I am totaly psyched. If all goes right I'm picking up my 2006 Vivid black roadster tomorow morning! Stage-1 kit and braided break hoses in-stalled! Now, I have a question for y'all.

I very much like the look of the "optional" wheels, the spoked ones. It is MUCH cheeper to ge them on the bike when I buy it. The thing is I am a sportsbike guy and if you couldn't tell from my OEM options list I plan on riding the **** out of this thing. Can the tubed tires "keep up" with their non-tubed cousins? Am I going to want to pitch the OEM tires for better ones any way and if so are "better" ones available in tubed versoins?

Thanks.

Mr.G

 

Most, if not all, motorcycle tires made today are able to run tubeless. It's the wheels that dictate whether you run with or wihout tubes.

My Sportster had laced wheels when I bought it. In taking the motorcycle safety course, I learned that over 90% of flats occur on the back wheel. The front wheel 'tips' up the object, nail, bolt, screw, etc., and then the rear wheel runs over it as it's tipped up, flattening the tire!

A friend of mine had taken the wheels off his FatBoy, replacing them with slotted wheels. I bought the rear wheel from him, had it polished smooth all over, and installed it on my Sportster. I bought a tire inflator that uses CO2 cartridges, and some plugs. I was in great shape, I thought. If I have a flat, just pull the nail, bolt, screw, etc., plug the tire, inflate it, and go on home.

So, What do you think happened?? That's right, I ran over an Allen Head wrench, imbedding it in the FRONT TIRE! It must have been laying in a crack in the road for me to run over it and it imbedding in the tire. FLAT!!

My next purchase was a HD LightninStar Front Wheel. At least now, if I have a flat, I might be able to repair it on the road and make it home. With tube tires, the only choice is to call someone to come and get you. (unless you're a mechanic that can repair a hole in a tube on the side of the road)

 

Hey Reb,

Murphy's Law, huh. That's some practical advice and a nice looking little touring rig that you have set up there. The front wheel IS kinda cool. I gues that's not exactly the question that I was asking though. I was coming from more of a performance, road handling, speed rating kind of an angle.

 

congrats on the new ride. be safe sportys are cool!!

 

Ive had both. Use to have mags so I was running tubless. my new bike has spoked wheels so I have tubes. I have not noticed a difference, but I dont rid the **** out of it, im kind of an old fart when I ride, I simply like cruising. Not to say I dont get after the curves, I do like the sportsters but just dont rip @$$ like I use to. I think the type of wheel makes the bigger difference, not sure though.