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3M sealing tape on spoked wheels

limeex2

limeex2

Forum Sage
Past Site Supporter
I'm trying to cut the weight down even further on my GS1100E. It has spoked wheels, wider D.I.D. rims ect. Removing the tubes would remove almost 5 lbs of unsprung weight. I haven't taken them apart to weigh a tube, so I'm going by advertised shipping weight. Even if both of them weigh 3 lbs, thats a lot of unsprung weight for only $15. Has anyone here used the 3m brand sealing tape? Its on YouTube and has many good motorcycle reviews on Amazon, but I would rather hear from you guys. I work for 3M and I have seen some crazy good tapes come through our dept. Here's a link. https://www.amazon.com/3M-Extreme-S...ocphy=9019526&hvtargid=pla-305013291013&psc=1 here's the video. Its a little long, but you get the idea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGyeA12terU
 
You are wanting to seal the nipples on the inside of the rim so you can ditch the tubes? :-k

Let me just ask, ... are all of your roads glass-smooth, with absolutely NO chance of any potholes?

I would not expect it to happen very often, but I suspect that the rim can/will flex a bit when hitting a bump. That bump could be a pothole, a curb, debris on the road, whatever. Is it possible that the rim might flex far enough for the spoke to push through the sealing tape? On the other hand, when hitting anything that hard, a sudden loss of air pressure might the the lowest of your concerns. :oops:

That is one reason I like my cast wheels. Undoubtedly heavier than spoked wheels, even with their tubes, but I have never let that bother me. Maybe if I experienced the difference, I might have a different opinion, but I don't think I would rely on tape for an air seal.

.
 
Yes, I used the 3-M tape on my spoked wheels. It is 3-M 4412N Sealing Tape. No problems at all with it sealing the spoke nipples. However you must check your rim where the rim is welded together. It must be smooth so the tire will seal against the rim okay. I had to file and sand to blend it in. I have 12,000 miles on the wheels with no problems. ��
There's a thead on here somewhere talking all about it... found it, go to Rim Size Recommendations April 2017
 
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The only way I've ever seen to run conventional wire spoke wheels tubeless - relatively safely - was on an E type jaguar being raced.
The well of the rim had been filled with an RTV - covering the spoke ends - which had been machined round and flat after curing.

Even in normal riding wire spoke wheels on an 1100 will flex. Your call....
 
storm 64 said:
Yes, I used the 3-M tape on my spoked wheels. It is 3-M 4412N Sealing Tape. No problems at all with it sealing the spoke nipples. However you must check your rim where the rim is welded together. It must be smooth so the tire will seal against the rim okay. I had to file and sand to blend it in. I have 12,000 miles on the wheels with no problems. ��
There's a thead on here somewhere talking all about it... found it, go to Rim Size Recommendations April 2017
Click to expand...
There are 2 versions of the tape. 4412N and 4411N. The 4412N is 2" wide and the 4411N is 1.5". Hard to tell if there are other differences. The Adventure Touring guys have been going off road with 2 versions of silicon seal and have good results. I believe this is better yet and will still allow for spoke adjustments if ness, but with HD spokes I have found very little, if at all spoke tightening needs.

Thanks for the link. My rims are true vintage, aka old. My only worry is the finish on the bead area of the rim. I dont recall if it was smooth or ribbed. Deal breaker?
 
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limeex2 said:
The Adventure Touring guys have been going off road with 2 versions of silicon seal and have good results.
Click to expand...

The super motard guys have been using tape to seal spoked rims for at least a decade that I know of. It will work fine on your GS.


Mark
 
Yes, but I tend to shy away from copy cat stuff when what I am using MUST work. I work for 3M and have seen first hand what they can make when they choose to. Others are using this with success and it works. I'll try this week to pop off the tire and inspect the rim sealing area to see if it is smooth or ribbed, its been a year since I had them built up and I can't recall that detail. If they are ribbed in their design, I'm thinking I will probably have to keep running tubes.
 
No tubes...layer of RTV over the nipples, covered with a couple layers of duct tape. I raced it for 5-6 years like that.
The guys I bought it from, raced it like that for a decade or two.

 
Baatfam said:
No tubes...layer of RTV over the nipples, covered with a couple layers of duct tape. I raced it for 5-6 years like that.
The guys I bought it from, raced it like that for a decade or two.

Click to expand...
I think I may have that set of leathers... Dainise?
 
Bicycle guys are going tubeless on spoke rims w/tape. Most use "sealant" to take care of any possible small leak but not sure if this is pertinent to motorcycles.
 
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What about that flex seal spray on tv? The stuff used to seal a screen door in the bottom of a boat.... I will likely stick with tubes or get some mag wheels if I want to go tubeless. Too much at stake. I was riding a couple of years ago and picked up a nail. Tire was flat in seconds and no chance of using a plug to get home with a tube. Luckily, someone stopped, had a trailer with them and got me home. He was a fellow rider but didn't know him. Another reason I will always stop and help a fellow rider.
 
Someone here needs to weigh a tube.

A shipping weight may just be a category not an actual measured weight
 
Cipher said:
Someone here needs to weigh a tube.

A shipping weight may just be a category not an actual measured weight
Click to expand...
Good idea. I'll weigh a 18" tube tonight at work along with a bunch of different 530 chains I have. I'll post various other weights I have come up with also.
 
Here's a inner tube weight and various other weights I have come up with. Keep in mind 1 lb unsprung weight is equal to 4lbs sprung weight. My favorite is saving 3.2 lbs and gaining 7-8? hp with gixxer carbs. Haven't driven bike since I installed the Katana rotor, but its .55 lbs off the end of the crank. Last time I weighed her, I came up with 462lbs.

5.10 x 18 inner tube = 2.30lbs

Chains: DID VX530 x 116 = 5.05lbs, Parts Unlimited 530 x 116 = 5.15lbs, Z1 Enterprise house brand 530 x 116 = 5.35lbs
Rotor/generators: GS1100 4v = 5.2lbs, GS1000S Katana = 4.65lbs
Brake rotors: Front/GS1000 = 3.5lbs, front/GS11004v = 3.0lbs, Rear/GS550E/ES(83-85) = 3.05lbs, front/CBR600 = 2.85lbs
Carburetors: GS1100 4v = 7.7lbs, GSXR1100 flat slides = 4.5lbs
Rear brake caliper,stay and rod. GS1100 = 2.9lbs, Yamaha FZ-1 = 2.3lbs. I switched this over, had to make a spacer and removed a .35lb torque rod by using a FZ-1 caliper. Not a true bolt on.
 
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ok now deduct the weight of the materials you're using as a tube replacement
still worth it? Admittedly tape wont weigh much is this for the strip? I see some stuff about dirt riders going back to heavy tubes due to impacts and such. Not a lot of rocks and ruts in the typical quarter mile strip,
 
I can't see that losing a pound off each wheel will have a noticeable difference on your suspension.
 
One would lose about a pound and a half per wheel. The goal of the bike is a Roadrace bike for the street(not new cafe style) Losing unsprung weight makes a noticeable difference on bikes. Thats one reason why I'm using spoked wheels. 18" front wheels makes them turn in much nicer and does not hamper high speed stability or ground clearance. When you look at older sport bikes, they attempt to shave weight off any where they can because it all adds up and makes a huge difference.

The bike is a re-creation of my old race bike only better. With help from the Forum and else where, its a 40 year old garage built franken bike, just like a old club racer. With the addition of a Race-Tech front end, rebuilt Fox shocks, Gixxer carbs and modern brakes is a riot to drive and feels very modern, better than it was when I raced it, and unlike most modern bikes has a personality, no anti-fun buttons, loves to be driven hard or just going for a after dinner putt. Ive been doing mod-stocks and building these types of bikes since 79 when I did my first GS. I doubt I'll quit any time soon as I'm collecting parts to do 2 more.
 
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"I'm trying to cut the weight down even further on my GS1100E. It has spoked wheels" Well right there is a huge conflict. Yes spoke wheels are sexy as hell and my preferred choice, but if ure looking for weight loss good luck if you still using spokes. Try some 1st model GSXR 1100 wheels. or even the rarer next model 3 spoke 18" 1100 wheels.

Chain Alignment Specs.jpg
 
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