Valve stem nut is TIGHT

[rkutzner]

Anyone change a tube yet, are these just plain old tubes? I've never run a valve stem nut tight off-road but now I've got this CT125 and my Tenere' 700 and both came factory cranked tight. I have no plans to lower my air pressure off-road like on my dirt bike because I don't all rock garden gnarly like on my KTM. Does anyone loosen their valve stem nuts so at least you'd know if you started spinning the tire on the rim?

 

[Dogsbody]

Yes, all my tubed bikes have backed off locknuts.

 

[rkutzner]

Thanks, just an old guy making sure some new tech hadn't come along. These are my first new tubers ever, all the old stuff I've always run the nut backed off, dirt or street. And def spun a few tires in my day but never ripped a valve off.

 

[dmonkey]

Personally I wouldn't worry about it either way. This bike doesn't make a lot of power so unless someone misused lubricant getting the tire on, it's pretty unlikely that you'll slip a tube or tire without airing them down. Here's the stock tube for reference. It's an IRC T20049 70/100, 80/90-17 with a TR4 valve stem. There are 2 nuts, one stays on the inside of the wheel. Honda part number is 42712-K2E-T02

 

[rkutzner]

Such great info, dutifully recorded! Is the front and rear tire the same, tread looks the same minus direction of travel. Son-in-law says one says front and one says rear on it?

 

[dmonkey]

The front and rear GP-5s are different tires, likely some small construction difference to handle the load going in different directions appropriate to the tread pattern. Many of the knobby replacement tires are front/rear interchangeable with the same tread pattern in either direction.

GP-5

Designed for on road and off road Dedicated design for Front and Rear for all around performance D.O.T. approved IRC No. Fr/Rr Size L.I. Type Overall Diameter (mm) Overall Width (mm) Standard Rim Measurement Rim T10544 Fr 80/90-17M/C 44P WT 579 81 1.85 1.85 T10545 Rr 80/90-17M/C 50P WT 579 81...

ircmoto.com

 

[rkutzner]

I'll say as one who runs gummies on my KTM, I'm impressed what these little buggers do on dirt gravel little crick crossings! If I ever cared to carry a spare I'd not hesitate to carry an F or R no matter where it ends up in an emergency. Anyone try different DOT tires?