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Spoked wheels = tubed tyres? Spoked wheels = tubed tyres?
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  #1  
Old 20 Nov 2007
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Question Spoked wheels = tubed tyres?
Am I right in thinking that as a general rule if a bike has spoked wheels then it needs tubed tyres?

David
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Old 20 Nov 2007
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No
Spoke tyres do not necessarily mean tubes.
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Old 20 Nov 2007
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Mostly tubed
That used to be the way of the wheel, in the good ol' days, but more manufacturers have been making tubeless spoked wheels in recent times. The older the bike, the more likely. I think BMW where about the first to sell numbers of bike with spoked tubeless about 15-20 years ago. Taking all models into consideration, I'm sure tubes are still the norm for spoked wheels.

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Old 20 Nov 2007
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My 78 BMW with spoked wheels definitely takes tube. My '93 GSPD does not. I think all of the GS bikes are tubeless spoke wheels. Just look at the wheel; if the spokes come out beyond the edge of the tire (as opposed to the center of the rim), they are likely tubless rims. On my GS you can see the "head" of the spoke right along the edge of the tire and the rim.
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Old 20 Nov 2007
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Thanks for the replies.
So presumably a 650 Dakar would have tubeless tyres?
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Old 20 Nov 2007
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Yes
My GS650 and my Funduro are both tube type.

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Last edited by Nigel Marx; 21 Nov 2007 at 00:40. Reason: Was arse about face, don't even know my own bikes!
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Old 20 Nov 2007
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Originally Posted by David09 View Post
Thanks for the replies.
So presumably a 650 Dakar would have tubeless tyres?
650 Dakar runs conventional tubed rims and tyres.
You can tell the difference by the rim design - the tubeless spoked rims have the spokes laced to the outer edge of the rim, with the spoke nipple at the hub end. Conventional rims have the spokes laced to the centre of the rim, meaning lots of holes in the rims, so you need tubes.
If I recall correctly BMW own the patent for the tubeless rim design so you only really see them on big GS's. The exception is the Aprillia Capanord which uses a similar design under a licensing agreement with BMW.
There are various arguements as to the pro's and con's of each.
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Old 21 Nov 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David09 View Post
Thanks for the replies.
So presumably a 650 Dakar would have tubeless tyres?


No the F650 has tubes, the R1200GS is tubeless, look at the spoked wheels and see where the spokes go. If they enter the rim in the middle, more than likely tubes, if as on the 1200 GS the spokes are attached to the edge of the rim outside the tire, then they will be tubeless!
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Old 21 Nov 2007
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Sorry Mark.. should have read your post first!! seem to have given the same answer as ye! over kill!!
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Old 21 Nov 2007
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Originally Posted by MarkLG View Post
The exception is the Aprillia Capanord which uses a similar design under a licensing agreement with BMW.
There are various arguements as to the pro's and con's of each.
If I recall correctly both the Honda XL600M and Yamaha 250 Serrow have tubeless rims.

Nearly all modern trials bikes have a tubeless rear wheel - with a variety of solutions to preventing air escaping through the spoke holes from not having any (spokes join in their middle and are hooked around both the hub and a lip on the rim) to an airtight rimtape.

Cheers.
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Old 21 Nov 2007
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If I recall correctly both the Honda XL600M and Yamaha 250 Serrow have tubeless rims.

Nearly all modern trials bikes have a tubeless rear wheel - with a variety of solutions to preventing air escaping through the spoke holes from not having any (spokes join in their middle and are hooked around both the hub and a lip on the rim) to an airtight rimtape.

Cheers.
I'm not at all familiar with trials bikes, so I'll take your word for it. Are they actually tubeless, or do they run mousses in place of a tube like the enduro boys?? I can see how using tubes might not be ideal at the sort of low pressures trials riders use.

Your comment on the old XL600LM had me doing some searching. From the pictures I've seen of them there was a raised lip on the inside of the rim which the spokes laced into, rather than penetrating the rim. Apparently it was the first spoked wheel design for use with tubeless tyres - you learn something new everyday.
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Old 22 Nov 2007
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Originally Posted by MarkLG View Post

Your comment on the old XL600LM had me doing some searching. From the pictures I've seen of them there was a raised lip on the inside of the rim which the spokes laced into, rather than penetrating the rim. Apparently it was the first spoked wheel design for use with tubeless tyres - you learn something new everyday.
The Honda had a flange in the centre line of the rim that the spoke attached to. The spoke had a 90 degree bend where it attached, not sure how strong this was, looks like a weak link IMO?

A good tubeless puncture repair kit will repair most puncture effectively unless the tyre has a slice type hole rather than a straight puncture. I've found the string type repair kits far more effective & versatile than the rubber block type kits. If riding off road, it's worth carrying a tube or two as these can save the day (it has for me anyway, 18" tube from my KTM in the rear of a friends 17" GS rear wheel).
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