Hi,

Tubed or Tubless?
Chrome, spoke and really smoothly rounded rim. No edges.

As always I count on everyone's knowledge and expertise.

I ride a 2013 Super Glide Custom which I bought brand new and ride in Colombia, South America. On weekends when I ride with the group we usually go across unpaved rides.

To the point, I want to carry plugs and want to be sure they work. In those little unpaved rode towns I won't be able to finds a qualified mechanic to fix my tires. The actually harley dealer is a 14 hour drive away to another city, jajaja.

Thank you, everyone.

 

It's my understanding that all spoked wheels require a tube, due to all those spoke heads on the inside of the wheel. They do not seal out the air.

My 2011 FXDC came with Michelin tires and were fitted with tubes.
You cannot plug a tube.....only patch it.
I know this for a fact, as I picked up a nail once at the 1000 mile point and not knowing about it being tubed, I had a shop in Mexico put a plug in.
Why not?..... the tire said right on the sidewall......"tubeless"
That was a "teachable" moment.

The plug will fill the hole in the tire rubber but not the tube.
Needless to say I did not get far before it went flat again.

If you get a flat in the boonies, you're basically screwed. One would have to dismount the tire from the wheel, patch the tube, remount and fill with air.....then you would need an air compressor.

Good luck to you.

 

Pretty sure you are tubed. They make tubeless spoke but they cost. I ordered this sealer, (Ride-On Tire Balancer and Sealant - 8oz. - M/C 41208) from Amozon.com. Easy to put in and if it helps then its worth it.

 

Isn't the aluminum rounded spoked wheel option for the FXDC the tubless one? It's a completely rounded rim that doesn't have the stepped profile that the chromed steel one does. It's standard on the 110th anniv. edition. Hoping to change my wheels to something tubeless next spring if the $$ is available. Tubes are a pain with flats and I hate cleaning spokes.

 

Spoke rims are tubed, Cons are the ones mentioned above, Pros are the fit you do get a flat, you only need a $25 tube and not a $100-$300 tire.

 

A flat tire is a nightmare and this OP is out in the boonies.
At least with a tubeless tire, if he had a plug and a tire air pump, he could get back to civilization and determine if a new tire was required.

Taking a wheel off, dismounting the tire from the wheel, putting on a tube patch somehow and remounting the entire assembly, while dodging drug lord bullets could prove daunting.

 

I think this is true...the chromed aluminum spoked rims (option) are actually tubeless. the standard rims like I have do have tubes.

 

I understand the tube / tubeless concept and differences, but I do want to know if this 2013 rim is tubeless as Infinite_Day mentions. I went ahead last night and read some forums that discuss the subject and there are some that do say that there is a tubeless spoke rim since 2012. I do prefer tubeless as I can carry a compact air compressor and a set of plugs to no have to take apart any of my wheels who knows where. We don't have AAA here, although people in my country will go out of their way to help for free. That i'm impressed with and very proud off.

Note: I don't actually trust someone that works at the dealer, much less in my country to ask. Usually they just sell and don't question what their doing.

Are there any visible markings I can look for? Is there a difference in the valve of a tube from the valve of a tubeless? Maybe a small detail like that can guide me.

Thanks again.

Just a personal note, I've gotten to know more of my country since I got my Harley than I ever did without it. 20 times more.... Now I want to program a trip to travel from Florida to California.

 

A 100% sure fire way to tell if it's a tubeless wheel or not is to break the bead on the tire/wheel and take a look....

Then you would be 100% satisfied and you get an immediate jolt of confidence if they are indeed.....tubeless.

Don't take someones word for it....look for yourself.

 

There are tubeless spoked wheels available from the factory and I'm sure that's one of them. Post a picture of the valve stem if you can.