Tubeless tires

[pittycheria_imp]

I own a 2017 EX- two questions (1) are the tires tubeless ? (2) if not what are the options for tubeless on spoke wheels ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Macduff_imp]

The owners manual (for Europe) says the EX has Radial Tube type tyres with Tubes fitted. If the Rims dont have Tubeless tyre suitable raised ridges then attempting a tubeless conversion on the original rims may not be advised.

 

[the Ferret]

A puncture is a pia no matter if you have tubed or tubeless tires. Unless you carry a plug kit and air compressor on every ride, if you get a flat, it's going to require a tow/trailer anyway. (That's why I have AAA plus RV coverage, but there are other carriers that will tow you too. Plus I have a trailer at home if I break down close to home.)

On a tubeless tire, once you get a puncture, conventional wisdom says to get a new tire asap, and not ride on a plugged tire. At least with a tubed tire, you only need to replace a $20 tube instead of a $200 tire.

My 2003 Triumph Bonneville had tubed tires and luckily I never got a flat on it in 40,000 miles. MY ST on the other hand has tubeless tires and I had 2 flats on it last summer which mandated buying 2 new $300 tires. I had 6100 miles on 1 tire and 2300 miles on the other tire. I WAS able to plug them and ride to the shop however, because I carry a plug kit and air compressor on that bike, but I didn't have a plug kit or compressor on my recent CB trips to Arkansas or Colorado. Ya takes your chances. Flats are fickle things, you may get one, or two in a row, or you might never get one.

Personally I would not worry about having tubed tires on a motorcycle intended for street use.

 

[pittycheria_imp]

A puncture is a pia no matter if you have tubed or tubeless tires. Unless you carry a plug kit and air compressor on every ride, if you get a flat, it's going to require a tow/trailer anyway. (That's why I have AAA plus RV coverage, but there are other carriers that will tow you too. Plus I have a trailer at home if I break down close to home.)

On a tubeless tire, once you get a puncture, conventional wisdom says to get a new tire asap, and not ride on a plugged tire. At least with a tubed tire, you only need to replace a $20 tube instead of a $200 tire.

My 2003 Triumph Bonneville had tubed tires and luckily I never got a flat on it in 40,000 miles. MY ST on the other hand has tubeless tires and I had 2 flats on it last summer which mandated buying 2 new $300 tires. I had 6100 miles on 1 tire and 2300 miles on the other tire. I WAS able to plug them and ride to the shop however, because I carry a plug kit and air compressor on that bike, but I didn't have a plug kit or compressor on my recent CB trips to Arkansas or Colorado. Ya takes your chances. Flats are fickle things, you may get one, or two in a row, or you might never get one.

Personally I would not worry about having tubed tires on a motorcycle intended for street use.

Great perspective , thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Ferret, I was packing two compressors and two different types of patch kits while you and Offroad were out here.

 

[the Ferret]

Ferret, I was packing two compressors and two different types of patch kits while you and Offroad were out here.

Good to know LR but where? On all 3 bikes? I saw you had a blue bag on the CB the first day (which I assumed was a rain suit but that was a false assumption lol), but never saw anything on the back of your 2 Beemers?

 

[Houtman_imp]

I carry a kit with mushroom type plugs and 4 co2 cartridges on my 2013 and 2014.
With the tubes on my 2017 I have just filled both tires with Ride On.
You need 3 bottles of 8 ounce each , hopefully this will cut down on flats.
Also carry the 4 CO2 on the 2017.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

If you search with Google for the Dunlop Sportmax Touring (AKA D205) tires used on the 2017 EX you will see all sorts of ads pop up. Unfortunately when you go to their web sites, they do not have any.

My dealer's part department looked through their catalogs and could not find them either.

I called Dunlop Motorcycle Tires in Dayton, Ohio 1-330-833-2826 and spoke to Dave Johnston about it. He said he would look into it. That was June 22nd, and have not had a reply yet.

If anyone has a contact with Honda Canada or U.S.A., it might be worth a call.

 

[Houtman_imp]

They do show the Dunlop 205 on the 2017 parts fiche , will it be a Honda OEM tire for a while ? ( about $ 170 )
I love them on my 2017 and would like to fit them also as a tubeless tire on my 2013/2014.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

They do show the Dunlop 205 on the 2017 parts fiche , will it be a Honda OEM tire for a while ? ( about $ 170 )
I love them on my 2017 and would like to fit them also as a tubeless tire on my 2013/2014.

Thanks for the lead. I checked the fiche and found the part numbers. Used Google and found them listed on Babbitts, ProCaliber, and Honda Service websites with prices.

I telephoned Dave Johnston at Dunlop Motorcycle Tires in Dayton, Ohio again. He confirmed that Dunlop would not be importing them as the numbers required would be too small. He feels that Honda USA has not ordered them either, but he will check on that.

I mentioned the three websites. He replied they would all rely on Honda USA to provide the tires for them to sell.

I called Babbitts and they are on back order. He confirmed they rely on Honda USA to provide them with the tires.

I am not getting that warm and fuzzy feeling that Honda is going to do the right thing here.

 

[Aka Tsubasa_imp]

They do show the Dunlop 205 on the 2017 parts fiche , will it be a Honda OEM tire for a while ? ( about $ 170 )
I love them on my 2017 and would like to fit them also as a tubeless tire on my 2013/2014.

Thanks for the lead. I checked the fiche and found the part numbers. Used Google and found them listed on Babbitts, ProCaliber, and Honda Service websites with prices.

I telephoned Dave Johnston at Dunlop Motorcycle Tires in Dayton, Ohio again. He confirmed that Dunlop would not be importing them as the numbers required would be too small. He feels that Honda USA has not ordered them either, but he will check on that.

I mentioned the three websites. He replied they would all rely on Honda USA to provide the tires for them to sell.

I called Babbitts and they are on back order. He confirmed they rely on Honda USA to provide them with the tires.

I am not getting that warm and fuzzy feeling that Honda is going to do the right thing here.

Thanks for the lead. I checked the fiche and found the part numbers. Used Google and found them listed on Babbitts, ProCaliber, and Honda Service websites with prices.

I telephoned Dave Johnston at Dunlop Motorcycle Tires in Dayton, Ohio again. He confirmed that Dunlop would not be importing them as the numbers required would be too small. He feels that Honda USA has not ordered them either, but he will check on that.

I mentioned the three websites. He replied they would all rely on Honda USA to provide the tires for them to sell.

I called Babbitts and they are on back order. He confirmed they rely on Honda USA to provide them with the tires.

I am not getting that warm and fuzzy feeling that Honda is going to do the right thing here.
We will just have to import them from a site like Samurider. A pain in the butt for sure but not an insurmountable issue.

 

[Cormanus]

Or just fit another brand of tyre.

I suspect part of the reason the PR3s became so popular is that it was impossible to get either of the OEM Dunlop or Bridgestone tyres as replacements.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

Or just fit another brand of tyre.

I suspect part of the reason the PR3s became so popular is that it was impossible to get either of the OEM Dunlop or Bridgestone tyres as replacements.

Unfortunately a search for radial tubes and tires for the CB1100 EX 18 inch rims turned up nothing in North America.

Having mailed large scale model trains to Britain I know the shipping costs are ridiculously expensive. It would probably cost as much as the tires. Buying a set of CB1100 cast wheels here might be cheaper.

 

[Cormanus]

Nortoon, that's interesting. I was referring to the impossibility of getting OEM radial trees for the 2010-11 models in Australia and, I suspect, in North America.

Even if you bought cast wheels, would you get tires for them? If you could, why not get them for the spoked wheels and put tubes in them?

Or is that not possible?

 

[Macduff_imp]

As a side note other Bike makers have fitted Tubeless tyres with tubes to thier spoked wheeled bikes as OEM . So you could look for Tubeless tyres in the sizes wanted and fit them (with tubes). I know this as KTM did this with their old 950 and 990 Adventures. Check inside of Tubeless tyres for items that might wear a hole in a tube.

 

[Henrik_imp]

I am using Metzeler Z8's on my EX. These are tubeless tyres available in the stock size, but I have fitted tubes in them without a problem. I know there are quite a number more EX riders doing the same. I certainly would not want to replace my spoke wheels simply because I can no longer find the D205 tyres here.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

I am using Metzeler Z8's on my EX. These are tubeless tyres available in the stock size, but I have fitted tubes in them without a problem. I know there are quite a number more EX riders doing the same. I certainly would not want to replace my spoke wheels simply because I can no longer find the D205 tyres here.

Sounds like a viable option. There are still a few tire brands available for the CB1100s with cast wheels.

Buying a set of Deluxe wheel assemblies would cost about US$900. I do like the looks of them and they would be easier to clean than spoke wheels. But the spoke wheels are what give the EX its retro look. Wherever I stop for gas or food lately people are drawn to the bike because of it 1970s look.

 

[Aka Tsubasa_imp]

Unless there are no tires for my bike on this planet, my spoked wheels are staying in place!

 

[Aussieflyer]

You might consider using the Outex tubeless conversion kit. I used it and can say from experience that it works as advertised, no leaks. I refitted the stock D205 tubeless tyres to the spoked wheels after the conversion and it works great.

 

[flynrider]

It may be my imagination or failing memory, but I recall reading that tube rims and tubeless rims have different bead properties (i.e. differently angled beads). And that tubeless rims had extra bumps in the bead area to keep a tubeless tire's bead from moving inward.