Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Gusable on June 12, 2026, 06:37:28 PM
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85 cal2. Dude has a tube in the rear. The schmuttz on rim maybe caused a slow leak or are these wheels porous? I’d rather clean them up and run no tubes. Your thoughts?
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And it’s looking like the 8.3mm metal valve stems are impossible to find locally. Looks like special order.
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I made those wheels tubeless on my Cal II, never found them to be porous, in my case.
Rick
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My 86 Cal 2 has had tubes since new, don't need to try anything new. I don't mind tubes..
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If they are marked MT somewhere on the wheel they are tubeless. Those don't appear to have the tubeless profile which includes a small hump near the edge of the bead seating area. That being said, Guzzisti have been running that wheel tubeless for decades. There are many threaded tubeless valves that will fit and the hole can be drilled if need be. If you are wanting to run those wheels tubeless I would suggest cleaning all of the corrosion off the seating area and coating with a sealing paint or automotive clearcoat.
Brian
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Wow great info thanks so much!! I’ve got it cleaned up and spot faced the top of the hole. Waiting on bearings. I figured it was cast it should be tubeless but your right it doesn’t have the inner hump! Dammit. Tubes it is. Thanks so much
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Inner hump is an interesting thing. My Lester wheels I added to my T3 are sold as tubeless rims by the manufacturer. Polished them up and they held air fine. No inner hump. Hump is better, but not necessary.
Everyone is running tubeless tires now (either with or without tubes) because that's what the manufacturers are producing. Very few casings marked TUBE only
So you get a flat on your tubeless tire (with a tube installed) and it will come off the rim exactly the same as if you were running that same tire without a tube. So nothing gained by adding a tube to the system.
Except that often a tube tire flat is a catastrophic failure where a puncture causes the tube to tear and dump the air quickly leaving you with that tire unsupported on that beadless rim.
Conversely a tubeless puncture is often not detected until you find the nail or screw during a wheel inspection. Bike rides on, oblivious to the object in the thread. If it is a nail in a board that comes in, then out, the leak through the small hole gives you sufficient time to slow down and pull over for a roadside repair.
So you make your choice. Tubed or tubeless are both going to come off that rim the same if you loose air pressure. The installation with the tube will probably come off sooner and less warning.
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The wheels themselves are very likely not porous. But, cleaning off the tire rim surface is a big help.
Pro Tip 1: Use a small amount of 3M industrial grade sealant on the rubber washers when you replace the tire valve assembly. Do not reply just on getting the tire valve nuts and washers 'tight'. The sealant has worked perfectly on my bikes for many years.
Pro Tip 2: FOBO, TPMS has a T valve assembly available on their website. I use the FOBO 2 TPMS on my bikes and find it perfect. With their phone app I can check the tire psi before I even get ready to ride. As you ride, you can also monitor each tires psi and temperature. Plus you program in a +/- psi which will sound an alarm. I typically replace the small 1632 battery in each FOBO 2 sensor annually. There's no need to ride the bike to 'wake them up' either like some other systems. On my Victory I use three FOBO 2 sensors, both wheels plus the rear air/oil shock. Their T-Valve allows you to add air without removing the TPMS sensor.
Here's a link: https://my-fobo.com/product-family/FOBO_Bike_2
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Thank you for all the replies. I am glanced at converting these wheels to tubeless for a few minutes before I went to bed that was about an hour.! I’m definitely going tubeless. I’m gonna go try to find some valvestems today that look like Curtis‘s valvestems. I don’t wanna wait 4-5 days. This bike is ready to hit the road! Thanks!
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NAPA 90-246 should work and if not in stock they usually can get it the same day. Dennis Kirk has some too but then there's freight.
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NAPA 90-246 should work and if not in stock they usually can get it the same day. Dennis Kirk has some too but then there's freight.
Went to Napa. They had them. The stem is the large 10mm. I don’t want to drill out the hole. But thank you!
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FWIW, both Yamaha and Suzuki took their old cast tube type wheels and changed the casting to read tubeless, no other changes. The bead profile is still tube type style, no safety lip, either. Today, I removed the tire off a 3.00x16in Virago rear rim from a model sold in 1983-85, and that too have the old style tube type bead and no hump/lip to secure the tire on the bead.
Personally, I run them tubeless - even those wheels stamped tube type - because, while still not as safe as a "proper" tubeless rim, I still consider it noticeably safer than running tubes, like n3303j already posted. I even run a tube type tire without a tube on my V9, and it does not leak at all.
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I got some bikemaster stems that look like they’ll seal good. They have that “Curtis” 2 step seal. 6 bucks each. P/n 151402 it’s the bottom stem
Shown iirc
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They say 11.6mm but that’s the widest part. It’s 8mm the whole way on the shaft
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Yup, tubeless is the way to go, safety bead or not. Cleaning the black gunk off the rim needs to be done at each tire change - one of the reasons to do your own tires. They never take the time at the shop.
Napa used to sell the smaller valve stems, but not any more. At least not here. When I couldn't find any locally, I just made some from old inner tubes.
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Napa used to sell the smaller valve stems, but not any more. At least not here. When I couldn't find any locally, I just made some from old inner tubes.
“I just made some from old inner tubes”. That’s classic Guzzi mindset and content right there folks.
Thanks
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So in running the bikemaster valves, I put some silicone on the seal and inside the rim hole and a dab of blue loctite on locknut. 40psi. Zero leaks. The Rabaconda tire machine is worth all the money btw.. amazing. Standard length new progressive shocks on. Happy as a clam over here. Now need to do the front. Can I raise the front by the oil pan with my new jack here? Thick rubber pad on it. Should be ok yes? Thanks again!
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