Duuudde, are you really going to take us back there? I am outta here before Vince shows up.
-Rick
I had hoped this would die a quiet death.
The safety lip is suppose to keep the tyre in a controlable situation in a flat condition.
Im not sure about that, or that it would help handling of a motorcycle.
Guys, the question here is not whether it can be done. Of course it can. But should it be done? A product feature without benefit is just so much fluff. The main feature of a tubeless tire is that the tube is bonded to the inside of the tire. There are two benefits to this. For one, the tire/tube combo is somewhat thinner and transfers heat better, and additional heat from tube to tire chafing is eliminated. This allows for more consistent traction, longer tread life, high load capacity, and the ability to spin the tire faster. Two, because the tube is bonded to the tire, the tube won't split or tear. A puncturing object is held by the tube (liner) and the liner seals around the object. This limits air loss to allow for more control as you slow down.
There is more engineering involved. The safety bead really does work. I have no doubts about 100 years of proven engineering. Yamaha Virago and Maxim wheels, from 1980 to '84 did not have this feature. Most of the time I do not have to break the bead when one comes in flat. The bead came off while riding. The last three tubes I replaced had a ripped out valve stem. This happens when the tire is run low on pressure. It slips on the rim, ripping out the stem. These three were on bikes that were pulled out of the garage for the first ride of the season. NOT ONE of the riders checked their tire pressure after the winter lay over.
MOST FLATS CAN BE AVOIDED BY KEEPING UP THE AIR PRESSURE. Not all, certainly, but in my experience probably over 90%. Most people keep their tire pressure too low, and check it only once a year. Most of the bikes I get in to service have less than 20# in one or both tires. I check mine at least weekly. If I haven't ridden in a while I check before riding. In almost a half million miles of riding I have had 2 flats on the street. In the dirt I have never had a flat that didn't involve a cactus or a crash. You too can have this track record by keeping up your tire pressure.
Tubeless tires get flats also. The fix is labor intensive and problematical. Every tire manufacturer that has a repair guideline (most don't), requires the load and speed rating to be downgraded. Most bias ply tubeless tires can be tubed. Radial tires must be replaced.
Most flats occur in the rear tire because the front tire kicks up something that the rear tire runs over. You can hang a mud flap off the front fender or under the engine. If it hangs to the ground it will knock down anything the front tire kicks up, thus virtually eliminating rear flats.
Sometimes, tubeless tires that sit with low pressure develop corrosion on the bead when the low tire pulls slightly away from the rim. Then I have to dismount the tire to clean the bead to stop it from leaking.
Unless you are going to run up around 150 MPH, you will not make use of one of the benefits of a tubeless tire. Keep the pressure up and you won't need the other benefit.
On the down side, sealing the spoke area eliminates the potential to maintain the spokes. That is a safety issue.
From my position I see a lot of time, energy, and money being spent on something with at best no benefit. At worst there will be significant safety and maintenance issues. Is it really so hard to check your tire pressure? Are you going racing at Daytona, or otherwise going 150 MPH?
There is a new product out. Go to
www.nuetech.com They have a device to seal your rim and lock the bead in place. Of course it depends on 100# of air pressure in the device...
From the dealer's side of the counter (wasn't there a thread about that?) I see all manner of "improvements" that are at best a waste of time and money. I am always in awe of my customers that know so much moire than the engineers whose product they are using. Up grades are fun and useful if it's a real upgrade. The theoretical and actual advantages of tubeless tires are wasted on the Enfield, as well as most other bikes that come with spoke rims. And while most people that will make this kind of modification will be just fine, some will have a problem. You might be one of the special few.
Topic: Clamp was right (Read 5476 times)