Innertubes Suck!!!..

[ClarkGriswald]

Not much of a question just needed to blow steam somewhere.. anyway did I mention that I hate inner tubes? . $*&)^%%

Just pissed off cause I cant get another tommorow or probly monday.. wanted to get these wheels back on the bike and throw my valve shims in there that showed up today in the mail and get some miles on this weekend . oh well.. (pokes self with fork)

[planedick]

I learned the hard way...

Had a flat and tried to plug it to get home. I didn't know it was a tube tire and successfully destroyed the tube and any chance of getting home for repairs. Both of the bikes I've owned had tube tires and I was only able to find a replacement for the front on the '79. The '78 was the same problem, the front was easy, but the rear took some time to find a tubless rear.

Some put tires on them without tubes, but I was scared.

[ClarkGriswald]

This was a new one .. was my own dumba$$ mistake I put a hole in it.. I wont patch it I want a new one. Actually in all the ones Ive changed over the years this is the first time I messed up a tube installing. The rimlocks dont bother me I used to do my dirtbikes all the time so used to that. Was just exhausted and got in a hurry and put the wrong tool in there and I instantly knew it.. but still I put the tire the rest of the way on and tried it haha .. nope.. oh well.

As far as the tubeless thing goes.. Ive studied the subject and seen the pic's of the actual rims.. with no safety bead none of them are really tubeless rims in my opinion so mabye theres a 5 degree difference in the bead shoulder but I have no prob with spitfires with tubes.


Been crouching for 3 days over these 2 rims, polished the living crap out of em so they would be presentable (mainly clean on the inside). Get in a hurry, mess something up even if youve done it a million times.

[Pat Kelly]

Even tho I've put tubeless wheels/tires on my E, I carry a tube on long trips.
When flats occur in the middle of nowhere a tube will get you going if the tire is unpatchable.
The larger front tube will stuff into the back tire and get you to civilization.

[ClarkGriswald]

Good advice Pat, as much as this just kinda frustrated me.. To be honest I'd rather have a tube in tires.. one more layer is ok with me heh. Good thinking on conserving sizes too. Since its this subject.. man Im still mad at all the times replacing and patching tubes when ya get a THORN in a tire. Im talkin tractors now but it applies to anything. Those dang things are like steel nails until they snap off.. you think your ok puttin in a new tube or patching it.. until the next time that fragment of the thorn that is still left in the tire decides to poke its way in again.. its almost impossible to find them when they are like that.

Thornapple, Russian olives you name it.. God forbid you get into some osage.. Guess thats what those old steel wheels are still good for (no joke).

[Pat Kelly]

Remove tire
Find hole
Determine what caused hole and is it still there
Remove hole causer if there
*Patch hole in tire
Patch hole in tube (if using a tube to begin with)
Reassemble, reinflate, reinstall, get down the road


*patching the tire depends on severity of hole. Small hole can use regular tire patches. Larger holes/cuts may require a boot inside the tire (at which time I would use the tube). Several layers of duct tape, chunk of rubber from a tire carcass, anything to protect the tube untill you can get it repaired/replaced properly.

I also believe you can use a plug as a temporary fix (in tubeless tires). Replace the plug with a patch or replace the tire ASAP.
I went with tubeless on my E because removing the tire requires removal of the exhaust and hardbags. Not something I want to do on the side of the freeway.

[Crazcnuk]

I have no problem with patching a tube, if it will get me back on the road.

I've never had a hole in a motorcycle tire (~400,000miles).

Running tubes in tubeless tires can shorten the life of the tire, and cause failures at high speed, as tubes cause the tire to retain heat (run hotter) and tubless tires are not made for that.

At normal highway speeds, I don't think it's an issue.

When I pull my trailer, I have a can of Tire inflator in the trailer. Like patching a tube, not the first choice, but beats being stranded.