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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: DaGootz on October 14, 2025, 07:19:49 AM

Title: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: DaGootz on October 14, 2025, 07:19:49 AM
I was wondering if a tubeless conversion with these rims is feasible. I've been checking into it a bit so I have a little knowledge before posting this. I would really like to go tubeless, unless there's a better way to fix a tube 300 miles from home on the road.....that's what I'm trying to avoid. Thanks as always for any advise.
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: Aldo on October 14, 2025, 07:52:31 AM
Tons of info on this already posted throughout the forum, highly recommend just doing a search on this forum for tubeless Borrani.

Also, check out Greg Bender's site:

https://www.thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_loopframe_tires_-_tubeless_conversion.html (https://www.thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_loopframe_tires_-_tubeless_conversion.html)
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: guzzisteve on October 14, 2025, 08:01:08 AM
There are fixes for spoke rims, do a search & learn. It involves tape & goo. Many are doing it these days. I carry tire irons on  a trip, old school I guess but not afraid of doing some work on a trip.
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: Dirk_S on October 14, 2025, 09:01:42 AM
When I want to convert my BMW to “tubless”, I simply disconnect the 4 mounting points at the frame, and off comes the sidecar (“tub”). I bet it’s similar for a Guzzi rig ;)


(https://i.ibb.co/CKJ1XmHz/IMG-5999.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CKJ1XmHz)


Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: DaGootz on October 16, 2025, 05:00:19 AM
Tons of info on this already posted throughout the forum, highly recommend just doing a search on this forum for tubeless Borrani.

Thanks, and I normally do searches first on forums but I can't find the "SEARCH" tab on this forum. Can you direct me to it please. I do hope there is one because going through every post over the many years will be too time consuming. Thanks 
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: MikeP996 on October 16, 2025, 05:15:01 AM
Seems like more trouble than it's worth and I wouldn't trust it regardless since the spoked wheel rim is probably not designed to seal the tire bead like a rim made for tubeless tires.  Four of the five bikes I currently own/ride  have spokes/inner tubes.  I haven't had a flat tire in at least 20 years and it's never happened on any of the current bikes, including my Norton Commando that I've owned since 2006. 
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: Moparnut72 on October 16, 2025, 07:07:47 AM
I will add my two cents. I have had two flats in I don't know how many hundreds of thousands of miles. My last non-flat was on my 1400 was that I picked up a screw in my rear tire. The shop who changed my $300 tire with less than a thousand miles said I should replace it, which is pretty much industry advice. If it had been a tubed tire I could have had a new tube installed and continued on.
kk
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: Aldo on October 16, 2025, 07:55:39 AM
Thanks, and I normally do searches first on forums but I can't find the "SEARCH" tab on this forum. Can you direct me to it please. I do hope there is one because going through every post over the many years will be too time consuming. Thanks

Very top right corner of the page, there is a small box and a button for search. 

Here are some instructions that will help under the FAQs.

https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=88884.0 (https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=88884.0)
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: n3303j on October 16, 2025, 08:03:42 AM
A million years and no flats. Wow.
Finally the odds caught up with me.
Two flats in one year.
Both nail punctures where the nail entered and exited in a few revolutions.

TUBE:
15 MPH on the tube tire and I was on the rim and tire semi-mounted before I could get to the verge. Wobble city on the way. Tube split at puncture and dumped the air through every spoke hole. (T3 Boranni)

TUBELESS:
75 MPH and I had to cross 2 lanes of traffic to get to the verge. Bike developed a wiggle (the clue) and provided plenty of confident support right to the curb. Leaks a lot slower through a single nail hole. (V11EV)

Plugged it in place and rode home. Give me the security of a slow leak anytime.
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: wirespokes on October 16, 2025, 10:08:55 AM
Don't let the nay sayers stop you. There's no question running tubeless isn't safer than tubes. For those who say the spoked rims weren't designed for tubeless (no safety bead) how will that make any difference when the air's all gone in your non-safety bead wheel? True, the safety bead is nice, but if it's not there, it's not there. So discount that as a negative. The only way around that is to get a wheel or rim that does have the safety bead.

So you've got an older wheel without safety beads, the argument is that the tire can collapse and come off the bead without the tube retaining it. Consider this: most times when a tube is punctured the air exits quickly. No tube to retain the tire. However, if it's run tubeless, a normal puncture isn't even noticed till the next day when the tire looks a little low, or you see the nail or screw head. And then it's easily fixed with a plug.

I ride in all kinds of weather and have patched a few tubes on trips. If you know what you're doing, it can be an hour or so job. But what worries me is if it's dark or raining or miserable weather.

For me it's a safety consideration and tubeless is the ticket!

As for converting a tube wheel to tubeless and having them leak, it all has to do with prep and following the procedure for a successful product. Too many have done it and ridden for years and thousands of worry-free miles to say it's a bad way to go.
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: bigbikerrick on October 16, 2025, 02:31:38 PM
I have converted the Borranis on my 73 eldo , and 76 Convert . Also the steel chromed wheels on my 2003 aluminum.  With many miles,and over 15 years of use, I am very happy with the results.  Tubes suck IMHO !
Rick.
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: DaGootz on October 17, 2025, 08:37:26 AM
I have converted the Borranis on my 73 eldo , and 76 Convert . Also the steel chromed wheels on my 2003 aluminum.  With many miles,and over 15 years of use, I am very happy with the results.  Tubes suck IMHO !
Rick.
:thumb: I'm with Ya!
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: DaGootz on October 17, 2025, 08:40:21 AM
Don't let the nay sayers stop you. There's no question running tubeless isn't safer than tubes. For those who say the spoked rims weren't designed for tubeless (no safety bead) how will that make any difference when the air's all gone in your non-safety bead wheel? True, the safety bead is nice, but if it's not there, it's not there. So discount that as a negative. The only way around that is to get a wheel or rim that does have the safety bead.

So you've got an older wheel without safety beads, the argument is that the tire can collapse and come off the bead without the tube retaining it. Consider this: most times when a tube is punctured the air exits quickly. No tube to retain the tire. However, if it's run tubeless, a normal puncture isn't even noticed till the next day when the tire looks a little low, or you see the nail or screw head. And then it's easily fixed with a plug.

I ride in all kinds of weather and have patched a few tubes on trips. If you know what you're doing, it can be an hour or so job. But what worries me is if it's dark or raining or miserable weather.

For me it's a safety consideration and tubeless is the ticket!

As for converting a tube wheel to tubeless and having them leak, it all has to do with prep and following the procedure for a successful product. Too many have done it and ridden for years and thousands of worry-free miles to say it's a bad way to go.
Totally Agree....Thanks for the encouragement. :thumb:
Title: Re: Tubless conversion for my '74 Eldo Police
Post by: DaGootz on October 17, 2025, 08:44:13 AM
Very top right corner of the page, there is a small box and a button for search. 

Here are some instructions that will help under the FAQs.

https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=88884.0 (https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=88884.0)
Got It!! I had to hit the down arrow tab (top right) to reveal more of the page header. Thanks, much appreciated.