Modern Vespa

It's for the Enfield but hopefully you guys might be able to advise. Noticed a nail in my rear tyre when coming back from tennis. Bike was fine riding there but rear tyre completely flat when about to set off back home. I thought tubed tyres lost pressure instantly when thy got a puncture but bike was fine riding there? I rode the bike home (about 3 miles) - was that ok with a tubed tyre with spoked wheels?

Main question is how do I repair it? do I need to replace the inner tube? can I patch it? can I buy heavy duty inner tubes for London streets which incidentally aren't paved with gold but instead are covered in a fine layer of grease, screws and nails. Assume the tyre itself is OK once I pull the nail out?

Cheers
Mike

PS I'm quite comfy repairing tubeless tyres with the stringy stuff but a bit lost with the tubed tyres.

If it is anything like a bicycle tubed tire the tube is pretty cheap and easy to replace. The tire would be fine to keep as long as its tread lasts.

Tubes can be patched, too, but even as frugal as I am I tend to replace the tube when it fails for whatever reason (on my bicycles).

Replacing the tube is probably not much more than pathcing it, and you'll have peace of mind.

I always replaced my bicycle tubes when punctured, never had the patience to repair a tube at the side of the road.

Replace the tube, then repair the original which becomes your spare.

I've had inner tubes in an old car. When I hit a nail, they did not deplete instanteniously, rather steadily and relatively fast. Bicycle tyres deplate fast....I guess motorcycles are something in between, it's a really long time since I've had a flat tyre.

If the tubes are not ultra expensive for the RE, I would too just replace the whole tube with a new one. I've almost always done so with my bicycles and always did it with the car. It's so easy to make a leaky patch that at first appears to be OK... I've made patches for bicycles that seem to be airtight (sunk in a water bucket, no bubbles), but still get flat the next day after putting the tyre on... inconvenient with a bicycle, annoying as heck with a motorcycle.

Good idea about keeping it as a spare.

I think the main reason the inner tubes start to leak after they're fixed is that they get trapped by the tyre irons when fitting them back on. I obviously say this will all the experience of watching a youtube video. I might take it down to a nearby garage and get them to do it while I watch and learn.

I still don't understand why the tyre didn't deflate immediately though. It was absolutely fine on the ride over yet when I went to ride home it was flat with a nail in. Weird.

[EDIT]A new inner tube wasn't expensive at all £10. Fitting it was £30 - fair enough but I'm not allowed in the workshop so I can't see how it's done Then they say I shouldn't ride it with the flat otherwise I'll damage the tyre so them picking up the bike this morning adds £20 - again fair enough but it's now starting to add up. Then they'll only be able to do the work this afternoon so that means a taxi down there to pick it up. Not exactly a kingdom for a nail but still around £70 by the end of the day. I guess I better find out how to fit a tube myself.

I always replace the inner tubes. I don't bother to patch them because they are so cheap. I've changed inner tubes in the parking lot at work twice. It's a job that doesn't take a lot of tools. Having done it a few times helps though. Easily R&R'ing tires is somewhat of a developed skill. The first time it will feel like you've wrestled a gorilla. But after you've done a few, you learn the subtle tricks and don't break a sweat.

-Craig

Did I read correctly that you rode for 3 miles on the flat tire? If you did, I'd toss it. Riding on flat tires can damage the cords in the sidewall. The last flat I got was at 60mph and it took me about 1/4 mile to slow down easily and pull over. After installing a new tube, the tire had a funny wobble to it when riding. You couldn't see any deformation but it wasn't "right" at all. Just that short ride on the flat tire damaged it. I replaced the tire and the wobble went away.

-Craig

They were kind enough not to charge me for picking the bike up so it only came to £50. I will learn how to do it myself though and I'll almost certainly go for a new inner tube each time. The tyre felt fine on my ride back from the garage but I will keep a close watch on it. On the plus side, I've learnt a fair amount about tyre changing and wheel removal so I should feel a bit more confident next time it happens.

The issue on that flat was if it was "squished flat" and had too much heat build up (thus carcass damage) or running tall and cool?
Even car tires with RFT technology seem to usually get too hot even at slow speeds and become a throw away. Modern MC tires can be really stiff sidewalls and might limp home undamaged but I would probably toss the tire and tube.

for those who have tubes a great tool not to pinch tubes.

http://www.bajanopinch.com