Tires- tube or not to Tube?

[Mysuzyq]

Hi guys.....looking to change tires over the winter on my '82 1100E. It has the original Suzuki Bridgestone rubber on it, with tubes. Is it better to run tires without tubes....what are the pros & cons? Appreciate any input!
Thanks,
Tony.

[Jeff Tate]

Hi. I have an '82 1100E also. I have always replaced my tires with tubes as I'm pretty sure you shouldn't run tubeless with the stock wheels. I have read here in the forum of some folks doing it, but I'm pretty conservative about these things and do not recieve test pilot pay for this kind of experiment. I say, just spring for the new rubber and tubes and forget about it. By the way, if you're just now putting new tires on after all these years, you're in for a treat! Your bike will feel so much more secure and handle better too.

[Anonymous]

I've just recently put a new front tire on with a tube on my '81 1100. As I understand it tubeless rims have a groove each side to acept the tire and effectively lock it in place, otherwise the tire is perhaps subject to movement on the wheel.

Anthony

[Mysuzyq]

Thanks for the quick reply guys,(Jeff & Tony....or is it Tiny in Kiwiland)....I too have heard of guys running tubeless on the stock GS1100E rim, but I'm not too comfortable with that...figured the factory had the chance to do the same in '82 but did'nt.I have liberated the bike from a 'collector' in brand new condition, with only 25km on the clock, am now upto 2000 km...the tires still look brand new, but I'm leery of running such old rubber, esp. now since the bike is broken in & I can give it some stick next season! I'm leaning toward Metzeler or Dunlops so far...what do you guys run?
Tony.

[Anonymous]

Both good tires. I personally never did run tubeless on those rims. I always thought that the porous aluminum they used would leak down.

Interesting, but these old bikes do not have rim locks like the dirt counterparts, and yet they don't tend to spin the tires on the wheels. Maybe it's the lack of traction with the narrow rims.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the quick reply guys,(Jeff & Tony....or is it Tiny in Kiwiland)....

Never been called Tony strangely enough but certainly the land of the Kiwi. As for tires, I personally would be a bit weary of your tires. I have a Bridgestone BT45F Battlax on the front, been on for 2-2,500km has good grip and showing no signs of wear (so it shouldn't either). On the back is a Michelin M48E-that has good grip but has worn flat giving some rather interesting handling. I will put a BT45 on soon.

By the way whats a riding season No such thing here

[Anonymous]

A 1982 GS1100EZ (the Z stands for 1982) should have tubeless rims. My 1982 GS850GZ had these rims, and I ran tubeless on both for years. Check the rim itself; it will say whether the wheel will accept tubeless application. I don't know about the chain-driven 1100, but the shaftie GS1100GZ accepts tubeless.

The earlier wheels (up to 1981), the ones with the pentagram spoke design, will accept tubeless tires only on the rear. The front rim should be fitted with a tube. I have an earlier front wheel on my GK, which retrofits nicely, but I have a tube installed on it. The rear wheel runs tubeless.

Check the wheel itself. If it says tubeless, go ahead and leave out the tube. It's perfectly safe to do so, as long as the wheel is in good condition otherwise. If it says nothing, then install a tube.

Some folks are willing to run an earlier front wheel tubeless, with success. I won't take that chance.

Nick

[Mysuzyq]

Hey Nick,
Thanks for that info.....mine is a 'Z' model.I will inspect the rims for any info. re. tires.I suspect you are right, but wonder why the factory did'nt use tubeless tires on both wheels, if the rims were tubeless compatible....maybe it was around this time (1982) that tubeless tires were coming into vogue for bikes......I think (but not sure) the Hondas were already going tubeless at that time (I'm confident some-one will correct me if I'm wrong! :roll: )
Anyway, thanks!
Tony.

[Jeff Tate]

My '82 1100EZ came with tubes and that's the way she's been clad ever since. Why take the chance? By the way, I run Metzelers on mine now and have for years. Good tires.

[Anonymous]

My '82 1100EZ came with tubes and that's the way she's been clad ever since. Why take the chance? By the way, I run Metzelers on mine now and have for years. Good tires.

I'll tell you why you should "take a chance". You really take a chance by using tubes rather than go tubeless when you can. Running a tubeless rim with a tube is a waste of money and less safe. In case of a flat, a tubed tire will deflate immediately. A tubeless tire will hold air long enough to get it to a place for fixing. Also, the tubeless tire will run cooler.

I wish my front wheel were of the tubeless kind, but the original wheel was dinged by the previous owner of the GK, so I had to use a front wheel from my old GS850 -- one that is not labeled tubeless.

Nick

[Anonymous]

I suspect you are right, but wonder why the factory did'nt use tubeless tires on both wheels, if the rims were tubeless compatible....maybe it was around this time (1982) that tubeless tires were coming into vogue for bikes......I think (but not sure) the Hondas were already going tubeless at that time (I'm confident some-one will correct me if I'm wrong!

No, you are not wrong at all. At that time tubeless tires were starting to become commonplace. A year ago I bought a 1980 GS850 parts bike. When I took off the rear wheel to sell it, I had the rear tire removed by my friendly local dealer. I was surprised to see a tube in it, and it was the original equipment tire, which had never been removed. (The dealer had a very difficult time prying the tire off the wheel; it had melted onto the rim!)

The wheel was clearly labeled for tubeless operation, yet the factory chose to put a tube in it. I suppose it was a case of CYA at that time.

16 years and 160,000 miles plus of GS operation, (four 850's and now the GK) and I've run nothing but tubeless tires on wheels specifically labeled as such. No problems at all with undue leaks or deflation.

[Jeff Tate]

I don't see anything on the rim that says tubeless, so the tubes stay in.

[Anonymous]

I don't see anything on the rim that says tubeless, so the tubes stay in.

Then running with tubes is the safe, and cost-effective, way to go.

Nick [/i]

[Anonymous]

I'd trust what ever Nick suggests! I too have a GS1100GZ and run tubless on the stock rims!
GY