Do I need tubes or not?

[Guest]

Quick question, I’m about to order some new tires for my bike do I need to order tubes too?
Even though the tires are tubeless, neither wheel says it’s tubeless.

thanks again, willman

[tkent02]

Spoke wheels?
Cast wheels?

[willman]

cast. it's a 450L(x)

[koolaid_kid]

I went tubeless on my GS, but we had to flatten the surface where the valve stem seats on the wheel.
You can run tubes in a tubeless tire, btw.

[tkent02]

Some people drill the valve stem hole to the correct size for tubeless valve stems, it works. The rims are a different shape on the true tubeless rims, it's supposed to be safer that way.
Easiest to just use a tube, I suppose.

[willman]

ok, thanks i'll order tubes too.

[fnkvn]

I'm interested in changing to tubeless tires on my '79 GS850G with cast wheels. I don't mind spending the few extra bucksa on tubes, but it sure is a lot easier to plug a tubeless tire on the road, than to break it all down and patch a tube.

So, the only mod I need to do is open up the valvestem hole?

[makenzie71]

Quick question, I’m about to order some new tires for my bike do I need to order tubes too?
Even though the tires are tubeless, neither wheel says it’s tubeless.

thanks again, willman

Yes and no.

[Nessism]

I'm interested in changing to tubeless tires on my '79 GS850G with cast wheels. I don't mind spending the few extra bucksa on tubes, but it sure is a lot easier to plug a tubeless tire on the road, than to break it all down and patch a tube.

So, the only mod I need to do is open up the valvestem hole?

I recommend picking up a new wheel with the tubeless rim profile. No monkey business with opening up the valve stem hole plus the rim profile has safety beads to keep the tire bead seated in case of deflation. GS wheels are cheap as dirt on ebay, just make sure to find one that says "tubeless applicable" or something to this effect. I have a spare if you can't find one local or on ebay, ping me if interested.

[fnkvn]

Thanks, Nessism. The problem, is I have a shaft drive bike. All of the shaft bikes I have seen all have wheels like mine. Is it possible that later year wheels are tubeless?

[GabrielGoes]

honestly im no expert but id' say most of our ol' suzuki mag wheels are not ment for tubless applications at all, order the tubes! the wheels when tubeless will seat and fill with air without problems when upright but when hard pressed on an angle (cornering a turn etc.) i dont think you'd like to find out if it will still hold! just get heavy duty tubes from motorcycle superstore no big deal imo just keep your wheels and get tubes