ok last fall I put a new rear tires on my klx250sf I tried to do it myself but just didn't have the right tools so I took it to a kawi dealer and they put the new rear tire on, will I have put 2000 miles on since then, and well this morning I walk out the the garage and the tire is flat. So I pump it up to find the leak and it seems to be between the tire and the rim. So what happened no nails no cuts no screws, it is a tubeless tires, I'm trying to find a shop to check it out but the closest one says they don't fix flats due to insurance reasons and want to sell me a new tire the other shops in the area are shut down for the 4th.....grrrrrr I hate driving the car when it's 100 degrees out side.

any thoughts on what caused this and how to fix it? maybe a shop can throw a tube in it?

 

Excuse my ignorance about the SF model, but is it a tubeless setup? I thought it was a standard spoked wheel and tube tire setup. I'm running tubeless on my 250S, but it's an aftermarket Neutech setup. I was curious about how you identified the location of a possible leak at the rim bead, and did you check for a leak on the tread portion of the tire? I'm sure you know that just because you don't see a nail or object in the tire tread, something could have punctured the carcass and then came out. I'm not understanding the response of that shop that said they don't fix flats when they don't appear to know why the tire is leaking. Yes, most shops are gunshy these days to plug/patch true tubeless tires, but usually they'll look to make sure what they're dealing with before giving you the bad news. If yours is indeed leaking at the bead, that's pretty unusual. For a tubeless setup that usually indicates a dinged rim. If you have a tubed tire setup, the escaping air usually comes through the hole in the carcass where the puncture occurred and/or through the spoke nipple holes.

Yes, you can install a tube in a tubeless tire/wheel setup. I don't think the speeds attained by the SF will be anywhere near those that can cause heat buildup in some applications where they say a tube in a tubeless tire/wheel can cause trouble. I'm sure you know that it's probably best to be equipped with some big, quality, tire irons and a spare tube at home if you own a motorcycle.

 

Put some Kenda Heavy Duty tubes in and be done with it.

 

Actually, I hate riding the BIKE when it's above 85 degrees. I'll ride down into the teens with SNOW, but that hot stuff sucks. I don't like it; the bike(s) don't like it. 'Course, the no-helmet Harley-riding truckers I work with, think I'm the dum-dum. That's fine.

 

LOL!...yeah, I was going to comment on that too. I don't like riding in 100 degree weather by any means. My 400 hp Dodge Ram pickup is more fun to commute in and has a very nice AC and satellite radio...and an IPOD hookup...and a very comfortable bucket seat...and a cup holder for my iced tea...and...well, you get the idea.

 

SF has tubes. sounds like a puncture.

 

ok the tubless came from in the fall when I had a shop mount the rear tire there was no charge for a tube I asked the guy and he said there wasn't one??????

I inflate the tire and a ton of air blows out between the tire and rim and soapy water shows no other leaks????

As for the 100 degrees i ride a 1999 lifted jeep cherokee with no AC and the heater works half assed so hot and cold days suck in the jeep I'd rather be on the bike....lol that is why I have put 14,000 miles on it in 3 years.

Thanks for the help guys, looks like it will be Saturday before a shop can take a look at it, I'm hoping it is a new tube and done.

 

weekley, I'm guessing the air blowing out from between the rim and tire bead may be from where the tire bead has unseated from the rim, so the punctured tube is releasing its air through the path of least resistance. The spot where bead and rim separated may be where the tire was sitting flat on the ground or floor. I'm betting you have a puncture somewhere in the tire tread surface, but since the object is no longer in there, the air still takes the path of least resistance. The tire tread surface kind of closes back up and the escaping air comes out the valve stem hole, a rim lock hole, spoke nipple holes, or in your case a spot where the rim and bead have unseated. This setup will not usually act like a tubeless tire as far as running down where the puncture occurred. If you were to pull the tube out and carefully keep it oriented to where the tube's puncture is, then you could probably tell where the object came through the tire.

Regardless, it sounds like you need a new tube or at least patch the old one...which most shops won't do anymore either. Save the old tube and patch it at home with a simple flat repair kit that has vulcanizing materials you can buy at Walmart or most auto parts stores. Then you have a good spare in the future.

 

i used tubes in on both my tubeless tires...no problems...put a tube in it...

 

spokes should = tubes.