Spoked wheels question

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Jan 4, 2015 | 06:22 PM

#21

lh4x4

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Dec 2007

Posts: 13,402

Likes: 941

From: Illinois

There are no appreciable variables to consider. Same bike and rider. Same riding conditions on average. Same tire. That same tire on the same bike with the same rider will run the tire hotter with more rotational resistance to acceleration and stopping. Therefore it will wear sooner. Again an absolutely dumb thing to do.

Folks do a lot of things to their bikes. Some with knowledge some with ignorance but the wonderful thing is it is their right to do it. If we loose the right to be wrong there will be no freedom left.

In 1955 when most car makers switched to tubeless tire my dad's service garage had difficulty keeping up with folks who bought new cars bringing them in to have tubes installed. It took almost ten years for the practice to end.

Plugging tubeless tires on a cast wheel is easy. Now due to PROGRESS one can plug a HD spoke rim. God bless Harley Davidson.

Jan 4, 2015 | 07:26 PM

#22

swifty

Road Captain

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 585

Likes: 198

From: Danbury Connecticut

From what I understand ride wright spoke wheels are tubeless. I would love to have there fat 50 spoke wheels. But when I had a American iron horse I went with rc component wheels. Those custom wheels were beautiful. And I think if I ever spend anything close to that on wheels again.,.... well I would have to sleep with one eye open if you know what I mean......lol

Jan 4, 2015 | 07:27 PM

#23

Harleycruiser

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Apr 2012

Posts: 2,938

Likes: 30

From: North Florida

There are several places that convert spoke wheels to tubeless.
True A nail in a tubeless tire will go flat, the difference is how fast they go flat. Tube type a nail will flatten the tire within a couple of miles, tube type I have driven many home putting air in on the way home.
Personally I carry an air pump and a plug kit.
Here are a couple of places that convert to tubeless.

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/sea...tubeless-tires

http://alpinawheelsusa.com/products/...it-conversion/

Last edited by Harleycruiser; Jan 4, 2015 at 09:13 PM.

Jan 4, 2015 | 09:06 PM

#24

Gman in NC

Road Warrior

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 1,257

Likes: 2

From: Gastonia, NC

2009 Heritage. The spokes look great and I'm at 37,000 miles on them. No problems.

Jan 4, 2015 | 09:58 PM

#25

oct1949

Club Member

Joined: May 2007

Posts: 145,895

Likes: 821

From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..

only 53K on my 07.. I just have my Indy check them every tire change and every spring service.. Only had a few loose spokes in the first 10k.. after that they have stayed pretty good

Never had to re-true them..

Jan 4, 2015 | 10:12 PM

#26

RiverB

Tourer

Joined: Nov 2014

Posts: 435

Likes: 11

From: Colorado

I've never had anything but spoked wheels, and doubt I ever will, unless I buy me a Freewheeler for riding in the snow and ice. And I'd get that with spokes if they were an option.

I'm one of those who can change a tire on a motorcycle himself, but if my bagger gets a flat on the road, especially on the rear, it's not going to matter if I'm tubed or tubeless. I'm **** out of luck either way.

A well-built spoked wheel is a thing of beauty, and Harley's QC standards give me no reason to suspect the viability of the spoked wheels on my '01 Road King (I've tapped all of the spokes for tone and tension - they're fine). Same goes for my '06 Triumph.

These ladies with cast wheels? Yeah, no.

Last edited by RiverB; Jan 4, 2015 at 10:17 PM.

Aug 23, 2015 | 01:00 PM

#27

ROUNDHEAD

Road Master

Joined: Nov 2013

Posts: 816

Likes: 172

From: ALABAMA

Quote:

Originally Posted by cocky

My 2013 has them. Its written on the rim and discussed in the owners manual. They have a special rubber liner around the rim to help hold the air, (somehow). When you replace the tire you also replace the liner. I guess its about the same as replacing the tube on a tube type tire when it gets replaced.

I thought the same thing, but, had a flat and plugged it. Would not hold air.

A tow and what do you know, it had a tube in a tubeless tire. SOP

Aug 23, 2015 | 01:54 PM

#28

Puma NJ

Cruiser

Joined: Aug 2014

Posts: 183

Likes: 5

From: NJ

I had a Heritage for over five years, and a VTX with spokes for about three. Neither one ever had a spoke issue, or a flat. I also raced bicycles and that was a different story. I have noticed that I had to top off the tube tires more often than tubeless.