OK, I now have Tubliss in both Front and rear of my KLX331. I like the fact that I can now run essentially zero pressure if I want, and the tires don't slip on the rim. I guess I could have acheived that if I would have simply put rim locks on both front and rear.

I also like that I'm not going to have to carry tubes with me on rides...just a plug kit and a very tiny patch kit in case the inner bladder were to leak...not likely. Heck, I may be able to ditch my tire irons.

What I have found interesting is that the Geomax 71 front tire carcass doesn't hold air perfectly...it loses about 1 lb of pressure per hour, at least from about 27 lbs until it gets down to 15 lbs. I don't know if it continues to leak at that rate as it loses more pressure. Using soapy water, I found about 30 tiny bubbling spots on the crown, between the *****. I'm assuming this is the thinnest part of the carcass, but, sort of like Subcuticular Emphysema or Crepitus, it COULD be migrating in from anywhere in the carcass and simply exiting there on the crown. I've since put some Slime in the carcass to see if that will seal it. If not, it's no big deal, I just have to make sure I check the pressure before every ride. I do that anyway.

The Dunlop 606 rear doesn't lose any pressure.

I should probably check the balance on these wheels, since the rimlock is sure to affect it, but, I don't know if it's worth the trouble and time to balance the wheels of a bike that sees very few road miles.

One other thing...I run ultra heavy-duty tubes. When running low pressures (I like less than 15 when it's really rough, which is 99% of the time in the desert!), I'm guessing the tube rubs against the tire, as the tube was very roughed up and almost peeling the outer layer of the tube off. It reminds me of the surface of a sweater pilling-up. Anyway, the appearence suggests to me that the tire/tube interface was rubbing enough to get pretty hot. I did find a briar that had penetrated into the tube, and this may be why that tube would never hold air perfectly. It lost a couple of lbs of pressure every day...which I just accepted, and pumped it up for every ride anyway. Those tubes were really heavy, too. I'm interested to find out if I can tell a difference in handling now that I've done the front. I've only ridden with the rear Tubliss so far, and I should have let the pressure down below 15, but, I had it about 18 for that one ride.

Interesting system...at least I had fun installing it!

 

since you lost the weight of the tube have you thought about a tire with a heavier sidewall? that will ensure you dont tear the tire when running really low pressure. (can't fix a tear on the trail)
I think the tublis weighs more than a HD tube when all is said and done though.

 

B58, some tubeless sealant like tubeless Slime or Stan's MTB tubeless sealant works great in the Tubliss setup. And it will seal up many punctures while you're riding. Last year in Silverton on my CO trip, I had a nail in my rear tire for who knows how long without any loss in air. Just noticed the nail one day in camp while lubing the chain. I think you'll be happy with the Tubliss. Here's a good, current thread going on right now over on ADV Rockies section. I know many of these guys and have ridden with some of them. They can ride the wheels off of anything. They love the setup.

Tubliss system after 1 year of use - ADVrider

 

Yep, I kept trying to go to more and more flexible sidewalls for the shock-absorbing ability of those soft tires. Biggest problem is: when they flat, it's really hard to ride them out. But, the soft carcass tires are easier to change, which is important when on the trail. NOW, with the Tubliss, the Dunlop 606, which is relatively stiff, seems just fine.

As for the weight...no comparison...the Tubliss is less than half the weight of an ultra-heavy duty tube. Really.

 

Great link! Thanks! I slimed the front today...will slime the rear tomorrow. Looks like it's pretty accepted that the stiffer carcasses are probably best for this setup...got some other good hints from those posts, too.

 

Slime stopped the carcass leaks! Well, I only lost 2 lbs of pressure overnight...but, that could be due to the change in temperature. It was 106 here yesterday, and this AM it's only mid-80's. Anyway, it's a good reason to use some sort of Stop-leak. I'm going to look for something like Stan's when this bottle of Slime is used, due to it's "less messy" reputation.

 

The Slime should also help out with tire balance - similar to running balancing beads. I picked up some Slime, but haven't put it in mine. I do notice a very slight wobble in my front tire at about 60 mph (indicated speed, so probably more like 55) that wasn't there before installing the Tubliss, so it will be interesting to see if the Slime reduces it.

 

The slight porosity of that tire you have there will diminish the more you ride the bike with the Slime. Sealant will basically fill in all the porosity.