Inner Tubes (2013)

Michelin claims they use an overlapped end splice where the cheapy cheap tubes are just a butt splice.

Glen

Bob,
A while back I was in dire need of a tube, due to a clumsy moment during mounting. I went to the local Honda shop and they sold me the same Bridgestone I had been buying online but for 54 bucks instead of 23. The only difference is that it came with an official Honda part number. So far the Bridgestones had been working well for me. I buy the "standard". I figure if Honda is repackaging them as one of their own parts it speaks fairly well for the brand. But I have been fooled before.

As far as sizing, I suspect that a 90/100 or a 100/90 would work without a lot of problem. Seems to me I remember seeing some tubes listed with a range rather than a specific size. But of course I can't find that information this morning because I was looking for it!

Russ

I just put a set of Pirelli tires on one of my bikes that were made in Brazil but the Pirelli tubes were made in Germany. I have a Michelin tube on the shelf and it's made in Italy,,, go figure.

The IRC tubes on my shelf are made in Japan and the Drag Speciality tubes are made in China ,,, each costing about $15 a tube.


,,Tim_S

Saw some cheap Korean tubes that blew apart rather than up .

Oversize tubes are no good , folds and creases cause TROUBLE .

The cunning Japanese invented Nylon Innertubes . These didnt leak , but more inclined to ' Blow Out ' .

Natureal Rubber ones Bleed Off , so need pressure maintaining as are a degree porous .
But were mandatory for NASCAR as they were far less inclined to go POP .

Anglophile said:

I use Dunlop MJ/MM90-19, 100/90-19 from the local Harley-Davidson dealer (w/metal valve stem). Official HD Parts, Made in Japan!

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Sorry to bump old thread but I was looking for a front inner tube, and looked here, and thought I'll get a good quality tube at the HD dealer Preston. I thought the dealer had quoted me for a front tyre.....
£34+vat. Guess Ill be looking elsewhere, or, is that not considered expensive!

Old Bloke said:

£34+vat. Guess Ill be looking elsewhere, or, is that not considered expensive!

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I would expect to get two quality (Michelin, Conti) tubes for that price.

That's kinda what I was thinking, Conti D19 are about £17 on Fleabay. I thought there would be a bit of a premium to pay at a HD dealer but hadn't expected that much
Peter

Although a Pirelli fanatic for tires, I was until recently a big fan of Michelin inner tubes. Then I got two in a row of Michelin tubes with microscopic (well, really small anyway) holes in them from the factory. Michelin, or rather my dealer, was really good about first replacing and then refunding. To this day I think it's an anomaly and Michelin makes really good tubes.

BUT after two in a row I'd had enough and bought a Pirelli tube instead. The difference in build quality is PALPABLE. I mean, you hold the Pirelli tube in one hand and a Michelin or other tube in another and there is NO question which is higher quality.

So my split loyalties are a thing of the past. Pirelli, Pirelli, Pirelli.

Your mileage may vary.

6 months now(150 miles +-) with the Dunlop 100/90-19 on the front.Haven't changed the back yet.Bike Bandit on line about $14 for the tube.

Had some flats on tyres recently, one had a crease in the tube and rubbed , the other was the valve. The bike shop said not to do the lock ring up at all and let the valve move.
Talcum powder is suggested locally to get the tube to seat, I'd avoid " no brand" made in China too.

Might search under motorcross dirt bike inner tubes to find fresh tubes a few bux less. Not best idea to get the HD 2mm thick off road tubes d/t heat issues at hwy speeds and extra mass sense in wheels. Wes and I carry patch kits and had to use em in uncomfortable conditions to get out of there. If valve stem rips ya down for a while.

https://www.google.com/#q=inner+tubes+f ... 1235290624

I recently recovered a bike from the ex after 11 years and a protracted battle. The rear tyre was fine and the front had lost a bit of air, making steering a little heavy. Which after eleven years I thought was not bad, and a positive result for Michelin. I was able to push the bike the few hundred yards to my new place.
As for the extra rotating weight, I have replaced solid cast discs with ones with alloy spiders and was amazed that I was able to notice the improvement in steering, both lighter and more positive. If this is the result of a few ounces right at the centre, then a few pounds at the periphery must be like night and day. Perhaps we follow instructions and "run in" new tyres so the contrast is not so noticeable?
Many years ago I added some goo stuff to self seal punctures. Until I used an air line which must have had water in it. The stuff congealed and formed a big solid lump. making the bike unrideable. That meant a walk back into the town and a search for the bike shop. Fortunately it was lunch time by now, everything non food related stops. I made best by joining in with local custom and having lunch too. France, don't you just love it! Gave me time to reflect on the positives ie not crashing and having a nice meal rather than the inconvenience of the stoppage.
Anyway is this puncture stuff still moisture sensitive?

nickguzzi said:

Anyway is this puncture stuff still moisture sensitive?

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I can't see how moisture could affect it to any extent, as the 'permanent' type puncture sealants are usually water-based.

http://blog.oko.com/water-based-tyre-se ... -aerosols/

I've rescued, sort of, a meteric bagger biker with a rear flat with an inflate-a- flat can, it got his big rear tire about half full and began to oze out spoked rim but it got him 5 more miles to a station to phone to get picked up. I've seen the green slim congeal in car and mower tires after a time. Don't know what speeded it with an air up but its definitely a factor to watch out for and maybe reason many slime makers say best not to use over 45 mph. Shaved tires are well established speed enhancer but nothing feels as nice as new tires after a few 100 miles.

Excuse the double post, but wanted to share my positive experience with Bridgestone tubes for our K-81 / TT100 dunlops (and others).

Question though: what are the small dots on either side of the valve below - yellow and blue? Quality control? Directional?

Hi. Sorry I don't know the answer to your question but just point out this was a 2013 14 thread and I for one would not necessarily stick with what I said back then. Recently Michelin have been having problems. Tubes from Thailand seem better.

I've been running CounterAct bead balanced inner tubes on both my bikes for years now. Always seem to hold pressure
within a half pound or so even over four months winter lay ups. The balancing beads come already inside the tubes so no fussing with adding them. Never any out of balance issues


Only issue I have had, was a double deflation event while at highway speed on my modern Bonneville. It might have had something to do with the copp'er pulling that spike strip out across the road as I went past, but that's another story.

Valve stem lock nuts...

Years ago, when I was young, aspiring (and unsuccessful) pro road racer, there was a general view that discouraged using lock nuts on valve stems. The reasoning at the time was that the lock would not allowing the tube/valve stem to squirm a bit within the tire, causing the tube to tear at that point. It was considered "safer" to omit the locks because it the tube/tire was shifting you could easily see it because the valve stem would angle slightly out of the wheel. If you used the tube lock nut, the valve stem would remain straight but the tube could then shift/tear with no notice.

I don't know if it's really true or not...but that's the way I was "trained," so I have never used the lock nuts!

Yes the same here but lately have been running the nut down because...well...because maybe things have changed.
Talk about following the science!
So WHAT is the current science?

Onder said:

Yes the same here but lately have been running the nut down because...well...because maybe things have changed.
Talk about following the science!
So WHAT is the current science?

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Dunno about the science but my experience over about 50 years on road bikes is I always screwed the lock nut down to the rim and I never had one tear out. On the other hand some of my bikes were older Harleys that have the car-type rubber valve stem just sticking out a hole in the rim with no possible lock nut. None of them ever moved or slanted etc. So seems to me it works either way. Not very scientific though!

As far as tubes for old Nortons that sit in the shed a lot go, I use Michelin AirStop tubes. They don't go flat just sitting there. The Thai ones go flat in about a month sometimes. Right PITA.