Tubed tyres

[wadham]

I seem to be drawn to a street bob as my first Harley. A quick change of the ape hangers and I will be happy.

I am concerned about going back to Tubed tyres. My memories of these from the 70's is that they go down very quickly if punctured and cannot be plugged of course.

Of course the breakdown will recover me but has anyone a good solution to dealing with tubed punctures on a Harley.

Edit - of course I could just be optimistic.

 

[ianboydsnr]

I seem to be drawn to a street bob as my first Harley. A quick change of the ape hangers and I will be happy.

I am concerned about going back to Tubed tyres. My memories of these from the 70's is that they go down very quickly if punctured and cannot be plugged of course.

Of course the breakdown will recover me but has anyone a good solution to dealing with tubed punctures on a Harley.

normal punctures, use an emergency repair in a can, that also blows the tyre up, then throw the tube away and fit a new one, when it's convenient,

did that a few times on a ETZ250

 

[Mutley]

I seem to be drawn to a street bob as my first Harley. A quick change of the ape hangers and I will be happy.

I am concerned about going back to Tubed tyres. My memories of these from the 70's is that they go down very quickly if punctured and cannot be plugged of course.

Of course the breakdown will recover me but has anyone a good solution to dealing with tubed punctures on a Harley.

It's perfectly possible to change a tube or repair one at the side of the road, it's just that these days most people can't be bothered with the trouble and just call out the recovery van. Fitting 'slime' is a solution for avoiding most of the small issues though

Edit - of course I could just be optimistic.

How many punctures do you get in a year? It's probably a much bigger issue than you are thinking

 

[Tarka]

It's perfectly possible to change a tube or repair one at the side of the road.

I'd love someone to show me their prowess at that with yer average Harley never mind the typical mobile Wurlitzer ones.
Rear wheel removal at the roadside,anyone?

How many punctures do you get in a year? It's probably a much bigger issue than you are thinking

Methinks you got that the wrong way around.

 

[wadham]

Thanks Ian and Mutley

The idea of the new bike for me is a simple bike to ride weekends and high days. My world conquering days are over and the GSA is sold.

I can carry Slime or similar and a small battery powered pump in a small bag, which might help but I cannot see how I can change a tube on the road side without a jack and heavy duty tyre levers etc. I cycle a lot and can lift the cycle to change the tube but not a 300kg Dyna. With great respect Mr Mutley, can you describe the method and I am interested not dismissive. Thanks.

Thanks again guys.

I will be optimistic and make sure I renew the breakdown cover each year.

Love the bike.

 

[Micky]

Now done 96,000+ miles on the F800GS with tubed tyres ...

Two F650GS's 30,000 miles each across Russia, Siberia, Mongolia, Gobi desert and home, on tubed tyres ...

G650XC 15,000 miles on tubed tyres ...

Worry not, ride the thing and enjoy

If your auntie had a pair of bollocks she'd be your uncle ... don't put the cart before the horse

Enjoy ...

 

[Captain Black]

Now done 96,000+ miles on the F800GS with tubed tyres ...

Two F650GS's 30,000 miles each across Russia, Siberia, Mongolia, Gobi desert and home, on tubed tyres ...

G650XC 15,000 miles on tubed tyres ...

Worry not, ride the thing and enjoy

If your auntie had a pair of bollocks she'd be your uncle ... don't put the cart before the horse

Enjoy ...

Arhhh but did you have any punctures ?

 

[wadham]

Got a puncture today in the van.

Cost me 3 hrs time to change and repair.

Shit happens. Mostly on a Sunday night on way to get the ferry in France.

I get punctures every 25k miles in the van on average.

It does happen but I am going for it anyway.

Thanks

 

[Micky]

Arhhh but did you have any punctures ?

Nope

One slow puncture in Ireland on the F800GS and a can of Reifen-Fit from Polo sorted things out, not only getting me home but seeing the tyre out, when a new tube fitted

But, as you know, I'm a smart arse .... that smart that I took the valve out to fully deflate, connected the pressurised tin and fully inflated the tyre/tube

Saw the valve on the floor and knew, just knew, that when I disconnected the can the white foam would exit the tube .... it did
Large 'balloons' of white foam blowing down the town Main Street

However, pumped the tube back up with a handy 12v compressor, WITH the valve in, got home and still saw the tyre out

 

[Micky]

Now done 96,000+ miles on the F800GS with tubed tyres ...

Two F650GS's 30,000 miles each across Russia, Siberia, Mongolia, Gobi desert and home, on tubed tyres ...

G650XC 15,000 miles on tubed tyres ...

Worry not, ride the thing and enjoy

If your auntie had a pair of bollocks she'd be your uncle ... don't put the cart before the horse

Enjoy ...

Oh .... I forgot

One F800GS and one Yamaha TTR250 across Europe, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and the Karakorum Highway ... on tubed tyres

No punctures

 

[Mutley]

With great respect Mr Mutley, can you describe the method

very easy: remove wheel, break bead on tyre, remove inner tube etc.

Plenty have done it, some of the highest mileage RTW bikes are HDs

Me, I just call the breakdown wagon, which was my second suggestion. I get a puncture on average once every two years. It's a pisser when it happens but as long as you have the right cover it's not a big issue.

As for Tarka, what makes you think HD riders are any more or less mechanically minded than any other biker? My experience is they tend to have more ability with a spanner than the average GSer

 

[Tarka]

As for Tarka, what makes you think HD riders are any more or less mechanically minded than any other biker? :

What makes you think that I think that?
Take an anti paranoid pill with yer cocoa old boy.

I was referring to how awkward rear wheel removal in particular would be at the roadside with yer Harley.
Unless you had jacks,props,etc in yer leather toolroll,of course.

My experience is they tend to have more ability with a spanner than the average GSer

I couldn't agree more.