Need expert answer re: 80 GS850G wheels

[Nessism]

Basically. If you work in the bike industry and have a direct concern for your customers (and legal) always do how the OEM made there wheels. Its bad enough when you tell them over and over new tyres are slippery and they still throw it down the road. Thank god no cops ever showed up asking about who fitted the tyres. Yes, modify you bike but be aware of the results.

What are you really trying to say Sharpy? That opening up the valve stem hole by 1/16" is going to cause the wheel to fail? It's already been demonstrated that many of the GS bikes came with MT type wheels so going tubeless is sanctioned by the wheel makers, regardless of whether Suzuki installed a tube or not.

EDIT: and this discussion isn't about shop liability concerns.

[hillsy]

If it was me, I would run a tube in the rims that don't have a retaining lip regardless of whether it says they are tubeless or not. The retaining lip is the accepted norm for safety nowadays.

Like Sharpy said, there's enough things out there already trying to kill us, I don't need something that "might" fail added to the mix.

[Nessism]

If it was me, I would run a tube in the rims that don't have a retaining lip regardless of whether it says they are tubeless or not. The retaining lip is the accepted norm for safety nowadays.

Like Sharpy said, there's enough things out there already trying to kill us, I don't need something that "might" fail added to the mix.

I realize that the lips are a good safety feature, but given that some rims don't have them what difference does it make whether or not the tire is running a tube or going tubeless? It's not like a tubeless tire is going to jump off the bead and suddenly deflate.

[sharpy]

What are you really trying to say Sharpy? That opening up the valve stem hole by 1/16" is going to cause the wheel to fail? It's already been demonstrated that many of the GS bikes came with MT type wheels so going tubeless is sanctioned by the wheel makers, regardless of whether Suzuki installed a tube or not. Tubeless valve stems are not exactly subject to unexpected failure either. They are bolted to the wheel and pretty much foolproof.

What i saying is we where covering our ass and wouldnt do tubeless unless it said tubeless. Personally i still wont do it but thats me. Do as ya wish, i was just offering advice from some one who used to do around 25 tyres every sat morning. Thats not including weekdays. Oh and my record to do a Katana with standard pipes for front and back tyre changes, balanced and ready to ride away was a fraction over 12mins. Stuff if i could do that these days. Diff folks do it diff ways. The thread title said " Need expert answer re: 80 GS850G wheels" and i gave one. Up to him or anyone to listen (thanks Hillsy

[Nessism]

A 12 min tire change is right fine work!

Personally, up to this point, I've always used tubes in my GS bike tires that came with them. And I wouldn't convert any wheels unless the person specifically requested it and understood the risks. Thing is though, I can't think of any significant risk. Air pressure will keep the tire on the bead until the pressure drops super low. I'm not exactly sure how low, but it would have to be pretty dang low. And at that point the tire could jump off the bead regardless of whether or not there is a tube inside or not.

[Peter Buehner]

Not to drag this thread out even more, but since my wheel is labeled MT (motorcycle tubeless) and when I bought it, it had a Continental tubeless on it...I wouldn't consider this "converting". I would say that I would be running it as allowed by the OEM designation. I guess I have a few more months to decide if I am going to pull this tire and put a tube in there.
Thanks for all of the input. It is sincerely appreciated. I am soaking it all up.
Peter

[hillsy]

I realize that the lips are a good safety feature, but given that some rims don't have them what difference does it make whether or not the tire is running a tube or going tubeless? It's not like a tubeless tire is going to jump off the bead and suddenly deflate.

It's highly unlikely for sure, but that's why they have the retaining lip - to ensure this cant happen.

[Nessism]

It's highly unlikely for sure, but that's why they have the retaining lip - to ensure this cant happen.

If the lips are critical to going tubeless then how come so many bikes running tubeless didn't have them?

[hillsy]

If the lips are critical to going tubeless then how come so many bikes running tubeless didn't have them?

You're talking about the time when there was the change-over to tubeless tyres (late 70's).

Every tubeless rim made after 83 or so has the lips on the rim.

You probably need to think about why that would be.

[Nessism]

You're talking about the time when there was the change-over to tubeless tyres (late 70's).

Every tubeless rim made after 83 or so has the lips on the rim.

You probably need to think about why that would be.

You didn't answer the question. Waiting...

BTW, your timeline is off. My KZ is a 1981 and the front wheel doesn't have the bumps. Same with some GS wheels built the same time frame.

[storm 64]

Tubeless tires are fine. As long your not running synthetic motor oil in your GS....

[hillsy]

You didn't answer the question. Waiting...

OK - they didn't have them because they were ignorant of the concept that the lip would help keep the bead in place. Like I said, it was the changeover period.

BTW, your timeline is off. My KZ is a 1981 and the front wheel doesn't have the bumps. Same with some GS wheels built the same time frame.

Correct - I should have said late 70's to early 80's, not just late 70's. But I did say after 83 or so all rims went to using retaining lips.

Anyway, argue it however you like and do whatever you want. Fact of the matter is you wont find a tubeless rim made in the past 30 years that doesn't have retaining lips for the bead. It's simply the standard for a tubeless rim.

Then again people still use those hopeless clown shoe Firestone things on bikes so there's no helping some people

[Nessism]

Every year vehicles get safer as manufacturers innovate and improve the breed (cars mostly, not motorcycles so much). ABS, airbags, etc. First there were no airbags. Then they got one, and then two, and now some cars have 6 or maybe more. If you have a car with only one airbag do you stop driving it? What about two airbags? Yes, or no?

Hope you realize there is a parallel to safety features on these wheels. Tubeless is actually safer than tube type. Sure, having wheels with the humbs is better than not, but is the safety increase such that you are going to stop riding your old bike and upgrade the wheels?

[hillsy]

No - I'd just run a tube.

[Nessism]

No - I'd just run a tube.

So you think I should remove the tubeless tire off my KZ750 wheel without the humps and put a tube inside even though Kawasaki built the wheel as tubeless and the bike has been on the road for 36 years that way without issue?