Tube or Tubeless

Calboy

Calboy

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2021 R18 First Edition with spoke wheels.
Tube or tubeless?
Had a GS Adventure and a Super Tenere, both with spoke rims that used tubeless tires.
Please don't tell me I can only use tube tires. I just noticed the difference in design as far as where and how the spokes attach to the actual rim but I'm still hoping for tubeless.
Didn't give it any thought until today! Just busy being fascinated with my new ride and didn't notice this detail.
 
How do you feel about having to use inner tubes? I am so bummed out over this. I didn't think about it at all. Picked my bike up last Friday so It took me one week to realize that I'm in a situation I didn't want want to be in.
What do you do if you get a punctured tube and you're in the middle of nowhere? How can that be fixed? It's going to put a limit to where I'm gonna ride it to. Need to stay in densely populated areas where I can get towing to a shop that knows this particular motorcycle. Bad, bad, bad. I can't believe that it never crossed my mind, never cared to ask even though I am pretty thorough most of the time. Major letdown for me personally.
 
Calboy said:
How do you feel about having to use inner tubes? I am so bummed out over this. I didn't think about it at all. Picked my bike up last Friday so It took me one week to realize that I'm in a situation I didn't want want to be in. What do you do if you get a punctured tube and you're in the middle of nowhere? How can that be fixed? It's going to put a limit to where I'm gonna ride it to. Need to stay in densely populated areas where I can get towing to a shop that knows this particular motorcycle. Bad, bad, bad. I can't believe that it never crossed my mind, never cared to ask even though I am pretty thorough most of the time. Major letdown for me personally.
Click to expand...
 
There are kits to help covert spoke wheels for use as tubeless. Expensive option would be to change wheels for alloy versions.
 
Cheshire Cat said:
There are kits to help covert spoke wheels for use as tubeless. Expensive option would be to change wheels for alloy versions.
Click to expand...
Yeah but I'm gonna wait to see if the aftermarket will offer Mag wheels.The Roland Sands are to much money.
Plus,we have towing as part of our 36 month warranty.Which is a little help.
I am having a sidecar installed & went with a spoked wheel till I decide which way I want to go.
Don't worry,enjoy the ride.
The RideOn sealent does a nice job.
 
I’m quite happy with either, patching or changing either roadside is the same amount of effort. I too think the liquid type patches will get you somewhere a proper fix can be implemented.
 
I've had spoke wheels with inner tubes, spoke wheels without tubes and cast wheels on bikes. I haven't found any of the tires on my road going bikes to be subject to frequent punctures. Yeah, it's an additional cost to replace a tube when you replace a tire and in my experience tubes seem to lose air a little faster than cast wheels that don't need tubes, but overall it isn't a big deal to me.

One benefit to spoke wheels is you can re-use the hub and lace it to a different rim if you want to go custom.

When it comes to bike maintenance overall it isn't a big enough difference for me to be too concerned about. I do know people who have used rim bands to seal spoke wheels with good success, so that is an option when it is time for new tires.
 
Back in the days when all motorcycle had tubes a lot of us carried spare tubes or patch kits. BMW’s as well as some other brands came equipped with hand air pumps and mini tire irons in the tool kits. When most changed to tubeless we carried tire plugger kits with mini 12volt air pumps. Now with the technological advances in cell phones some think that is all you need to carry. All of that just to justify me saying, I am not nearly as worried about a flat tire with a tube now as back in the day because it’s really easy to get help if you have a problem compared to the days when all we had was tires with tubes and pay phones
 
Mine has Spoked wheels, I ran into 3 nails on the road at around 1200km had to convert them into tubeless. I used Gasket sealants on the spokes and it's been good, 6800km now since converting into tubeless
 
I spend a lot of times in the deserts of the Southwest, off the beaten path so to speak.
No signal on my cell phone, no way to call BMW Road Assistance either (by the way, I got a 96 month extended everything with 4 years for tires)
I bought this bike not to impress the friends I don't have or to go on short rides to the coffee shop and back.
I bought it to ride it far and often, and not having to worry about getting stuck in the middle of nowhere, waiting for an imaginary tow truck to take me where?
Because it's not if, but when. It totally sucks.
Thanks to everybody that responded.
 
I read somewhere there is a manufacturer of a kit to convert spoked wheels over to tubeless operation. I don’t remember the name but it looked like a complete solution with good reviews.
I’ll likely install it at my first tire change.
 
Calboy said:
I spend a lot of times in the deserts of the Southwest, off the beaten path so to speak.
No signal on my cell phone, no way to call BMW Road Assistance either (by the way, I got a 96 month extended everything with 4 years for tires)
I bought this bike not to impress the friends I don't have or to go on short rides to the coffee shop and back.
I bought it to ride it far and often, and not having to worry about getting stuck in the middle of nowhere, waiting for an imaginary tow truck to take me where?
Because it's not if, but when. It totally sucks.
Thanks to everybody that responded.
Click to expand...
MilwDave said:
I read somewhere there is a manufacturer of a kit to convert spoked wheels over to tubeless operation. I don’t remember the name but it looked like a complete solution with good reviews.
I’ll likely install it at my first tire change.
Click to expand...
woodyswheelworks.com

Outex Tubeless Kit

The Outex Tubeless Kit for tubeless motorcycle wheels is durable, easy to install and reduces the risk of blown tires. Make your motorcycle wheels tubeless today with Outex's tubeless wheel kit!
woodyswheelworks.com woodyswheelworks.com
 
Calboy said:
I spend a lot of times in the deserts of the Southwest, off the beaten path so to speak.
No signal on my cell phone, no way to call BMW Road Assistance either (by the way, I got a 96 month extended everything with 4 years for tires)
I bought this bike not to impress the friends I don't have or to go on short rides to the coffee shop and back.
I bought it to ride it far and often, and not having to worry about getting stuck in the middle of nowhere, waiting for an imaginary tow truck to take me where?
Because it's not if, but when. It totally sucks.
Thanks to everybody that responded.
Click to expand...
Yep in your situation as described it sucks.
 
There is a liquid (or something like that) to put inside the tube, and basically it makes the wheel “unflattable”. Do you know a good one? And also, does that liquid makes your tire too hard to compromise parts or comfort?
 
I had a rear flat far from home. Does anyone believe they can pull the wheel off, tire iron a stiff 16" tire off/on the rim and reinstall the wheel on the side of the road without a boatload of tools and jacks? I will either go with Kineo wheels or see about the BMW wheels off of the TC.
 
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