A massive thank you to Riceburner
who appeared as if by magic (like the shopkeeper from Mr Benn) and lent me his Innovations puncture kit. All went well until we'd re-inflated the tyre and noticed that air was still coming out: not through the repaired hole in the tread which seemed to be holding fine, but through the hole in the sidewall where the nail had gone through that as well (the nail was bent at right angles). 
Thank you too to the cyclist that stopped and offered me use of his bicycle pump while I was sulking at the roadside, and the Africa Twin rider who stopped to ask if I was OK.
BMW sent a recovery van which dropped me off at the train station and the bike off at Motorrad Park Lane in Battersea. I'm waiting for them to tell me how much a new tyre is going to cost. Anyone want a Dunlop fender for their fishing boat? Never raced or rallied ...
Lessons learned:
+
the place for my own puncture kit is under the seat, not in the hall drawer at home+
the place for the BMW emergency call-out card is (ditto) or in my wallet+
the place for the BMW emergency call-out number and the data on the card is in my mobile phone, as a back-upDuh. But I did look so cool going home on the train in leathers and a hi-viz jacket. And the recovery driver did say it was the first Ed 80 he'd seen.
Ricey - please PM me your phone no, address at home or at work or let's meet up at the Shell station just up the road or at Box Hill (Visordown meet?) and I'll give you a gas cannister or the means to replace same - let me know?
chipko
