Modern Vespa

Hi all, I've always ridden classic scooters which are able to carry a spare wheel, I've bitten the bullet and bought a Sei Giorni , what does everyone do if they get a puncture ?
Do you fill the tyre with Gunk to get you home and what is the best make of tyre gunk ?

Thanks

Most people on here will use a sticky-string (or equivalent) puncture repair kit, and carry a miniature compressor or CO2 cartridges to pressurise the tyre.

In my experience with several punctures on bikes and cars, one of these repairs will last the rest of the life of the tyre.

Please be very carefull what sort of 'gunk' you use if you go that route, as some are a bugger to clean off the rim, and ALWAYS warn the mechanic who eventually replaces the tyre that there's some gunk in it. His face, hands and clothes will thank you...

I've never had a flat on the road (knocking on wood), but I'm prepared to plug and inflate a tire if necessary. Repair shops don't like that tire sealant stuff; it makes a mess and it's too hard to clean up.

I carry both a small tire repair kit and a rechargeable portable air compressor in all my Vespas.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ET9SAA?

https://www.amazon.com/Tire-Inflator-Portable-Air-Compressor/dp/B0DLWM3VT4/ref=sr_1_8?

Sticky string and a tiny manual bicycle pump.

I carry a Slime brand tire repair kit and a battery operated Ryobi compact compressor.

I have a Stop & Go tire repair kit I bought on Amazon. It uses mushroom style plugs, but I added some sticky string plugs as well. It has a mini compressor that plugs into the 12V outlet I installed in the legshield.

As noted above, I also avoid tire slime/gunk as it can make a mess. Although I have used Ride-On previously and that doesn't seem to be as messy.

I have had several punctures while riding, always the rear tire.

I never carried anything to repair them for years, but started carrying a sticky string kit with a small self contained pump.

Before carrying any kit or pump, I found that the sidewalls of these tires were stiff enough that I rode several miles with zero tire pressure a few times.

But the scooter rides much better with the tires pumped up properly.

Bill

Ok , thanks for the replies, never seen the sticky strips .
I take it you fit them over the puncture on the outside of the tyre as you can't get the tyre off the tubeless rims ?

Not quite! See:

You ream out the hole, then push the string through (tool supplied) so that it leaves two tails in a V shape poking out. Twist, then pull out the tool leaving the hole plugged with the string which you can then trim.

EDIT: Jim beat me to it. Video's explain it better than I do.

Don't twist! Once the string is inside leaving 1/2 inch or so outside, just pull out hard. If you twist on pulling out the string will be cut by the tool before the middle bit gets pulled back into the hole.

The idea is that four bits of string get jammed in the hole on the inside, even if it's still just two on the outside. For any hole that's not a slit, that'll be a lifetime cure.

Aaah yes, a picture paints a thousand words , thanks for all the replies

In my case, I have been carrying some Tire Repair Rubber Nails with me. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09K67YY61/

I have not had to use them on my bikes, but I have on other people's bikes and they have worked quite well and are much easier to install.

I don't know how long-lasting they are (I wouldn't risk it being a repair that lasts a lifetime), since most of them are removed when my friends bikes arrive at home and the tire is taken to a tire repair shop to have it repaired with vulcanized patches.

Only another option...

Or do what the London couriers do and just screw in a self-tapper - of which they keep a selection of sizes!