Tube Or Tubeless For Scooter?

[Genericnic]

Hi all.

I am just getting ready to buy a scooter for in town riding and would prefer to get alloy wheels. I have to make a choice as to whether to get tube or tubeless tires. My thought is that tubeless would be better due to the ability to quickly patch a flat without having to remove the tire. Any thing I should take into consideration in making the decision about either the tires or the wheels that I may not have thought of?

Thanks for the help.

David

[katabeachbum]

Tubeless if rim is designed for tubeless

Almost never a flat, and if it happens it is a slow leek. Tubes often explode.

Seen any sports bikes or cars with tubes past 2 decades?

Only reason for tubes is spoked wheels and cost

[Genericnic]

Tubeless if rim is designed for tubeless

Almost never a flat, and if it happens it is a slow leek. Tubes often explode.

Seen any sports bikes or cars with tubes past 2 decades?

Only reason for tubes is spoked wheels and cost

Thanks for the reply.

That was sort of my feeling as well. Just wanted to see if there was some reason I had missed.

David

[Kwasaki]

My Airblade scooter came with tubed tyres on mag wheels.

[Yaroon79]

I never drove before on tube tires back home in the west but since i got here i own a bike with these tubes inside. Initially i felt scared,what if they do explode while im cruising at any speed above 40...

Is it possible to change it to tubeless on alloy wheels when i change my tires due to wear which will will happen this or next month??

Edited March 2, 2011 by Yaroon79

[katabeachbum]

My Airblade scooter came with tubed tyres on mag wheels.

PCX too

crap

all tubed I have occasiaonal flat, even with new tyres and tubes

Yammy Nuovo Elegance with mags tubeless. oldest one april 2008, still no flats

[thrilled]

it depends on the wheel.some wheels ya can only run tubes.

[PaulD]

My Airblade scooter came with tubed tyres on mag wheels.

This is a very important point. I looked up the Thai for tubeless tire before asking at a number of dealers selling three brands. Alloy wheels, they understood, but most were not certain about the tires and had to ask others. All came back that the tires, if I ordered alloys, had inner tubes. Basically, in lower models of bikes, alloy tires are not equipped with tubeless tires, but I've forgotten the brands/models of my asking. Some dealers suggested that I'd have to order tubeless through the internet.

At that time, I did not know (and still don't) which brand makes alloys that will not work with a tubeless tire's valve.

I just recently asked at an official Suzuki dealer to be told that I could get alloys, but not tubeless, at least not from them or Suzuki.

Tubeless tires, I believe, are thicker and stronger in general. In mixed driving, daily, for over a year, my only flat tires have come from tubed tires.

Edited March 4, 2011 by PaulD

[katabeachbum]

I never drove before on tube tires back home in the west but since i got here i own a bike with these tubes inside. Initially i felt scared,what if they do explode while im cruising at any speed above 40...

Is it possible to change it to tubeless on alloy wheels when i change my tires due to wear which will will happen this or next month??

yammy nuovo Elegance, yes they have mag rims suitable for tubeless. Rims for tubeless have different shape for valve, and different shape in center. Rims for tubelss can use tubes, but rims for tubes can not use tubeless

[Yaroon79]

So no choice other than drive around on tube tires...

I had 1 flat in 5 or 6 month which is ok with me, my fear comes from sudden explosions as the same thing happened with my bicycle a number of times.... since i have no experience with tubes, how risky is it to have one of these explosions with tubes? My previous flat was when i was in traffic jam...noticed when i was standing still.... lucky me i guess........

[elliss]

it depends on the wheel.some wheels ya can only run tubes.

is it possible to put a tube in a tube less tyre ,?

my thinking is that it would be a belt and braces job.

stupid farang :jap:

[transam]

Airblade alloys have tubes, PCX, no tubes, easy fix punctures. In UK tubes are illegal now, must be a reason.

PS. The tyre bead is different between the two.

Edited March 4, 2011 by transam

[Gary A]

I have NEVER seen or even heard of a tube blowing up. Tire blow outs can happen but even those are very rare. Once in a while someone will drastically over inflate a motorcycle tire and it will explode. Tires just going flat are VERY common.

I do know for sure that my friend's PCX and my Elegance both have tubeless tires. My wife has a Suzuki with alloy wheels and it has tubed tires. She has at least one flat a month. Most blame the spoked wheels for the problems but hers has alloy wheels. I could understand having punctures but having flats for no apparent reason is a mystery and a serious aggravation. The quality of Thai or Chinese made tubes stinks. Without a doubt, tubeless tires are far superior.

[katabeachbum]

So no choice other than drive around on tube tires...

I had 1 flat in 5 or 6 month which is ok with me, my fear comes from sudden explosions as the same thing happened with my bicycle a number of times.... since i have no experience with tubes, how risky is it to have one of these explosions with tubes? My previous flat was when i was in traffic jam...noticed when i was standing still.... lucky me i guess........

if you have correct size tube for your tyre and keep moderate speed and keep correct tyre pressure, risk of explotion is not high. Underinflated tubed tyres explode easily when they get warm from speed

[transam]

On my big inch hotrod, had tubed and non tubed tyres. Ran 22 psi on the street and 10 psi on the drag strip. Mega horse power, big start line burn outs to heat and soften the tread, and no problems. On real street tyres ran 15 psi on the strip.

[LeCharivari]

Airblade alloys have tubes, PCX, no tubes, easy fix punctures. In UK tubes are illegal now, must be a reason.

PS. The tyre bead is different between the two.

I am not so sure about tubes being "illegal" in the UK, and I would be interested to see any reference for this.

As far as I am aware the legal position is that the MoT recommends that the appropriate tyres are used on the appropriate rims - some rims can be used with either tubed or tubeless tyres, some cannot.

It also recommends that you do not fit inner tubes to tyres that were not designed for them (tubeless); rather than being a "belt and braces job" it can have the opposite effect in certain cases, particularly with low profile tyres where the higher profile of the inner tube forces the tyre off the rim.

Yaroon79, correctly inflated inner tubes, with correctly fitted tyres, simply do not "explode" for no reason on a bicycle. If you've had "a number" of these then unless you are a racer using tubulars (sew-ups / glue-ons) or a tandem rider running 120+ PSI you've probably either over-inflated the tyre without the bead being properly seated (hooked) or had so little air in the tyre that the tyre has come off the rim, pinching the tube.