New tire damaged - what should I do about this?

[booger]

New rear Michelin Pilot Road 2 - somehow it's got a cut in it about 1/4" long which seems to be a hair over 1/8" deep, right in the center in the thick part of the tread as shown




Tire has around 500 miles on it - who knows how long I've been riding it like that or where/when it happened, but I'm pissed nonetheless. Discovered it yesterday after a ride while putting it away, took a pressure reading (tires were probably still warm) @ 32psi. Took a cold tire pressure reading today @ 30 psi. Would have to take another ride on it to see if the warm tire pressures differ, to determine if it's leaking. Should I get it patched from the inside? What to do here?
Would squeezing in some tire patch cement(vulcanizing kind), letting the air out to squeeze the cut together, and letting it cure for a day or so do any good towards keeping that cut sutured? Super pissed right now.

Always check your machine over before riding!!!!

[pennyrobber]

I would honestly just keep an eye on it for a week or two. And see if you are loosing any pressure. If you look at the tread depth, you still have a lot of rubber left there so there is always a chance that it didn't make it through. I would bother trying to patch it unless you are sure it's a full puncture otherwise you would just be making it worse.

[2 Wheel Wanderer]

I would honestly just keep an eye on it for a week or two. And see if you are loosing any pressure. If you look at the tread depth, you still have a lot of rubber left there so there is always a chance that it didn't make it through. I would bother trying to patch it unless you are sure it's a full puncture otherwise you would just be making it worse.

+1

Also air pressures will differ before and during a ride, as the tire gets warmer the psi rises, I think around 5 psi. Check the pressure over a few days at the same time. If it stays the same then I think your OK but keep an eye on it. If it was leaking you'd be able to put your ear up to the tire and hear the leak.

If you do your own tire changing I'd take it off, check the inside and maybe patch the inside of the tire just for the hell of it.

[IdZer0]

I had the exact same thing a while ago. I noticed when I started loosing 7 psi in 2 weeks. wen to the tire shop; first they didn't find a problem, later they said there was a tiny leak and patched it from the inside.

[hadesducati848]

get a spray bottle fill it with water add some dish soap to it, shake the bottle a lil it and spray the soapy water over the cut... watch for bubbles... if you have fast bubbles coming out you might need a new tire... i was told its not a good idea to patch or plug motorcycle tires. if you have a very slow bubble that forms then i would still consider a new tire when i could afford it but would rush out and spend the electric bill money on buying it. and if no bubble forms at all, well then i would just leave it alone and keep an eye on it. make sure that it dont get longer, and spray it every once in a while with the soapy water to make sure a leak didnt start.

at least thats what i would do

[mitt]

the good news is it is in the meat of the tire.  I would just keep an eye on it like was said.  In another 1500 miles, you will have worn through the damaged zone, and probably won't even be able to see where it was.


mittt

[hackers2r]

I have a few of those.  The sticky/soft/sport tires tend to pick up sharp stuff that cause those.  I've been riding my Pirelli Diablo Supercorsas for >4000 miles like that and they don't lose air.  In my opinion, nothing to be worried about.

[Howie]

If you cannot see cord and it is holding air, ignore the damage.

[erichan8757]

as long as it's not thru, you are good.
as others have suggested, after a few more hundreds or thousand miles. it'd be worn and the damage would be flat then.

put som soap waters on the cut, and if there's no bubble  you are good.
even if there's some, go to autozone or strauss to get some tire repair kit.
so easy to fill the hole and later on if you got time to patch it from inside.

easy and cheap.

mine tire got pierced through and I just put the filler on it. after 1000 miles  it's still good.

e.

[He Man]

Dont get o hung up on the cuts i have more cuts on my ire then fingers on my hands. as long as it isnt a puncture your fine.