Puncture repair using 16g CO2

Got a spanner in the works? Post your motorcycle problems here.
Plague
Posts: 100
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2011 8:16 am

Puncture repair using 16g CO2

Post by Plague »

Hi all, just thought I would post this piece of information regarding my bike puncture experience on Saturday.
There we were having a great ride with a mate over Exmoor and surrounding area; hugging the coast road, sun shinning, sky blue, minimal traffic and then the GS starts getting a bit more of a hand full and vague, a xxxxxx puncture in the middle of know where ! that's all I needed. Pulling onto a gravel area to inspect the damage, was relived to see that the tyre was OK.
At this point I would like to thank a fellow ABR member (gseddie) who I meet at the Midland camping rally this year, he had a personally modified GS with a few items that I liked, one item in particular was a storage box behind his number plate. As all good ABRer's know if it's a good idea copy it. So I did :) (EBAY to the rescue) a quick search and a short time later a suitable waterproof OTTER box was purchased for £8 delivered (Second hand).
Now going back to the ride/puncture, it was then I realised that I had taken my panniers and topbox off to have a lighter bike as I thought that I did not need to take all my usual stuff, tools, etc as I was only going for a quick blast. So their we were in the middle of Exmoor with a flat....
That's when gseddies box came into its own, my box happened to house my CO2 puncture repair kit in, smiles all around. :cheer:

Now the tale above was not the reason I have posted this thread. As I had not used one of these kits before I was hoping to try it out when my tyres needed changing in the comfort of my shed, by making punctures and repairing them.
However the kit worked great, my kit was purchased as a motorcycle puncture repair kit; NOT a push bike kit. My kit had 3 CO2 cannisters so in my mind I thought I had a repair kit and a few spare cannisters. The hole/puncture was hard to detect as the rear tyre had a few cuts and scraps on it, so I decided to use one of the CO2 units to put some air in so I could find the hole, brilliant, found the hole easy, air pisxxg out. No trouble I thought, using the brown sticky plugs (called dog turds) and the inserter plugged the hole, now we were home and dry, I used the other 2 cannisters to get some air in the tyre and it felt OK, as I did not have a tyre gauge it was a quick press and away we go in search of an airline and more fuel. (I have now added a gauge to my kit).
At the garage the air line pressure indicated only around 18 PSI, so putting the correct pressure in we carried on and arrived home.
Now I needed to find some CO2 replacements, loads of types and prices, the ones I needed are 16g, so now looking at the information/data sheet I noticed that 16g CO2 cannisters will each only inflate 8/9 PSI, so to pump up a bike tyre to say 36 PSI you would need approx 4 plus at least one as a spare or to use as I did.

So after my shaggy dog story my question is ? If you are one of those riders who carry tools and kit on rides and have a CO2 repair kit (but may not have used it) please check to see how many cannisters came with you kit ! if its 3 like mine you may need to buy more ?
Just a foot note I found a good quality box of 10 for £9 delivered.

The pictures attached show the dog turd plug in the tyre and my otter box, once again many thanks Eddie, great piece of kit. For those who are not aware the GS is a great bike but it has sod all storage space, hence the modification B)
IMG_0682.JPG
IMG_0682.JPG (73.05 KiB) Viewed 2482 times
IMG_0683.JPG
IMG_0683.JPG (52.39 KiB) Viewed 2482 times
redbikejohn
Posts: 2160
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 4:01 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 85 times

Re: Puncture repair using 16g CO2

Post by redbikejohn »

Just around and about to work I don't carry anything but on a day out I carry a micro compressor. Very small and works fine. I have mtb o2 as a backup just in case its expired since the last time it was used. Added problem is the tenere takes tubes so no dog turds for me!
Yamaha tenere 700
XT660Z written off from behind by car.



Check out www.redbikejohn.com for ride & race reports (enduro, H&H etc).
Mad Cow
Posts: 2591
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:47 am
Location: Milton Keynes
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Puncture repair using 16g CO2

Post by Mad Cow »

Just round and about, I carry my RAC membership card :laugh:

A note on achieving the right tyre pressure, don't get too hung up about it. My 990 Adventure is supposed to run 38psi in the back tyre, at this weekends Witley 100 Long Distance Trial I ran it all day with 25 psi and had no problems at all up to 70mph, didn't even feel vague. So use the CO2 cannisters to get you to the nearest garage and top it up there, ride with a bit of caution for sure and 18psi is a bit on the soft side for a big bike but then I run 15psi on the 600 with no problem at all.

A word of caution, it's best to let the tyre down again completely and refill with air as apparently the CO2 does leak past the valve after a short while. I've had this happen on a bicycle tyre. 24 hours after the repair, the tyre went soft again and I assumed I hadn't repaired it properly. But after pumping up the tyre (with air)to check, no more problems, so it would seem there is some truth in this.
Tony AKA MAD COW

KTM 1090 Adventure R

KTM 450 EXC Rally




MY BLOG
Plague
Posts: 100
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2011 8:16 am

Re: Puncture repair using 16g CO2

Post by Plague »

Thanks for the tip, re the air/CO2. I did have my recovery card but wanted to get home and not wait 2/3 hours for a recovery truck to find us :whistle:
The thread was more to do with the number of CO2's in what should be motorbike kits, 4 should be the minimum in bike kits I would have thought.
Phil
Posts: 1205
Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 6:46 am

Re: Puncture repair using 16g CO2

Post by Phil »

the idea of a box behind the number plate is something ive been meaning to do on my Fazer since i got it (5 yrs ago :blush: ). i carry a repair kit but its not the dog turd type, there like little plugs?? (hard to explain)

If i get a puncture on my Ten it best be on the front...as i struggle with the rear in my garage so at the side of the road i aint got no chance!

carrying C02 mountain bike pump is a good idea. There small, act as a regulator for the cartridges and you can use the pump to top the tyre up (takes a while i'll admit but better than a kick in the grits)
MarkN
Posts: 1603
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:40 pm

Re: Puncture repair using 16g CO2

Post by MarkN »

I carry one of these kits and I've used them several times over the years. The idea is that you use three cylinders to inflate your tyre to 18psi and this allows you to get to an airline etc, I also now carry a small compressor as well.
If you want more cylinders to replace those that you've used, give your local dive centre or boat chandlers a ring as they're used to inflate marker buoys and life jackets etc.
Hope that helps?
MarkN
Posts: 1603
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:40 pm

Re: Puncture repair using 16g CO2

Post by MarkN »

Phil wrote:the idea of a box behind the number plate is something ive been meaning to do on my Fazer since i got it (5 yrs ago :blush: ). i carry a repair kit but its not the dog turd type, there like little plugs?? (hard to explain)

If i get a puncture on my Ten it best be on the front...as i struggle with the rear in my garage so at the side of the road i aint got no chance!

carrying C02 mountain bike pump is a good idea. There small, act as a regulator for the cartridges and you can use the pump to top the tyre up (takes a while i'll admit but better than a kick in the grits)
I put my repair kit and tools in a little box that sits on the luggage rack.
http://www.adventurebikewarehouse.co.uk ... p-477.html
redbikejohn
Posts: 2160
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 4:01 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 85 times

Re: Puncture repair using 16g CO2

Post by redbikejohn »

Phil wrote:the idea of a box behind the number plate is something ive been meaning to do on my Fazer since i got it (5 yrs ago :blush: ). i carry a repair kit but its not the dog turd type, there like little plugs?? (hard to explain)

If i get a puncture on my Ten it best be on the front...as i struggle with the rear in my garage so at the side of the road i aint got no chance!

carrying C02 mountain bike pump is a good idea. There small, act as a regulator for the cartridges and you can use the pump to top the tyre up (takes a while i'll admit but better than a kick in the grits)
yep those old 80's spacers are a right pain when trying to put the wheel back in. very surprised yamaha used those old crap things instead of using 'slip inside the bearing' spacers.
Yamaha tenere 700
XT660Z written off from behind by car.



Check out www.redbikejohn.com for ride & race reports (enduro, H&H etc).
Phil
Posts: 1205
Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 6:46 am

Re: Puncture repair using 16g CO2

Post by Phil »

Those spacers are a right pain in the arse!! and thats after you had to try and break the bead and remove a rear Mitas tyre!! :sick:
Throttled
Posts: 871
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2011 12:04 pm

Re: Puncture repair using 16g CO2

Post by Throttled »

Could you show more detail on how you fitted the otter box, thanks.

I have 4xCO2 canisters and smaller tyres, so should be OK.
YBR125 > KLE500 + KLE650 Versys Tourer
Post Reply

Return to “TECHNICAL”