Tubeless?

[Luke D.]

Good evening everyone.  Sorry if this has been discussed already but my search didn't come up with anything (or I'm doing it wrong ).  I'm going on a big trip latter this year and I was wondering if there was a way to go tubeless on the LS.  I have read that the regular r65 "snowflake" wheels should NOT be run this way but the LS wheels have the lip and should be okay.  On the google machine I have pretty much gotten a 50-50 response, about half say yeah while the other half says nay.  could you guys give me a little more input?  Also if the general consensuses is nay is there another wheel I can put on the front and back that ARE capable of being tubeless?  Thank you all for your help and have a great evening/day.

[Luke D.]

I should also add that if the is a way to make the LS wheels tubeless would be good too.  Om mountain bikes there is rim tape that goes around the rim to make it air tight or even fluid you put in the tire once it is on that seals the rim and tire.  I know motorcycles are a lot different but just throwing things out there to see if anyone knows of a good way.  Thanks again.

[Justin B.]

I ran tubeless on the '82 LS I brought back to life and had no problems.  From what I remember reading the LS rim bead area is more suited for tubeless tires than the snowflake rims.  Also, the snowflake rims are often a bit porous...

[wilcom]

I ran tubeless on the '82 LS I brought back to life and had no problems.

Mrclubike has a Sig line that says " humming along on my Tubless tires". Maybe he will put some good words on us as to how he did/does it.

[Tony Smith]

The  R65 rim is not specifically designed to run a tubeless tyre.
 
That said, thousands and thousands of snowflake rims and LS rim have been run tubeless for decades and the highways and by-ways of the world are not littered with their broken corpses.

The only major problem you will have is finding a suitable tubeless valve as the "hole" is not the right size and shape to use a standard car type valve. Look in tyre/wheel specialty shops and find a bolt up one - if you are lucky you may even find a right-angled one which will solve forever the problem with garage tyre chucks.

If you find that your rims are porous and leak, a bicycle product is there to come to your rescue - "Stans No-Tubes" allows a bicycle to run tubeless on a spoke type rim - it is a sealant and works very well indeed.

Me - I run tubes in snowflakes because I'm old and  set in my ways. I resent that the R1150 is tubeless because I had to go and buy an emergency tubeless patch kit and high volume CO2 tyre inflators.

[nhmaf]

You will likely see about a 50/50 split on tubes/no tubes here as well.

I run tubes in my 82 LS.

[mrclubike]

Yes I do run tubeless with Snowflakes
But I have no idea  what it would take to get LS wheels tubeless
If you search
"Getting a Pilit Activ to seat on a snow flake"
Yes search exactly this   misspelled phrase   
I have a thread discussing what I did to convert to tubeless
I would also add I have had Slight  leakage from the front tire
It is leaking between the rim and bead
I will be installing a new front tire soon and I will use some Bead Sealer  on it
I have been running tubeless for 18000 miles and have no intention of going back

[Justin B.]

All I had to do on the LS was to get the good steel valve stems.  I don't mind running tubes with the snowflakes as they are not the bugger-bear to get enough valve stem to stick out far enough like the LS wheels...

[Matt Chapter]

I'm tubeless but I have the monoshock "tri-y" rims.  I'm also using a 90 degree adapter on my rear tire, since it has a slow leak (it's the rim, not the tire, since it's lost about 5 lbs per 2 weeks over the past 10 years and multiple tires)

[jp9094]

I have an '83 LS and run tubeless tires. Have not had any leaks, but they are filled with Nitrogen.

FWIW

[Bob_Roller]

I had the tires replaced on my '84 LS shortly after I got it, had no idea that there were not tubes installed, until the mechanic that replaced the told me he had to replace the valve stems due to age .
So for about 7 years I've been running no tubes in the LS composite wheels with no issues .
Seems to have the same leakage rate as my '81 R65 with tubes and snowflake wheels .

[Oconner]

82 LS running tubeless avons for years. No leaks. I seem to remember reading somewhere that the LS rims were slightly different and could accommodate tubeless better.

[marcmiller001]

Just ordered 90/90-18's and 110/90-18's Continental Classic Attacks tires for my 82 LS that I will run tubeless. I have had some old Michelins on that are also tubeless and have yet to have any troubles.

[Luke D.]

Hi everyone, hope all of you are having a great day.  So I have taken my wheels off the bike and I am bringing them in to become tubeless, except I don't know what kind of valve stem works? Justin B said just get a good set of metal valves.  Is there a certain length I will need to get through the rim and still be able to have enough sticking out?  Or is it okay to just go to an auto parts store and pick up and longest ones I can find?  Thank you for your time and help (in advance) and have a great day.  Takk

[Tony Smith]

Is there a certain length I will need to get through the rim and still be able to have enough sticking out?  Or is it okay to just go to an auto parts store and pick up and longest ones I can find? 

I can't answer specifically, you may find it smarter to have the existing tyres dismounted and then take the rim round to the auto parts store and do a trial fit - it may also be the case that as tubeless tyres are pervasive now, the bike shop may well have ones that fit.

The one thing I will add to the mix is that access for a tyre chuck is pretty lousy on LS rims and positively beastly on snowflakes - if you possibly can buy a 90 degree valve stem, you will be so glad you did.