Wheel bent; replacement options?

Things any competent dealer should know.
A mag wheel made for tubeless tires will have "tubeless" or TL cast on it somewhere (usually on the spokes).

Most modern bias ply tires are marked "Tubeless" but are certified by the manufacturer to work with tubes. (go to Dunlop/Bridgestone/etc manufacturer's website to verify).

Anyhow, they suggested that the tube was trapping air inside the tubeless tire and preventing it from seating properly. The service manager told me that "in the old days" they used to sold the problem by deflating the tire to 3-5 psi and riding it "'till it warms up and hopefully seats." I found this shocking and refused to do it. Then they told me that I should get a tubeless valve stem adapter, i.e. a valve stem to make the wheel tubeless.

Defines the service manager as an absolute moron.

The service manager at the dealer said he called Kawasaki's tech line and they told him that there was no tire that would fit on that rim. He told me that "What you want doesn't exist anymore." He said he also called Dunlop and they told him to "poke a hole in the tire" to let the air escape from around the tube.

He's also a lying sack of #$%@.


This is not rocket science, any competent mechanic should know how to mount a tire


By the way, to change a tube type tire on a tube type mag wheel requires:

2 tire levers
1 valve core remover
Compressed air (or a tire pump)
20 minutes (if you are in no hurry).

I carry tire levers, a patch kit, and a small tire pump in a tank bag when I go for longer rides. I can break a tire down, patch the tube, and air it back up again on the side of the road, and so can a lot of other people.

Never, never, never, go back to that dealer for anything, and tell all your friends the same.

Post edited by: steell, at: 2007/01/17 00:16