Modern Vespa

i'm a beginning rider/vespa owner.....

I got my first flat today on the LX150ie. the rear tire has a puncture, went flat and I didn't have anything to fix it. Fortunately, I was in a shop that friendly locals frequent, and one had some green slime for bikes and scooters. I put that in the tire and used the compressor at the shop to fill it to 40 psi. Then I rode home 10 miles, and it is still 40psi.

question is should i ride on that or should i get that puncture fixed, or should i get a whole new tire????


thanks.

I have slime of some sort in a repair tyre thgat has been effective for 1500 ks so far.

The hole was tiny..like a staple thichkness.

40 PSI is too much pressure and a bit dangerous for grip BTW.

Well if the green slime is holding then no worries. Your question about a new tire? How many miles on the current one? How close are you to the wear bars?

Also, note that using slime causes a huge mess and your tire person may be a little pissed about it. I would invest in a plug kit of some sort for future flats.

thanks -- the puncture also seemed small on my tire, but effective

what is the correct pressure?

yes thanks for the warning -- but under the circumstances, that's all i had was slime! The tire is nearly new, I bought this LX150 new in Sept. of this year. But as a newbie, I didn't know if it's safe to ride a repaired tire, especially one with green slime.

it's hard to be on this side of the learning curve. I'm even having trouble just reading the oil level. ( wipe it clean clean, reinsert all the way -- one side is full one side is wet near the bottom.) etc

Agreed on the mess and getting a plug kit. I've ridden many miles on a plugged tire.

That should be in the User Manual for your particular machine . (Probably around 2 Bar) ...with info about the oil dip stick levels as well.

It is also found here:

Did You Ever Look?

Very easy to post an answer and give the new member a break.


Characteristic Front tyre pressure 1.6 bar = 23psi
Rear tyre pressure 2 bar = 29psi
Rear wheel pressure (rider and passenger): 2.3 bar = 33psi


http://www.scootermanuals.us/manuals/Vespa/LX125-150ie/index.htm

Its only easy if you happen to have the same bike (and Operating Manual) as the new member.

Whatever...Advising a New Rider to read the Operating Manual that comes with every New bike shouldnt be seen as bad advice or being unhelpful either.

We have had guys on here do damage by not doing so. eg the over heating situation when the new scooter rider ignored what the Temp gauge was telling him. He pleaded being a New rider as his excuse.

I knew you would step up and do it the right way.

I should have explained more -- I wouldn't waste the time of all the good experts and experienced riders on this forum, by not having consulted the manuals first and educating myself on proper maintenance. That said, there is still ambiguity on measuring oil levels that has me puzzled, and the manual does not go into detail. That's where you guys are the greatest. I count on the few answers that are just exactly what I need, as a beginner. THanks to you all who contribute!

by the way, my vespa manual says 41 psi rear wheel, two people. don't know why that doesn't agree with other figures. but i asked before in following up on unspecified psi, i thought there might be something not in the manual. just sayin'

I don't understand why I am getting busted in the chops with negative karma for posting a link about the information that is available right on the scooter that many may not be aware of. For those who have lost their manual or never got one, the decals and tags can answer a lot of questions that may come up. It is also info "right from the horse's mouth, Piaggio, without personal opinions. At least, it is a basis for a good foundation.

The title "Did You Ever Look" may turn some people off. I posted that a few years ago and can't remember how the title came to be. At the time, it seemed a logical title and I didn't realize that it could be interpreted by some as smart ass. It certainly wasn't intended that way. If I knew how to change it, I would.

As far as my reply to another member getting negative ratings, he uses every chance he has to throw digs my way and I am tired of it.

"Newness" of a tire includes its age, how many miles are on it, and how the bike has been ridden. You could have a tire that's only been on the bike a few months, but if the rider tears around like a bat out of hell all the time, and racks up a ton of miles, it could be pretty well worn down already. Or you could have a weekend rider that doesn't do many miles at all, and rides pretty tame, and have a tire that lasts a few years.

On these scoots, a front tire will generally last about twice as long as a rear (give or take). For the GT/GTS/GTV, 2,000 to 3,500 seems about average for rears, with a few of the more expensive tires hitting over 5,000.

A lot of folks (myself included) recommend replacing a scooter tire if it's damaged, even if it would otherwise have plenty of miles left on it. There are many more factors that affect a scooter tire than do a regular car tire (lean, possibly different compounds, stress on the side walls, weight distribution, etc). And if you have a catastrophic tire failure, you're a lot more likely to be seriously injured on a two wheeler. In my personal opinion, I'd rather do what I can to prevent that from happening, especially when I know what the issue is and exactly how it can be fixed. New tire.

However, you'll also find quite a few people here on MV that have had success with various tire fixing remedies. If you go that route, be sure to research the specifics. Even if you decide to just try and repair the tire, it's still something you want to make damn sure you're doing right. And certainly make a point of checking it out more often until you do replace the tire.

In your case, I would take into account A) how worn down the tire is (check the wear markers--post a picture here if you want opinions), and B) your confidence/ability in a repair job versus just replacing the tire.

Posting Guidelines
If you can help a new user, please do so. If you know a past topic that would help them and don't mind pointing it out, please do so. Otherwise, just move on -- don't take it upon yourself to be the Search Cop.

Sorry about the flat. I have Ride On n my tires and it's not supposed to create the mess that the slime does when you change out the tire. Got mine online. Riding with a plug is up to you. I had a huge hole in a newish tire that required 2 plugs. It rode funny so i got a new one. Good luck

I tried putting in the green slime on my front tyre last year, but it din't help when a screw punctured it, so in the end I resorted to using a plug.
That really did the job, although when the mechanic changed the tyre later in the year, he wasn't too impressed with the mess the slime had made..
I find that the plug kits are better and less messy in the long run.
Graham

I am not a search cop. I didn't search for anything. I posted a link that had the information requested, and more, to help the beginning rider. So, what IS your problem?

For crying out loud, folks. Give it a rest. Helpful info has been given in this topic. Links have been given. Even plenty of opinions stated. Please, take the fight elsewhere, I'm sick of seeing it.

Yes, all of you.

i was recently stuck in the boonies with half a bottle of slime left and no plugs...i used the hemmed side of a rag in my pet carrier and that got me 18 miles home, where the consumption of plugs drew down to nil, b/c they wouldn't hold. i have since replaced the tyre and think a good interior patch on the holy one will give me a little more mileage from a fairly it...emergency-wise perhaps.
the green crap wasn't too difficult to clean up off the wheel. hosed it off easily.