Puncture

For a while my CBF250 has had a slow puncture in the rear tyre. It would deflate over a couple of days and stop at about 10 psi. It wasn't a problem because I was doing short journeys so I just pumped it up regularly. But just after Christmas I was washing the bike and spotted the head of a screw in the tyre. The tyre was just about done so I replaced it.

Screw head

Inside the tyre

This made me think about a couple of things. Firstly the advantages of tubeless tyres. Although the screw had completely pierced the tyre it only went down slowly and didn't completely deflate. A tubed tyre would have got flat immediately. Also if a tubeless tyre deflates the tyre will stay in place on the rim. A tubeless doesn’t. Years ago I was returning home from work on a busy motorway when my MZ Saxon with tubed tyres had a puncture. I ended up riding at 50 mph on the rear rim. Luckily I was able to stop in the central reservation but it was a very dangerous incident.

Also what do you do if you get a puncture out on the road? I carry a tubeless repair kit. This consists of plugs that are glued in place. The hole has to be reamed out and the plug glued and inserted with a tool. The tyre is then inflated with CO2 capsules. I've had to use this type of kit a couple of times over the years and it worked ok.

Tubeless repair kit

The kits I carry on the bikes are pretty old now but there are alternatives that don't require reaming or glue and I might get one. Anyone used any of these?

Gryyp Cargol

Dynaplug