Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes and other ramblings

[azcycle]

The Kenda knobby (270 for those interested) on the back of the r65 was at the end of it's lifespan, and while I did enjoy the traction for my jaunt up the local mountain's forestry control road, I don't like the way the Kendas perform on pavement. Accurately described by an ADVrider as: "like riding on gummy bears..." and I tend to agree. Cornering... REAL cornering... is not a fun experience.  This being my first motorcycle (the 250cc scooter doesn't count), I think the rather unstable feeling tires have taught me a lot, but it's time for some confidence-inspiring rubber. Plus, I want to KEEP this bike as long as I can, so I know it's part-breaking, bolt-loosening, off-roading days are most likely (mostly) over.

So browsing for ways to empty my bank account (which is already low trying to pay for our upcoming wedding in September), I found out that Bike Bandit had some pretty good deals.  I first dropped some Dunlop 404s into "my cart" but quickly removed them after reading the horrible reviews on them.

However, I found these Shinko 712s on sale for $45/each, and the reviews were (mostly) positive.  In the basket they went, and because I'm tempted to mount 'em myself ghetto* style, I purchased a couple tubes, tire levers (which I should have anyway) and some rim weights. Additionally, I purchased a bunch of oil changing shims, spacers, and o-rings so I can undertake the famous "airhead oil change"... I understand it is the most complex oil change ever invented, thanks to those brilliant German engineers. (I have yet to purchase the NASA approved digital calipers for measuring o-ring micro-tolerances.)

So onto the point.... look what the man in brown (UPS for those unknowing) brought me today! Shinko 712s (Tubeless), 100/90-18  for the front, and 110/90-18 for the rear.


I'm still slightly considering taking them to a shop to mount, but I'm a cheap bastid and the experience would be good for me.  I've mounted hundreds (well dozens) of bicycle tires, so this should be easy... just bigger, right?   ) yeah, yeah I hear you laughing in the back....

I've looked around the Intrawebinetz and have read that mounting tubeless tires to tube-type wheels is fine (along with a tube, of course). But of course everything on the 'web is 100% accurate and truthful (notice tongue-in-cheek here) so I just want to verify that with ya'll. Tubeless tires ARE okay to mount to tube-style rims with appropriate tubes, etc?

And that's not all!  Removing the rear wheel for the new tire will also allow me to:
- lube final drive splines
- replace damaged rear fender (thanks to the overly-large Kenda) with an Ebay fender-gem I got for $25!
- replace broken rear tail light (which is currently being held on by electrical tape and mini-bungee cords. Also an Ebay treasure find.

So stay tuned as I try to document my newbie flailing struggles for science (or your entertainment more likely)....


* lots of 2x4s, home-made truing stand, bicycle floor pump, sliced up plastic milk cartons, and a plethora of creative words and phrases.

[darrylri]

Tubeless tires are ok, but you are, indeed, in for a character (and vocabulary) building exercise.  

[Barry]

So browsing for ways to empty my bank account (which is already low trying to pay for our upcoming wedding in September)

A man who's keep his bike when he gets married - we are proud of you !  I had to sell a brand new Z900 when I got married back in 77

Any way the tires - tube in a tubeless tire is ok but the speed rating is lowered one step, usually not a problem. Get them nice and warm in the sun before fitting and use lubricant.

Popping the beads can be the hardest part depending on the tire manufacturer, some seem to be much harder than others, expect to use at least 50 - 60 psi. Cleaning and polishing the inside of the rim will help.

[Patrick_Krivacka]

tire changes aren't that bad. There's a good write up (with pictures!) over at ADVriders. I think it's in the Garage section. anyway, it is a good skill to have, but some places local to me do it so cheap and fast, that I usually take it there. You should do it at least a couple of times. Have a good plan, and a spare tube or two on hand in case you pinch the tube.

[Ed Miller]

Get the new tires nice and warm, and they will go on more easily.  I have a little wedge shaped beadbreaker from the Aerostitch company that was pretty cheap and works great.  

I bought a gallon of tire lube from Napa that will probably last me for the next 30 years.

[Altritter]

Tubeless tires ARE okay to mount to tube-style rims with appropriate tubes, etc?
 

Yes. The "but" added to the yes is that I suspect that there will be more heat buildup with tubes than there would be tubeless. I recall reading some R65 rider comments about not trusting the snowflake wheels (at least the earlier ones) for tubeless use. I guess it's a matter of personal comfort. Anyway, do we really need V-rated rubber for our R65s?   (I had never heard Barry's comment that the speed rating would be one step lower, but it sure makes sense.)

My father didn't trust tubeless tires for a long time after they arrived on the market. A belt-and-suspenders type (at least with vehicles), he ran tubes in his tubeless automobile tires quite some time.

[montmil]

Ah, yes... Breaking the old tire's bead off the rim. Ugh!

I knocked out a 2x4 stud with a short-ish 4-inch piece screwed on perpendicular to the long stick; about two feet from one end.

Placed the short end of the stud under my roll-away tool cabinet, the short perpendicular bit sits on the bead and you plant your arse on the other end. Urethra! It works...

Or you might try a very large C-clamp.

I'm running tubeless Bridgestone Spitfire S-11s on my '81 R65... tubeless. Two years and no issues. You'll obviously need a tubeless valve stem but you can eliminate the weight of the tube, its incessant air bleed down plus some unwanted tire heating during longer rides.

Encourage anyone doing this tubeless transition to be absolutely sure there are no sharp spurs on the inside of the rim where it mates with the tire bead. Smooth rims. Ride happy.

Avoid using water with any tire lube. Possible corrosion inside the rim is always an unknown.

Monte

[azcycle]

So browsing for ways to empty my bank account (which is already low trying to pay for our upcoming wedding in September)

A man who's keep his bike when he gets married - we are proud of you !  I had to sell a brand new Z900 when I got married back in 77

Ah, my future wife is the one that GAVE me the r65!  She was the one that inherited it and she encourages me to keep the bike in good shape. Of course, I'm sure in the (hopefully far away) future, when it needs engine or transmission work, she'll remember that...

I'm not going 100% tubeless. I will still run tubes... i just wanted to make sure it was safe/okay to run tubes inside the tubeless tires.  A trick for bicycle tires to reduce friction between the tire and tube is to put a bit of baby powder inside the tire.  Any thoughts on that?



Thanks all. My order was split up and shipped separately so while I have the tires, the levers and tubes are still in limbo so this project will have to wait until next weekend...

[montmil]

As you will be spending several hours on your hands n' knees while mounting tires, I suggest you dump a large dose of that baby powder in your jockey shorts. Prevents serious chaffing... plus, it's pretty good for the tubes, too.

Monte

[azcycle]

Yesterday brought the rest of my goodies:  New set of 3 tire irons of various sizes, and tubes.  Once I get my center stand back working and stable, Saturday is going to be an.... interesting... day.

Got to pick up some moly60 for the rear splines somewhere, too...

[montmil]

...Got to pick up some moly60 for the rear splines somewhere, too...

Honda shop. Small 'cylinder' package with, I think, a big price.

Monte

[nhmaf]

You'll be fine - just very tired - at the end of the day.

Use the talc powder on the tube (and your shorts) to start with.
90% of us are all running tubes in modern tires - it is perfectly fine and there are alot of modern cruisers out there with wire spoke wheels still running tubes.   Unless you get an "S" rated tire, (112 MPH, I think) the speed rating decrement won't be any issue at all for an airhead of any displacement.   H or V or Z are all fine.

Be sure to support the wheel off the ground - especially the front wheel - so you don't bend/mangle your front disc rotor. And/or remove the rotor to avoid bending it - new ones are expensive.

Only remove 1 wheel at a time and be sure to block up the bike on its centerstand so it is stable.

Moly-60 is good stuff, but if you cannot get it at least still clean out the old grease and put in some good sticky grease on those drive splines.   A small brush / popsicle stick or an old toothbrush work pretty well to get the grease coated into the nooks and crannies of the splines without overloading the orifice with grease - don't want alot of excess flying out and runing your brake shoes.

[azcycle]

Thanks! I might take a lunch-hour trip to the local Honda shop... always nice to go out for a ride, but of course it's going to be over 100 degrees too.  erg. Huh... I actually DO have some grease I bought at the local motorcycle superstore "RideNow" that says it is for motorcycle final drives. Forgot about that.

I should probably measure the brake shoe life before I take the bike out of commission, too.  If they're close, might as well just replace those while the wheel is off.

This is turning into an expensive tear down!  

[Barry]

I should probably measure the brake shoe life before I take the bike out of commission, too.If they're close, might as well just replace those while the wheel is off.

Rear brake shoes tend to last a very long time maybe the life of the bike so unless yours is high mileage or they are contaminated you may not need them.

[azcycle]

I should probably measure the brake shoe life before I take the bike out of commission, too.If they're close, might as well just replace those while the wheel is off.

Rear brake shoes tend to last a very long time maybe the life of the bike so unless yours is high mileage or they are contaminated you may not need them.

That's good to know. Unknown mileage on my bike but estimate about 55k.