Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Hey all just found a nail in my brand new pilot power... It has less than 1000km on it not happy.... My question is will a plug be ok, it is in the rear and it is in the centre of the tyre not in the groove... The reason I ask is I'm wanting to start doing track days and was going to use this tyre... What are your thoughts will it hold up to track day stress??? Thanks for the feedback....

As long as it's one of the "mushroom" type plugs that you have to remove the tyre to fit and they get stuck on the inside of the tyre then I would use it, just not one of the "string" types you push in from the outside.

Only you can answer that weighing up all the advice that you will get.
Nobody can know for sure if a plug will mend it and allow you to use the tread remaining although plenty have used plugs and not had a problem so it may be okay. I don't know if anyone has had a tyre fail because of a plug.
When you get a puncture whatever went in may damage the structure (belts). Over time water may get into the belts and cause more damage and weaken the tyre.

If it was me I wouldn't use it on track where you will be doing more than double the max road speed and if something goes wrong...

Road for sure.

Track not so sure...

I'd ride the road with it

i had to put a plug in my tyre with bout 200k on the tyres if that, have now done, 7000k on said tyre and plug is still fine, i check it all the time hasnt lost pressure, and will need to replace the tyre soon due to wear can post a pic up later if you like

*sorry didnt see the track day part, others have posted before they have used plugs on race tyres, all my riding is just on the road, but do give the tyres a working, so to speak

philbo wrote:i had to put a plug in my tyre with bout 200k on the tyres if that, have now done, 7000k on said tyre and plug is still fine, i check it all the time hasnt lost pressure, and will need to replace the tyre soon due to wear can post a pic up later if you like

*sorry didnt see the track day part, others have posted before they have used plugs on race tyres, all my riding is just on the road, but do give the tyres a working, so to speak

yer they have, some have done it... myself, not a hope in hell would i run a plugged tyre on the track, not when u consider the speed, say 270/280ks down the shute at PI.for what, the cost of a new tyre, new tyres cheap compared to what could go wrong....

HeWasANinja wrote:.....Hey all just found a nail in my brand new pilot power... It has less than 1000km on it not happy.... My question is will a plug be ok, it is in the rear and it is in the centre of the tyre not in the groove... The reason I ask is I'm wanting to start doing track days and was going to use this tyre... What are your thoughts will it hold up to track day stress??? Thanks for the feedback....

How much faster are you going to ride at the track ? if you are still using street tyres and not slicks - I don't reckon you will be stressing the rear tyre out much more at all. I have used plugged tyres at EC before without a problem. Even on the road up to 250kmh - no issues. Are you doing EC or PI ?

If you intend to go out and set a lap record - yeah sure get a new tyre for that - but realistically, if you are heading out in yellow or even green group - I wouldn't bother worrying about it. The plugs I have used are just the rope type that you insert from the outside. They work fine.

I got a puncture in my rear Battlax with about 500 klms on it.

It was plugged by a KSRC sponsor, with a warning .... Not supposed to do this but should be ok.

Rode from Sydney to Tassie, around Tassie for ten days, then home.

Have probably done about 1000 additional road klms plus a track day at EC.

Had no issues

Must admit, early in the peace I was a bit tentative.

Cheers