Few motorcycle breakdowns are as common or as irritating as a flat tire. Even if you’re packing a plug kit, too often the glue has hardened from disuse and you’re still dead in the water. The beauty of the Dynaplug Pro Aluminum tire plug tool is that it can plug a tubeless tire quickly and easily, and it doesn’t require glue.
When the inevitable happens, open the polyethylene plastic case and remove the Dynaplug Pro Aluminum canister. Now unscrew its large knurled end to expose the five items stored inside. If the tire is leaking air, remove the offending object with the pliers you carry in your toolkit and insert the pointed “air stopper” from the Dynaplug kit. There are also three repair plugs, which consist of a hollow, reusable metal tube with a pointed metal tip that attaches to a gummy rubber plug an inch long. No glue is required because the plug is so gummy and sticky.
To test the unit, I pounded a finishing nail into a tubeless motorcycle tire that was about to be replaced, then removed it with pliers. When the air rushed out, I rammed home the air stopper tool, which did its job. Now I unscrewed the nosepiece from the Dynaplug canister, and placed a repair plug (which resembles a tiny rocket) over the projection at its small end. Screwing the nosepiece on again held the plug in place. By reinstalling the heavy knurled rear section, the canister now becomes a very handy unit that fit my palm nicely.
I moistened the tip (saliva is always handy) and tried pushing the repair plug straight in, but the finishing nail had not left a large enough hole. I unscrewed the nosepiece and replaced the repair plug with the “clearing attachment” (the fifth item). It’s an abrasive shaft that will enlarge the hole with a bit of prodding. With that done, I reattached the repair plug, shoved it in until it stopped, then withdrew the tool, leaving the plug in place (its small metal tip drops inside the tire). The application of a bit more saliva to the plug showed just a slight seepage; I installed another plug, and it held. Of course, you would still need a source of air for re-inflation of the tire, which means packing a pump or CO² cartridges.
The kit is intended only for tubeless tires, and if the first plug doesn’t fully stop the leak, Dynaplug states that a second or even a third may be utilized. It also states that the repair is permanent, but I would consider it an emergency, temporary situation and replace the plugged tire immediately.
The Dynaplug Pro Aluminum is packed in a polyethylene case just 37⁄8 inches long that includes the aluminum body, three tire repair plugs, one air stopper and one clearing tool attachment. Packed in a separate small bag are five additional tire repair plugs (with tips) that can be placed in the reusable tubes. The whole system is very compact and can fit easily into a jacket or tankbag pocket.
The Dynaplug Pro Aluminum works well, is made in the USA, and while its $59.99 price tag may seem steep, consider what you would pay to get going again while standing beside the road with a flat. I consider it a good investment.
For more information:
Call (530) 345-8000 or visit dynaplug.com
I like the air stopper tool in the kit. A very good idea to prevent total air loss while you’re plugging it up. Does seem like such a small even hole should not require more than one plug, but hey, it is an emergency use only device.
The no glue plugs makes a lot of sense. A recent check in my bikes old kit bag revealed a dried tube of tire plug glue that. if it were to be dated, would require carbon dating process.
I bought one of the older version kits about a year ago. When I tried to insert the plug into the tool, I found it almost impossible to insert it into the metal insertion tube. It appeared the plug was too big to slide into the insertion tube. I wasted 2 or 3 plugs which are quite fragile with the metal point coming off very easily. I wasn’t impressed
Insert a thread through, choke the plug and pull it through the tool
I got one of these for Xmas and the quality is unbelievable from a machining standpoint. I work on machining parts and I understand what it takes to produce these types of tools. I suggest carrying one of these tools with a Leatherman and you’re good to go. Perfect for my 100 anniversary softail deuce that has no bags. I just tuck the tools in my jacket.
Curtis, I always make it a point not to carry things like that on my person. If you hit the ground, something solid like that could really mess you up.
I have the older plastic bodied version and only got to use it once to fix a flat. I too couldn’t get the tube w/ the plug into the tire the whole way. The plug got stuck halfway in, and no amount of pushing would make it go any further – I even bent the metal tube. Lucky for me, I discovered that a Fullbore M40 / 41 rear tire is essentially a run – flat tire. I took my tire into my local moto guy, and he discoved that a long nail had gone in sideways, instead of straight in perpendicularwise as one would expect. He said it was no wonder I couldn’t get the plug in all the way since I was pushing against solid rubber!!! These roadside pluggers are great, provided you have a puncture that it can fix – I didn’t ! Had this nail gone in straight, I believe I would have been able to get the plug in all the way. Still, out of all the similar types, the Dynaplug is still the one I carry on my bike for those rare occasions. Now, I know that all flats are not the same!
Junk! Bought one on sale and had to use it a week later. Two tries with the tool got me nothing. Pulled out old plug type and was up and running in minutes. Got my money back but that is all the good I can say about it.
This doesn’t sound very impressive to me. I’ve used the old style ever since they came out (yeah, I’m really old) in motorcycles, cars & trucks, and only once had one that didn’t take the first time. It leaked immediately. As far as replacing the tire, yeah right. Once I replaced a worn out motorcycle tire and found I had 3 plugs in it that I didn’t even remember putting in. None have ever failed later at any speed that I could go. (135)
That would be the string type, and obviously just nail & screw holes, not tears.