rear tire stem

I did a quick search for this info but I figure I have not read anything about this in the last few months so excuse me if there is any redundancy. You may remember I was getting my wheels powder coated. So I used the stealership to break down and build up the wheels the only thing I forgot to buy new was the stems so I told them just to use stock stems well yesterday I went for a ride and on the way home the bike is acting loose to make a long story short the rear tire was flat. When I press the tire back up them stem was leaking so brought the tire back to them this morning and they replaced it free of charge. But when I got home I relized the rubber was mounted backwards, so back I go this time they realize the stem is hitting the caliber (they have the bike with the tire) and it is failing at the base again so we installed a wing stem its a 90 degree. Problem solved! by the way the reason the rubber was backwards they say they work on wings alot more and the swing arm is the the other way.

gmicklus, Jan 28 2006, 04:01 PM so we installed a wing stem its a 90 degree. Problem solved!  by the way the reason the rubber was backwards they say they work on wings alot more and the swing arm is the the other way.

I did that on an ST1100 and it worked great.. Did it on an ST1300 and got a flat with no apparent hole in the tire. A friend said he had that problem too and it is because on the wing there is support to keep the 90 stem from flexing. There is no support on our tires. Keep an eye on it.

VFR Geezer

actually I just replaced my stems as well since I not only stripped the rims on one bike but Powder coated the rims on the other bike. On the one, the stem was too long and as the tire rotated the stem cap grazed the caliper mounting bracket. A few revolutions and the plastic was worn down and no more problems. Stem was just too long.

Rubber valve stems are a use-once affair. Don't try to save $2.50 by removing them and re-using them.

If they're still in good shape, and you change tires regularly, no problem leaving it in when you get a new tire, but I wouldn't remove and reinstall a used stem.

And yea, the longer valve stems strike the caliper, so you can only use a short stem in the rear.

Or get yourself a couple of these:
[image: user posted image]
Valve stem rim.JPG

Or get yourself a couple of these:

Is that metal? The 90 degree bend makes it much easier to access the valve to inflate the tire. fing02.gif

VFR4Lee, Jan 28 2006, 09:24 PMIs that metal? The 90 degree bend makes it much easier to access the valve to inflate the tire.  fing02.gif

Yup, they are aluminum.

http://www.motowheels.com/italian/myProduc...&categoryID=405

Yup, they are aluminum.

Nice. Italian, and priced like it. biggrin.gif

veefer800canuck, Jan 28 2006, 08:51 PM 
Yup, they are aluminum. 
 
http://www.motowheels.com/italian/myProduc...&categoryID=405 
 

I've known Martin... owner of Motowheels... for some time and recently I visited his
new showroom here in Sac... you can't see it but I got drool running down my chin
beholding the light weight carbon fiber wheel... aarrgh!!!

Apparently the owner of BST Blackstone Tek owns an RC45 as well... so I'm told that
wheels are available for my bike... in fact during the month of Feb the owner of BST
is coming to Motowheels and I already offered Mr.RC45 up for a test hop...

Blackstone Tek

[image: user posted image]

[image: user posted image]

Wow, $28.95 for two. Not cheap, but looks very slick.

I thought the same thing but I broke down last night and got a set of silver ones. I figured they would look better than the black rubber ones in my newly stripped and shiny wheels. I will however wait to put them in until I change rubber.