cO2 inflator kit?

[gunsmoker]

I’d like to carry a small tool to re-inflate a tire that has gone completely flat let’s say due to a big puncture which I have been sealed with a tire plug of some type.

I heard about CO2 cartridges being used to inflate bicycle tires and I assume they have such things for Motorcycle tires as well but obviously you would need bigger cartridges or you’d have to use multiple 12 gram CO2’s in a series.

I saw this thing at Walmart for 15 dollars,
but I’m wondering if there isn’t something bigger and better made for motorcycles.

 

[Terminator2]

I declined C02 cartridges for various reasons. I carry a small air pump. Now hand held air pumps are available and 1/2 the size of mine. They can air up a flat tire in under 15 minutes I believe. My pump airs a flat tire in under 5 minutes.

 

[Mykllee]

Amazon.com

I just bought an Etenwolf mini inflator, mainly for my bicycle, but wouldn't hesitate to use it on the motorcycle, on which I already have a Slime mini pump which plugs into the battery tender connection.

 

[dduelin]

C02 is finite. As long as 12V is available, an air compressor is infinite. Some punctures cannot be fully sealed with a tire plugging kit and must be topped off a few times to get home.

 

[chmotard]

I have a CO2 kit that I made myself for my CBR. It's a repair kit with plugs, and for reinflating, it includes three CO2 cartridges and an inflation nozzle. Some nozzles empty the entire cartridge as soon as it's punctured, so I bought a nozzle with a tap. You screw it onto the cartridge, slip it onto the tire valve, and then open the tap.

 

[ST1100Y]

C02 is finite.

This...
And that you have no indication whatsoever that those cartridges are actually still holding pressure...
corrosion, getting banged around, the cap/seal might leak straight out production...
Replace them annually/prior any trip?
Who warrants that the ones from the bulk pack on your shelf, purchased online are actually holding pressure?

(I did have a gadget for cleaning the condensate drain of HVAC indoor units (basically a small "gun" with a hose attached and a rubber cone at the end), using standard household CO² cartridges you'd use for carbonated water or whip-cream makers... guess what? Up to three units out the 10 pack box where either depleted or held only marginal pressure, the rest pretty much failed after getting hauled around in the van for a few months; then only one of the remaining 6 in the box still had pressure... )

 

[Obo]

Like others have said, you only have so much CO2 in a cylinder.

While a small 12v plug in compressor would provide unlimited volumes & pressure, I went with a portable lithium powered unit. It will do 4 large truck tires from flat, and there's no cords to fumble with. I went with a Fantik unit from Costco. I'd read many a review and other MC rider's take on them, as well as comparisons by Todd Osgood's Project Farm channel on YouTube. The Costco unit is identical to the direct bought unit, albeit it packaged, named and coloured a bit different. Costco often does that with brand name items they sell, having it made slightly different for just them.



You also get that legendary Costco "lifetime warranty."

I had the opportunity to use it on the road last year a few times for both my bike and cars, and I'm very happy. Holding a charge doesn't seem to be an issue, with it holding for 3-4 months minimum. (for me so far anyway)

Whatever you decide, at least you're thinking ahead. Better than nothing at all.

 

[SMSW]

This...
And that you have no indication whatsoever that those cartridges are actually still holding pressure...

The airbag vests (at least the ones that do not give you a tube and ask you to inflate the vest by mouth before you land in the event of an accident ) tell you to weigh the cartridge yearly and if its weight is less than certain number to discard it. It cannot be too much of a stretch for one to weigh cartridges for inflating a tire. These things are available online (gasp...from China and other points far east) cheaply. They also come in different sizes so you can buy bigger ones that contain more gas. That said, yes, I too carry a compressor and even an extension for the power cord so I can use the thing in my car.

@Obo's gadget sounds like the cat's pajamas...no tangled cords.

Whatever you decide to buy, test it out in your driveway rather than waiting until you get a flat 83 miles into the wilderness.

 

[dduelin]

Like others have said, you only have so much CO2 in a cylinder.

While a small 12v plug in compressor would provide unlimited volumes & pressure, I went with a portable lithium powered unit. It will do 4 large truck tires from flat, and there's no cords to fumble with. I went with a Fantik unit from Costco. I'd read many a review and other MC rider's take on them, as well as comparisons by Todd Osgood's Project Farm channel on YouTube. The Costco unit is identical to the direct bought unit, albeit it packaged, named and coloured a bit different. Costco often does that with brand name items they sell, having it made slightly different for just them.



You also get that legendary Costco "lifetime warranty."

I had the opportunity to use it on the road last year a few times for both my bike and cars, and I'm very happy. Holding a charge doesn't seem to be an issue, with it holding for 3-4 months minimum. (for me so far anyway)

Whatever you decide, at least you're thinking ahead. Better than nothing at all.

I have one of those too and it works really well but on a long trip I still take the 12V one. Twice I was 100-150 miles from home and elected not to attempt a plug repair to get home but rather keep riding and monitor the TPMS and pump up the tire several times as needed.

 

[Jay547]

I carry a CO2 kit. It takes 2 cartridges to fill a complete flat. I carry four, just in case. I gave up on the electric pumps a few years ago, they tend to quit working once they get wet. I'm very happy with the CO2 results.

 

[DeanR]

This Fantik? Looks like they have a few models.

Amazon.com : fantik tire inflator

 

[Obo]

@DeanR they've always had a few models.

The X8 & X9 are the better units (imho) from all I reviewed & researched (Fanttik and other manufacturers.) I wanted something with an honest rated battery and real world usage. Many said xx amp hours or volts, or psi, or # of tires pumped, or speed.... but didn't even come close to those specs. Some of the similar type units listed online outright lied about their specs, so it's buyer do your research and buyer beware. I didn't want to go cheap, but didn't want to break the bank either.

The X8 Apex has a larger battery than the X9 unit, albeit at a slightly larger size. I figured run time over size mattered for me. The Costco sold Fanttik S100 *is* the X8, but slightly rebadged just for Costco (different model name, no yellow racing stripe, $100 less.....) They also double as a USB power bank, and have a built in light. In my head, it was a decent unit, and the Costco sold one met the one I wanted and cost less. WIn-win in my books.

Truthfully, be it 12v, battery or canister, it's all about being quick-ish and lazy if you need air in your tires. You could just go old school with a small bicycle hand pump for $5-10. The volume of air and how long it "runs" is only limited to your pumping stamina.

 

[Daver314]

+1 on the Fanttik from Costco. I used it to fix a friend's tire roadside recently and it was a treat. You set the pressure and screw it onto the valve stem so you don't need to hold it at all. My friend's tire was fully flat and squishy. I set the inflator to 42 psi and hit go. By the time I was done packing up my repair kit it was already up to 36 psi and it didn't take long at all to hit 42 where it did the auto shut down thing. It's heavier than a 12v unit, but not much bigger at all.

 

[dduelin]

I carry a CO2 kit. It takes 2 cartridges to fill a complete flat. I carry four, just in case. I gave up on the electric pumps a few years ago, they tend to quit working once they get wet. I'm very happy with the CO2 results.

I'm really impressed with the 12V Slime pump I busted out of its plastic case in 2006. It traveled over 150,000 miles on my ST and 72,000 miles on the RT. Inflated maybe 12 tires. I guess the key was not getting it wet. It will go with me to CO packed in the NT next weekend. The quality was probably better 20 years ago.