SS, it is HARD WORK to mount those tires! They go on TIGHT. When trying to seat the bead, I had to use all my old tricks. I soap 'em up, air pressure up to 60 lb., beat on the sidewalls with a mallet, bounce the tires, let the air out, soap 'em up again, and repeat. Finally the bead will seat. Those Michelins fit on there SNUGLY. They ain't gonna pop off. As far as the valves stems - as much as I know those were on the Lesters when I bought the bike in '82. (possibly could have put new ones on at some point, just don't remember) edit: Could have bought the bike in '80 of '81, don't remember. It is possible (likely?) it had Conti RB2 and K112 TUBE tires on it. Remember those? So, yeah, I may have put valve stems on at some point... don't remember. Is it a good thing that I don't remember that I don't remember?
welp, I have the GS rims, and I know they're not exactly the topic of discussion, but I have been using tubes for a few years. Its easier, imo to change a tube out that to try and reseat the bead on the knobbie tires that probably werent meant for those rims in the first place. This is basically based on one time it took a village to ge the back tire back on. Finally got it to hit with a good blast of C)2 but it was really dodgy. Somehwere around 15lbs of air was obviously not enough to keep it on the rim Getting the last bit of tire seated is the last major pbstacle I've figured a worka around for. It includes using the spoons to kinda lever the tire over the bead while inflating. and lots of lube of some kind. Been using Windex, lately.
I have 2 sets of wheels for my mono, one set has tubeless tyres, the other tubed. Only difference is I can break the bead on the tube tyres with my foot, I need a bead breaker for the tubeless tyres.
Given the litigious results of an accident in the US, I would think twice about running untubed in rims requiring tubes.
What, that I run tube and tubeless? I do a lot of gravel, the tube tyres are for gravel. Or that the tube tyres are easy to unseat? Tubeless must be made to seat with the safety bead, tubed have no need to, they break the bead just the same as on a tube rim.
I thought you meant that you had tubed and tubeless on the same rim type, with tubed being easier to get off. If that was the case, I was wondering why it would be so.
Charles, I choose to run "untubed" in rims requiring tubes. If I have an "accident" (a crash) then I will sue myself. Probably win, too.
ME 109, this is not a strange situation at all, it is simply the difference in the TIRES. Rims are the same, tires are different. They are designed that way - tube tires are easier to mount and remove (break the bead) because the TUBE holds the air, not the tire/bead seal. Tubeless tire fit on the rim tighly, it is harder to seat the bead and harder to break the bead because that must be sealed to hold air pressure. So, tell me now... why do the Michelin tubeless tires work on my Lester wheels??? I dunno. They are a TIGHT fit and that bead is hard to seat!
Aha! I see your point. I'll smash that Merc to pieces, be dead, and Mr. Merc can sue my estate for all it is worth... thirteen dollars.
In my experience it is not the tires. The same tubeless tire mounted on a tube type rim with a tube is easier to break the bead than the same tire on the same rim without a tube. Why? I don't know but that's what I have seen time and time again. Can you even still buy tube type only tires? It's been a while since I have noticed one.
The kind I buy are labeled tube type only. I have run them without tubes, though. Getting them off the rim is much easier than getting them on, in my limited experience.
I know Conti still sells the RB2 and K112 - don't know if they are tube only or if you can run them tubeless. I will look in to it. edit: http://www.conti-online.com/generat...emes/motorcycletires/download/RB2-K112_en.pdf Looks like some are tubeless (TL) and some are tube type (TT). Our sizes, 3.25-19 & 4.00-18, are TUBELESS. My Michelin Pilot Activs say run tubeless on tubeless rims, and run with tube on tube-type rims. Deduction - it is not the tire, it is the rim. That is why I am running my Michelins TUBELESS on a tube type rim (old Lesters). Makes perfect sense, right?
This question appears to have opened a can containing worms, though I have read and appreciated every reply.
It always does because it is a very important topic. Some are concerned with the law or freak occurrences and others are concerned with overall safety.
I think the SAFETY issue should be our concern - we don't want anyone to have tire problems on a high speed sweeper. My posts are MY experiences and are merely anecdotal, and should be taken as such. I don't want to give anyone BAD information. The best info is... stick with the tire manufacturers recommendations - which I clearly have ignored. edit: again, I have run TUBELESS on my Lesters for many hard mile with NO PROBLEMS. (again... anecdotal)
I've ridden the R65LS and the 84 R100 with snowflakes without tubes. But I can't tell you how they behaved punctured because that never happened. And it's not like I haven't ridden them much - for instance I rode the R100 from Portland Oregon to Tucson and back, and I ride the LS whenever it's not freezing or pouring down rain.