Information on Motorcycle Inner Tubes

Many modern motorcycle wheels are tubeless in design.

Despite the popularity of tubeless tires and wheels on motorcycles, there are still a significant number that still use inner tubes inside the tires. These circular, inflatable tubes carry on a centuries-old approach to wheel design that was first started with the invention of the personal automobile.

Durability

Unlike their early ancestors on vintage motorcycles, today's motorcycle tires can take quite a beating. As a result, blowouts of failed or punctured inner tubes don't occur near as often as in the past. That said, a failed tube can still compromise steering quickly to the point of causing a motorcycle accident.

Replacement

Replacing an inner tube is simple enough. Once the tire is removed from the wheel rim, the old inner tube is pulled out and thrown away. A new tube goes inside the tire, is partially inflated for fitting and is reinstalled onto the wheel rim, after which full inflation occurs.

Sizing

Sizing on an inner tube is reflected in inches, and the actual format is printed on the tube. For example, a 4-inch-wide tube that is 20 inches in diameter will have a measurement of 3.5-4.0/18. This format allows proper sizing of tubes to different wheel sizes.

References

• Sound Rider: Motorcycle Tire Repair: Blowouts
• Jerry's Small Engine Supply Co.: Inner Tube Selection Guide