Stupid Tire Question

Can tires made for a Mag wheel work on a spoked rim (with tube)? Never had spoked rims - just wondering...:blink:

I think not, but it may say on the side of the tire. Some tires need to be used with a tube, and others are designed as tubeless tires.

even the tubeless tires say on the side may require a tube on some wheels

If they are the stock mag type Kawasaki wheels, I'm thinking you'd have needed tubes cause if I remember right they weren't approved for tubeless back then.

Bill

My plan is to build a Cafe Racer out of a KZ750 twin that I picked up off ebay for $150. It has spoked wheels and bad tires... I wanted some more aggressive looking rubber - I like the look of the BRIDGESTONE Spitfires - Tires that require tubes just seem to look... outdated.

I called my Kawasaki Dealer and asked them if my idea would work - they said as long as there is a tube, All is good!

A couple rules of thumb I've picked up since I got into this bike thing:

Tubeless tires will probably work with tubes, but it's best to check.

Tube tires need tubes.

Spoked wheels always need tubes & rim strips. (There may be an exception or 2 to this, but I'm not aware of any.)

"Mags" are usually okay with tubeless tires, but, again, it's best to check. (The wheels on my 1980 KZ440 worked with tubeless tires.)

That's about it. Bridgestone recommends Spitfire S11s for all the KZ750s listed, so it sounds like they'll work for you.

Cheers,
-Kit

One exception is on BMW bikes. They have spokes that go to the edge of the rim so they can run tubeless.