I put a Mefo Explorer on the rear of my Airhead GS. The Mefo is a tube-type tire, and the Airhead GS has tubeless wheels. The rear Mefo leaks air at the bead along one stretch. I thought Slime would cure it, but it does not - Slime even says so on their website. I hate like anything to put a tube in there. Is there some sort of sealant I could put on the inside of the rim, and/or the tire bead, that would seal the Mefo as a tubeless tire? I wonder about a moderately thin coat of RTV silicone. Is there some product specifically for this problem? I think I am going to love the Mefos - the front tire does not leak at all - and they are said to wear like iron and work well on pavement even when wet. I have about 200 miles experience so far. But getting a puncture on a tube-type tire means the day is over, while tubeless means you plug it, pump it back up and go on down the road. You can write me off line at roger@rogerwiles.com
Hi Roger, I guess you have an R100GS since you said tubless tires? Take the tire off and check the inside of the rim for corrosion..sometimes condensation inside the tire will eat away at the rim. If the surface isn't clean and smooth, it WILL leak. Try a wire wheel to remove the hard baking soda-like crust. And make sure it's not leaking at the stem...bad schrader valve? Also check that the rubber seal wasn't nicked when you installed the tire.
If it's not a tubeless tire, you're nuts to run it with no tube. Sealing it is just one worry. How about it blows off the rim going down the highway? That would ruin your whole day.
Tube tires and tubeless tires have different construction. The tire bead is a different shape. There are probably warnings somewhere about doing this. Look for something that has a label with a big Scull and Crossed Bones on it. Yes we engage in a dangerous life style. Learn where the lines are drawn or be left behind, literally.
Same exact problem...a motorcycle tire supplier in my region had put Mefos on my GSPD's tubeless rims early late spring. I scrubbed them in on a coastal range twisty backroad, and had a sudden deflation on the rear, and the tire rolled off the rim. Fortunately I had entered a small town and was going about 25 mph. I was able tor reseal it & get home, but to make a long story shorter, I finally noticed TUBE TYPE on the Mefo's sidewalls. Take them off unless you plan to remove your valve stem and run tubes. Tom in Salem
Put a tube in the tube-type Mefo Explorer on a tubeless BMW R100GSPD rim, finally. Seems to be the best crummy solution to the problem - Mefo is a tube tire and the BMW rim is tubeless and tubeless RULES ! The shape of a tube-type tire ibead is different than that of a tubeless. Get a flat on a tube tire and your day is over - get nail in a tubeless and you plug and pump and in 15 minutes you're on your way. Only bright side is that I will load the tube with Tube Slime, and it IS very effective at stabilizing some puncture-agent like a nail, to keep the tube from tearing and making a sudden catastrophe out of a potential non-event. I rode my Yamaha TW200 fo0r over a year with a nail in the rear tube-tire filled with Slime and it never leaked or tore. Of course, with an OEM rear tire PSI rating of a TW is 18 lb, I could have ridden it home on a flat tire and never known the difference, In fact, I rode it home when I bought it, 10 miles, with both tires flat, and hardly noticed it. TWs have big fat balloon tires.
You're joking, right??? Just had a day with 4 flats and still managed about 150 miles off road. Same bike, same wheel.....
That's impressive. Bet you were sore, tho, right? The hardcore KLR guys just carry a spare tube or two, prop it up on a rock, and replace the tube at trail side (spoons & a tire pump, and the tool kit of course.) Been running tubes & spoked wheels for most of the past 40 years. Never had a tubed tire deflate on the road. Very low priority for me on the worry scale. Wouldn't want to try a tube type tire w/no tube on a tubeless wheel--ever.
nah....luckily it was the rear. I also had 3 people with me that gave me water, handed me tools, and pushed down on the tire while I was spooning it. Super easy to break the D606, pull the tube out just in the leak area, patch it and shove it back in, but I was too stupid to notice the giant fucking nail. Prutser taught me a new trick on the front....no need to even remove the wheel off the bike if you're just going to patch the tube.
