► Tyre choices and emergency repairs

[sijohnston]

Just back from 3000 miles trip to Morocco and used Mitas E-09 rear and a T-644 Swedish Army Special Front Tyre. This mix is better for more off road, if on road bias wanted suggest the Mitas E-09 front and rear would be better,

Was told by trelliborg (supplier) that the BMW off road school uses them. Good value as well front £51.00 & rear £ 58.00, worked well both on and off road.

http://www.trelleborgtyres.co.uk/

you mustn't read previous posts sir, i think that link was recently added?

 

[fireman]

yeah, it looks pap. this is the one you want to go for: http://www.trelleborgtyres.co.uk/product_details_55.htm

It's the best kept secret for the F800 and in general i was happy enough to watch people go and blow money on TKC's, because the more people that buy these, the more they'll hike the prices up (like the Heidi's). There's not a tyre to touch this puppy imho, and it really did go through it's paces in Kaz and Mongolia with me. Get the one with the yellow stripe around it though (the dakar version) as it's got steel reinforced walls. Trelleborg are very helpful, so call them if you need help.

hi Si,just a quick one mate, i guess you used the 140/17. you find any problems fitting them ie doing a repair on the trails. have to ask as i am about to go for a set but am edging towards the e10 with it being a 150 profile. cheers

 

[sijohnston]

none whatsoever. go for the 140, you'll find the slightly smaller size makes no difference on any level.

hi Si,just a quick one mate, i guess you used the 140/17. you find any problems fitting them ie doing a repair on the trails. have to ask as i am about to go for a set but am edging towards the e10 with it being a 150 profile. cheers

 

[TheJoker]

Heavy Duty inner tubes?

Hey,

As I'm (we're) changing to more off-road-like tyres, I thought we'd jump the chance to fit some heavy duty inner tubes too... but, my friend who's got some contacts said he'd be able to get them fairly cheap, but the answer we got back was that we can get the front 21" but not the rear 17"..

Is it just the case to look elsewhere (where?), or is this a fact that you can't get a 17" HD inner tube?

Thanks!

 

[Tim Cullis]

I tried all over the place and failed. No problem if it was 18" but couldn't get 17". And despite what Michelin might claim the Airstop is NOT heavy duty.

It wasn't until I got to Morocco that I was able to source one.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

AFAIK Michellin (the ones I use on my pogo) only do them in 18", 19" and 21".

Andres

 

[TheJoker]

Thanks for the input, gents!

Any tips on what to do? Pack a few "normal" inner tubes and a big bag of patches?

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Dunno

I've run 1" bigger inner tubes on road bikes at road pressures before with no problems, but, not sure if you'd want to do that when you're dropping pressures off road - interested to hear if anybody's done that?

Otherwise you better learn to use them tyre irons

Andres

 

[SKON]

Just ordered a pair of Mitas E-09s from Glyn at trelleborg. He works at the BMW offroad school too, (I remember him from when I did my lavel 2) and does indeed supply them with the E-09s.Excellent chap obviously knows his onions,and very happy to give advice.Def worth a phone call at least.
Lets be careful out there fellas

 

[Jonnie Boy]

This lot do 17" HD tubes


http://shop.1stmx.co.uk/inner-tubes-274-p.asp

 

[TheJoker]

This lot do 17" HD tubes


http://shop.1stmx.co.uk/inner-tubes-274-p.asp

Brilliant! I can feel my credit card warming up. Must look properly tonight. Thanks!

 

[Dave Ett]

Why are you fitting heavy duty tubes? Unless you're expecting some seriously low pressure bouncing off rocks, or great thorny thorns they don't really add much, but add quite a bit to the unsprung weight, and therefor take the edge off the handling.

Just an observation...

Oh, and I do have a 17" HD tube, though can't tell you who made it cuz it's in the back of the shed at home and I'm away all week...

 

[TheJoker]

Just a precaution. I don't really care about the unsprung weight - I've had several bikes and none of them has handled as "badly" as the F800GS, so my take on it is that I could have stayed with those bikes if I wanted handling.
On the other hand, I hate, absolutely hate, changing tyres, and I hate breakdowns even more.
So if it's going to prevent even one puncture (which I'll probably never know) I'll be happy.
But as it stands, I'll probably fit the standard inner tube back in, and get a second pair and/or a repair kit.
Haven't looked at the 1stmx site properly yet.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

My take on it is, if a sharp pointy thing can get through a tyre it sure as hell can get through a HD inner tube - they are good for very low pressures though where they are more resistant to pinching.

I also run Slime in my tubes - so far, touch wood, I've never had a puncture, just a ripped out valve when I didn't tighten up a rim lock

Andres

 

[TheJoker]

I know what you mean by the pointyness of it all. Like I said, might just get another set of standard tubes and carry tools/patches when too far away from home.
I tried slime once, but it did nothing for me.

 

[Steptoe]

My take on it is, if a sharp pointy thing can get through a tyre it sure as hell can get through a HD inner tube -

summed up in one.

 

[TheJoker]

Heidenaus have arrived from Germany.

They didn't have 2 fronts in stock so we only got one, and we've ordered the 2nd one from the UK shop, pneus tyres, if memory serves.

Let my knuckles bleed!

 

[fireman]

OHHHH the joys of bleeding knuckles, wrap an old towel around that sprocket matey, may save a cut or two and keep your tyres in a warm front room over night, not in a cold garage, just keeps them a little more flexable although the missus might have somthing to say about it.

 

[TheJoker]

Tyres are already near the livingroom radiator, and I might put the fan heater pointing at them a bit before fitting. And I'll try to not to damage my hands too much. Gloves, methinks.

 

[Packer]

Heidenaus have arrived from Germany.

They didn't have 2 fronts in stock so we only got one, and we've ordered the 2nd one from the UK shop, pneus tyres, if memory serves.

Let my knuckles bleed!

Give it a few months and they'll look more like this