I suspect this new topic has been done before many times. I am off to wales for a week with a company called Black Desert to ride in Snowdonia. I suspect that is going to be a baptism of fire. They have suggested fitting my crf 250x with mousses. What are anyone's views on the pro's and cons of them. The con is that they are pretty expensive and as I understand illegal?
I put a set in my ktm 300 more than a year ago, i get out more or less every other week for about an average of 6 hours and the back is just about done in after I recon 150 hours I think they are the bees wotsits, dunno about legality but not many officers carry x-ray specs :) hope that helps, oh and went to wales, very stony where we were and a guy had 2 punctures.
That Kleenex is obviously a hooligan. I've had mousses front and back, covered about 5000 miles in just over two years, and they're still in good condition.
On the positive side you can forget about punctures and get on with the ride - until someone with tubes / Tubliss gets a flat.
As for negatives, they can give a fairly harsh ride over the really rocky stuff and you can't run them at 3 psi like you can with Tubliss.
Brace yourself for plenty of opinions on the subject...
Tubliss every time.
Used mousses for racing and trail riding ever since they were invented.
Nothing wrong with them, but they ride really "dead" after a couple of months.
I rode on mousses for 20 years until something better turned up, ie tubliss.
I did a direct comparison with my, then, SXF, rode our circuit, replaced with tubliss, could not believe the difference!
There is absolutely no comparison.
Mousses will do the job, its upto you.
Tubliss are easier to fit, once you get accustomed, plus you dont need the tyre changing frame, although it is a bonus.
I imported my first tubliss direct from the States, much cheaper than mousses.
Ive had one puncture with a tubliss, due to a large blackthorn, but the usual jollop sorted it, on the side of the lane, 2 mins.
My experience, loads of pipe grease when you assemble and put in a load of slime, never had a problem.
Front wheel, make sure you get the lightest part of the tyre opposite the valve set up, otherwise there is a fair out of balance and the corresponding shake.
Usually denoted by the white dot on the sidewall.
Mousses are a thing of the past, IMHO.
Check with your insurer before fitting then you will know where you stand. Should they decide to invalidate your insurance when they find out later you will not have a leg to stand on.
Legality has been debated ad infinitum but the bottom line is that you are unlikely to find trouble from the police as they will not dismantle your machine unless you are involved in a fatality, but insurers are known to use any and every option to wriggle out of claims.
Neither Tubliss nor mousses are road legal.
I think it might only be an issue if they contributed to the fatality, which is most unlikely, other than incorrect fitment.
It isnt rocket science.
Never quite understood that because they were never an issue when we were doing national enduros where everything was supposed to be road legal.
Im too old to care. (So is most of the TRF) Tee hee.
I don't think checking with your insurance is really an option!! Like "hello I have non road approved tyre inflation systems fitted - is that ok?" Lol.
As stated the only issue that you may ever encounter would be due to a serious accident where the route cause was found to be with a tyre/wheel issue.
You take your chances based on probability of risk. That's why so many choose to use either option on the road. And in the cold light of day most fatalities involving bikes are that of the rider. At that point you won't really be caring any more -- unless fitting a mousse or tubliss is now a sin when you try and get through the pearly gates
Mousses really are 'fit and forget' until there're worn out. Another popular set up is mousse front (for bashing into all those Welsh rocks) and tubliss rear (to gain more traction).
They do a good fitted price at Pro Tyre in Exeter, fitted me a pair for only 15 quid more than the cheapest price I could see online - worth 15 quid for the non-skinned knuckles!!
-- Edited by ttrtim on Monday 7th of August 2017 09:25:39 PM
Neither Tubliss nor mousses are road legal. Im too old to care. (So is most of the TRF) Tee hee.
I see that you are a big of fan of Tubliss Richard and your final comment shows that the legality issue doesn't really bother you either way; but, just to counter a widely held and much-repeated fallacy (yet again!), here is my 2 penn'orth.
Tubliss are legal to use on the road in the UK
In order to be illegal, a law must be broken. Basics.
Tubliss are stamped 'not for highway use' and the manufacturer states that they are for off road use only. This is because they are an American product and do not have DoT approval for highway use in the USA. Not relevant in UK law.
I have a Dunlop D803 that is 'E' marked and stamped MST; I can MOT the bike with it fitted. It is also stamped 'for trials competition use only'. Does this mean it is only road legal if I'm entered in a competition at the time? Unlikely.
Tubliss do not breach any UK law or C&U regulation.
A pneumatic tyre, when fitted with a Tubliss system, does not breach any UK law or C&U regulation - it can be inflated or deflated without removal from the wheel.
By the same token, an insurance company cannot legally refuse a claim because a vehicle is fitted with a perfectly legal piece of equipment. The only 'wriggle room' they would have is to say it is a modification from the original specification which has not been notified to them. But, that same wriggle room is still there for lots of other things too.
Have you changed the exhaust for a spangly FMF or Akropovic? That is actually a performance enhancer, so a big no no.
Have you added any crash protection - hand guards, bash plate, exhaust guard? All modifications.
Do you run a (sucks teeth) small number plate? A modification AND illegal.
I think it is possible to get a little too paranoid but, if you are worried, just inform your insurance company that you have fitted tubeless tyres. As the Meerkat said - simples!
If anyone would care to persist with the "Tubliss are illegal" argument, could they please give reference to a specific offence that a rider using a motorcycle fitted with Tubliss could be charged with - and quote the law to back up that charge.
PS With apologies to James for jumping on a thread that was originally about Mousses.
-- Edited by cee-b on Wednesday 9th of August 2017 09:38:18 AM
-- Edited by cee-b on Wednesday 9th of August 2017 10:06:06 AM
A little bit of slime inside the tyre as well as tubliss and you are good to go. Dont forget you can ride a tubliss with a flat tyre for a fair old distance (normally enough to get you home)
I also carry a little puncture repair kit to go with tubliss (like a big needle and strings) to plug an outer tyre hole.
There is a risk that you can puncture the tubliss bladder but you would have to be Bl**dy unlucky. The tubliss bladder also inflates to 100psi and protects your rims in very stony ground.
correct tyre pressure and you should be alright 
