Yamaha dealer won't plug/patch tires. Is this unique or the norm now?

[DewMan]

I called my local Yamaha dealer, where I bought the bike, to see about bringing in my rear rim/tire to get a proper plug/patch installed.

I was immediately told, before I even had the sentence out of my mouth, that they do not patch/plug tires anymore. "They're a liability". 

This was the first time I've ever heard a bike shop turn down business with such an excuse.

Now, I've read on a tire manufacture website that internal plug/patch are still an approved method of repair.

I was able to find a local shop willing to do to the repair for me.

I need to move to a house with a larger garage/shop space so I can get my own tire machine so I don't have to deal with such nonsense anymore.

Has anyone else run into a dealer unwilling to patch or plug a tire?  Are dealers just using this as an excuse to sell more tires these days?

[Triple Jim]

I had a big chain truck stop refuse to mount a spare motor home tire once, for the same claimed reason.  Maybe your dealer found they make more profit selling and installing a new tire than repairing an old one.

[klx678]

Maybe they were sued for a plug that failed and caused a wreck.

Liability is the total reason why not to plug tires for any motorcycle dealer or shop.  I wouldn't do it these days if I had a shop.

Face it, all it takes is one case of a plug failure and a resulting law suit to destroy a business.  It isn't like cars, where there are still three wheels and it isn't going to fall over.

Edited March 23, 2021 by klx678

[cornerslider]

3 hours ago, DewMan said:

I called my local Yamaha dealer, where I bought the bike, to see about bringing in my rear rim/tire to get a proper plug/patch installed.

I was immediately told, before I even had the sentence out of my mouth, that they do not patch/plug tires anymore. "They're a liability". 

This was the first time I've ever heard a bike shop turn down business with such an excuse.

Now, I've read on a tire manufacture website that internal plug/patch are still an approved method of repair.

I was able to find a local shop willing to do to the repair for me.

I need to move to a house with a larger garage/shop space so I can get my own tire machine so I don't have to deal with such nonsense anymore.

Has anyone else run into a dealer unwilling to patch or plug a tire?  Are dealers just using this as an excuse to sell more tires these days?

That is the norm now.... I bought a "No-Mar" tire machine, and have no regrets. I still won't patch tires either way..... I figure if I brought my bike in with a flat tire, a dealership would charge me $60-$80,  just to remove the wheel/used tire, and re-mount & balance the used tire + probably another $40-$50 to patch it properly (from the inside).  Any way you look at it, you're gonna be over $100 to repair it. A decent rear tire (new) is gonna set you back about $180. If you can do the work yourself, it makes buying a new tire MUCH less painful, AND you get brand new zero miles tire, no patches, no problems for not much more than a dealership would charge you to patch your partially used up tire. With a good tire machine, it's actually kind of easy, and fun! I laugh at what I used to pay the dealerships for -

 

*EDIT* I bought the "No-Mar" classic, that mounts onto the receiver hitch on my truck. When not in use I can hang it from the ceiling in my garage. It's up in the air, and doesn't take up much garage space-

[blackout]

5 minutes ago, cornerslider said:

That is the norm now.... I bought a "No-Mar" tire machine, and have no regrets. I still won't patch tires either way..... I figure if I brought my bike in with a flat tire, a dealership would charge me $60-$80,  just to remove the wheel/used tire, and re-mount & balance the used tire + probably another $40-$50 to patch it properly (from the inside).  Any way you look at it, you're gonna be over $100 to repair it. A decent rear tire (new) is gonna set you back about $180. If you can do the work yourself, it makes buying a new tire MUCH less painful, AND you get brand new zero miles tire, no patches, no problems for not much more than a dealership would charge you to patch your partially used up tire. With a good tire machine, it's actually kind of easy, and fun! I laugh at what I used to pay the dealerships for -

Yup, love my No Mar!

[DewMan]

6 hours ago, cornerslider said:

That is the norm now.... I bought a "No-Mar" tire machine, and have no regrets. I still won't patch tires either way..... I figure if I brought my bike in with a flat tire, a dealership would charge me $60-$80,  just to remove the wheel/used tire, and re-mount & balance the used tire + probably another $40-$50 to patch it properly (from the inside).  Any way you look at it, you're gonna be over $100 to repair it. A decent rear tire (new) is gonna set you back about $180. If you can do the work yourself, it makes buying a new tire MUCH less painful, AND you get brand new zero miles tire, no patches, no problems for not much more than a dealership would charge you to patch your partially used up tire. With a good tire machine, it's actually kind of easy, and fun! I laugh at what I used to pay the dealerships for -

 

*EDIT* I bought the "No-Mar" classic, that mounts onto the receiver hitch on my truck. When not in use I can hang it from the ceiling in my garage. It's up in the air, and doesn't take up much garage space-

OH I'd definitely have a  No Mar if I had the room.  My current "garage"  Is a half length (12ft/3.6m)  single car garage thanks to a previous owner.

And I've got less than 1k miles on this Road 5... not ready to replace it just yet. 

[blackout]

7 hours ago, DewMan said:

OH I'd definitely have a  No Mar if I had the room.  My current "garage"  Is a half length (12ft/3.6m)  single car garage thanks to a previous owner.

And I've got less than 1k miles on this Road 5... not ready to replace it just yet. 

A patch from the inside should work as good as new, but getting a service station to do it is another story.  It's easier for them to just change parts.  Mechanics are no longer mechanics,  they are parts changers. 

In today's world of "conservation", a patch would be the environmental responsible fix!...  

[shinyribs]

Today's world is full of scaremongers and people who'd rather throw money at something disposable than learn how to understand or fix it. It's amazing how many folks have been taught to fear things they know nothing about. 

 

The intelligent, progressive, informed answer is to throw money at everything, regardless of how wasteful it is. 

[Triple Jim]

The other side of the coin is that a business can't stay  in business spending time on things that don't bring in money.  One of the products I make is  voltage regulator boards for diesel generators.  I sell them for $200.  Customers often ask if I'd also repair their original regulator, and express willingness to pay me to do it.  My problem is that I can't take time away from my regular business to repair a board unless I can make reasonable money to do it, and I can't charge reasonable money for it because it would quickly add up to more than what I charge for new ones.

If a dealer has shop work backed up and is trying to get bikes out before customers get upset, it's not surprising that they have to make an excuse and turn away tire repairs.  On the other hand, if the shop is empty...

 

[DewMan]

34 minutes ago, Triple Jim said:

The other side of the coin is that a business can't stay  in business spending time on things that don't bring in money.  One of the products I make is  voltage regulator boards for diesel generators.  I sell them for $200.  Customers often ask if I'd also repair their original regulator, and express willingness to pay me to do it.  My problem is that I can't take time away from my regular business to repair a board unless I can make reasonable money to do it, and I can't charge reasonable money for it because it would quickly add up to more than what I charge for new ones.

If a dealer has shop work backed up and is trying to get bikes out before customers get upset, it's not surprising that they have to make an excuse and turn away tire repairs.  On the other hand, if the shop is empty...

 

I fully understand that. The shop who is doing the repair could only do it if I was bringing just the rim, which I was, since they had so many bikes in the shop they didn't have room for the whole bike.  

[klx678]

10 hours ago, blackout said:

A patch from the inside should work as good as new, but getting a service station to do it is another story.  It's easier for them to just change parts.  Mechanics are no longer mechanics,  they are parts changers. 

In today's world of "conservation", a patch would be the environmental responsible fix!...  

 

 

9 hours ago, shinyribs said:

Today's world is full of scaremongers and people who'd rather throw money at something disposable than learn how to understand or fix it. It's amazing how many folks have been taught to fear things they know nothing about. 

 

The intelligent, progressive, informed answer is to throw money at everything, regardless of how wasteful it is. 

 

Again, one person has a plug fail and crashes, a law suit results.   Just defending one's self could break the dealership.  Just not worth it for the financial risk.   You tell me if you had a plug come out that resulted in your crashing, that you would not try to take legal recourse?

Clearly all of you, living in the U.S., should realize this is the way it is in this litigious  nation.    The lawyers' commercials demonstrate their readiness to go for any deep pockets regardless of actual fault.

Edited March 24, 2021 by klx678

[blackout]

7 minutes ago, klx678 said:

 

 

 

Again, one person has a plug fail and crashes, a law suit results.   Just defending one's self could break the dealership.  Just not worth it for the financial risk.   You tell me if you had a plug come out that resulted in your crashing, that you would not try to take legal recourse?

Clearly all of you, living in the U.S., should realize this is the way it is in this litigious  nation.    The lawyers' commercials demonstrate their readiness to go for any deep pockets regardless of actual fault.

A plug, I would not trust.  A patch, I would.  But I do understand your point.

[klx678]

Glad you get it.   It isn't that I am anti-plug.  I just understand why a dealership or shop would not want to assume the risk to do them. 

I will say after watching Ryan's video I would have some confidence in the one plug and the internal patch/plug.  I have had the gummy rope type plug in a new rear tire and ridden until worn out.  The internal patch simply has to be the best of the group.

This Tire Plug Can Kill You - How to best fix a flat

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by klx678

[Triple Jim]

I carry a rope plug kit and a very small 12v compressor. 

 

[Nealsmo]

I've used tire plugs for decades in the automotive world with 0 issues.  A few years back we were no longer able to use them at our shop.  Had to be a patch.  As a liability issue for the shop I understand, but I will personally use plugs forever.  Especially since dismounting a street tire isn't going to happen in my garage, let alone on the side of the road.