Tyres: to tube or not to tube?

[Crazylegs]

Hi all,

What is the concensous amongst the wise travellers on the issue of choice or tyre type? as is tubeless or tubed for ease of puncture repairs in the 'wilds'??

I know that the specific tyre make has been looked at in detail on other threads, I'm after a more general overview on which way to look for a RTW on an Africa Twin??

Many thanks in anticipation...

[Dessertstrom]

My personal choice is tubeless as on my V-Strom, you can prefill the tyres with Slime or some other and just remove the nail and it will self seal or you can use a plug without having to take the wheel off. A tubeless tyre will deflate slowly when punctured but a tube can go down very quickly.
Don't forget that if a bike has spoked wheels, except big BMWs,then you are stuck with tubes.
Cheers
Ian

[deandean]

The Africa Twin needs tubes...unless you've changed the wheels!

[MikeS]

Argentina-Alaska: February 2007

Scroll down to my blog entitled 'Bang Bang Bang! Its a puncture'

If I'd had tubed tires, I'd be probably dead. Probably.

Tubeless rules!

[Crazylegs]

....and they say that there are no stupid questions? I'm always happy to prove such sayings as wrong.....

Tubes it'll be then... if I do buy an AT to go on (still practising on an Transalp)... my Aussie mate will wet himself when he see's this thread as we were discussing such 'complexities' on the phone when I suggested I knew of a pool of information to assist (the HUBB)... and he had me convinced that you could get tubeless tyres for a TA...

I live and learn...... (and thanks for the help)

[Crazylegs]

Now I'm really confused; great site and blog Mike... Does that mean I can get tubeless for a TA?????

[MikeS]

Its really pretty simple- I think with the Africa Twin, you're stuck with tubed tires. (I have a GS so its tubeless).

Originally Posted by Crazylegs

Now I'm really confused; great site and blog Mike... Does that mean I can get tubeless for a TA?????

[Dessertstrom]

Crazylegs,
Spoked wheels are for tubed as the spoke fittings in centre of the rim will let air out. The exception being BMW GS rims where the spokes are fitted to the outer edge of the rim.
The wheels for tubeless tyres are mostly cast alloy.
There are some spoked wheels with a deep centre section with a rubber seal to stop air escape past the spoke fittings, the Africa Twin does not have them.
Cheers
Ian

[Crazylegs]

Thanks Mike and all....

No yet bought the bike for the 'big trip' so all good info to make an 'informed' choice....

I'll now travel the many tyre threads of the www.....

Cheers

[oldbmw]

Originally Posted by Crazylegs

....and they say that there are no stupid questions? I'm always happy to prove such sayings as wrong.....

Tubes it'll be then... if I do buy an AT to go on (still practising on an Transalp)... my Aussie mate will wet himself when he see's this thread as we were discussing such 'complexities' on the phone when I suggested I knew of a pool of information to assist (the HUBB)... and he had me convinced that you could get tubeless tyres for a TA...

I live and learn...... (and thanks for the help)

Is it possible to use tubeless tyres with a tube on a bike ? In the past I had to fit tubes to a car with alloy rims, because they would not hold their bead seal going around bends, and would deflate completely suddenly. Last alloy rims I ever had.. Until this BMW. Sadly that too leaks between the tyre and rim ( only on the front) For me at least, riding/driving since 1960 evrry time ( twice) I have had tubless tyres combined with alloy rims they have failed. Certainly the alloy rims and tubless tyre setup will accept tubes, but I am not sure if there may be a difference of form factor in the bead, fitting tubeless tyres to spoked rims. if that is an ok thing to do, then you at least could use tubeless tyres on theh AT with tubes. The tubless tyres seem less flexible than tubed, but that may just be changes in materials across the board since i had Triumphs.

Edit, teh new Triumph Bonnevilles come with tubed tubeless tyres on spoked wheels, but as they are built that way, maybe teh bead on teh rims is different?? i just do not know.

[Osama Radzi]

Hi,
My Dommie uses a tubeless tyre, but all spoked rims has to use tube, so just fit the tube in the rim, it shouldnt be any problem. Most new tyres nowdays are tubeless & if you have a sport rims youre LUCKY & if not youre tubed.... (even if youre tyre says its tubeless)
Like most of us out here...
It has been agreed by everyone on the HUBB but....

one day.......

I met a mechanic that uses some kind "secret" formula to fill all the holes in a normal spoked rims!
As a results =
TUBELESS SPOKED RIMS!!
He's a traveller too & have done many miles on his original DR800 spoked rims with no nightmare... hes done it on some easy riders too &
he's asking for $100 for the modfication...

But Im just not convinced yet. Any Ideas/suggestion/oppinion?


Ride Safe/Save/Sober

[AliBaba]

It is possible to fit tubeless tires on tubed rims (with tubes). On some tires (eg TKC80) it impossible (at least for me) to see the difference between the tubed version and the tubeless version.

There are some bikes which have spoked rims which can be used tubeless, from memory:

Aprilia, CapoNord
Honda XL600LM
All BMW boxer-GS (not G/S)


BMW has x-spoked rims. The spoke enter the rim beside the tire:


If you have (or can find) hubs for your bike that has room for 40 spokes it should be possible to use the BMW-setup.

[Dessertstrom]

You can fit tubes in tubeless tyres in an emergency but I think the tyre manufacturers state that the heat characteristics are different and a tube in a tubeless tyre will overheat which increases tyre pressure which in turn reduces the tyre footprint on the road which then effects the grip.
Get some moose inserts for your spoked wheels like the Dakar boys.
Cheers
Ian

[Martynbiker]

Originally Posted by Dessertstrom

You can fit tubes in tubeless tyres in an emergency but I think the tyre manufacturers state that the heat characteristics are different and a tube in a tubeless tyre will overheat which increases tyre pressure which in turn reduces the tyre footprint on the road which then effects the grip.
Get some moose inserts for your spoked wheels like the Dakar boys.
Cheers
Ian

I have googled it, and searched, and apart from looking on the veterinarian pages, what the Heck is a "Moose Insert"????

Martyn

[AliBaba]

Originally Posted by Martynbiker

I have googled it, and searched, and apart from looking on the veterinarian pages, what the Heck is a "Moose Insert"????

Martyn

Not suited for touring, but here it is:
Michelin Off-Road Motorcycle Tyre Accessories