I would think the air would leave a tubed tire immediately upon puncture whereas a tubeless tire would slowly lose air.

 

Much the same for me -- had a tire go flat while riding some years ago, scary but no catastrophe; had the rear on my Deluxe go flat last year while parked in the shed. That was especially annoying, since it was a near-new tire.

 

Tubes vs Tubeless there's not much difference in the effects of a rapid deflation, not much happens in the way of true blowouts anymore... except a spoke rim with a tube is more likely to have the tire break loose from the bead.

If the front stays on the bead the bike feels very heavy and hard to turn and doesn't cause any major handling issues till you start dropping speed and try top stop. If it breaks loose from the bead hang on it's Mr Toads wild ride. Rear tires are usually a bronc ride form the word go if they deflate at speed. I've had 2 fronts in my lifetime and 8 or 9 rears let go. Knock on wood I've ridden every one of them to a stop.

 

What I've seen with tubes: The valve stem has a nut run down to the rim which holds it in place. When the tube stats to lose air, the tire loses its grip on teh rim and turns independent of the rim. This in turn pulls the tube, and the tube pulls itself off the stem. Thus what would be a slow leak on a tubeless leads to a a blowout equivalent on a tube.

 

I prefer aluminum wheels and tubeless tires. Had this discussion three years back on a ride with a dealer owner. He was an old timer that had experienced everything good and bad on a bike. He told me that the new tire technology is MUCH better today. At that time he was riding a new 2014 Limited. He said the key was the side walls are stiffer and they are less likely to break the beed from the rim. That as long as the beed doesn't let go that you can usually always ride it to a safe stop.

As I am typing this I remember now why it came up. I was riding with a plug in my tire. I had picked up a screw a day before we were leaving. I plugged it and it held air perfectly. He said he had done the same a dozen times but cautioned me to only do it to get to the dealership for a new tire. Not to ride for long distances because if the plug were to blow out the air would go out fast.

 

Looks like HD is putting tubeless tires on tube and tubeless wheels. Would this type of tire hold the bead better than a tire made for tube wheels since I will assume that it has stiffer sidewalls?

Here in Chicago we have potholes the size of small craters and some don't get filled for years. I can only imagine what the cagers behind think as I weave from side to side trying to avoid these potholes. It's just a matter of time before I hit one.

 

Just remembered this - a few years ago tried to put air in the rear of a bike I'd just bought, in my garage fortunately. Rubber valve stem snapped off... Tubes get old, too, should be replaced with tires. I don't use rubber valve stems, tube or tubeless wheel, always get metal stems.

I'd ridden that bike home several miles, too.

 

Yeah, depending on the brand & type of tire, the sidewall are much thicker, stiffer, firmer today. Very much like the Run-Flat tires that come standard on Corvettes due to no spare tire on board.

Even the stock Dunlop's tires that came on my 97 Heritage Springer have thick sidewalls. One night back in 97 I got a flat at the bottom of the mountain 20 miles from home. I just said f*ck it and rode it all the way up the mountain. I figured as long as I didn't hear the rim grinding on asphalt I'd just need to replace the tire & tube. I later found that the tire wasn't even damaged, all I replaced was the tube. But I kept my speed at no more than 25 mph all the way up.

I have run plugged tubeless tires in the past. I know most people will buy a new tire when they get a flat. But i never once had, or even heard of a plug failing. I never even had one leak at all. So I figure if it hold air overnight, I'm good to go. But that's just me.

 

Nearly all tires manufactured today are tubeless tires and can be mounted with or without a tube depending on which type of wheel you are using. Try finding a tire (other than off-road type) on line that is designated tube type only. That being said, as far as blow out or catastrophic failure goes, there is no difference. They are the same tire. Wheels however, can vary greatly in design. The best tubeless wheels are designed to hold the tire against the bead even when deflated.

Dan