Going tubeless, i hope

[SneakyDingo]

As a country that runs box wars, it amuses me greatly that you assume we'd do anything BUT drink with our wheels.

 

[Kritou]

“It’s like a bloody great Christmas cake” muttered the Flight Engineer behind as I gazed in awe from thirty thousand feet at the panorama of browns, blues, chromes and whites that were my first encounter with Down Under. ”All the fruits and nuts around the edge and, excusez moi, fuck all in the middle”

All thanks @SneakyDingo for reaffirming

 

[ShieldArc]

I would just get some alloy wheels from a super cub or other and be done with it...

 

[m in sc]

they have a drum real, just fyi.

I think it s a huge waste of time as well. but to each their own. want to go tubeless w out the tape and goo? get some perimeter spoke rims.

 

[bryanchurch06]

Different strokes brother, btw I couldn't find perimeter rims available or affordable. If they do become either I will have them, and as I've said the tape doesn't change the functionality if I need to install a tube. As always m-sc I enjoy and learn from your opinions, even when I don't agree with them

 

[Kritou]

they have a drum real, just fyi.

I think it s a huge waste of time as well. but to each their own. want to go tubeless w out the tape and goo? get some perimeter spoke rims.

or an hour and $20 …

 

[dmonkey]

EVATEK recently released cast alloy tubeless wheels for the CT125, just over $1k shipped to the USA and expect to wait a few months for them: https://japan.webike.net/products/25718958.html

 

[bryanchurch06]

Hopefully the price will come down in time as well

 

[ShieldArc]

Those wheels would look great if powder coated black.

 

[bryanchurch06]

How durable do you think they are on hard trails? Cast wheels have always been Street to me

 

[oldskool]

How durable do you think they are on hard trails? Cast wheels have always been Street to me

Personally I don't like cast wheels on any motorcycle, spokes for me thanks.

 

[dmonkey]

I imagine durability would largely depend on Evatek's material selection and manufacturing quality same as it varies with spoked wheels. Personally I think the aesthetic of those wheels take away from the retro trail look of the bike, but different people have different preferences. I've been more than happy with the performance of cast wheels on other bikes off-road. They are common on some fairly capable ADV bikes these days, such as the Honda CB500X, Suzuki V-Strom, and Kawasaki Versys. IMO the stock rims on our CT125's wheels are mediocre quality, mine have been rusting inside and if I end up replacing them that will likely be the reason. If you're concerned about the durability of your wheels, make sure you're regularly checking the spokes. They're a common area of neglect that result in failure on spoked wheels. Not something to worry about on cast wheels, though there are pros and cons as with any comparison. Weight, price vs value, aesthetics, serviceable vs upkeep maintenance, stiffness, durability, tire selection, etc.

 

[bryanchurch06]

Is there a method for checking spokes? Are you just verifying nipple tightness?

 

[SneakyDingo]

Is there a method for checking spokes? Are you just verifying nipple tightness?

On bicycles you grab a handful of them at once and pull them a certain way. I'll show you when we meet up, toss it on the list of things to chat about. There's also plucking them like a guitar string and listening to the note, but I think these ones are too stiff to do that. Mostly you're concerned about them coming loose, so if the spokes move more than they should when you grab a fist of spokes, then you've got a problem that can be resolved partially with a spoke wrench.

 

[dmonkey]

Yep, what @SneakyDingo said. For roadside inspection and adjustment I tap them with a screwdriver or wrench to hear if any don't ping at the same pitch and tighten up the lose ones. Honda recommend checking the wheels every 4k miles. With more extreme use you may want to check them more frequently. If many spokes are loose or there's any damage to the wheel or spokes you'd pull the tire, deal with repairs, and then true the wheel on a stand. Might sound intimidating but it's easy work if you have the patience, time, space, and tools to do it. Otherwise can offload it to a competent shop or wheel builder. Even if you aren't balancing tires on the CT125 it would be a good idea to throw the wheel on a stand with every tire replacement and at least eyeball the wheel for issues or runout.

 

[AZ7000']

Some use these...

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[bryanchurch06]

I've noticed that setting the bead on these tires you don't get the loud pops like you get on larger bikes. Which got me thinking about tire pressure, rear is recommended at 33pds with a tube which adds some stiffness to the tire I think. So without the tube providing support should the tire run a little higher pressure, when I squeeze the tire without the tube it seems a little spongy? If that's the right word.

 

[Kritou]

I don’t believe a tube does anything other than contain those 33 pounds per square inch that would otherwise leak out through the spoke ends
Certainly my now half tubed tyres feel as stiff as when they were tubed at the same pressure

I have been told that the ”pop” on tyre inflation is actually the bead being forced over the inner safety bead that is common on tubeless rims

 

[dmonkey]

Outex have a page that talks about the bead being held in place by pressure alone on the WM type rim which is what's on our Honda Trail: https://www.outex.jp/tubelesskitWMMT.htm



As for what the tube does other than hold pressure, the tube helps to hold the tire's shape and acts like a damper that absorbs shock and vibrations differently than a tire handling those forces on its own inflated directly and translating them to the wheel, axle, and suspension. Tubeless tires don't have the tube to support them so they're instead designed to support themselves with stiffer sidewalls. Even though a tube inflates to fill the space inside a tubed tire, the tube does not move exactly with the tire as if it were glued to it, there's some wiggle room for them to move apart. That's what causes friction on the tube, that it's not always moving directly with the tire. Without a tube in a tube type tire, there's risk of the tire deforming or wearing prematurely because it lacks the support of the tube. Clearly that doesn't mean you can't run a tube type tire without a tube on a converted rim, it just introduces risks where a tubeless tire is recommended.

@bryanchurch06 , it's probably for the best that your Gorilla Tape failed early and you have the chance to replace it with an entirely different product before you're out in the bush. A fellow Guzzi rider shared this failed tubeless conversion with Gorilla Waterproof Patch & Seal Tape. The inside of the tire and rim got hot enough to melt it. It sounds like the Outex kits or 3M Extreme Sealing Tape are better products.

 

[brestman]

Had you considered using tubes to go tubeless? Seriously …

We use a smaller size tube ..cut and sealed.. it worms and is frigin cheaper than outex kit