Rim lock (security bolt)

I bought my first big bike in 1975, a Kawasaki z1B 900. It has a rim lock and I dumped it on my second tire change and never had a problem.

I would like to encourage disregarding original tire pressure recommendations. I rarely run a front tire at less than 28 psi and and a rear tire at less than 32psi. At these pressures I have never had a rim slip at these pressures and only use rim locks on dirt bikes. I use a thin sheet of plastic, e.g. a piece of gallon milk jug taped under the rim to keep the inner tube from distorting at the former rim lock hole. I use duct tape as a rim band, it may seal in moisture but my bikes live in climate control so I don't worry about that. I would not use electrical tape as the adhesive gets all nasty with time.

On my current restoration of a bike that originally had a rim lock, I am using a bolt to simulate a rim lock on the outside. Unless you are sending the bike down the 1/4 mile with 10psi in the tire, you don't need it.
 
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