Maybe good, maybe money thrown away.

When we left in 1999, we used a product in our tyres to "prevent them from going flat after a puncture". A specified amount of this thick, liquid "kind-of-rubber" is squeezed into a tyre upon installing --so before any punctures occur-- and remains there during the entire life of the tyre.


Our own results so far:

• Belgium to Pakistan: 1 rear tyre puncture between two XT500's, so 2 x 10.000 kms (due to a long, slicing nail in Turkye).
  Tyres on both bikes: Metzeler Enduro 1 (F), Enduro 2 (R), heavy duty enduro innertubes.
  
• Belgium to Finland (via Russia): no punctures on a DR650SE and a BMW R80G/S, so 2 x 8.400 kms.
  Tyres: DR: Bridgestone Trailwing (F+R), normal inner tubes; BMW: Metzeler Enduro 1 (F), Enduro 2 (R), heavy duty enduro innertubes.

I know very well this can be SHEER luck from riding JUST between the nails or metal scrap.
(I did however remove 2 small nails from two of the Metzeler rear tyres, without the tyre "suffering")

But, my point is, that even if these type of products only prevent 1 in 2 punctures, I still go for it.
Who loves repairing tubes: ALWAYS in the middle of the day (OR middle of the night like I had once here in Belgium), ALWAYS in an area where there's not a single tree for shade, ALWAYS when you absolutely want to reach a certain place by a certain time...???


Other "tests":

- it seems the Turkish army uses an extra-heavyduty version of the thing (sealing holes up to 12 mm!!?), as to prevent equipment with tyres that have been shot at, to become immobile. (if they do, I guess all armies use simular products?)

- one of the Belgian bike magazines has (very briefly) tested AirSeal and another product (can't find the article any more), riding with two average bikes over a 'fakir'type of board. Measuring the air before and after showed that the product had indeed stopped the punctures after an initial loss of air - and the boards were full of nails! Unfortunately they did not do anything more with the test, just this. I wished they would've reopened the subject after a few months with the same tyres, tested tubeless and tube-tyres, heat and speed conditions, etc. (but then, most riders can just call a service to come and fix their tyres if they ever get stranded...)


Important note:

I reverified with the importer (of AirSeal): it works best with tubeless tyres (i.e. 'solid' rubbers), less so with innertubes - bummer! The product is forced out through the puncture along with the (inside) air. It then fills the hole because of its 'thick viscosity'. Innertubes can still move about a bit and are not so stiff, re-opening the hole, so the product again has to fill it, loosing some air in the process. The liquid can thus never close the puncture quite so permanently as with tubeless tyres.


Practical info:

We bought one product in the UK (for our journey in 1999):
from M&P, called OKO, looks green, cost 12,75 £ for 2 enduro tyres in 1998. They claim a hole up to 5 mm can be 'filled'.
(coordinates M&P: tel. +44 1792 22.44.66 fax: +44 1792 22.44.11)

Since two years, a simular product is for sale here in Belgium:
AirSeal, white, costs about 15,5 euro for 2 enduro tyres. They claim a hole up to 6.35 mm (1/4 of an inch) can be 'filled', "permanently and reliably".
(coordinates: importer Belprotect, tel. +32 3 844.68.19 fax +32 3 888.53.82; locally sold by Gericke in Gent, 09 245.14.76)

.................................................. ......................

It would be great to have some more experiences from long trips with these products, so all of us can start to see what they're worth: something or nothing??
Has anyone used these already?


Happy repairing ;-)
Trui

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Iris and Trui
2 belgian women, usually travelling on bikes (now on DR650SE's)

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Iris and Trui
2 belgian women, often travelling on motorbikes (now on DR650SE\'s)
2nd overland from home to Northern India and back, April-October 2002

My experience with this kind of thing has not been good. Over the years I've tried a few of them and found they have not worked (although its always been with tubed tyres). All they've done is make a mess between the tube and the tyre whenever I've had a puncture. Many years ago I went to the Elephant rally on a Honda 50 stepthru ( I was younger and more foolish then!) and was given a can of foam based puncture sealant - the sort you attached to the valve and pump in to the tyre after you get a flat - except this one was for a truck . It was a huge canister about ten times the size of motorcycle ones. When I did get a puncture near the Belgian - French border on the way back we used it. It reinflated the tyre really quickly , but continued to expand, ripping the tube to pieces and spilling out the sides of the tyre and all over the rear of the bike. Not only did I still have a puncture but the bike was now covered in white slimy rubber foam. I ended up getting a lift back to the UK with a friend and I left the bike there to be recovered later. I've never used anything like that since preferring to take tubes / pump for tubed tyres and (in Europe) AA card for tubeless

I have used similar products as the foam based puncture sealant StuartH is talking about. On all occasions it has been for emergency roadside assistance until I got to a place where I can do more permanent repairs. I all cases it has worked great. Keep in mind I have only used it on tubeless tires, on road conditions for (relatively) short distances. Highly recomended for this purpose.

This is a different product than Slime (and others) which you use BEFORE you get a punture as prevention. I have not tried these yet.

Hope this helps...

Yep, we're talking about the "slime" type of product i.e. the one you use BEFORE having a puncture.
We're using it now again, during our trip through Spain - no punctures as yet, but as I wrote, this could be sheer luck. I'm curious about other people's experiences with this.

We also found out recently that in tyres with inner tubes, the AirSeal seals holes up to 3 mms (6 mms for tubeless).

Happy sealing,

Trui

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Iris and Trui
2 belgian women, usually travelling on bikes (now on DR650SE's)

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Iris and Trui
2 belgian women, often travelling on motorbikes (now on DR650SE\'s)
2nd overland from home to Northern India and back, April-October 2002

ive used this stuff,
it might be slime,
but it was purple goo with black bits in it and has stopped my slow pucture which is great. 7000 miles later i dont have a puncture and i NEVER EVER have to pump up the tyres!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this is with tubed tyres!! absolutely great.
i also have lost the fear of a tubed tyre blow out. this stuff will seal a hole up to 3 to 5 mm across.

Another option is the foam inner tubes used by rally riders. Not liquid foam but a solid foam inner tube that replaces the regular inner tube. With this thing you can have a big nail in the tire and still keep on going. Pull the nail with pliers and that’s it, no fixing or re-inflating. The only problem with these things is that they have to be changed every year or two.

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A.B.
www.ShortWheelbase.com

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A.B.
OasisPhoto.com – Images from the Magical Sahara.

From my information, UNfortunately, it's not that simple...
The 'solid foam inner tube' is called "bib mousse" (original French term), if I'm not wrong invented and made by Michelin. They're used in all major rallies by everyone - unless you're an unsponsored, poor amateur. In Paris-Dakar, all bikes use these bib mousses inside Michelin Desert tyres, and no-one rides punctures any longer however rough the terrain and however long the day may be. Every single night however, these mousses are changed for new ones, all of them. (I may hope they're included in your hefty entrance fee ;-) The reason : the mousses deteriorate rapidly because of the heat built up inside the tyres, and even more so when run at lower pressures.
Of course rallies are more then a bit extreme in many ways, especially 'the Dakar', but from what I know, mousses last a week at most... even in average day-to-day home-cooking circumstances. If the mousses could solve punctures, rest assured: they'd be obliged by law already. TOO BAD for sure !!!

(besides: I once heard the price for a bib mousse but forgot it. Just remember very well they are extremely expensive)

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Iris and Trui
2 belgian women, usually travelling on bikes (now on DR650SE's)


[This message has been edited by iris_trui (edited 02 January 2002).]

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Iris and Trui
2 belgian women, often travelling on motorbikes (now on DR650SE\'s)
2nd overland from home to Northern India and back, April-October 2002

My recent enquiries whilst considering entering a rallye raid indicate that mousses do wear out very quickly, possibly due to the heat. Even considering that overlanders (as far as I know) ride slower than rallyists, it's probably better to stick to tubes and some kind of sealent. In addition, my information indicates that a mousse costs around 75GBP.

You’re right; I just talked to a friend that participated in rallies with the solid mousse/foam. He said it starts to deteriorate when you go faster than 130 km/h.. Further more it doesn’t have along shelf life so you have to buy it right before the rally. Sorry, I didn't know that.

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A.B.
www.ShortWheelbase.com

__________________
A.B.
OasisPhoto.com – Images from the Magical Sahara.

A few months ago I filled a rear inner tube with Ipone tyre security treatment fluid. Today I changed the rear tyre and found a nail (about 10mm long) which had gone through the tyre and inner tube, and it hadn't deflated. You could see where the treatment had sealed the hole. So my experience is that this stuff seems to work.

Hi I was trying to find out about these mouses (???) and open a new thread, sorry http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000381.html

Anyway I used OKO in my sports tourers 30 years ago and I used to swear by it. All bikes then were tubed. I had a rear wheel blow out that so scared me I stuck the stuff straight in after.

My next puncture was on the front and although it still went down it was much slower that you'd normally get on a tubed tyre and I recon it saved my life as I was really pushing on at the time.

Wish I'd used it in Iran and Australia where punctures were a constant problem.

I'm going to use some on an on off road to Italy in March. 1500 miles in 24 hrs then back again but off road in a few days. The guy I'm riding with is going to run without so I'll let you know. Tubeless tyres mind.

It's called Ultra Seal in the UK check out http://www.ultrasealuk.biz/home1.htm#currentPageTarget

[This message has been edited by Scottie (edited 18 January 2006).]

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Never again :-)

I've also used Ultraseal on 'tubeless' tyres and have found it to be excellant, sealing a 100mm nail that had been in the tyre for a long time without being noticed. When I removed the nail I continued to ride the bike until the tyre wore out without air loss.



[This message has been edited by miggy (edited 18 February 2006).]