A forum for owners of Yamaha TTR250 trail and enduro bikes!

Coast rider · Member

Tube\Tyre repair kits?

Cubber · Super Guru

Your best bet is to carry just the front tube (2 if you like), a set of tyre levers, inflater and plenty of patience.

The tube fits the front and will also fit the back, sufficiently to limp home at least. wink

The tubes and tools easily fit into a front or rear mudguard kit bag.

Inflaters can be safely cable tied to a frame tube.

Martyn

petenz · Super Guru

Cubber wrote:
Your best bet is to carry just the front tube (2 if you like), a set of tyre levers, inflater and plenty of patience.
The tube fits the front and will also fit the back, sufficiently to limp home at least.
The tubes and tools easily fit into a front or rear mudguard kit bag.
Inflaters can be safely cable tied to a frame tube.
Martyn

I carry a 19" tube on my XT660 that has 21/17" wheels...

pug · Guru

I carry a front an rear tube an patch kit with a 12v pump I'm not lucky when it comes to punctures never have been had 2 rear's in the last 12 months. but if you think it's a easy at home in the shop to swap a tube out try it in a mud filled lane. I get the bike to the end of the lane on the flat tire an call the AA now this is the thing he will have no kit to take the tire off as they don't do that any more they have gear to plug a tubeless but not fix a tube. but most of them will have a go if you have the kit an help as well. so now you will be thinking lets go tubeless setup on the bike well that works if you can find the hole to plug easy if it's a nail in it but if it's a thorn an the tires muddy then can be a bitch to find. all this said after last year I will be going tubeless at the next tire swap about 3000 miles more.

Martyn

peteBLUEttr · Super Guru

I take front AND rear standard duty tubes, both fit in me front mudguard bag bought cheap from eBay. A lot easier carrying both so you can just leave that tube in there then after changing.

I also take some long heavy duty cable ties, if I'm fairly close to home I can put the ties round and limp home, the 4 or 5 ties will stop the tyre bead coming away from the rim.

If you look after the area by always maintaining rim lock tightness, backing off the valve stem nut, and keeping above 14psi etc, I think you are quite unlikely to have two punctures in the same tube in one day.

leigh · Senior Member

I've just gone tubliss and loving the extra traction and benefits of low psi in my tyres.

I did previously and still do carry a 21" and tools to change etc. The few times I and friends have had flats I've left the wheel on, just popped one bead and pulled most of the tube out to find the hole etc. So I've patched them mostly, getting lucky finding the hole and having a slightly quicker fix.

I buy slime brand repair kits as they are the cheapest about near me. I replace the glue with a new one once its opened as they can go off and don't want to find out its no good when I need it. I use/used kenda tuff tubes.

Hope that helps.

Cheers Leigh.

Coast rider · Member

Cheers Leigh I was beginning to think I was the only person who thought it necessary to carry patches.

JOHNYBOY · Super Guru

anyone got 4mm thick tubes they are expensive £25.00 are they worth it

peteBLUEttr · Super Guru

My opinions are thus:

Depends if you want to have to do the tube twice.. I personally would not leave a patch as a permanent repair so that would see me doing it twice, once on the trail, and again at home with fresh tube.

JOHNYBOY: I feel that if something is sharp enough to go through your tyre then it is very likely to go through your heavy duty tube too! Also if you have the rimlocks done up tight every ride then the valves wont get ripped out anyway.

leigh · Senior Member

Coast Rider - good to carry, don't take up much room and could be handy if you get more than 1 flat, that'd be an unlucky day though.

Having said that I've had patches fail as well, not as good as replacing the tube but worth considering.

For me the 4mm tubes are not worth it, change my own tyres and I think they would be very hard to change with those tubes, plus they are very heavy. Kenda tuff tubes are 2.5mm thick and a good compromise I think.

JOHNYBOY · Super Guru

what is coast rider

Cubber · Super Guru

Coast Rider refers to the person 3+ posts ago that posted just after your "anyone got 4mm thick tubes they are expensive £25.00 are they worth it " posting.

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Martyn

JOHNYBOY · Super Guru

thanks martin did not understand coast rider

TTRfan · Super Guru

We used to sell HD inner tubes but had problems with owners wanting to run low pressures which meant they didn't fill the tyre and thus were able to move back and forth inside the tyre resulting in the valves ripping out.

The tell tale signs are the small balls of rubber inside the tube and a worn or scuffed looking inner tube. See photos below:

Worn HD inner tube 2.jpg

Worn HD inner tube.jpg

What I do is to use the standard tubes and "skin" them with the old tube to give the same effect as a HD tube. The "skinny" tubes are easier to fit and better at taking patches than HD ones in my opinion.

Skinning the tube.jpg

Regarding inflating tyres on the lanes, I used to carry the cylinders but it is easy to use up your supply. I moved to using Pug's 12V inflation pump system but spoilt myself and bought a very neat Slime pump which has done sterling service - mostly for my companions though wink

More information here.

Brian