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PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:42 am 

Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:25 am
Posts: 3137
When the first KZ1300's arrived, almost all of them came out of the crate with flat front tires, which were some of the first tubeless tires on production bikes. We figured out right off, by submerging the wheels in vats of water, after numerous attempts to fix the leaking valve stems, that it was the tires NOT sealing against the beads.

From then on, and on all my tubeless street tires even today, including my own KZ1300, all the beads are silicone sealed to the wheel beads, no matter the tire used.

Also, we had leakage issues on the first Morris Mags, the magnesium racing ones, not the street aluminum wheels. The magnesium was so porous, the tires could go flat in less than a full test session. Eliot Morris came up with a good fix, a special green colored epoxy that was applied to the rim area, sealing the porosity. We also had a few RG500 racer and Yamaha TZ race only engine castings that had porosity issues. I lived in Merced back then,,and found a company on the Bayshore Freeway in San Leandro that used to impregnate resins into the porosities of aftermarket Jet Ski intake manifolds by heating, then vacuum filling those voids. Never had leaks after that, and I did have a few cast wheels done as well. funny about that place, the company had an advertising sign that faced the freeway, and many were perplexed when they read it, not having any idea as to why, let alone what "STOP CASTING POROSITY" really meant. 'Casting Aspersions', yes, 'Casting POROSITY', WHAT, HUH, ER, DUHHHHH???


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 3:40 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 5:34 pm
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Location: Front Royal, VA
I will pull the wheel again and investigate further, but will likely go with a tube...

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Tim Steele in Front Royal, VA
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 4:07 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:34 pm
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Location: North Central NC
I've had them seep air at the bead more than once, Tim. It was just from a little oxidation of the aluminum. I used some 400 wet sandpaper and cleaned up the bead area, and then used a very thin coat of bead sealer, and it was fine. You can get bead sealer from places like Amazon. In theory, you shouldn't ever have to use sealer, but I hate slow leaks more than I love that theory. :lol: Tire shops often have a can of bead sealer on hand for cases like this.

You should be able to see where the leak is with soapy water so at least you know what's going on before you go back to the dealer.

Putting a tube in is going to add a couple pounds of unsprung weight to that nice, light RZ front end.

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:28 pm 
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Location: Front Royal, VA
I will investigate further...but I am already tired of pulling the wheel on and off... :banghead
12 hour shifts today and tomorrow. I will pull the wheel and check it in a pan of water Saturday...

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I Love the Smell of Blue Marble in the Morning!!!
Tim Steele in Front Royal, VA
Home of the Phoenix Project
Stay in it when it comes on the pipe, no need to be scared...


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 11:31 pm 

Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:25 am
Posts: 3137
Usually, tire companies frown on using tubes in tubeless tires, supposedly because tire temperature goes up with a tube. I haven't gone much into investigating this, but, tires used to have "Tubeless, on tube type rims, fit a tube" cast right into the side of the tire casing. Go figure.


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 5:47 am 
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Location: Front Royal, VA
Local Yamaha Dealer Valley Cycle fixed it for free with a tube. No more leaks!

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I Love the Smell of Blue Marble in the Morning!!!
Tim Steele in Front Royal, VA
Home of the Phoenix Project
Stay in it when it comes on the pipe, no need to be scared...


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 7:19 am 

Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:25 am
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Absolute beauty, nice to see you got it working.


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