[gene_apodaca]

Blitz’s TT tribute 100 a day, at least once every ride……..

I have a coworker who hits the 100mph mark every time he rides. It's a thing he feels he has to do. I don't get that urge for 100mph as often but I do have a thing on my way home from work: I happen to ride down the one street that is used for less than legal drag races every saturday night. Straight, well lit, very little traffic, 4 lane road that ends at an access gate to the air force base on which I work. It's smooth and very good for cleaning the carbon out of the engine. When I do let loose, I'm on 3 year old Karoo 3 adventure tires. They hold the speed well.

 

[gene_apodaca]

I'm actually a little surprised about this debate. I haven't had a tubed tire on a motorcycle since the mid 90s and that was on a 70s vintage R90/6. I was surprised tube tires are still a thing on street bikes. @BlitzSchnell, I completely get the idea about tubes being better in your application though. I've never had a catastrophic flat, but can see how losing pressure on a stressed tire could pull the bead loose. I can't imagine that scenario where a crash isn't inevitable. Even my mountain bicycle is tubeless but my road bicycle has tubes mostly because I'm not interested in paying the price for tubeless rims. One of my motorcycles is a tourer and being tubeless is a bonus. I had a string of flats on that bike for some weird reason many years ago and being able to plug it kept me from being stranded far away from civilization. My R9T is a Scrambler and I like the idea of plugs for it for the same reasons. I am looking to get a tube for it though to get me home in an emergency if I were to tear a tire somehow. If I was always on the street, and always pushing it, I'd seriously consider tubes but my Buell's rims were tubeless and never leaked, so it wasn't an issue. I rode them at my limits often. One was a track bike and the other was for canyon carving with my friends. Both had race tires on them. I'm fascinated by this topic. I'd love to hear more experiences people have had.

 

[gene_apodaca]

What's the issue using a tube designed for radial tires? I know ADV tires can be purchased either tube type or tubeless and there does seem to be an issue with finding tubes that size. Does it have to be a special tube as well?

 

[gene_apodaca]

How is the inside of the tubeless tire made commpatable to a tube, and where does the heat come from, …friction ?

Ditto

 

[gene_apodaca]

I just saw a video from Continental saying you cannot run a tube in a tubeless rim at all. Note I said rim. Apparently it's ok to run a tube in a tube-type rim with a tubeless tire, according to some sources, but never in a tubeless rim.

 

[gene_apodaca]

I'm fond of the outer laced rims. Maybe because my bike has them. Still happy with the tubeless tires on a dirt bike-ish machine.

 

[gene_apodaca]

I didn't comprehend much of that last post at all. It went right over my head. As a scrambler owner, with tubeless spoked rims, I was planning on buying a tube for my tool kit in case I managed to tear the sidewall of a tire when far from civilization. I'm now wondering if that's a good idea now or just go with the likelihood of major tire damage as minimal and stick with plugs and a compressor already on hand.

 

[gene_apodaca]

If you tear your side wall a tube won't help.

Yes, but tires is such a fun and volatile topic. One of my favorites. You're probably right about the likelihood of tearing a sidewall. I imagined using a heavy fabric or a chunk of riding armor to protect the tube from a torn tire but that would mean I'd have to be able to remove the tire to accomplish such a patch and then a tube may not even work. I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill. I'm sure a plug or two will get me home in just about any scenario. At the rate I'm burning through tires though, they'll ever get a chance to get old. So... what kind of oil should I use?

 

[gene_apodaca]

How could it hurt to carry a tube if it got you home … even at 15mph ……………………………………………… Blitz

The big issue is the extra tools required to get a tube in the tire. Mainly, the front axle wrench and tire irons big enough to break the bead. On a tubeless tire, they'd have to be robust to say the least. Storage space is a real premium on these bikes already. And, like @Baloo mentioned, the likelihood of tearing a dirt oriented tire on a bike this size seems wildly unlikely. Even a small tear can usually be managed with a few plugs, enough to get home anyway.