My 14 RK came with laced wheels and tires that said tubless on the sidewall but has tubes inside. Several dealers said they have had too many issues with tubless tires on laced wheels even though the wheels are supposed to be compatable with tubless tires and they always put tubes in laced wheels. I would like to run tubless tires due to the ablity to plug a tire out on the road somewhere instead of being stranded. I like the look of spokes and thought I remembered hearing of a fat spoked wheel that is actually tubless but I don't remember the brand. Does anyone know what brand of wheels these would be and personal experience/review of wheels?

 

Pretty well all modern tyres are tubeless, however they can also be used with tubes, the days of different tyres for tubes and tubeless are long gone. There are custom wire-spoked wheels that claim to be tubeless, but very few are a suitable design IMHO, except the style used on the BMW GS, with spokes that don't go through the rim (there are other brands like that as well). I would be surprised if any wheels with conventional looking spokes stay 'tubeless' very long!

 

I have the Sinister fat spoke wheels on my King and they are tubeless.

As Sir Graham mentioned, not many laced-style spoke wheels are tubeless. If you want the laced spoke wheels, the Paughco wheels are tubeless for the front only, but the rears require a tube.

Off topic, but originally from Ventura Co. Your sig pic looks like Angeles Crest?

 

Back when I had a Heritage Classic, I had a couple of nightmares that left me wanting better wire wheels, preferably tubeless. I found that Dayton Wire Wheels (known previously as American Wire) makes tubeless, maintenance free, wire wheels for motorcycles. I traded the bike in before I bought them, but if I had another bike with wire wheels I would look at Dayton again.

http://www.daytonwirewheels.com/

http://www.daytonwirewheels.com/pdf/..._volume_92.pdf

http://www.daytonwirewheels.com/gall...el_gallery.php

 

From what I have seen of the OEM Harley wheels, I'm not surprised. They appear to be running an oversized center strip and hoping that seals the spokes. Not a good design. Easily damaged with a tire change, and a spoke could easily poke through it.

Most of the other tubeless rims either are a double rim or use a unique external fastener. Either way, it keeps the spoke out of the tire chamber so there's no danger to air pressure. In this regard, these tubeless spoke wheels are just like the cast wheels.

 

Harleys Profile aluminum laced wheel is tubeless,but the shouldered laced wheel is a tube type.I had the Profile chromed aluminum rims on my 2013 RK which was a option. These type rims show up for sale on e-bay or the forum classifieds from time to time.

 

If you had tubeless laced wheels...it would say it on the wheel not the tire.(all tires say tubeless)



It is called a "rim seal kit" it has to be replaced every time the tire is removed...Harley loves it...why would they design something that doesn't bring you back to the dealer.

 

You're correct - Angeles Crest highway.
Sinister fat spoke -that's what I'm looking for, something that kinda looks like spokes but without the drawbacks without going to a mag wheel.