Price: 30/33
Durability: 30/33
Performance: 31/33
*91
There’s nothing worse than picking up a nail or other road debris and puncturing a new tire. Of the past three bikes I’ve tested, two of them have fallen victim to a puncture shortly after spooning on some new rubber. When you’re in that position you don’t want to buy a new one, wasting an otherwise perfectly good (and expensive) tire.
I’ve tried plugs and patches, and while they both work to a certain degree, oftentimes they’re not the best solution. Of course there is no perfect fix, but when our GSX-R1000 project bike picked up a small nail with just six miles on the odometer I turned to TyreShield for the answer.
Unlike other tire sealants, this Latex-based liquid is super lightweight so it won’t hurt performance or alter the balance of your tire. And being Latex-based it has its advantages. For one, it’s easy to clean once you change the tire, since it easily picks off with your fingers. Secondly, it’s safe on all finishes and won’t corrode the tire when left in for an extended period. For added insurance and as preventative maintenance TyreShield suggests adding the liquid to a new tire—long before a potential puncture and a roadside fix is required.
As for the installation process, simply remove your valve core with the supplied tool and squeeze the recommended amount into your tire. Then fill it with air, remove the foreign object and either take it for a short ride or let the bike idle along in gear on a rearstand (be careful when doing the latter) so the sealant can work its way into the hole.