Tubeless Tire
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 201
Likes: 4
From: newark
http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US...de.html#/c/pnw
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 28
From: Houston, TX
Very confusing, but all the tires are tubeless tires, meaning the tire doesn't have to have a tube..... But you can put a tube in a tubeless tire if the wheel calls for it ( example - spoke wheels).
Too add some more confusion, in '11 or '12, HD started making upgraded spoke wheels that don't use tubes.
Too add some more confusion, in '11 or '12, HD started making upgraded spoke wheels that don't use tubes.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,879
Likes: 10
From: Jacksonville
Out of curiosity, tubeless is considered better because it won't collapse with a nail? In other words once a tube is punctured, it's done while a tubeless can hold air with a nail for a while longer. Is that right?
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 777
Likes: 45
From: Beaumont, Ca
I have spoke rims on my Heritage, and tires are tubeless, which I think are better because in case of a puncture, I can plug the leak, versus a tubed tire, in which the entire tire has to com e off. Tubeless tires have always been touted in cars as not blowing up into pieces at high speeds, and they simply deflate.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 28
From: Houston, TX
You got it. But what is confusing is 5 years ago (random #), all heritages and all touring bikes had "tubeless tires" .... And the spoke wheels with the tubeless tires had tubes in them, cause the rubber tire was the same... The wheel is what truly decides if it has a tube in, that's what makes the "tubeless tire" confusing and deceiving.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,879
Likes: 10
From: Jacksonville
You got it. But what is confusing is 5 years ago (random #), all heritages and all touring bikes had "tubeless tires" .... And the spoke wheels with the tubeless tires had tubes in them, cause the rubber tire was the same... The wheel is what truly decides if it has a tube in, that's what makes the "tubeless tire" confusing and deceiving.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,814
Likes: 5,120
From: SW Ohio
As the others have said, tubeless tires can be run with tubes.
As far as the Harley "Tubeless spoke wheels" go, the only true and safe tubeless spoke wheels (as far as I'm concerned) are on BMWs and the new Yamaha Tenere. The spoke heads are outside the bead seat. Any spoked wheel that claims to be tubeless and has spoke heads inside the bead seat area are just regular spoked wheels that have some sort of barrier preventing air from escaping. If I had these type wheels I would check my tire pressure EVERY time I took the bike out. Riding at highway speeds with an underinflated tire could cause a catastrophic failure (blowout).
As far as the Harley "Tubeless spoke wheels" go, the only true and safe tubeless spoke wheels (as far as I'm concerned) are on BMWs and the new Yamaha Tenere. The spoke heads are outside the bead seat. Any spoked wheel that claims to be tubeless and has spoke heads inside the bead seat area are just regular spoked wheels that have some sort of barrier preventing air from escaping. If I had these type wheels I would check my tire pressure EVERY time I took the bike out. Riding at highway speeds with an underinflated tire could cause a catastrophic failure (blowout).
Last edited by Campy Roadie; Mar 28, 2013 at 05:01 AM.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 670
Likes: 22
From: Umatilla, Fl
You got it. But what is confusing is 5 years ago (random #), all heritages and all touring bikes had "tubeless tires" .... And the spoke wheels with the tubeless tires had tubes in them, cause the rubber tire was the same... The wheel is what truly decides if it has a tube in, that's what makes the "tubeless tire" confusing and deceiving.