Triumphrat

Johnny_Killmore · 12-04-2012, 07:40 PM

Hey all,
I have a '99 Tiger and tried the search feature and could find wheel info about going tubeless. I figured this would have been covered 1000 times over by now.
Although I found much banter about it, the only thing I seem to have found is that the rear wheel has the safety bead but the front wheel does not. Is that even true? Seems odd. I'm looking for tires already as I have a cross-country trip to do in January (right around the corner) and I would love to go tubeless before then. This is my daily driver and it will not see and single-track riding, just commuting and the occasional dirt road.
Thanks for any help,
-Johnny-

TucsonBill · 12-05-2012, 02:17 PM

Woody's Wheel Works in Denver will convert your existing rims to run tubeless tires. He has years of experience and does amazingly good work! I actually ride from Tucson to Denver for wheel and tire issues on my Triumphs...and my son and grandchildren live there, too! I have not had Woody change my rims, but I saw an example of his conversion and it looked really good.

Johnny_Killmore · 12-06-2012, 01:30 AM

I've seen Woody mentions on advrider. I was hoping to find some Tiger-specific talk about going tubeless on a wheel with no safety bead.
Funny thing, I did a search on Google and found a thread hear, but couldn't find anything relevant using the search on the triumph rat website.
http://www.triumphrat.net/maintenanc...ed-wheels.html

Most ironic thing is that my rear tube blew out yesterday while 70mi from home. Ended up with an overnight stay, missed an important day at school today, and had to pay a shop to swap the tube for me. Definitely hastens my desire to go tubeless.
-Johnny

iansoady · 12-09-2012, 07:29 AM

I did mine in 2007 (http://www.triumphrat.net/tiger-work...e-sealing.html) and they've been fine since. If you think about it, a tube isn't going to do anything to stop the tyre rolling over the rim if it deflates so the safety ledge issue is irrelevant. The main reason I changed mine is the risk of catastrophic deflation with a tube that you don't get with tubeless (unless I suppose somebody shoots a big hole in the tyre). Despite some rather wild-eyed warnings I think tubeless is definitely the way to go.

TucsonBill · 12-11-2012, 11:18 AM

Here's another worthwhile investment.....
If you get the AAA membership that covers motorcycles, you get 100 miles free towing. I've used it more than once!

Johnny_Killmore · 12-12-2012, 04:37 PM

Have AAA also. Just prefer to fix my problem and be on my merry way if possible.
The only thing I can see about a tubeless tire without the safety bead is a catastrophic deflation if you center punch a large rock, hole, or such. The momentary impact is enough to unseat the bead for a moment, which would do nothing to a tube tire. I reckon that possibility is really low though, especially compared to the odds of getting a puncture. Since I don't ride offroad with it, the pressures are never low, reducing the chance of popping the bead. I am definitely sealing the rear and going tubeless, I think I may do the front as well. Still on the fence.
-Johnny