Heavy duty motorcycle innertube?

[dentheman]

In another thread we were discussing changing tires, flats, etc. I mentioned puncture resistant tire liners that I use on my road and mountain bicycles, that work quite well. I could not find similar products for motorcycle tires. But a couple days later it hit me that I also use 'heavy duty puncture resistant' innertubes on my mountain bike. A quick search shows THESE ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR MOTORCYCLES! Just do a search for: >heavy duty motorcycle innertube<. The downsides that I have noticed from using these on my bicycle are:

1).They are heavy and I do notice slower speed and slower handling of my bicycle.

2).They are thick and stiff, making tire removal/flat repair harder.

The upside: I can't remember the last time I had a puncture flat on my mountain bike (when used in conjunction with tire liners). My road bike has the tire liners with regular innertubes, and it still gets (only) a couple flats each summer.

I am curious if anybody here uses heavy duty innertubes on their motorcycles, and if they work well reducing flats?

[bonehead]

May look into it when the time comes for new tires. That's the biggest fear out on the road(for me anyway).
Of course nothig would have helped my first flat-2 16d duplex nails in the rear. this light bike seemed to gain 300lbs with a flat rear tire and trying to push it.

[dentheman]

Originally Posted by bonehead

May look into it when the time comes for new tires. That's the biggest fear out on the road(for me anyway).
Of course nothig would have helped my first flat-2 16d duplex nails in the rear. this light bike seemed to gain 300lbs with a flat rear tire and trying to push it.

That's why I am looking into this now, before I get a motorcycle. With a bicycle, I can pull out the old tube, put in a new one, give it a shot of air and I'm on my way; takes 10 minutes or less. Or call my daughter, load the bike in the trunk, and I'm on my way. I have read that motorcycle flats are rare, but with my luck I would get that 'rare' flat 1:00 AM, in the middle of nowhere. But if getting a motorcycle flat is as rare as getting a car flat then I am being a little paranoid about it.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by dentheman

But if getting a motorcycle flat is as rare as getting a car flat then I am being a little paranoid about it.

Mr. Murphy notwithstanding (the very thing that YOU are worried about will happen to you and not to anybody else), I think that is true. While the tread on a bike tire is not quite as thick as on a car, it is a LOT thicker than on a bicycle.

[Water Warrior 2]

Here's my take on heavy duty tubes. You don't need them. You are on a street bike. IF you are dirt bike riding and run lower pressures the tires will have a lot more give and flex which can damage tubes and cause a flat. Regular tubes are pretty durable or we would hear more reports of flats not caused by nails or other pointy objects. When I used to ride in the mountains the regular tubes were just fine although I did manage to write off a tire by hitting a sharp rock.