I decided to convert my 2017 T120 to tubuless after a couple of punctures on a long road trip last year. I figure I could plug a tubeless tyre at the roadside without needing recovery. My regular mechanic is a good bloke but has had the bike for weeks and seems to be struggling. He's sealed the rims with a combination of resin and tape. Also tried two different valves, most recently a BMW set that he hoped would provide the best seal. But air keeps escaping from the rear wheel. Anyone got any ideas?
A sure way to identify the leak would be to take the wheel out and dip it in a large bowl of water bit by bit. My money is on a leak at the rim. I've seen the numerous converion kits around that seal the spokes and valve but when I looked at the rim/bead seat on my Street Scrambler wheels during a tyre & tube change I wasn't convinced they would provide a fully effective seal. I stuck with the conventional setup and fitted some HD tubes which give a bit more protection but a flat is still not as easy a road side fix as a tubeless tyre can be. Even with the tubeless repair kits you still need a roadside help sevice available to call on IMO as happened to me on a Fireblade years ago when I got a flat, which the kit plugged OK but the tyre bead came off the rim and it wouldn't re-seat with the small gas canisters in the kit, a compressor was needed. If the leak is small I guess you could use some of the anti-puncture tyre goo that is supposed to plug minor leaks but it's messy stuff come tyre change time.
Having been here years ago with trials bikes rear tubeless tyre and a spoked wheel I seriously wouldn't bother! The valve was always a difficult area and you could/can actually buy a rim tape with the valve vulcanised into it which may be something you could try? The tubeless rim tapes were a real fad to fit as it needed stretching to make thinner then allowed to expand into the profile of the rim. Sounds easy in theory but how do you do the last bit???? You end up chasing the last bit around the circumference cocking up the previous good bit! Silicon was a common poor idea with sikaflex a far better solution (pun) in order to seal all the leak points. Once the wheel started flexing on contact with rocks (off road bike don't forget) then leaks started developing. For you this could be one pothole away from a leaking rim despite a previous good seal. As @Pegscraper said sticking with the conventional setup would also be my decision.
Agree with the above. If it’s a real issue I have a sneaking suspicion that the Speed Twin cast wheels will fit (possibly with a bit of fettling).
I was considering this idea on my 2020 T100.....asked on a few forums how many flats other owners get....seems very very few if good branded tyres are fitted....seems some tyres have reinforcing to help stop objects penetrating the tyre. Also the methods used to be able to go tubeless worry me....if one of those were to fail on the road I would be stuffed. My plan now is to carry a small bottle of TYRE TUBE gloop.....inject into the tube rotate the wheel to circulate....providing not a big hole should seal the tube. On long rides I carry a very small 12v compressor.....on every ride I carry 5 Co2 gas cartridges should get me on my way to a garage with a pump to top up. I also fitted a tyre pressure monitoring kit.....very cheap on ebay and very accurate.....very reassuring being able to glance down at the small gauge to keep an eye on things.....flashes with an audio waring if looses a owner set amount of air.....cost £20GBP.
There is a company in Italy where you can send your wheels and they will do a complete tubeless conversion and send the wheels back. What they do is very impressive and will allow you a choice of good tubeless tyres. The improvement in ride and handing is supposed to be well worth the investment. If I can find the name of the company I will post back here.
Did my 2016 T120 about 3 yrs ago used the 3m tape method to seal spokes. still had minor leaks but after a few days it settled down, But as insurance I put in half a bottle of GOOP to help seal any remaining small leaks and also maybe seal if I had a puncture, been good since, I did have a screw in the tyre about 2 yrs ago and put in a plug still going strong.
Regarding this Italian company (Bart Factory) who converts spoked wheels to tubeless here is a video referring to them...
I thought the guy mentions the cost in the video. If not he made another video which may have included the prices
I asked for the cost to do a Thruxton RS and was advised €180 plus P&P which I have now also asked for. But it’s not going to be cheap.
The P&P costs are nearly as much as the sealing of the rims. “The round trip shipment of the wheels UK/Italy and Italy/UK has a price of € 150. So the total price will be: · € 180.33 for the BARTubeless conversion of both wheels · € 150 for the shipment Total: € 330.33 (custom duties excluded). Delivery time: about 10/15 days + shipment (3/5 days).” Whilst they look to do a superb job I would definitely have a bash at DIYing it.
In reply to pegscrapers comments, in case a tyre to rim seal is needed, I always carry a lightweight 1" ratchet strap with the toolkit. Put the strap around the circumference of the tyre and tighten. This spreads the tyre against the rim making a seal.
Yep used this technique many a time on off- road bikes especially fitting new tyres or reseating out of the workshop. Works really well and doesn't need an otherwise imperative compressor to complete the job even if out in the field. A mountain bike pump head with a few cannisters can do the inflation.
Dont need a ratchet.....a rope fixed around the tyre snugly...and a stick or rod used to tension it by winding around and around is all thats needed.
A tourniquet will do as you suggest, but this is just a twist (pun) on what is more conveniently achieved with a ratchet strap; Ratchet it up and then handsfree. Same but different for the uninitiated. If your bikes have come in a van or trailer a ratchet strap is usually close at hand.
