Sorry in advance...Does my front need a tube?

[Guest]

I know there are endless threads probably dealing with this. WHy does my 80' 850G have a "tubeless tire applicable" rear and no such marking on the front? Pulled out a set of wheels I have from an 80' 850GL and found the same thing. Front is ready again, the present shinko 712 (non tubed) has about 12,000 on it. Every time I change the front I wonder if I should be tubing it or not.

 

[ShadowFocus603]

I don't run tubes on either wheel on my 850G.

 

[Steve]

Technically, you should run a tube, but many here get away with running tubeless.

Please note that if you switch to tubeless, the rim should be modified slightly so the valve stem has a proper seating surface.

.

 

[Nessism]

The tube vs. tubeless debate is an old one that has been rehashed out countless times before in older threads. One thing I've learned over the years is that both Suzuki and Kawasaki had bikes with "tubeless" wheels but not all of these had the safety bumps on the rim profile for the front. Basically, the earliest versions of "tubeless" wheels were nothing more than a modified tube wheel.

 

[Griffin]

Brian Wringer and I have chamfered the stem hole in many "tubed" cast rims to accept tubeless stems with nary a problem. No issues with slow leaking, no issues with tire seating, no issues with anything.

Functionally while riding down the road, one can't tell the difference at all. The only way you could tell the difference I suppose is if you had a tiny little wireless RTD installed in the tire and were monitoring temperatures. That isn't practical nor necessary.

I've no idea if the temperature difference (the tubeless tire theoretically runs cooler) matters in the real world anyway. I do know that it is a lot less of a P.I.T.A. to change out a tubeless tire though.

 

[Guest]

Brian Wringer and I have chamfered the stem hole in many "tubed" cast rims to accept tubeless stems with nary a problem. No issues with slow leaking, no issues with tire seating, no issues with anything.

Functionally while riding down the road, one can't tell the difference at all. The only way you could tell the difference I suppose is if you had a tiny little wireless RTD installed in the tire and were monitoring temperatures. That isn't practical nor necessary.

I've no idea if the temperature difference (the tubeless tire theoretically runs cooler) matters in the real world anyway. I do know that it is a lot less of a P.I.T.A. to change out a tubeless tire though.

From this old thread look like you guys are using a 5/8" counterbore. http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?165816-83-1100E-tube-or-tubeless/page3

So I guess spring for the tube or spring for the counterbore

 

[Griffin]

From this old thread look like you guys are using a 5/8" counterbore. http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?165816-83-1100E-tube-or-tubeless/page3

So I guess spring for the tube or spring for the counterbore

Yup. You only buy the counterbore once though.

One other thing, make sure you have the correct size stems BEFORE you countersink the wheel. NAPA used to sell good stems for cheap ($4), but has discontinued them. When I learned of this, I bought about twelve of them through their website.

You can get them at most motorcycle-specific online stores, but they cost more than $4.

 

[Griffin]

I checked on their website, NAPA still lists them, but says their "out of stock". You could perhaps order them for local pickup.

https://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/NTH90426/NTH90426

 

[Guest]

I don't think this "quite" reaches the level of heresy, but.....I have gotten a good seal without having to counterbore, the curve is slight enough that the rubber washer still has enough meat to seal. A dab of rtv provides some peace of mind, but I have seen this done several times with no leaks. Not "correct", but maybe correct enough, without having to modify the rim. Just a thought.

 

[Griffin]

I tried that on a couple bikes. It worked on 3 out of 4 rims, but one just absolutely wouldn't seal. So yeah, I think in most cases it works.

But not all. All four of those rims have since been countersunk with no issues for five years.

 

[Grimly]

Having had a couple of tubes go down rapidly, for the past 25 years I've run the GSs on tubeless front and rear, as the only times I've had loss of air on tubeless, it's been much less trouser-browning ++++++++++ it's been roadside repairable in a jiffy. Tubed or tubeless rims made no difference - they went tubeless.
Never had to counterbore anything, either.

 

[Cipher]

so is the wheel profile the same for the tube and tubeless rims?

 

[mcycle-nut]

Rather odd how Suzuki made tubeless and tube type tires for the same year bikes! It says right on the rim of my wife's '82 GS850 "tubeless tire applicable", but my '82 and '83 1100s both require tubes! Different wheel manufacturer for some strange reason, Enkei on the 850 and Asahi on the 1100s.

 

[mnferwerda]

MOTO-D Angled Motorcycle Valve Stems (11.3mm)

MOTO-D Angled Motorcycle Valve Stems (11.3mm)

I have these on my wheels. A bit more expensive but very convenient to put air in.

 

[Grimly]

MOTO-D Angled Motorcycle Valve Stems (11.3mm)
I have these on my wheels. A bit more expensive but very convenient to put air in.

Yep. I struggled to find these for years, and now they're easily available. I'd been using the add-on 90deg extensions, but they sometimes leaked and threw the balance off, so weren't great. Every set of wheels I fit from now on will have a pair of proper angled valve holders.