Your post is an excellent example of one reason to run tubeless wheels on street bikes.

 

Tubeless tends to have a tougher bead, and a tubeless tire won't survive if slashed. The only benefit is, that a tubeless can take a tube if necessary.

I slashed my sidewall and eventually ended up just patching the tire and tossing in a new tube.

I carry motionpro beadpros and an extra "bent" spoon, works fine-ish. As for tube sizes, the width isn't as relevant, you can fit a 140/80 18" just fine. If I'm carrying a spare tube I only carry a spare 21", that one also can bring you home/out of trouble as a temporary rear tube.

 

Not on my AT, but I once had to use the kickstand from another bike to break the bead on a rear tire. Worked good, was able to spoon the one side on and off pretty easily using 3 spoons. Can't do that when riding solo, unless someone happens to ride by

 

Had a flat with a nail on the same Mitas rear tire on my 2017. Kinda sucked, but was out in the middle of nowhere and had a spare tube with me. Also carry the motion pro levers with the bead breaking "system." Worked fine, even if slow and painful. With their short levers, it doesn't hurt to have a 3rd lever with you; I carry one of theirs that also has the 27mm wrench for the rear wheel nut. 3rd lever significantly reduces required profanity.

I carry a very small can (maybe 3 oz) of WD 40 to lube the rim/find leaks. Works great, goes away quickly.

The Outex tubeless conversion or similar is the way to go, then just carry plugs and plug insertion tools.

My 2021 has the Outex kits in a set of Woody's built custom wheels, and I couldn't be happier. Probably should still carry a spare tube, just in case, but so far, have been able to use plugs with each flat.

Love the Mitas e07+ Dakar tires.

 

tldr:
So now the actual question:
Even if i had my east bound tire lever kit and a new innertube and a pump with me... i wouldn't have the soapy water or the bloody wood clamp with me, making this an impossible job on the side of the road. where conditions are quite a bit worse then in my own garage.

How are you guys fixing these flats on the side of the road?
What essential tool am i missing?
Are you guys even carrying stuff for only on-road trips? (asking this because our road side assistance only does plugs for tubeless.. they can't help with tubes)


------story time-------

Last weekend i had a nice 3 day long (only on road) trip. Contrary to my summer holiday i did not bring a spare, my tools or a pump. And also contrary to my summer trip i actually DID get a flat. A **** staple found it's way in my Mitas enduro trail + rear tire. A staple. Took me 5 turns on the wheel to even find it.

At the end of a 4 hour wait the road assistance sent a recovery vehicle to drive me and the bike back home. Not the best experience to have.

Back home i ordered me a new Michelin innertube and basically the only one i could find that said it should work with my rear tire and changed the inner tube.

This took me 3 hours, bear in mind i put on my own tires a few months earlier so my experience is not great, but also not zero. Still 3 hours.

At the end i basically used my garage tools + the spoon levers from eastbound.

I'm very thankful the tire was on fairly short and i remembered to use lots and lots of soapy water to try and get the bead off. But even with the soapy water and the eastbound tire levers i was unable to get the tire to pop the bead. I needed a wood bar clamp + the tire levers to pop the bead. (i used 3 or 4 clamps to pop the bead of the original karoo streets).

After this i could use the tire levers ok-ish (i'm guessing here the lack of experience comes in but i did get the job done eventually).

Still need to to my testdrive but the tire's back on and it's holding air.

Was it the Dakar version of the Enduro Trail XT+? Mitas claim they are extremely puncture resistant. But also very hard to fit without a machine.

 

Tubeless only for me!!! I just plug and go!

 

Definitely tubeless, and use strings, worms or whatever your own country calls them for on-bike repairs. Can be bloody hard work and they're not meant to be a permanent repair but I've never had one fail. Having said that, if my breakdown cover can get me home in a couple of hours I'd just sit it out!

 

Personally I would plug the tire and go because it has to be fixed somehow and I'm not pulling a tire of for a patch when I can plug it and go. I guess if I were real close to home and it was the front tire, I might wait and patch it. Otherwise, I'm plugging and going. I've plugged brand new tires and ran them with the plug until they were worn out without a leak.

 

I have ran and used tubeless tires and have successfully used rope plugs and a small electric pump.
The PROs of this are its a quick fix and you're back on the road. The CONs are it does not work on a sidewall tear and the small pump will not likely reseat a bead if it came off.

My current set up is tubed. I have done roadside repair which meant unmounting the wheel and pulling the tube then installing the new tube. I am not fast at this (2 hours).

For day rides I carry a patch kit and a small bicycle pump, motion pro levers/bead breaker and bead lube and a bead buddy (the small ones). These tools live on the bike. For overnight and multiday trips I add, tubes and electric pump. I have a centre stand as well. You could add a snap jack to your tools if you don't have a centre stand.

I would recommend practicing using the tools that you carry when you do a tire change at home so if you are out and about and get a flat you have the confidence to tackle it on your own.
The biggest thing I learned changing tires is if you are forcing anything something is not right, this should not be physically exhausting.

Here is one of favorite videos on tire changing

 

If you can afford it, buy HAAN tubeless rims and a plug set (may one for the future). In the meantime, always carry a can of this in a tailpack because it is on of the road nly foams that works on innertubes.

https://www.infinitymotorcycles.com/product/motul-p3-tyre-repair-300ml?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-gVdERBsSxCfjoPJOtYwYpXzNro&gclid=CjwKCAjwxY-3BhAuEiwAu7Y6s3FixyLXRJuwPNn9G0rNhdwuFzXnbhr04jaa_XkrMbcHEANb5wlg8BoCBeoQAvD_BwE

 

If you’re going to spend all that money, I would buy true tubeless tires not ones that were converted. I would buy something like the Kineo tubeless rims. If you’re going to pay someone to convert your rims, I’d do it yourself. It’s not that hard. I converted my T7 rim and it hasn’t lost air since it was converted.

 

I carry a small can of WD-40 and a two foot square piece of thin canvas for tire repairs. The WD-40 is used in the tire bead and the canvas is a work surface to keep the tire out of the dirt.

No need to to debate the use of WD-40. It works and it evaporates. Been using it since the early 80's.

Rust Inhibitor and Lubricant: Travel-Sized Handy Can | WD-40

The 2.75 oz handy can from WD-40 is the perfect tool for any glove box or tool box on the job or at home. WD-40 is a rust inhibitor and lubricant that protects metal from rust and corrosion and displaces moisture easily. The handy can provides a travel-sized problem solver.

www.wd40.com

Oh, and also add only enough air to give the tube a nearly round shape--no pressure. This will nearly prevent the possibility of pinching a tube with the lever.

 

Oh, and also add only enough air to give the tube a nearly round shape--no pressure. This will nearly prevent the possibility of pinching a tube with the lever.

This!! Hardly anyone does this but is the easiest way to prevent a pinched tube. The tube settles inside the tire instead of in the rim. I have learned this when I was 5 or 6 and learned how to ride a bicycle (my dad immediately taught me how to fix a flat). Works on any wheel with a tube. Have used it always and NEVER pinched my tube.

And for lube, just bring a very small plastic bottle with some dishwashing liquid. Doesn’t take much space and use it with the water you’ll probably have with you anyway.

Have fun and ride safe.

 

I carry tools, tubes, and a small pump on all my rides. Punctures have been so rare I've only had to do roadside flat repairs a couple of times. It's not so bad if you can find a place to put the bike on level ground and have a centre stand. Dirty and messy but not too bad - even with stiff rear tires. Usually, if you've been riding the tire is warm when flexible which makes it easier.

 

How to install a Motorcycle Tire? Rodsmith shows his Tire Install Tip, Trick

this is the best way!!!

 

I would highly recommend a set of Motion Pro bead breaker tire levers. I haven't met a bead they can't break yet. Also, take along a patch kit and know how to use it. I've found that for road side repairs where the tube isn't ruined it's easier to break the bead and just remove one side and pull the tube out where the hole is and just patch it and shove it back in and button it up. Tube type wheels definitely aren't super simple but a couple of practice rounds and it's nothing to panic about.

 

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm taking a few pieces of wisdom from here. One of which is "it is what it is".. because i'm not replacing perfectly fine wheels for hundred of dollars - Also i DO have road side assistance that will help me.

I will see if i can mount my tire lever set + inner tube patch kit permanently on my bike. For me the biggest issue was getting the tire bead off in the first place. I know about the side stand trick, but that would mean relying on a "tool" i might not have. I also knew about the motion pro tire levers, i however decided to get the eastbound tire lever and bead breaking system because it was lighter and smaller.

I am wondering if tubeless rims have less of a bead for the tire to sit on and maybe easier to break? When googling the motion pro i do see a tool similar to a clamp.. that may just be the addition i would need to be able to do this in the "wild". I guess my 3 hours is not breaking speed records, but i guess it "just is" a lot of work without professional tools.

 

There was a discussion about this at the Honda off road training. They recommended using Slime to fix a puncture in a tube, and getting it fixed professionally asap, Sounds sensible. I've used it before and it was fine. My bicycles have it in the tubes all the time.

 

I've had good luck with Slime, but on ATVs and UTVs. Never tried it in my motorcycles. Always hear how tire shops hate the stuff but I believe it's the aerosol Fix A Flat that they hate because that stuff gets hard and crusty inside a wheel. I've removed a tire that had Slime in it for a couple years and it was still wet and easily washed out with water. The local tire shop here uses a pink commercial version of the stuff that comes in a gallon bulk jug and they swear by it for sealing punctures. Supposed to be great for balancing as well.

 

Exactly why I won’t run tube tires!