The Verdict on Tire Balls!

So first go here to see what I'm talking about:

https://wr250rforum.forumotion.com/t8184-got-new-balls

But yesterday I went off road for the first time since getting them.

And, what's the verdict? Do they handle different? Feel different?

NO!

I've been riding for 33 years and I have a finely tuned ass. I would never be able to tell the difference between these and just having a normal tube.

That said, I do 99.9% off road on very aggressive tires, so maybe on a street I'd notice? But they are marketed as "off road only" so there you go.

But the feeling of not having to worry about getting a flat tire ever again is AWESOME!!!!!

Hard to imagine but I'll take your word for it.

gatorfan wrote:

Hard to imagine but I'll take your word for it.

Why hard to imagine?

I was hoping it wouldn't be a too hard or too soft ride, or that I would feel the balls inside the tire, but after 20 miles or so on many different surfaces I couldn't feel any difference at all.

GusinCA wrote:

gatorfan wrote:

Hard to imagine but I'll take your word for it.

Why hard to imagine?

I was hoping it wouldn't be a too hard or too soft ride, or that I would feel the balls inside the tire, but after 20 miles or so on many different surfaces I couldn't feel any difference at all.

I believe you. Just hard to imagine.

You sure about this ? You may need to recalibrate you ass

HA!

I have a perfect ass, thank you very much.

I couldn't believe it, I figured it would feel different somehow, even slightly, and while riding it I asked myself "if you rode two bikes side by side, one with a tube and one with balls, would you be able to tell which was which?"

No way...

Tire balls are great and I know a lot of people in offroad racing that love them. If I had the money to spend on them I would get some but they are kinda expensive. That and I dont know anyone using them often on anything other than ATVs and UTVs. When I have talked to someone about them in regards to bikes I was told they were melting. Keep in mind your average person would not make this happen because these were on bikes doing the Baja 1000 or similar (although there isnt really anything "similar") riding. That was a few years ago and they may have a lot changed their compound that they use as well. Either way as you said GusinCA, you can not tell the difference and I think I would still invest the money in them if/when I have the chance to.

Yes, I've heard the melting thing as well from racers, but even the guy who installed them said if you ride them at 70mph on the street for hours you will do some damage to them, but since it says they are for off road only, and I have a larger rear sprocket that pretty much limits my top speed to 70 and I spend most of my time below 20, they should last for years. One guy on the ADV forum said his have lasted for years and several tires...
If I used mine on the street more, I wouldn't buy these.
The price is steep, but the bike wasn't cheap either, so I figure it's ok. If they were 2 or three times what I paid I wouldn't have done it, but everyone has their own pain points... :)

I hate to sound nagitve but...
How often are you going to remove them for cleaning and lubing?
They will last a long time if you keep em lubed but will chafe and wear holes in them selves at some point if you dont keep them lubed up.
This is a non issue for racers as they put new tires on for each race but if you leave your tires on untill they're bald the tire balls may fail.
This is why not many regular trail riders run them, who wants to take the tires off and lube the balls up every few 100 kms?
Have you looked at the tubliss set up with super stiff desert tires? You only run 2-5 psi in em and can run them flat if need be, the chances of not making it home due to tire related problems would be very slim.

I've heard from several users now that say if you open them up once a year (given about 1000 miles per year, which I do far less than that, mostly single track riding) that they show no signs of wear. Now, if you are racing, then yes, you are going to tear them up. But I get a new rear tire once a year anyway, and the guy who installed them said he'd check the balls for $20 per tire. That is fine by me...

And the tubliss system still had that "one point of failure" concern for me. If that ultra high pressure innertube fails for whatever reason, that's it, your done.

I just wish they made a Bib Mousse that could last for many years, that would be the truly 100% failsafe flat proof system. Maybe someday someone will find the materials needed for it.