Tubeless or not?

[Fix]

It's time to put tires on the mistress for the first time since I got her. I have tubeless tires (according to the sidewalls on the tires) on a '78. I read that if the rims are a tubeless rim, they'll have a small notation somewhere. I've looked a bit, but I don't see any such notice. These look like regular standard mag rims.

I thought I read that the '78 ran tubes, and I don't want to order the wrong tires. Is it possible the PO was running tubeless tires on a tube rim? It's also likely my eyes just aren't as good as they used to be, and I just don't see the writing on the spokes.

Anyone have some more specific info on where such a notice might be located?

Thanks in advance!

[psycoreefer]

It should be stamped inside one of the spokes, either tubeless or tube-type. Don't worry to much about the tires, it is ok to run a tube in a tube-less tire, in fact the tires you have on there now might have tubes in them....

[fredintoon]

It's time to put tires on the mistress for the first time since I got her. I have tubeless tires (according to the sidewalls on the tires) on a '78. I read that if the rims are a tubeless rim, they'll have a small notation somewhere. I've looked a bit, but I don't see any such notice. These look like regular standard mag rims.

I thought I read that the '78 ran tubes, and I don't want to order the wrong tires. Is it possible the PO was running tubeless tires on a tube rim? It's also likely my eyes just aren't as good as they used to be, and I just don't see the writing on the spokes.

Anyone have some more specific info on where such a notice might be located?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Fix,
there's all manner of raised cast writing on the spoke flanges, ignore it. What you are looking for is a letter-stamped sentence that says something to the effect of "OK for tubeless tires" but with fancier wording.
Don't sweat the tires, it's real hard to find a modern tire that ain't marked "tube or tubeless".
When you get the old tires off, see if they have tubes in them.
If the spoke IS stamped OK for tubeless, go tubeless anyway.
If the tubeless tires don't have tubes in them and you don't find the appropriate approval stamp on the spoke flange, again don't sweat it, go tubeless.
The old ones stayed up, didn't they?

[DiverRay]

The EASY way is look at the rear rim. If the beadlock boss is drilled, and has been filled with something, it's a tube type rim. The front rims are easy to find and replace, so the PO MAY have that solved for you.
As Fred has stated, you CAN run tubes in ANY tire on a bike. Hope that helps a little.
And no, I would NOT run a tubeless without a tube on a tube type rim. The tire CAN roll of the rim if it looses too much air. Just me and my safety thing (250K miles and still riding).

[crazy steve]

....If the tubeless tires don't have tubes in them and you don't find the appropriate approval stamp on the spoke flange, again don't sweat it, go tubeless.
The old ones stayed up, didn't they?

Fred, Fred... not good advice. The tubeless and tube wheels are machined differently; the tube wheels can lose the seal when run tubeless if you hit a pothole, etc and you'll have an instant flat tire. The '78E did come with tube-only wheels. It'll be easy to tell on the rear wheel, as they have a large rubber 'bead lock' inside with a bolt protruding through the rim (no, you don't have two valve stems). Don't leave this out; if you do, the tire can spin on the rim and shear off the valve stem.

The '79 wheels are plainly marked 'suitable for tubeless tires' in one of the spokes and lack the rear bead lock.

As far as tires, I doubt if you'll have much luck finding 'tube' tires these days but no worries; install tubes in whatever you buy. Most tubeless motorcycle tires are rated to be ran with tubes with a slight reduction in speed rating (only important if you're planning extended runs above 100 mph). If you want to convert to tubeless, swap on a set of '79-up wheels; they're direct bolt-ons...

'78E original owner

[fredintoon]

- - - And no, I would NOT run a tubeless without a tube on a tube type rim. The tire CAN roll of the rim if it looses too much air. Just me and my safety thing (250K miles and still riding).

Hi Ray,
In the specific instance of the Yamaha cast wheels on XS series bikes; I have checked the profiles of those with the "OK for tubeless" legend stamped on them and the profiles of them that ain't.
There ain't no difference between them that I could see or that I could measure with a caliper.
I also successfully run a tubeless tire from new to bald on that unmarked wheel.
I reckon it's the same wheel and that Yamaha plain got fed up with folks asking so they stamped the legend on them.
BTW, I stopped counting the miles decades ago but I got my first bike in 1955.

[Fix]

Thanks for the info gents. I'm ordering tires tomorrow and I didn't want to get the wrong thing.

[randy]

Fred,

I had the tube rims on my '79 when i got it. The difference I found on the rear was that the tube type had rim locks, so the rim had two extra holes besides the one for the valve. IIRC, one of my very early posts here was about that 'how come this rim has three valve holes'

[Fix]

Just checked in better light. I have rim locks on the back so until I break the beads I'm assuming I have tubeless tires with tubes on tube rims.

So I should be alright with shinko 712's? Will I be able to put a tube in them if need be?

[randy]

Those rim locks were designed by the devil himself. I ditched them, installed small carriage bolts in the spare holes and put in a tube. A couple of years later got the tubless rims.

Don't know jack about shinko tires, never heard of 'em.

[fredintoon]

- - - Don't know jack about shinko tires, never heard of 'em.

Hi Randy,
here you go:-
http://www.shinkotireusa.com/product...php?category=2