Great vlog VB!, i carry 2 tubes and levers and pump in a pannier and will fix it myself, i do run slime in my tubes and not sure if it stops flats but so far ok, i also have a tubed car- my Willys Jeep 😁👍
Nice ramble ! I remember being about 10 years old looking for a piece of chalk and picked up a white dog turd much to my friends amusement. Not my most pleasant memory trying to draw lines with poodle crap. I've been riding since 1974 and have only had 3 punctures on bikes in all that time. The only time I changed a tube at the side of the road was back in 1989. I do most of my own work but I now leave tyres to the experts and haven't actually changed a tyre myself for about 25 years, mainly because the bikes I've owned have had alloy rims or cast wheels and I don't like the idea of butchering them.
I've owned two bikes with tube tires and two bikes with tubeless tires. The only one that I ever had a puncture (front tire) with was my 1981 Honda CM400T with tubeless tires. Put in a plug and lasted for years even after I sold it. My current bike is a W800 with tube tires and spoke wheels. A flat tire is a pain in the a** no matter what type of tire it is. My W looks a lot like a 1969 Bonneville. Just wouldn't look right with cast aluminum wheels.
Beyond personal preference, the young people can't be bothered not only with tubed tires but all sort or tinkering. They often say .. I am a rider, not e mechanic. All 'new' stuff like injection or tubeless tires does not need to be tinker with until it goes wrong and then it's impossible to repair it on the road. The same thing can be said about valves with shims. It's a generational thing.
Have you seen the workshop manual of old British bikes? The short service intervals and amount of work frequently required to keep them running. People don't want to turn the clock back and go back to that. We don't know how lucky we are to have todays modern bike to choose from.😊
I have plenty of older bikes and they keep me busy. That's why I have some new bikes as well so it takes the pressure off the older ones and I always have something to ride
My experience is different to yours, tubes gave me issues in the 80's at very bad times. Both times on holiday. On the side of the M25 in roadworks, rear tyre went down quick. Missed my ferry, they then went on strike and holiday cancelled. Other time I was on my way to Greece coming down the swiss alps and the front tyre punctured on a hairpin. Didn't like the way it went down very quickly. Had a puncture in the 90's on a tubeless, didn't go down fast, patched it in the pouring rain and was on my way in no time. Have avoided tubes ever since. I agree with you about looks but sometimes for me practicality beats looks. When I bought my meteor I liked the classic but the alloys weren't available in the UK then (early 2022) so I choose the meteor. I do like the classic dark with black alloys though. Good to hear it from your point of view though.
Downside to the later classic 500 is the different size wheels, when touring Spain carried two tubes. Have changed a tube near the M11,its a pain, though better than waiting for recovery. Would not buy a bike now without tube less tyres, if buying a 350 classic i'd chose the model with alloys.
@@deltabluesdavidraye It has crossed my mind on many occasions to just carry one tube, but now I have a dedicated side box made to measure to carry tools for wheel removal and tyre levers plus two tubes I'll carry on carrying two tubes. Good point though for those who only want to carry one tube.
Excellent video, and a real breath of fresh air. Great to see the Classic 500 front and centre. UA-cam's gone 350 Reborn mad 🤪 and the 500 has been almost forgotten. Thanks Dave!
Great video VB,love the 500,an update on Avon Tyres, I live two miles from the Avon factory, and after all these years, it has now sadly closed, and (I think)will soon be demolished,apparently Nova Motorsports has bought Avon Motorcycle tyres (not the car division) ,and will restart production shortly, but no details as yet about manufacturing location.
Yes ,Cooper did buy Avon several years ,but now apparently they've been bought out by Good Year,who don't seem to be Avon fans at all!!,there still is Avon just a few miles up the road who make Gas masks (respirators) for the military, the tyre division and the gas mask division were separated, several years ago, I think when Cooper just bought out the tyre part of the company.
Tubed tyre with a puncture? I always have a can of Holts tyre repair in my tool bag, and a small bicycle pump. Haven't had to use it yet, but if that day comes I hope it will work, with some slow riding as it slowly deflates. Bicycle pumps these days are really good. I change my own tubes and tyres at home, but replacing a tube by the roadside isn't something I'd prefer to do because the tyres I'm running are TT/TL, and are stiffer than the TT-only road tyres that used to be available.
Well I had a rear tyre with a tube that went flat just after overtaking a double decker bus, I had the sense not to touch the brake and came to a stop after wobbling what seemed like a hundred yards. The bus driver asked if I was ok then carried on his way, that was in 1970 so as you can see it stuck in my mind 😂 I have to confess I have a Halcyon Green Classic 350 that about 2 months ago I fitted alloy wheels and Bridgestone tubeless tyres and love them. At a bike meet met up with a mate on his Classic 500 and said have a look at what I have just done to my bike, what’s that then he said ? Well what about the wheels said I, what about them ? says he, my word they are ok then they are alloys said I. Good lord they look ok don’t they so guess on the darker bikes they seem to blend into the bike compared to the lighter colour bikes. I have to say I don’t mind oil changes etc but will never mess with tyres just leave that to the garage. Keep up the great videos 😊
Great to talk at Stonham but I can’t remember what we talked about🤔was it bikes? 😂😂😂 I’ve ordered the service kit from Hitchcock so will give you a ring when it arrives 😁
I don't know why people have a problem with tubed tyres, it doesn't bother me. Both my bikes have spoked wheels and tubed tyres. I love how your cat likes to appear in your videos, she's gorgeous.
Modern motorcyclists seem very anti tubes, to a lesser extent anti carbs and (maybe this is just the press/UA-camrs) anti forks that are not upside down. In my younger days we took spare tubes when we went on tour. I still have a tubed bike but I don’t have a centre stand, I guess I’ve been lucky as I’ve never had a puncture on a bike but if I had one I’d be up the swanny. I’ve had punctures in cars, nearly always due to pieces of metal picked up from where I work, I ride my bike there too but have been lucky so far 🇬🇧
G’day VB, depends on circumstances, very rare event these days, luckily, not had a puncture for many years, last flat tyre was a blowout on the rear (RE 500 Bullet) nearly a decade ago (valve separation from tube) at 80klm/hr.. bike flatbed home by NRMA roadside assist, I do tour long trips 3-5 days & carry 2 spare tubes, tyre levers …the problem is high clearance needed to allow rear wheel removal from rear mudguard, once off just put the spare tube in.. 12v mini air compressor.. old days foot pump) 2 RE’s on tubes & 2002 Yamaha on tubeless carrying plug kit if needed.. all 3 bikes are covered by NRMA Roadside Assist in NSW Oz… cheers Phil 🇦🇺
Another interesting mumble. I can't say I am bothered either way. I have ridden tubed and tubeless and had punctures with both. The world has changed, but here in Indonesia you can normally find someone to fix a puncture within pushing distance, especially in a built up area. They fix tubed without taking the wheel out, just de mounting enough of one side of the tyre to pull the offending section of tube out so they can patch it. They vulcanise the patch with heat and a mechanical press. A lot of people chose to fix a tubeless tyre flat by fitting a tube. Price is everything. . . . . I look forward to the next video. Thank you. 👍
Good man VB looking after your local business. Different bikes all have their plusses and minuses, keep em standard and enjoy each one for what they are.
I learned the error of patching a tube many years ago, when one let go on the front. Bike was loaded up with camping gear because was going on hols. Down we went. No more patching since then.
I’ve got a Victory Hammer with a huge fat 250mm rear tyre. Looks the nuts. Last year, on the hottest day of that year 40.3 °C I was riding in what I call my Summer riding gear, shorts and Tee through Ipswich up near Asda… OMG beautiful day and bike sounding good, grin on my face when suddenly BANG! 🤢 Shockingly loud noise (gunshotesque) above what is not a quiet bike and immediate poor handling, bike not wanting to go where I wanted it to go at all, fighting me and me fighting it. I prayed to the bejeezus baby briefly whilst bringing it to a stop. Didn’t take much of an inspection for me to find out what had happened as the big back tyre was pancake flat. Blown with a puncture. Being a big heavy bike tubes wouldn’t have helped much, once you’re over a certain weight and size of bike fixing a puncture is really not such a sensible option. So, I had to wait for a recovery vehicle. The recovery vehicle had to take me home first because it was on a Friday night, nothing would be open to take me for repair, on top of that, it’s an unusual tyre type so no one’s going to be stocking that! Had to wait a few days before the tyre could be delivered to the repair shop… big shout out to Autofit - Team Protyre 👍, Ipswich. They got my new tyre delivered within a few days then I had to transport the bike again to them for the repair which they carried out swiftly. My tyre cost me nearly £400 the price you pay for showing off with a big fat tyre. What’s interesting to me is that you’ve helped me understand what had happened because when I asked to see my old tyre they’d taken off the bike I was hoping to find a big puncture hole in it somewhere but there was absolutely NOTHING wrong with it… the tyre although old, still had proper tread on it… a near perfect tyre! So, I’d bought a new tyre for what??? I left the shop feeling bemused but thinking probably best I have a new tyre if the old one’s going to do that. Watching your video here tonight has explained so very well the “popping off” of beaded tubeless tyres. I might have got away with just getting it to a pump and pumping it back up again as it had popped but seemingly sat back in it’s rim again minus air. Upon reflection, I think it was something to do with it being the hottest day of the year. But could ambient temperature really effect your tyres beyond their operating temperature?? I suppose only if there’s already a fault lurking in them somewhere waiting to surprise you. An unnerving experience. Who here has popped off?
@roadtestpilot My VT1300 did exactly the same on the rear and left me stranded out near Beccles. I too had to get recovered by the AA. My new tyre, an Avon Cobra cost £200 which I thought was plenty! But there you go, I'm a 2 bob man in a 5 bob world!!
another great one , love the cat too , think last tube i did was on my old 750 triumph back in the 80s , trouble now days bikes dont have centre stands so having a wheel out isnt so straight forward , last spoke wheel bike i had was the 82 Ironhead sporty , also seems a lot of modern tyres you need a machine to get them off cast wheels .
@jobucklandbuckland8031 The Cat told me to say hello! I can change tyres on the bikes with alloy wheels, but it is a bit more tricky as you have to use rim protectors and be very careful not to damage the rim.
Posted a comment in the wrong place LOL It read last time I hat a puncture i took the wheel off with tools from my tool roll and took the tire off with old spoons from my mums cutlery drawer and patched the tube with my bike patch tin - this was in 1960 on my 55 BSA BANTAM nowadays I have a new gadget called a cell fone that I use Just saying don’t want to deal with a flat anymore just want to ride my latest bike which is an Interceptor Had so many other bikes big and small that I forgot most of em Ride safe and thanks for the vlog Regards from Florida
First bike I had with tubeless tyres was a GSXR1100 in 1987. I got a nail in the back tyre and it just plugged the hole and never deflated, got me home. Best invention ever for bikes! Also had a few punctures and used plugs, 5 minutes and you're on your way, the tyres never lost any air. Then I get them repaired or replaced. On todays modern bikes you're not going to want to carry the tools to remove either wheel, tube, tyre levers and pump. And on those with large rear tyres not so easy to get it off with tyre levers and also no centre stand. So I ride a Speed Twin 1200 with lovely alloy wheels. And thank goodness nearly all cars on the road have tubeless tyres and have done away with the starting handle.😂
Interesting point you make about tubeless against tube. As well as my lovely 500cc Classic Trials I have a spoked 850 Guzzi Classic Special, and out on rides I’ve had people come over and say they want a Guzzi or bought a Guzzi and loved the style of the Classic, BUT they wouldn’t buy one, sadly, as it had tubed tyres. They’d never have any bike with tubed tyres! There loss in my opinion! 🤣
Funny enough I hadn’t ridden the Enfield trials for maybe 3 weeks and I decided I would yesterday. Was a little awkward to drag out of the garage and I immediately thought the tyre had gone down. Which it turned out it had and it turned out was only showing 3psi! 😱 Is it me? But I’m sure in the old days tubes never did that and never needed pumping up regularly. All my bikes have tubed tyres but I have to check the pressures before every ride. I know you should anyway but it amazes me how often I need to add air these days! I use Michelin Motocross tubes as they are supposed to be thicker etc. I wonder if it’s all part of a Gov’ plan to keep us off the roads! 🤔🤣
I have owned, I think just with two tubeless tyres. The Triumph Street twin and a Moto Guzzi Breva 1100. And I bought a tubeless repair kit to carry. The Moto Guzzi I bought new and on my second ever ride I got a Blumin’ puncture! 😡😡 But thought, aren’t I good I’m prepared with a repair kit! 😇 It was night. My eyes weren’t quite as bad in those days but I didn’t have those readers I carry now. Got the instructions out BUT COULDN’T READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! They were too small! 😡🙄🤣
I picked up a thin nail in my interceptor rear tyre last year and rode home without knowing about it. The next morning, the rear tyre squealed when wheeling the bike about and I discovered the puncture. Taking the rear wheel off was no problem and there are inexpensive tyre repair shops in every small town in Thailand, so I soon had a new tube in the tyre and the tyre back on the wheel. It then took me about two hours to get the rear wheel back on the bike as it was quite fiddly, with spacers and it was the first time that I had re-installed the rear wheel I am going to order Sikaflex 291 at some point and use it to seal the inside of the wheel where the spokes are attached. Then I will be able to go tubeless, which i think is the easiest solution.
I sold my 350classic because I prefer my 500. For the reasons you state plus sound and long legged feel. I replaced the factory supplied ceat semi knobbly s with road riders. Massive improvement. Coats were OK but I Don t do offroad and I put grip above looks. 😂
When I got a puncture on the Interceptor, just called the breakdown & got taken home. Yes it did take time, but I don’t want to be messing about at the side of the road, plus I didn’t have a spare tube or levers with me. Sad but true.
For serious long distance touring, tubed tyres every time. For commuting or a day or two out with mates, plugging a tubeless is a lot more convenient. I suppose it depends how often you change a tube as to how quick the job is. On the subject of tyres - and at the risk of returning to the 350 Classic - there are mixed opinions on REs use of Ceat boots. Some say no problem, others change at the first opportunity. My two penn'orth is they are extremely sensitive to tyre pressure, especially the rear. Round our way there are lots of snow plough marks, don't know if that's what they really are or just a rough planer the council uses. Either way, numerous fine ridges that don't always follow the line of the road. At recommended pressure or slightly higher the rear end skips all over the place, quite alarmingly at times. Dropping the pressure just a couple of pounds and it becomes a different bike. Usual caveats about rider weight and load carried, but I regard the handbook 32psi as a maximum for confident handling. Just a thought.
@borderlands6606 The Ceat tyres on my 650 Inter are atrocious with very poor grip even on perfect dry roads, yet the Ceat's that are on the classic 350's are excellent! Must be very different compounds.
@@Volcanicbrown1878 Strange that they should be so different. To check the pressure issue wasn't just my imagination, I had a quick look on the web this morning and found someone else saying exactly the same thing, Ceat don't tolerate any over-inflation or they track every road imperfection. Might be worth dropping your 650 pressures a couple of pounds below spec and see if the handling is as bad.
@@Volcanicbrown1878 It 'comes out' harsher than expected. Enjoy the channel, subscribed, hit like... not a lot of energy (certainly not enough to argue, brother!) thank you sharing your stable. (love the red 535!)
Great mumble 👍 I’ve had 3 punctures in a month 😭 your observations about the modern lack of center stands making it difficult to change tyres on the roadside contribute to the phenomenon, however the greatest job to preclude this operation must be the necessity for a compressor to re sit the beading of a tubeless. 👍👌👏
Yeah totally agree carry spare tube and tools to remove wheels no problem, And I too have had a plug let go on tubeless tyre not bloody funny I can tell you ,like the 500 classic ,quite fancy one myself 👍
Would be interested to know which is your favourite Royal Enfield out of your collection the early 90's 350 /500 pushrod the last 500 EFI push rod type or the New Classic 350's? Thanks, R
A correction: The lycra cyclists don’t need a penny farthing to look stupid. Last time I changed a tube on the roadside was in about 1981 and it was the rear wheel on a BSA A7SS sidecar outfit.
AA for me. I can do tube repair but a lot of bikes are difficult to get wheel in and out . Actually struggled getting my 500trials rear back in after a tyre change. Next time I will use a strap over rack to lift wheel and guide disc in caliper. May have just been one of those days struggling trying to push wheel with foot up into position with added bonus of a bad back 😂😂
Ah yes,changing a tyre-usually in the rain. Struggle,fight,oh bloody hell,I've nipped up the tube AGAIN! My personal record for that was something like three tries! 😊
Got a love a one man band or man in white van small business owner.I live near small country town & like to give my business to local communities & support them.
A plug is just to get you home at slow speed like that tyre inflate spray which takes about 1½ spray cans to inflate a tyre but is a just a shop gap measure to get you home or to garage doing 60-70kmh. Still See 👀 white dog 🐕 turds around in NZ 🇳🇿 & I've never seen a dog pooh bag hanging off rear window wiper off hatchback in NZ 🇳🇿 like you see in videos in UK.
Last tube i changed was on my BSA Bantam in 1960 no kit just 2 old spoons from the cutlery drawer and spanners from my tool roll blow it back up with my bike pump Had so many bike that I can’t count em but never even gave it a thought what type of tire was on em But now my tire kit is my cell phone and a bike hauler- I’m in no rush and it’s part of life Deal with it or have someone else deal with it Just my opinion Thanks for the vlog😊
Avons are good tyres and the Roadrider is excellent , fairly cheap in UK and very expensive in Canada . Where will they be made next ? Probably somewhere warm where people can be paid less but nowhere near the River Avon sadly. Tubeless tyres are preferable , but tubed tyres are no big deal . I've "enjoyed' fixing punctures in both for many years . Your RAC man should have put more than one plug in the hole , the only ones worth bothering with are the sticky rope type . I do carry a spare tube and equipment with me , I like to be self reliant and not be at the mercy of others and their agenda . I watched a video of a couple on Africa Twins that were stranded for days because they couldn't fix a puncture . Mending punctures is not rocket science , anybody can do it if they try . However since the demise of Industry in the western world , people don't like rolling their sleeves up and getting their hands dirty , although they'll twiddle the buttons on a game controller all day . It's a sad comment on today's society . But what do I know , I'm one of the few surviving dinosaurs that still roams the earth .
Tubeless wheels are safer in my opinion. Tube tires on my Tuk Tuk If you get a puncher in the front wheel it's not nice converted to tubeless now it's great ! So it's tubeless for me but we do have tubes in our classics and i carre spare tubes and leavers in my backpack. My best wishes to you from the Philippines ❤️💪👍😉😀😁🏁🏍️🛺🐑🇵🇭🏴
About 10 years since i've seen someone changing an inner tube. The old boy had no tyer levers so had to walk it on. You could do a video on breakdown service and motorbikes the RAC and AA seem to have no interest in motorbike.
It's your channel to say what you like. But, on this subject, I disagree with almost every word. Tubeless tyres are safer and there is a good chance that a roadside plug such as "Stop-and-Go" will get me home ok. I have used a that type of plug while away in Cornwall on a bank holiday weekend and I rode over 500 miles before I got back home to Essex. I think that "sticky worm" repair you had done was obviously faulty and not done correctly. However you are right, in that the kit I carry will only repair smallish holes from nails etc and anything larger will require a van to get me home or to a service shop if one is open. P.S. I have never bought a bike simply because of it's looks and I really do not understand how anyone can be so affected. I do believe you and others when you say "looks matter", but for me they never have. I am a function over form person and looks don't matter to me. Nor do colours. I do not have an emotional response to colour or shape. Yes I know that makes me the "odd one".
There’s nothing wrong with tube tyres, have been riding on them since 1968 till present day, no problem.👍
Great vlog VB!, i carry 2 tubes and levers and pump in a pannier and will fix it myself, i do run slime in my tubes and not sure if it stops flats but so far ok, i also have a tubed car- my Willys Jeep 😁👍
@Coastriderscotland Good stuff!
Nice ramble ! I remember being about 10 years old looking for a piece of chalk and picked up a white dog turd much to my friends amusement. Not my most pleasant memory trying to draw lines with poodle crap.
I've been riding since 1974 and have only had 3 punctures on bikes in all that time. The only time I changed a tube at the side of the road was back in 1989. I do most of my own work but I now leave tyres to the experts and haven't actually changed a tyre myself for about 25 years, mainly because the bikes I've owned have had alloy rims or cast wheels and I don't like the idea of butchering them.
I've owned two bikes with tube tires and two bikes with tubeless tires. The only one that I ever had a puncture (front tire) with was my 1981 Honda CM400T with tubeless tires. Put in a plug and lasted for years even after I sold it. My current bike is a W800 with tube tires and spoke wheels. A flat tire is a pain in the a** no matter what type of tire it is. My W looks a lot like a 1969 Bonneville. Just wouldn't look right with cast aluminum wheels.
Beyond personal preference, the young people can't be bothered not only with tubed tires but all sort or tinkering. They often say .. I am a rider, not e mechanic. All 'new' stuff like injection or tubeless tires does not need to be tinker with until it goes wrong and then it's impossible to repair it on the road. The same thing can be said about valves with shims. It's a generational thing.
Have you seen the workshop manual of old British bikes? The short service intervals and amount of work frequently required to keep them running. People don't want to turn the clock back and go back to that. We don't know how lucky we are to have todays modern bike to choose from.😊
I have plenty of older bikes and they keep me busy. That's why I have some new bikes as well so it takes the pressure off the older ones and I always have something to ride
I love that cat. It's living it's best life.
@foxfirevalleyvineyrd It is too!
I have to tell you i really do like your channel.I agree with most of your assesents as well.
@deltabluesdavidraye Thanks Dave!
Cheers Dave tube tyres are as good as tubeless tyres I pull rear wheel out and fix it on the side of the road
@theadventuresofbellatheenf4627 Cheers Andy!
My experience is different to yours, tubes gave me issues in the 80's at very bad times. Both times on holiday. On the side of the M25 in roadworks, rear tyre went down quick. Missed my ferry, they then went on strike and holiday cancelled. Other time I was on my way to Greece coming down the swiss alps and the front tyre punctured on a hairpin. Didn't like the way it went down very quickly. Had a puncture in the 90's on a tubeless, didn't go down fast, patched it in the pouring rain and was on my way in no time. Have avoided tubes ever since.
I agree with you about looks but sometimes for me practicality beats looks. When I bought my meteor I liked the classic but the alloys weren't available in the UK then (early 2022) so I choose the meteor. I do like the classic dark with black alloys though.
Good to hear it from your point of view though.
Downside to the later classic 500 is the different size wheels, when touring Spain carried two tubes. Have changed a tube near the M11,its a pain, though better than waiting for recovery. Would not buy a bike now without tube less tyres, if buying a 350 classic i'd chose the model with alloys.
A 18 tube in a 19 tire works fine you will never know the difference.
@@deltabluesdavidraye It has crossed my mind on many occasions to just carry one tube, but now I have a dedicated side box made to measure to carry tools for wheel removal and tyre levers plus two tubes I'll carry on carrying two tubes. Good point though for those who only want to carry one tube.
Excellent video, and a real breath of fresh air. Great to see the Classic 500 front and centre. UA-cam's gone 350 Reborn mad 🤪 and the 500 has been almost forgotten. Thanks Dave!
Great video VB,love the 500,an update on Avon Tyres, I live two miles from the Avon factory, and after all these years, it has now sadly closed, and (I think)will soon be demolished,apparently Nova Motorsports has bought Avon Motorcycle tyres (not the car division) ,and will restart production shortly, but no details as yet about manufacturing location.
@patrickgreenman8248 That's very sad news. I thought Cooper tyres had bought Avon out some time ago? Thanks for the info.
Yes ,Cooper did buy Avon several years ,but now apparently they've been bought out by Good Year,who don't seem to be Avon fans at all!!,there still is Avon just a few miles up the road who make Gas masks (respirators) for the military, the tyre division and the gas mask division were separated, several years ago, I think when Cooper just bought out the tyre part of the company.
Tubed tyre with a puncture? I always have a can of Holts tyre repair in my tool bag, and a small bicycle pump. Haven't had to use it yet, but if that day comes I hope it will work, with some slow riding as it slowly deflates. Bicycle pumps these days are really good. I change my own tubes and tyres at home, but replacing a tube by the roadside isn't something I'd prefer to do because the tyres I'm running are TT/TL, and are stiffer than the TT-only road tyres that used to be available.
you can silicone the rim and run tubeless tire with spokes. they sell a kit to change them over.
@DANTHETUBEMAN I have the 3m marine silicone and the 3m tape to do the Interceptor but as yet haven't got around to it.
You should comment on oiling rear chain next. How often do you see a well maintained chain, especially on small capacity bikes.
@LumpyCarbs See them every day here! I seem to be doing one chain or another every day!
Very good subject
Well I had a rear tyre with a tube that went flat just after overtaking a double decker bus, I had the sense not to touch the brake and came to a stop after wobbling what seemed like a hundred yards. The bus driver asked if I was ok then carried on his way, that was in 1970 so as you can see it stuck in my mind 😂 I have to confess I have a Halcyon Green Classic 350 that about 2 months ago I fitted alloy wheels and Bridgestone tubeless tyres and love them. At a bike meet met up with a mate on his Classic 500 and said have a look at what I have just done to my bike, what’s that then he said ? Well what about the wheels said I, what about them ? says he, my word they are ok then they are alloys said I. Good lord they look ok don’t they so guess on the darker bikes they seem to blend into the bike compared to the lighter colour bikes.
I have to say I don’t mind oil changes etc but will never mess with tyres just leave that to the garage. Keep up the great videos 😊
Great to talk at Stonham but I can’t remember what we talked about🤔was it bikes? 😂😂😂 I’ve ordered the service kit from Hitchcock so will give you a ring when it arrives 😁
I don't know why people have a problem with tubed tyres, it doesn't bother me.
Both my bikes have spoked wheels and tubed tyres.
I love how your cat likes to appear in your videos, she's gorgeous.
@paulstoker7650 She is on the payroll!
Modern motorcyclists seem very anti tubes, to a lesser extent anti carbs and (maybe this is just the press/UA-camrs) anti forks that are not upside down.
In my younger days we took spare tubes when we went on tour. I still have a tubed bike but I don’t have a centre stand, I guess I’ve been lucky as I’ve never had a puncture on a bike but if I had one I’d be up the swanny. I’ve had punctures in cars, nearly always due to pieces of metal picked up from where I work, I ride my bike there too but have been lucky so far 🇬🇧
G’day VB, depends on circumstances, very rare event these days, luckily, not had a puncture for many years, last flat tyre was a blowout on the rear (RE 500 Bullet) nearly a decade ago (valve separation from tube) at 80klm/hr.. bike flatbed home by NRMA roadside assist, I do tour long trips 3-5 days & carry 2 spare tubes, tyre levers …the problem is high clearance needed to allow rear wheel removal from rear mudguard, once off just put the spare tube in.. 12v mini air compressor.. old days foot pump) 2 RE’s on tubes & 2002 Yamaha on tubeless carrying plug kit if needed.. all 3 bikes are covered by NRMA Roadside Assist in NSW Oz… cheers Phil 🇦🇺
Alot of times a tubeless tyre will stay up with a nail in, but a tubed one won`t
@williamharris4426 True!
Interesting vlog
Thanks
Another interesting mumble. I can't say I am bothered either way. I have ridden tubed and tubeless and had punctures with both. The world has changed, but here in Indonesia you can normally find someone to fix a puncture within pushing distance, especially in a built up area. They fix tubed without taking the wheel out, just de mounting enough of one side of the tyre to pull the offending section of tube out so they can patch it. They vulcanise the patch with heat and a mechanical press. A lot of people chose to fix a tubeless tyre flat by fitting a tube. Price is everything. . . . . I look forward to the next video. Thank you. 👍
Good man VB looking after your local business. Different bikes all have their plusses and minuses, keep em standard and enjoy each one for what they are.
I learned the error of patching a tube many years ago, when one let go on the front. Bike was loaded up with camping gear because was going on hols. Down we went. No more patching since then.
I’ve got a Victory Hammer with a huge fat 250mm rear tyre. Looks the nuts. Last year, on the hottest day of that year 40.3 °C I was riding in what I call my Summer riding gear, shorts and Tee through Ipswich up near Asda… OMG beautiful day and bike sounding good, grin on my face when suddenly BANG! 🤢 Shockingly loud noise (gunshotesque) above what is not a quiet bike and immediate poor handling, bike not wanting to go where I wanted it to go at all, fighting me and me fighting it. I prayed to the bejeezus baby briefly whilst bringing it to a stop. Didn’t take much of an inspection for me to find out what had happened as the big back tyre was pancake flat. Blown with a puncture. Being a big heavy bike tubes wouldn’t have helped much, once you’re over a certain weight and size of bike fixing a puncture is really not such a sensible option. So, I had to wait for a recovery vehicle. The recovery vehicle had to take me home first because it was on a Friday night, nothing would be open to take me for repair, on top of that, it’s an unusual tyre type so no one’s going to be stocking that! Had to wait a few days before the tyre could be delivered to the repair shop… big shout out to Autofit - Team Protyre 👍, Ipswich. They got my new tyre delivered within a few days then I had to transport the bike again to them for the repair which they carried out swiftly. My tyre cost me nearly £400 the price you pay for showing off with a big fat tyre. What’s interesting to me is that you’ve helped me understand what had happened because when I asked to see my old tyre they’d taken off the bike I was hoping to find a big puncture hole in it somewhere but there was absolutely NOTHING wrong with it… the tyre although old, still had proper tread on it… a near perfect tyre! So, I’d bought a new tyre for what??? I left the shop feeling bemused but thinking probably best I have a new tyre if the old one’s going to do that. Watching your video here tonight has explained so very well the “popping off” of beaded tubeless tyres. I might have got away with just getting it to a pump and pumping it back up again as it had popped but seemingly sat back in it’s rim again minus air. Upon reflection, I think it was something to do with it being the hottest day of the year. But could ambient temperature really effect your tyres beyond their operating temperature?? I suppose only if there’s already a fault lurking in them somewhere waiting to surprise you. An unnerving experience. Who here has popped off?
@roadtestpilot My VT1300 did exactly the same on the rear and left me stranded out near Beccles. I too had to get recovered by the AA. My new tyre, an Avon Cobra cost £200 which I thought was plenty! But there you go, I'm a 2 bob man in a 5 bob world!!
Entertaining and engaging as always VB, thanks.
Much appreciated!
another great one , love the cat too , think last tube i did was on my old 750 triumph back in the 80s ,
trouble now days bikes dont have centre stands so having a wheel out isnt so straight forward , last spoke wheel bike i had was the 82 Ironhead sporty , also seems a lot of modern tyres you need a machine to get them off cast wheels .
@jobucklandbuckland8031 The Cat told me to say hello! I can change tyres on the bikes with alloy wheels, but it is a bit more tricky as you have to use rim protectors and be very careful not to damage the rim.
Posted a comment in the wrong place LOL
It read last time I hat a puncture i took the wheel off with tools from my tool roll and took the tire off with old spoons from my mums cutlery drawer and patched the tube with my bike patch tin - this was in 1960 on my 55 BSA BANTAM
nowadays I have a new gadget called a cell fone that I use
Just saying don’t want to deal with a flat anymore just want to ride my latest bike which is an Interceptor
Had so many other bikes big and small that I forgot most of em
Ride safe and thanks for the vlog
Regards from Florida
I like Avon tiers have used them for years,
now I like Shinko SR428 Tire,
so I'm not helpless in sand and gravel. good tier good price. 😊
First bike I had with tubeless tyres was a GSXR1100 in 1987. I got a nail in the back tyre and it just plugged the hole and never deflated, got me home. Best invention ever for bikes! Also had a few punctures and used plugs, 5 minutes and you're on your way, the tyres never lost any air. Then I get them repaired or replaced. On todays modern bikes you're not going to want to carry the tools to remove either wheel, tube, tyre levers and pump. And on those with large rear tyres not so easy to get it off with tyre levers and also no centre stand. So I ride a Speed Twin 1200 with lovely alloy wheels. And thank goodness nearly all cars on the road have tubeless tyres and have done away with the starting handle.😂
@splodge5714 Brilliant!
Interesting point you make about tubeless against tube. As well as my lovely 500cc Classic Trials I have a spoked 850 Guzzi Classic Special, and out on rides I’ve had people come over and say they want a Guzzi or bought a Guzzi and loved the style of the Classic, BUT they wouldn’t buy one, sadly, as it had tubed tyres. They’d never have any bike with tubed tyres! There loss in my opinion! 🤣
Funny enough I hadn’t ridden the Enfield trials for maybe 3 weeks and I decided I would yesterday. Was a little awkward to drag out of the garage and I immediately thought the tyre had gone down. Which it turned out it had and it turned out was only showing 3psi! 😱
Is it me? But I’m sure in the old days tubes never did that and never needed pumping up regularly. All my bikes have tubed tyres but I have to check the pressures before every ride. I know you should anyway but it amazes me how often I need to add air these days!
I use Michelin Motocross tubes as they are supposed to be thicker etc. I wonder if it’s all part of a Gov’ plan to keep us off the roads! 🤔🤣
I have owned, I think just with two tubeless tyres. The Triumph Street twin and a Moto Guzzi Breva 1100. And I bought a tubeless repair kit to carry. The Moto Guzzi I bought new and on my second ever ride I got a Blumin’ puncture! 😡😡 But thought, aren’t I good I’m prepared with a repair kit! 😇 It was night. My eyes weren’t quite as bad in those days but I didn’t have those readers I carry now. Got the instructions out BUT COULDN’T READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! They were too small! 😡🙄🤣
@daviddavies5347 Interesting!
@daviddavies5347 Night time punctures are the stuff of nightmares!
@@Volcanicbrown1878 Blumin’ slow puncture! Your fault! 🙄🤣
i ALWAYS HAVE A FIGHT GETTING THE REAR WHEEL BACK IN, ON MY CLASSIC 500
@dozerblade They are an absolute sod to get back in!
I picked up a thin nail in my interceptor rear tyre last year and rode home without knowing about it. The next morning, the rear tyre squealed when wheeling the bike about and I discovered the puncture. Taking the rear wheel off was no problem and there are inexpensive tyre repair shops in every small town in Thailand, so I soon had a new tube in the tyre and the tyre back on the wheel. It then took me about two hours to get the rear wheel back on the bike as it was quite fiddly, with spacers and it was the first time that I had re-installed the rear wheel I am going to order Sikaflex 291 at some point and use it to seal the inside of the wheel where the spokes are attached. Then I will be able to go tubeless, which i think is the easiest solution.
@GapBahnDirk The rear wheels on the modern Enfields seem to be a real pain to get back in. It always takes me several attempts.
@@Volcanicbrown1878 It's not just me then..... 😁😁
@GapBahnDirk No!
I sold my 350classic because I prefer my 500. For the reasons you state plus sound and long legged feel. I replaced the factory supplied ceat semi knobbly s with road riders. Massive improvement. Coats were OK but I Don t do offroad and I put grip above looks. 😂
@zedcharlie The very last 500's were fitted with Avon Roadriders from the factory and they are an excellent tyre IMHO
When I got a puncture on the Interceptor, just called the breakdown & got taken home. Yes it did take time, but I don’t want to be messing about at the side of the road, plus I didn’t have a spare tube or levers with me. Sad but true.
For serious long distance touring, tubed tyres every time. For commuting or a day or two out with mates, plugging a tubeless is a lot more convenient. I suppose it depends how often you change a tube as to how quick the job is. On the subject of tyres - and at the risk of returning to the 350 Classic - there are mixed opinions on REs use of Ceat boots. Some say no problem, others change at the first opportunity. My two penn'orth is they are extremely sensitive to tyre pressure, especially the rear. Round our way there are lots of snow plough marks, don't know if that's what they really are or just a rough planer the council uses. Either way, numerous fine ridges that don't always follow the line of the road. At recommended pressure or slightly higher the rear end skips all over the place, quite alarmingly at times. Dropping the pressure just a couple of pounds and it becomes a different bike. Usual caveats about rider weight and load carried, but I regard the handbook 32psi as a maximum for confident handling. Just a thought.
@borderlands6606 The Ceat tyres on my 650 Inter are atrocious with very poor grip even on perfect dry roads, yet the Ceat's that are on the classic 350's are excellent! Must be very different compounds.
@@Volcanicbrown1878 Strange that they should be so different. To check the pressure issue wasn't just my imagination, I had a quick look on the web this morning and found someone else saying exactly the same thing, Ceat don't tolerate any over-inflation or they track every road imperfection. Might be worth dropping your 650 pressures a couple of pounds below spec and see if the handling is as bad.
@@borderlands6606 Thanks for that! I will try it tomorrow.
I'm NOT able to spoon tires off, repair an inner tube and get it all back together. So, I would call AA/RAC or walk it to a nearby shop...
@DCGULL01 Never too late to learn!
@@Volcanicbrown1878 Sorry, in hospital, dying of lung cancer & abscessed infections in my lung. Heck, VB, I can't even ride my motorbikes!
@@DCGULL01 Damn, I just don't have the words, My heart go's out to you.
@@Volcanicbrown1878 It 'comes out' harsher than expected. Enjoy the channel, subscribed, hit like... not a lot of energy (certainly not enough to argue, brother!) thank you sharing your stable. (love the red 535!)
@@DCGULL01A stable of old horses! Wishing you all the very best for the future. Tc.
Great mumble 👍 I’ve had 3 punctures in a month 😭 your observations about the modern lack of center stands making it difficult to change tyres on the roadside contribute to the phenomenon, however the greatest job to preclude this operation must be the necessity for a compressor to re sit the beading of a tubeless. 👍👌👏
@ianlawrie919 Well said!
These videos are very interesting. Thanks for uploading these.
Glad you like them!
Yeah totally agree carry spare tube and tools to remove wheels no problem, And I too have had a plug let go on tubeless tyre not bloody funny I can tell you ,like the 500 classic ,quite fancy one myself 👍
Love your channel. Thanks again
Glad you enjoy it!
Just put 2new tyres on both my cg125 and 350 bullit 2002 model
Would be interested to know which is your favourite Royal Enfield out of your collection the early 90's 350 /500 pushrod the last 500 EFI push rod type or the New Classic 350's? Thanks, R
@robertsnelling6824 Royal Enfield cast iron 350 Bullet!
A correction: The lycra cyclists don’t need a penny farthing to look stupid.
Last time I changed a tube on the roadside was in about 1981 and it was the rear wheel on a BSA A7SS sidecar outfit.
I changed my Interceptor tyres. Believe me I would not want to do it on the side of the road.
?Changing tubes is easier than tyres.
White dog turds now that takes me back hahaha, never tried using one for marking purposes though
@markpercy4277 It was chalk I'm sure!!
AA for me. I can do tube repair but a lot of bikes are difficult to get wheel in and out . Actually struggled getting my 500trials rear back in after a tyre change. Next time I will use a strap over rack to lift wheel and guide disc in caliper. May have just been one of those days struggling trying to push wheel with foot up into position with added bonus of a bad back 😂😂
Ah yes,changing a tyre-usually in the rain. Struggle,fight,oh bloody hell,I've nipped up the tube AGAIN! My personal record for that was something like three tries! 😊
@stevepage2541 I think we have all been there!
Got a love a one man band or man in white van small business owner.I live near small country town & like to give my business to local communities & support them.
A plug is just to get you home at slow speed like that tyre inflate spray which takes about 1½ spray cans to inflate a tyre but is a just a shop gap measure to get you home or to garage doing 60-70kmh.
Still See 👀 white dog 🐕 turds around in NZ 🇳🇿 & I've never seen a dog pooh bag hanging off rear window wiper off hatchback in NZ 🇳🇿 like you see in videos in UK.
@ruahinesrider We are very alike in that respect.
Last tube i changed was on my BSA Bantam in 1960 no kit just 2 old spoons from the cutlery drawer and spanners from my tool roll blow it back up with my bike pump
Had so many bike that I can’t count em but never even gave it a thought what type of tire was on em
But now my tire kit is my cell phone and a bike hauler- I’m in no rush and it’s part of life
Deal with it or have someone else deal with it
Just my opinion
Thanks for the vlog😊
Avons are good tyres and the Roadrider is excellent , fairly cheap in UK and very expensive in Canada . Where will they be made next ? Probably somewhere warm where people can be paid less but nowhere near the River Avon sadly.
Tubeless tyres are preferable , but tubed tyres are no big deal . I've "enjoyed' fixing punctures in both for many years . Your RAC man should have put more than one plug in the hole , the only ones worth bothering with are the sticky rope type .
I do carry a spare tube and equipment with me , I like to be self reliant and not be at the mercy of others and their agenda .
I watched a video of a couple on Africa Twins that were stranded for days because they couldn't fix a puncture .
Mending punctures is not rocket science , anybody can do it if they try . However since the demise of Industry in the western world , people don't like rolling their sleeves up and getting their hands dirty , although they'll twiddle the buttons on a game controller all day .
It's a sad comment on today's society .
But what do I know , I'm one of the few surviving dinosaurs that still roams the earth .
@dungspreader I feel the same way, especially on the last line of your comment.
Tubeless wheels are safer in my opinion. Tube tires on my Tuk Tuk If you get a puncher in the front wheel it's not nice converted to tubeless now it's great ! So it's tubeless for me but we do have tubes in our classics and i carre spare tubes and leavers in my backpack. My best wishes to you from the Philippines ❤️💪👍😉😀😁🏁🏍️🛺🐑🇵🇭🏴
About 10 years since i've seen someone changing an inner tube. The old boy had no tyer levers so had to walk it on. You could do a video on breakdown service and motorbikes the RAC and AA seem to have no interest in motorbike.
I blame the global warming for this cold summer, Al Gore was right 🤪
It's your channel to say what you like. But, on this subject, I disagree with almost every word. Tubeless tyres are safer and there is a good chance that a roadside plug such as "Stop-and-Go" will get me home ok. I have used a that type of plug while away in Cornwall on a bank holiday weekend and I rode over 500 miles before I got back home to Essex. I think that "sticky worm" repair you had done was obviously faulty and not done correctly. However you are right, in that the kit I carry will only repair smallish holes from nails etc and anything larger will require a van to get me home or to a service shop if one is open. P.S. I have never bought a bike simply because of it's looks and I really do not understand how anyone can be so affected. I do believe you and others when you say "looks matter", but for me they never have. I am a function over form person and looks don't matter to me. Nor do colours. I do not have an emotional response to colour or shape. Yes I know that makes me the "odd one".
@brockett Each to their own! If we all agreed, there would be no point in saying anything!!
Great video, enjoyed it. Cheers pal.😊