Need help with tire change

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Xumi

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Hello everyone,

1979 special II...

I'm finally getting close calling this girl road worthy... But unfortunately she needs some new shoes. So.. got online, and ordered some new treads.. they came in just a couple days, good price, so that's nice.

Anyway, after wrestling the old tire off (at least 15 year old rubber is NOT very flexible!), I noticed it has tubes inside. Interesting, but these are mag rims, and I intend to run this tubeless, so I run on down to the auto-parts store, pick up some valve stems. They had two sizes, so I got the smaller (0.453") size.

I get home, and quickly figure out that the valve stems that I bought are again too large.. But those are the smallest at the store. Hrm...

I googled, and I searched here, but couldn't find out..

What size Valve stem should I get? Where would I get such a stem from?

Thanks

Xumi
 
Tube-less wheel's have a taller 'lip' to hold the bead of the tire from slipping off, or from coming off the rim. The tube prevented that from happening. Tube's are very inexpensive, and can be used in a tube-less tire. So, for around $10 per tube, I would rather know that the tire is not going to give me a problem, other than a puncture.
 
I agree, they can be used in a tubeless application - I just don't want to if I can avoid it. I prefer not to mess with tubes (or I would have tracked down spokes by now). Even on mag wheels, a pierced tube is a guaranteed flat, since the air will leak around the stem. whereas a pierce when running tubeless may end up being only a slow leak. If I ever run spokes again, I will likely seal them and run tubeless.
 
Xumi....Old bud....Reconsider & re-evaluate this whole thing....including the tires that will be available to fit your bike, 16" rear, age & condition of rims, and failure modes of tubed and tubeless tires on motorcycles leakage.....yada, yada, yada... safety!

My hunch is that the concensus opinion will be along the line of Gordon's rationale.
'Stick a tube in it, tarp your load and keep on truckin'.:bike:...c'mon Spring!

After plagues of valve stem & rim leaks from sealing problems....I just went with good tubes in good tires installed myself and haven't looked back nor had reason to. I also like being able to run & change tires setups on multiple bikes with both cast and spoked wheels.

Just my opinion. I'm anxious to hear others as well. Best, Blue

ps...I need help with tire change too! I just did four cold tires with tire irons yesterday
and my hands hurt today.
 
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- xumi, i agree with Blue and Gordon about the tubes...i too put them in as a matter of course
 
On my 80 the tires fit so tight on the cast rims I have never used a tube or felt the need to........76 thou and I'm still alive..........?

xsjohn
 
First, thanks everyone for their input! I really appreciate it - and for those that I disagree with.. it's nothing personal - each has their own level of safety comfort.

It's exactly sudden deflation that I worry about with using tubes. Any damage to the tube at all from any source can result in the tube tearing a large hole, and all the air escaping from a poorly seated bead (how would you know if it is seated with the tube intact?) or around the unsealed valve stem.

I've run tubeless on my '95 Kawi since the day I've owned her with no sudden failures, though I have had one flat, it took hours of sitting after up to 20 miles (the length of the trip to work) before the tire sagged visably, and was still holding about 13 lb with a nail in the tread. 15 minutes with a patch kit and it got me home again without having to remove the wheel (something not very practical on a VN1500 = big heavy bike with no center stand).

The only sudden tire deflation on a bike I ever had was doing about 65 on the highway on my old KZ750... Tubed... 3 days after I let a stealer put on a new tire and tube. Nothing bad happened other than a lot of inconvenience and my never doing business with that dealer again due to them not installing new rubber strips around the spoke ends when the old ones were obviously bad.. but that's not a situation I want to repeat any time soon.


To me it makes more sense safety wise to clean up my rims, make sure the bead surface area on the rim is nice and clean, make sure the valve stem hole is clean and smooth so it makes a good seal, install some good quality steel valve stems, and use the mag rims as they were intended. Short of sidewall damage or hitting something hard enough to break the bead (in which case I have bigger things to worry about), the tires are more likely to hold air when damaged than a pierced tube.

Blue - good to hear from ya! How ya been?
 
Xumi said:
and use the mag rims as they were intended.
Click to expand...

That is where it becomes fuzzy Xumi, not all XS mags were designed for tubeless. Do your mags have the word tubeless cast into it?

If they are tubeless type rims, then for sure run tubeless tyres, tubeless are much better that tube type. Though if they are not tubeless rims, you really should run tubes!

As mentioned above, a tubeless rim is a different shape to the old tube type (and theres a few different versions of those also). So it is much easier to break the bead (handy if your changing it, not so handy on the road), also possible to have sealing issues. :cheers:
 
Thanks Yamaman and Hi back Xumi.....Jayel had some real good info on this subject posted about a year ago on 650rider with cross section drawings showing the differences etc. in tube type vs. tubeless cast wheels.... wish we could recover that and/or get that good ol Jayel to drop by and fix us up with it again.

I'll go mining to see if I can find it. Best, Blue
 
Yes Sir....that's it or at least part of it. Thank you...you're a whizz. My mining sucks!
That rim inside the tire flange edge was what was missing on a cast wheel that I was trying to run tubeless. Jayels post of that info. ended a stupid mistake on my part and could have saved more than that. BTW on an unmarked 78 SE cast rim. All of which I thought were for tubeless.

Hilarious thread btw.....Wanna know how come XS John can ride 76 K Miles on a tubeless tire
on a tube type rim? Same reason he can use an 18T front sprocket and a 28T rear......
His skinny little butt don't weigh enough to cause a blow out! I hope it never does either.
We need him. Thanks again Jayel.....and Travis.

Best, Blue
 
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Do NOT run the tire tubeless if it doesn't say "Suitable for tubeless type tires" cast into the wheel. It isn't a matter of what YOU think is better, it a matter of wheel design and not going under a bus. Good luck with your theory. I've seen tires deflate and pop off the rim as a result of this during hard cornering and it isn't pretty!
 
Blue.......Roy Fisk says mine is like a motorcycle going down the road with nobody on it..................:eek:
 
Thanks for the info, everyone!

I checked the rim (front), and it is stamped for tubeless and has the ridge is present on the flange. I bought the correct valve stem (those things cost way too much money! highway robbery!), mounted the tire, and the bead sealed very quickly and easily, even with my small compressor. It's holding at 33 lb right now, and I'll be double checking for loss for the next 3 weeks while I wait for DMV appointments to get it registered before I put any miles on it.

BTW - I used the strap method of mounting the tire, but used duct tape instead of straps... I'm thinking the straps may be a little better at it, as the photos I've seen show the straps actually stretching the bead back slightly, whereas I wasn't able to get the duct tape that tight. They did go on, but it took a bit of sweating, and a few minor curses (still easier than using spoons).

Tomorrow.. the rear tire!
 
John, that is too funny. Your narrow ass is like nobody on the bike. So that's why a 'hardtail' would not suit you, Lmfao. Ya gotta have some 'padding'.OK, OK enough of pickin' on John. Mule is absolutely correct, it's not really a good idea to 'think' you know what is best. True, it IS your bike, & it IS your life, but if the wheel is not marked tubeless,,,,.The price of those valve stems are what,$8 bucks a piece? $2 more, the tube is what's recommended, I don't know. Hey, I picked up a roofing nail on the freeway, got into a left turn off the freeway, got heavy 'tank slap' & pulled over. Saw the rear tire was going down. Made it 4 more mile's before it was totally flat, but off the freeway.The nail went all the way into the tire, and I could have used the tube again with a patch, but for $10, I got a new tube. Put a plug patch on the tire, new tube & all set to go. Patched the old tube & now have a spare. Keep it in the saddle bag.Along with a 5 foot air hose that has a coupler for the sparkplug adapter.
 
Gordon said:
Along with a 5 foot air hose that has a coupler for the sparkplug adapter.
Click to expand...
What a great idea for lond distance travel. Barb may want one for the sidecar on her next trip to Montana.

blue, I think you will really like the results. I know I was surprised how plyable it made old tires. Thanks to 5twins for passing the tip to me.
 
Appreciate the tip.........the bike came with tubeless valve stems so I assumed it was for tubeless.........I just went and looked more carefully and it's stamped "suitable for tubeless tires" but you have to look real close because the stamp is inward and painted over from the factory and not very visable.........80SG........maybe that's why I'm speaking (typing) and not dead.....:eek:......xsjohn

No hard tails for me......that for sure (suitable for hard tail) is not stamped on my ass........:laugh:
 

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