repair kit from a manufacturer to make the process easier. This kit includes a reaming tool, plugging material, CO2 cartridges, and pliers. When repairing or changing a flat tire on your motorcycle, make sure that you’re working in a well-lit and ventilated area.

Fixing the Flat Tire

If you get a flat tire while riding your motorcycle, you should immediately pull over to somewhere safe to fix the tire. Don’t attempt to ride with a flat tire unless you want to experience handling problems or damage your bike’s rim.

You first need to figure out the spot where the air is coming out from. Try listening for some hissing sound as the air comes out from the tire. You can also do a visual inspection to see if you can see any object embedded in the tire. If you can’t identify the punctured spot, try using soap and water on the tire surface. The leaking air will blow air bubbles so you know where the hole is.

Remove the embedded object, then grab your motorcycle tire repair kit and work the reaming tool in the hole. Work the reaming in and out to clear the puncture hole and reveal the size of the hole you’ll be patching. Go back to your tire repair kit and get the insertion/plugging tool (the tool with an eyelet) and the plugging material.

Just like you’d thread a needle, move the plugging material through the eyelet of the plugging tool. Make sure to push it in up to 3/4th of the way, and then, in one smooth motion, take it out. Trim the excess plugging material using a utility knife, so that it appears flush with the tire tread.

Leave the patch for roughly 10 minutes to allow the plugging material to set in and seal the hole. After that, you’ll need to inflate your tire to the recommended pressure. Some tire kits also come with small CO2 cartridges that might contain enough air to inflate your tire.

We hope this guide has been helpful. If you have any questions or are looking to buy a motorcycle, call us or visit Indian Motorcycle® of Orange County in Westminster, CA. We proudly serve all those in Los Angeles and Orange County.