Toad,

Yes, I will be buying the bike from Mark and Lance at Rocket. They are great guy's and friends of mine! (That's not how I got my nick name.)

As far as the tire having tubes in it. I think you solved your own delima. The KTM is an off road bike made for the street. If you ride it off road then you need the spoked rims for that inheret pot hole. I have seen none spoked rims tried in the dirt and broken. Then wondered why it broke. The hit was not that bad. (To bad your 50 miles from the closest road.) I have scene spoked rims bent and repaired on the trail with hits that I wondered how the rim survived. When a spoked rim is damaged beyoned fixing you know why. I would be more worried about not having the thickest tubes one could get inside the tire. Beemers patended spoked rims have problems if you dent the outside lip in a pot hole or on a rock. You can't just pound them staight enough to get back on the trail/road again.

There are several solutions to the tubed tire tire problem if there is a problem. 1) Carry the right tools to break the bead. 2) Get new rims and don't go off road. 3) Buy differnt tires. 4) Maybe this is the wrong bike for your style. If you are buying the bike for just a road bike see #2. In my mind tires would never be a reason not to buy a mortorcycle of any kind. It is to easy to change them. Tires are also a personal choice. Not every one likes the same tire for thier type of riding.

The manufacture's put good tires on the bike and the best rims for what the bike was made for. They could of put a cheeper tire on so that it would be easier to get off. then the conversation would be why did they go so cheep? Or they could put tube less rims on and the conversation would be how can you take these off road and trust them. It may not be the best way but it is a good compromise. Do these rims have rim locks? I'm not sure if they do, But maybe the tube less tires are to keep the tires from spinning without using rim locks and saving weight?

I have had more experience than I care to remember fixing or replacing tubes in the middle of no where. The only times it was a problem, was when I was unprepaired. A flat is always a hassel.

Don't worry about the tires! That is easy to change! If the bike is for you!

I may be wrong but I think you can get a Tiger with tube less rims.(?)

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Rocket

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Rocket Ron