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I'm just in the process of doing the first tyre change on my YZ, and was pleased to notice that it already had Heavy Duty tubes fitted.

As I haven't yet been 'blessed' with a puncture whilst using HD tubes in my bikes, I was wondering if moving to Ultra Heavy Duty (UHD) tubes was likely to give any real benefit?

What do folks here use, and what (if anything) has copped a puncture for you? Do UHD tubes really make you puncture-proof? :-\

Hi pete ,

Running pirelli's on the rear these days and really like them alot , problem is they have a very soft wall and if i hit something unexpected like a stray rock or a small log at speed they can puncture relativley easily so I use UHD all the way mate front and rear , UHD also gives me the option to tighten up the rim locks a little more and run a lower than normal pressure for a bit more bite in general if i choose .

Go the UHD if you puncture one then the HD tube would not have stoof a chance .

Thanks Zeb

Guess I'm trying to work out if it is worth the extra cost, weight, and harder fitting seeing as I already have the HD ones...

The new tyres are MX51's so they have pretty solid sidewalls.

UHD tubes for me as well, we never had them back in the day,& I never had many punctures that I can remember, I always try to avoid things like rocks sticking out,square edged holes running into small tree branches across the track, now I use UHD tubes I still pick my lines, I hate having to fix flats out on the trail, come to think of it, I hate working on the bike on the trail full stop, I go out to ride, not out there fixing my bike ;D

Using UHD tubes doesn't mean that you wont get a flat tyre, the chances are a lot less of getting one if ya use em ;D

Used UHD tubes since 2008 and touch wood never had a flat yet and thats even running as low as 6psi on the rear and 10psi on the front, but its your call Pete. Im the same as frankie, I go out to ride not fix my bike.

Thanks for the feedback guys - and yes Frankie, I totally agree that the line you ride has a lot to do with whether you will get a puncture or pinch flat.

I'm not keen on the idea of swapping tubes on the trail either, but I haven't had to do so for the past 2500km+ with just the HD ones. Maybe I've just been lucky. :)

Will, 4 years without a puncture sounds like a pretty good recommendation for the UHD ones!

Anyway, I'll suss out what sort of UHD ones are available - from what I've read so far, it appears that Bridgestone or Michelin are the brands to look for.

UHD when we ride but carry HD in the back pack as they are a lot lighter to carry...AMX should have UHD for as little as $25..
Cheers...

Interesting bit of trivia - the whole reason for taking the tyres off the YZ now (apart from fitting new boots to the YZ) was to fit the front one to the 'old banger' WR in preparation for the ride in a couple of weeks.

The old Trelleborg front tyre (mid 90's era) on the WR is rubbish compared to even the semi-worn newer style front tyre from the YZ, so I figured that I would swap it.

When I got the tube out of the WR, I noticed that it was noticeably heavier and thicker than the Maxxis HD tube from the YZ, and still looked almost new.

Looking at the brand on the tube I saw that its called a Michelin Speciale cross/enduro, and according to Google it is a fore-runner to the Michelin UHD tubes.

Well, at least I did something right back in the old days :)

Michelins are 4.5mm thick, not sure about the rest.

Thanks - AMX, is that this place?

http://www.amxoutlets.com/ (http://www.amxoutlets.com/)
 

From what I've read so far, Bridgestones are 4mm, and Vee-Rubber are to be avoided  ;D

uhd for me,, running low pressures 9 rear and 11 front, but im only a light fella too.   had one flat in the last 2 years and im pretty sure that was because i landed heavily on the front on a tree root...   

HD , UHD's split on hard compressions !!

Interesting - Is it only the synthetic rubber ones that do it, or do the Bridgestone & Michelins do it too?

you need to stop swerving all over the place to avoid rocks,sticks and things. then maybe you won't bump into people.

They all split, and the Bastards weigh a ton.
HD's are the go, by far better than the UHD.

Finally somebody else on my side, I agree with Pee-Air, HD is cheaper, lighter, easier to fit and remove without pinching and just look where your going with enough pressure for the terrain.

Having said that - I did have 3 punctures in one day at the last HCR, reasons - Old tyres, not enough pressure, going like a bat out of hell in my beloved High Country.
One in the rear with a UHD fitted, 2 in the front, 1st with a HD, 2nd with a standard.
Shyte happens but I should be OK for another 10 years now??

They were my thoughts on the advantages to HD over UHD too.

But... at AMX today I held a Michelin UHD in one hand and a Michelin HD in the other, and honestly, there wasn't much weight difference.

Price was $34.95 for UHD v's $29.95 for HD - $5 difference!

So I bought a pair of UHD's, and if one splits on me then they are both getting tossed and I'll go straight back to HD's ;)

I've never had one split on me.

You don't ride like you stole it!!

I don't know Pete he was riding his CBR today like he stole it. I thought I was going around one corner reasonably quick next minute the old man passes me on the outside in my lane then his arse was just a blur :)

I wasn't always old mate ;D

Sorry Will if I gave ya a fright, there was a bit of road coming up that I like, having ridden with ya on the roadie's before I knew that you keep a good line around the bends, I had to keep in the same lane as you because at the pace we were going it was hard to see around the bend, I've had one head on & I don't want to have another, yeah when I get on my cbr 100rr it' no fun to ride slow & also I forget that I'm no longer 20 anymore, thinking back now it was a bit stupid, sorry mate I won't do it again.

You haven't been on a ride since 2008 so how would you know?.......LOL

LMFAO turd

Best tubes to use are Metzeler 6 day tubes or Heidenau UHD tubes. In fact Heidenau make them for Metzeler. They fall in between HD tubes and UHD tubes in thickness. I have never split a UHD tube.

Try something different, I have been running tubeless since I got the new bike last year and love it. Can run whatever pressures I like without thinking of pinching a tube

Ive had UHD tubes in my wr for 5 years and have had about 6 sets of tires in that time (same tubes) i run between 11psi and 12.5 psi and ride in the north east vic area 99% of the time (abbyards)
I have seen alot of pinched HD tubes here and forget std ones
We had 2 flat HD front tubes today from the spur track heading back to the dam above abbyards.
I think the UHD tube is the way to go but only carry a normal tube as a spare much lighter.