2018 Heritage wheels
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 152
Likes: 41
From: Surrey, UK.
Everybody and their brother has come out with tubeless spoke wheels in the last few years...there are company's that will convert any spoke wheel to tubeless.
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/sea...tubeless-tires
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/sea...tubeless-tires
I'm not scaremongering or even saying don't do it. It is of course up to the individual. Just be aware though of the real implications.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 725
Likes: 33
From: East, TN
When I bought my Deluxe in "12 ,I payed quite a bit extra for the dealer to install:Chromed ,Aluminum,spoked,tubeless,rims. I love 'em.They still look like new and almost never need air. 26,000 mi.
Tubes are ****.they quit using them on cars over 50 yrs ago.
These wheels are "PROFILE" not low profile.
Tubes are ****.they quit using them on cars over 50 yrs ago.
These wheels are "PROFILE" not low profile.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,532
Likes: 430
From: N.E. OH
I have the "tubeless" rims on my 2012 Heritage, they do require a "seal" kit that looks like a 3'4" wide black rubber band that is stretched over the rim and is utilized to seal the spokes.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,324
Likes: 3,869
From: Upstate New York
When I bought my Deluxe in "12 ,I payed quite a bit extra for the dealer to install:Chromed ,Aluminum,spoked,tubeless,rims. I love 'em.They still look like new and almost never need air. 26,000 mi.
Tubes are ****.they quit using them on cars over 50 yrs ago.
These wheels are "PROFILE" not low profile.
Tubes are ****.they quit using them on cars over 50 yrs ago.
These wheels are "PROFILE" not low profile.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 14
From: Yokohama
H-D aren't being cheap here. It is impossible to make a traditional spoked wheel tubeless. The Triumph, BMW and also Honda that have tubeless spoked rims do so by having the spokes attach to the rim OUTSIDE the tyre bead, i.e. on the very edge of the rim and NO manufacturer does that for anything other than adventure style bikes.
Last edited by Twinrider; Jan 7, 2018 at 01:00 AM.
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Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 152
Likes: 41
From: Surrey, UK.
I'd be interested in finding out the details of exactly how KTM do this. The aftermarket 'kits' seem to involve permanently sticking a sealing tape to the rim which makes adjusting or especially changing spokes tricky. I would think KTM must employ a better method, to allow spoke replacement etc and maintain (or simply re-apply) the seal.
However it must still be remembered that the tubeless rim profile is different and however a manufacturer seals the rim, it really should be a tubeless rim profile if tubeless tyres are used. Otherwise loss of air can allow the tyre to roll off the rim entirely, whereas a proper tubeless rim will still hold the tyre even with no air in it. Hence why tubeless tyres are so much safer.
Since it is apparently now possible to effectively seal a spoked rim, in production, it is surprising that so many manufacturers don't do this and instead simply fit a tube. I can think of Triumphs and Ducatis like this and there are no doubt others.
Last edited by BiKenG; Jan 7, 2018 at 03:49 AM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,117
Likes: 1,192
From: Maryland
I thought I read around here that Harley offered tubeless spoked rims only for a few years. Thought they were problematic and HD ended their use.
Don't know... Perhaps memory doesn't serve in this case...
Don't know... Perhaps memory doesn't serve in this case...