Tyres for KZ440

Sorry for the stupid question, but I have the service manual (although not the user manual) for this bike and the information isn't in there. Plus I couldn't find the user manual online.

The bike is a 1981 KZ440C1. I don't believe you got these in America. But they use mag alloy wheels, 7-spoked.
The front wheel size is 3.00 18.
The rear wheel size is 3.50 18.

My question: do these require tubed or tubeless tyres?

They look like they would be OK to fit TL tyres.
The front tyre currently fitted is a TT. The rear tyre currently fitted is a TL. These are horribly mismatched cheapo tyres, and I want to replace them.

Ideally, I want quality TL tyres, but if TT is stipulated by Kawasaki then I'll go with that.
Anyone know about this stuff?

Thanks
 

Unless the wheel has lettering that states "tubeless applicable" or something to that effect then it's originally speced to take a tube.  Lots of people have converted cast tube type wheels to run tubeless though so that's always an option too if you want to go down that road.  It's a simple mod that involves installing a tubeless valve stem after possibly modifying the stem hole as required.  Either way, tube or tubeless, you can run tires designated as "tubeless."  

It's said (and probably will be repeated) that tubeless-type wheels will have an inner ridge on the bead seat, to hold the tire on in case of deflation. From personal experience, this isn't a sure thing - my tubeless front tire unseated while I was rounding a corner - so I would go ahead and use tubeless. 

wrote:

The bike is a 1981 KZ440C1. I don't believe you got these in America. But they use mag alloy wheels, 7-spoked.
The front wheel size is 3.00 18.
The rear wheel size is 3.50 18.



 

Holy cow!  Those are HUGE wheel sizes for any KZ440.  I suggest you double check that info since I cannot believe it is correct.  Ed

wrote:

 

 

Holy cow!  Those are HUGE wheel sizes for any KZ440.  I suggest you double check that info since I cannot believe it is correct.  Ed

 

It is correct.

Thanks guys. I think I'll shoot for tubed tyres, since these were probably the default.

wrote:

wrote:

The bike is a 1981 KZ440C1. I don't believe you got these in America. But they use mag alloy wheels, 7-spoked.
The front wheel size is 3.00 18.
The rear wheel size is 3.50 18.





 

Holy cow!  Those are HUGE wheel sizes for any KZ440.  I suggest you double check that info since I cannot believe it is correct.  Ed

I've never seen any KZ with wheels that wide.  Even the 1100.  Those must be tire sizes unless the bike has aftermarket wheels.

Those are tire sizes, not rim sizes....

Oh, you thought I meant the size of the alloy wheels minus the tyre...

Glad that's cleared up.

wrote:

Oh, you thought I meant the size of the alloy wheels minus the tyre...

Glad that's cleared up.
 

We thought you meant the size of the wheels because that's what you stated:

"The bike is a 1981 KZ440C1. I don't believe you got these in America. But they use mag alloy wheels, 7-spoked.
The front wheel size is 3.00 18.
The rear wheel size is 3.50 18. "

Ed




 

wrote:

"The bike is a 1981 KZ440C1. I don't believe you got these in America. But they use mag alloy wheels, 7-spoked.
The front wheel size is 3.00 18.
The rear wheel size is 3.50 18. "

Ed

 

Well, that's special.

It looks like if it's a 1981, it would be a KZ440-C2?

www.kz400.com/ModelidentificationFrameset.html

The 1981 KZ440-A2 LTD still shows tubes in the parts diagram on Partzilla.  1981 is when they started transitioning to tubeless, but it may be that the 440 still had tubes in 1981. 

As Nessism said, if the wheels are made for tubeless use it should be stamped on the wheel, as this was a new advancement at the time.  If you don't see anything that says tubeless, they were probably made to use tubes.

You'll have more luck searching for metric sized tires as opposed to the older inch sizes.

For the front, 3.00-18 translates to roughly 90/90-18

For the rear, 3.50-18 translates to roughly 110/90-18  This is a bit wider, but closer to the correct diameter than a 100/90-18.  I'm not sure you can get a rear 100/100-18 these days.