Tyres advice needed for '80 KZ1000 LTD

[LTD Project]

Hi all, am new to the forum, ain't t'interweb great.

I need advice as I need to put new rubber on my LTD B4 restoration.

The rear tyre that came off the bike was a tubeless type (there was no tyre on the front wheel) but advice from Mr Marsden is that this bike should run tubes. The rear alloy is date stamped 10/79.

What do you guys think, what have you experienced?

On a search for this subject someone mentions that the alloy wheel needs to be marked tubeless, if it isn't then a tube should be used..... whadayafink?

Whilst on the subject, I was going to fit Dunlop GT501 but many here seem to favour Bridgestone BT45. All advice welcome.

If this is a worn out subject, then please excuse me as a newbie and point me in the right direction.

[london calling]

Bridgestone BT45 are great tyres
Tubeless wheels are usually stamped to show they're suitable for tubeless tyre applications as you mentioned.

[Dark Skies]

BT45's are great tyres but I'm not sure you should be putting a tyre designed for tubeless application with an innertube. I was always under the impression the tyre's bead wouldn't be properly seated on the wheel's rim.

[LTD Project]

So what do you suggest if I need to fit tubes?

[tlc]

I`ve got the original Dunlops on my Z1000.
They are marked as tubeless but obviously have tubes fitted.

I always thought it was the other way round. I.E. Don`t fit tube type tyres in a tubeless application.

I think that the air may leak out

[Dark Skies]

So what do you suggest if I need to fit tubes?

Good question. There are very few tubed tyres out there now that fit our bikes. I felt your pain until quite recently because my CSR has spoked wheels. I decided to side-step the issue (and hassle) of fitting tubes by buying tubeless wheels off a later model. Perhaps you could do the same -I bought some secondhand Z1000 J wheels for not much money - they're commonly available.

[LTD Project]

Thanks Dark Skies

A reasonable suggestion but unfortunately the LTD has a 16" rear, which I don't think a J model would cater for.... me thinks another call to Mr Marsden is required to get to the bottom of this one.

Thanks to all other responses too

[Dark Skies]

Thanks Dark Skies

A reasonable suggestion but unfortunately the LTD has a 16" rear, which I don't think a J model would cater for.... me thinks another call to Mr Marsden is required to get to the bottom of this one.

So does the CSR. However, I found with the wider tyre options available to me it was possible to get a lower profile tyre for the 18" rear over the 16" CSR standard. Once fitted there was only about an inch difference - half an inch either side of the axle and so not very noticeable.

If that doesn't float your boat - the K1 Ltd (1981/82) uses a 16" tubeless cast rear wheel.