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Hello cant get my rear tire to stay inflated its been sitting for a while and went flat some how the tire says on the side tubless on tube what does that mean and if it is tubless when i air it up with a compressor should i hear it pop?? it will go to 50psi but i am afraid to go any higher for it may burst in my face but it leaking air where the valve sits on the rim..any help would be great dont know if i should just get a tube installed or a new stem valve or if it needs more pressure to pop it in ..80 kz440..Thanks

Sounds like u need to get one of those valve wrench do0hickies to tighten up the inside of the air valve. Over time they do get loose and sometimes even shit the bed. Almost any autoparts store or Walmart sells valve replacements kits. Comes with new valves and wrench. Hope this helps. Heck it could also mean your whole valve is not seated good and just needs to be replaced.

I don't think KZ440 ever used a tubeless design rim. You need a new tube.

RonKZ650 wrote:

I don't think KZ440 ever used a tubeless design rim. You need a new tube.

I just checked the Kawasaki site, and that is correct (according to buykawasaki.com anyway), 80-83 KZ440 used tubes.
Air leaking past the valve stem does indeed mean you need a new tube

Hello there Its rivthis. This is what I know about tubeless for my 79 650SR If you buy a tubeless tire, you will still need the tube because Kawasaki Did not have a Rim for tubless until 1980 or so. The Bead on the rim will not set for a tubless on earlier models, it will still leak. So you will still need a tube for a tubless tire. I Experianced this at the Kawasaki shop earlier this spring upon putting on new rubber, tubeless that is. I hope this helps M Lee S in Idaho 1979 Z 650 SR.

Well, that's not quite the problem

A tubeless tire usually seals quite well on a tube type mag, the problem is that on the tube type mags there is no inner bead lock to hold the bead against the rim, so if the tire is low on air or you catch the edge of a pothole, it's entirely possible for the bead of the tire to lose it's seal and instantly deflate (AKA blowout).
Personally, I think having a front tire instantly go flat while cranking the bike over hard into a turn would ruin my whole day

If a rim is tubeless, then it will say so somewhere on the rim.

Here is a tube type rim.



Post edited by: steell, at: 2006/07/22 20:03

And this one is tubeless, you can see the lock bead on each side.

Thanks for the info mine is a mag style rim so i think it is tubless but i think i will just put a tube in it and a new tire it think this will work ok (printed on side of tire says tubless on tube)i have tured the locking nut on stem but it just keeps turning..called a shop they said they would change out my tire for $30 sounds like a good deal..is it ok to put a tube in a tubless tire?
Thanks
81 kz440

The top picture is of a 79 KZ650SR mag rim and it is clearly a tube type wheel

Generally speaking, most tubeless tires will work with tubes, to confirm that look on the side of the tire and/or on the manufacturers web site.