Harley-Davidson Deluxe Tire Repair Kit

HARLEY-DAVIDSON DELUXE TIRE REPAIR KIT

EVALUATION

AFTER-THE-FLAT ASSISTANCE

OF ALL THE THINGS ON A MOTORCYCLE that can break or go wrong, a flat tire is perhaps the most vexing. It just doesn't seem right that such a minor mishap can stop a bike in its tracks as surely as if a grenade had dropped down the intake port. Worse yet, flats seem to happen out of the blue; they’re almost impossible to predict or prevent, like a whim of fate or some retribution from on high.

But while prevention might be out of the question, preparation isn't. And Harley-Davidson’s Deluxe Tire Repair Kit might be all the preparation you need. Not that merely carrying the kit will ward off puncture gremlins. Instead, it’s for after the fact, with everything you need to perform an emergency roadside fix, or a more permanent repair at home, on tubeless or tube-type tires.

Remarkably complete, the kit (available through H-D dealers for $36.50) comes in a zippered black vinyl pouch, and includes detailed instructions, six variously sized patches for tube repairs, three plugs and three combination plug/patches for tubeless tires, plus a tube of rubber cement. There’s also a decent pair of tire irons, a probe, a buffer/stitcher and a plug insertion tool. You'll even find a metal valve-stem cap for valve core removal, and—for when the job’s done—a tube of handcleaner and a paper towel.

But the job's done only when your tire’s no longer flat on one side. To that end, the kit also contains a little air pump that screws into your engine’s sparkplug hole (the pump has 18mm threads, with 14mm and 12mm adaptors) and a 4-foot-long hose. The rise and fall of your engine's piston sucks air into the pump's intake ports and blows it out through the hose.

If a tubeless-tire plug happened to be the repair of choice, though, the job’s still not finished. A plug is the easiest fix for tubeless tires because it can be installed with the tire still on the rim, but it’s not intended to be permanent. That distinction goes to the combination plug/patch, which does require the removal of the tire; it’s also the only type of tubeless-tire repair some tire companies recommend. In either case—plug or plug/ patch—the instructions call for a post-repair speed limit of 50 mph.

Some riders might chafe at such a low limit. But they'd probably also complain about finding a place to pack H-D’s bulky, 2-pound kit. Smart riders, though, will figure that 50 mph on the road beats 0 mph by the side of the road any day of the week, and they’ll find some way to lug it around. Like most of us, they know that nothing can ward off flats completely. But with Harley-Davidson's Deluxe Tire Repair Kit's afterthe-flat aid, they'll be ready. E3