Tubeless conversion, anybody done it?

[Gotbikes]

Looking for advice

 

[Roy Gavin]

Best place to go for advice is a professional tire dealer and see what he willing to fit and warranty.
That way if it goes pear shaped your widow has someone to sue!
Actually, one widow in NYC successfully sued a VFR forum for breaking it's duty of care in permitting bad advice to remain on the forum uncorrected, but something in writing from a dealer makes it easier!
Talk can be cheap, but it can also be expensive!

 

[Flicka]

Looking for advice

I did the bartubeless conversion (tkc70 Tires) 6 months ago and I am really satisfied. In recent months Bartubeless has presented a set of specific rims for the Himalayan whose price is even slightly less than the work done on my motorcycle.

 

[Gotbikes]

I did the bartubeless conversion (tkc70 Tires) 6 months ago and I am really satisfied. In recent months Bartubeless has presented a set of specific rims for the Himalayan whose price is even slightly less than the work done on my motorcycle.

Thanks for your response. Can you elaborate a bit? I looked on their website and it doesn't give much detail. Is this simply a pair of wheels with their sealant system already in place or are they proper tubeless without spoke nipples penetrating the rim. Also what size tkc70's did you go with? - nice tires but I don't see any sizes that correspond to the 650 requirements.

 

[Flicka]

Thanks for your response. Can you elaborate a bit? I looked on their website and it doesn't give much detail. Is this simply a pair of wheels with their sealant system already in place or are they proper tubeless without spoke nipples penetrating the rim. Also what size tkc70's did you go with? - nice tires but I don't see any sizes that correspond to the 650 requirements.

You have to excuse me, I didn't notice that you have a 650, mine is a Himalayan

 

[Bluestrom13]

I looked on their website and it doesn't give much detail.

Link -
Bartubeless - What It Is + Repairs + Warranty

They are not likely to sell flanged wheels, because then you wouldn't need their system. (Just my opinion).
If you want flanged rims, then you can approach ANY wheel builder.

 

[petespace1]

The issues I have heard about this topic are:
1. Degreasing wheel real well before application of any rubberised compound
2. Different effect of Heat of metal vs rubber semi-bonded together
3. Different Flex /deformation of metal and the rubber
… all leading to the pesky air or whatever gas molecules under pressure sneakily escaping .
But as humans we constantly experiment so let’s keep doing that.

my own thoughts? get new rims where the spokes don’t penetrate the rims, get alloy rims, or live with tubes…thassjussmee

Me ? Whadayyamean? Oh me… oh I’ll just leave the tubes in there for now.

 

[Roy Gavin]

The Bartubeless is a dealer only install, and is pretty expensive.
And not really impressed with the contents of their site, some of the info is schoolboy howler stuff.
Not all hubs suit tubeless spoked rims, especially the ones BMW used with their cross spokes tubeless rims - simple wheel building 101.
Went 250000 km , tubed Mitas E 07s on BMW R80 G/SPD , without a puncture until I picked up two drywall screws within a week, both sealed with a pressure pack sealant and limped home.
Lost air without a puncture on a BMW R100GS with cross spoke tubeless rims, twice in the first 1000 km that I owned it .
Second time bead came off the rim so AA trailered it to a tire dealer who's first question was - who the -uck fitted tires to these rims without tubes! so perhaps I was not the only one with the problem.
Answer was the factory trained mechanics at the BMW dealer!
AA man claimed most of his bike calls were for punctures, seems even if they were carrying a plug kit quite a few couldn't get it to seal on the relativly thin motorcycle carcass.

 

[DaveinHutto]

I just dropped $30 US for a heavy duty tube and $40 US to have it installed. I could not break the bead, otherwise I would have installed it myself. Tube got ripped by a 3 inch screw and couldn't be patched. It won't take very many of those to consider a alternate system that is plug and play. Be nice to get RE to offer a alternate set of rims that was tubeless for the 650.

 

[Roy Gavin]

With a 3" screw a tubeless probably couldn't be plugged either. so you were up for a tube either way.

 

[DaveinHutto]

It was 3 inches long, #8 in size so a plug would have worked like a champ.

 

[torquey]

Just gpot on today in hopes of finding this topic - and - front page. I've seen several videos pop up when I tried Googling it.

 

[fatal]

I had a telephone conversation this morning with Central Wheel Components in Birmingham (UK....not Alabama) about their Airtight system.. The chap said they could apply the system to the rear wheel, but wasn't sure about the front. He said to take both wheels to them and it would be checked. Even if they only did the rear I'd be happy with that as I reckon about 80% of my punctures over the last 48 years have been in the rear. Approx cost was £140

Airtight System - Tubeless Conversions - Services (central-wheel.co.uk)

 

[Gotbikes]

I just dropped $30 US for a heavy duty tube and $40 US to have it installed. I could not break the bead, otherwise I would have installed it myself. Tube got ripped by a 3 inch screw and couldn't be patched. It won't take very many of those to consider a alternate system that is plug and play. Be nice to get RE to offer a alternate set of rims that was tubeless for the 650.

Those are tubeless rims, just

 

[Gotbikes]

Seal the spoke nipple area inside with 3m marine sealant. Mine have not had to be topped up yet - in months of riding. Bridgestone makes some nice tubeless tires in the exact sizes

 

[Robert]

"about 80% of my punctures over the last 48 years "
if you have to use percentages, that seems like an awful lot. How many is that in real numbers?

 

[fatal]

I reckon on at least 25, so perhaps five front punctures, with about half of them in tubed tyres which meant wasted days out as one awaits recovery. The ones in tubeless tyres were repaired on the spot and the journey continued. Maybe 25 punctures over those years and countless thousands of miles averages out quite low, however I'm not prepared to have a day out ruined by being unable to do a roadside repair

 

[Eatmore Mudd]

Patch + plug = complete repair.
Just a patch or just a plug is only 1/2 repair. https://www.ustires.org/tire-repair-basics

My two cents worth

 

[Roy Gavin]

Some M/C tires don't have a carcass thick enough to hold a plug,, 6 mm is usually specified as a minimum, and a some tire companies specify 3mm as the max hole size that can be permanently repaired, and most plug tools are bigger than that.
Some completely forbid plugs , some suggest a speed restricted limp home for a short distance , some forbid any repair whatsoever on higher speed rated tires.
So check with your tire manufacturer before you consider any repair, there is no universal answer!

 

[MB650]

My 2022 INT 650, according to the owner's manual, has tubeless tires with tubes in them because of the spoked wheels. The Stop and Go brand tire repair kit works well for tubeless tires because it provides a combination of a patch and a plug that is inserted into the hole using a spring-loaded tool that comes with the kit. It works very well. Stop and Go recommends you do not exceed 80mph after repairing a tire with their kit. I have used it several times over the years with great results.