!Tubes in a radial tire?!

[jdubau]

I'm putting a street tracker together and am sorting out the puzzle of wheels and tires.
I am going to run an 18'x 4.5 spoked rear wheel and a 19 x 2.5 spoked front wheel.
I want to run a radial sport tire on the back and have found that Bridgestone's BT014 come in 160/60 18 and are nice and sticky.
The catch is you need to run a tube on laced wheel and there is some debate about using a tube in a radial. Supermotos do it though and I have seen a few "Radial Tubes" out there but all for 17's.
One pretty trusted source says a 17 "Radial Tube" will be fine on an 18'.

What tubes do all you Supermoto guys use? is it really that critical to use a "radial tube"?

BTW the front is a 19' and I cannot find any "sport" radials in that size only a couple sport touring types, so....I was gonna use a bias-ply sport tire... Dunlop gt501 which has a very similar profile to a radial and is decently sticky as well.

There is also much debate about mixing bias and radial tires too, but many have done it and some bikes came factory with bias fronts and radial rears.

It's hard to get a crystal clear picture of what to use with this combo so
any experience or knowledge worth sharing would be much appreciated

 

[209manny]

I just use regular heavy duty tubes on my bike. I run michelin pilot powers.

If I were you I'd run a sport touring tire instead of the bias ply on the front

 

[injun]

tubes

Go tubeless, seal the spokes and be free

 

[jdubau]

I thought about that believe me but a few companys that used to offer that service don't do it anymore cause it supposedly doesn't hold up well.
And if you tighten the spokes or need to re-true, it would break the seal for sure.

 

[jake28]

I thought about that believe me but a few companys that used to offer that service don't do it anymore cause it supposedly doesn't hold up well.
And if you tighten the spokes or need to re-true, it would break the seal for sure.

Use a product called "the right stuff" It is essentially a silicone gasket material that works really well. PM SM610 or do a search in the supermoto forum for more info.

 

[jdubau]

I read his thread and PM'ed him, it Sounds pretty feasible, hope it works
It's funny the best solutions can be the simplest sometimes

 

[ob1ventura]

Have been wanting to go tubeless on my wire wheels and have researched it quite a bit. Want to be able to plug a flat. Many seem to think that the seal makes it a messy job to re-tune the spokes when necessary.

Also heard about home remedies but concerned that the centrifrical force would ultimately cause the seal to fail.

Posted a thread in the garage section and am now convenced that it is not practical to lace up BMW rims (w/ spokes threaded to the outside of the rim) to a non-bmw hub. Per a BARFr idea, I looked up Alpina but they did not seem to offer a solution using my hubs.

Any thoughts would be appriciated. Seems like a problem looking for a good solution in the near future. Not willing to give up yet.

 

[VTRZA]

Have been wanting to go tubeless on my wire wheels and have researched it quite a bit. Want to be able to plug a flat. Many seem to think that the seal makes it a messy job to re-tune the spokes when necessary.

Also heard about home remedies but concerned that the centrifrical force would ultimately cause the seal to fail.

Posted a thread in the garage section and am now convenced that it is not practical to lace up BMW rims (w/ spokes threaded to the outside of the rim) to a non-bmw hub. Per a BARFr idea, I looked up Alpina but they did not seem to offer a solution using my hubs.

Any thoughts would be appriciated. Seems like a problem looking for a good solution in the near future. Not willing to give up yet.

yeah alpina can not use your hubs but they might make an entire wheelset?

 

[ob1ventura]

Thanks VTRSA...........I will look into that one. This is a daily rider and don't want to go too crazy ($)on it.

 

[VTRZA]

Thanks VTRSA...........I will look into that one. This is a daily rider and don't want to go too crazy ($)on it.

prolly looking at 2gs if alpina makes them

 

[ob1ventura]

prolly looking at 2gs if alpina makes them

Yup.......that's what I figured. Not using the bike to park it out on North Beach friday night.

Guess it's cast wheels and make a coffee table out of the wire wheels.

 

[ST Guy]

I'd not run a 19 on the front. It really limits your tire selection. Go down to an 18" at least. 17 is better at both ends. If you go to an 18, you can run Metzler Z6's which will be way more stick than you need.

 

[RhythmRider]

its more likely than you think

Do you use a magic eight ball to tell you what to post?

 

[OldFatGuy]

Do you use a magic eight ball to tell you what to post?

My sources say yes.

 

[07chuck]

I thought about that believe me but a few companys that used to offer that service don't do it anymore cause it supposedly doesn't hold up well.
And if you tighten the spokes or need to re-true, it would break the seal for sure.

I'm another guy(besides SM610) that has "glued his spokes up" on my motard.

So far it's worked out rather well but there've been a couple of lessons learned.

1. CLEAN! CLEAN! CLEAN!

2. The wheel must be trued with correct spoke tension, a drop of red loctite on each nipple from the inside helps keep it that way. The ones we have done have been crashed hard and we haven't had to re-true yet.

3. If any of the spokes or nipples or rim show any corrosion it probably won't work.

4. Apply a generous dollop of RIGHT STUFF(made by permetex) to all nipples, watch for voids.

5. Install a metal body valve, seal that with RIGHT STUFF also...

6. Allow RIGHT STUFF to cure for 1/2-1 hr, so that it has a skin but is still sqishy on the inside and gentle, gentle, press into the nipples to remove any voids in the sealant that you missed.

7. Let cure for at least 24 hrs. Then wrap in duct tape (remember to poke a hole through the valve so you can put air in) 1 layer that covers the nipples is good although you may need 2 pcs side by side for the rear wheel.

8. Mount tire (Be carefull that you don't dig into the tape/ right stuff) and fill to 45psi. Spray every nipple with windex to check for leaks. Let set for 24hrs.

9. Check pressures again, if it's good it's good, if not find the leaker and glue it up some more.


Sm610's have held up to a year and 30ish track days, mine 6mos and about 8 track days and 1000 street miles.


Good Luck...

 

[ST Guy]

Yes, cleanliness is absolutely important. You can have the best glue or adhesive or sealant and it won't stick or do its job fer sh#$ if what it's going onto isn't absolutely clean.

 

[jdubau]

Thanks for all the tips
I went with a tube this time around but I will try the Right Stuff next time around.
I stoked on the rear wheel I got going now , the 18 w/a 160 radial is perfect for the modern Street Tracker style I'm going for

 

[RhythmRider]

That looks sweet, Jeff!

 

[NONCENTS]

Woot woot the super patatoe is almost ALIVE