TUBliss Failure - a tragicomedy in the bush

[@CME_Tube21]

The perfect thing is new spare tubes and a patch kit + tire changing experience + an electric pump .

[@zap5936]

I'm an older guy, I've ran tubless for about 4 years riding in Enduro. Yes I had increased traction but After so many failures of tires and increased maintenance I finally gave up on them.

[@lmaokidsbikelife42069]

That was the craziest XR 650 R experience i've ever witnessed

[@laosgpsmapmidnitemapper9411]

A local villager saved me on a similar issue, spare tubes bad due to damaged tire carcas :( local asking ( they hunt with blowguns!) cut strips out of spare tube and carefully folded damaged tube with hole under many folds, then took strips cut from other tube, tied the tube tight - Tight in a big knot with the hole buried deep under many layers of tube - looked bad worked perfectly- saved my ass !! 15 years ago Malaysian Highlands - never forget that trick from the Indigenous peoples

[@OsadabwaMoto]

That's true! I've seen guys do that. I didn't even think of it. I might start carrying some fine string or dental floss or thinly cut innertube for that purpose. When guys do it here, they don't even take the tyre off, just pull the tube out from the side. Just made me think of something... what if you cut the tube through at the hole and tied both open ends then inflated it. It'd be like an inflatable horseshoe... Might have to try that next time... but I hope there won't be a next time!

[@Boonus18]

Glad you made it home safe! in the end, that's all that really matters.

[@twoblipsendurotrips]

Two tips from personal experience with Tubliss failures. First, I always carry a piece of an old tube with me along with a good vulcanizing glue. The glue that comes with patch kits is not typically sufficient but may work. With smaller tube punctures you can use the section cut from an old tube along with the vulcanizing glue to patch the existing tube. I usually also apply the glue to the outside of the patch and light it on fire to give the patch a bit more elasticity. I try to contain the fire to the patch so the tube isn’t compromised. More glue cure time is always better than less before reinstallation. Second tip - if you have a Tubliss failure and are not able to successfully repair the puncture, retorque the Tubliss rim lock with 0psi in the tube. Failing to do so will cause the rim lock to come loose and destroy the rim around the rim lock. I had this happen to me when running from lightning storms at 13,500’ in Colorado and it added insult to injury. I really liked the idea of inserting shrub branches into the wheel and might use that in future if needed!

[@tellenforelle]

What an underrated channel... Making a bushcraft mousse 🤣 Thanks for sharing that adventure

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Gotta share the bad with the good, no? I spend the rest of my time bragging about the invincibility of the XR650R, which is true... it's the accessories that let you down! By the way, 0/10 on that bushcraft mousse idea. Either you gotta put whole trees in there, or just limp out on zero PSI.

[@Kamanya]

Humour always trumps tragedy. Great story telling! I've had one sad story with them and enormous good fortune with them.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

That's my story so far as well! I've already patched that punctured one and it's in the bike and ready to go. Holding air no problem... but now I need to find time to ride!

[@TheRealSykx]

I used an Outex kit on my '76 Honda CB400F and it's been treating me well so far, but it's only on the street.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Interesting. I had to google Outex to find out what it is. Don't know anyone using it. Looking at it a little, I'd be a bit wary for my use and for my bike. It seems the rim should have a "safety bead" hump on it, which mine doesn't have, and all of my rims are dented and corroded as hell, so I worry about the ability to accept the seal. Also, I change my rear tyre many times per year (it is dead in 2-3000 km because of the rocky stuff here) and I wonder how well it'd hold up to that. But, I have learned about this 3M 4411N tape which is wide and very durable, so I might get some to use next time I install my TUBliss. I already put the TUBliss back in (even patched that little 100PSI tube... held air perfectly) and it's doing well, but I have to use bicycle spoke covering tape and that's less than ideal. Cheers!

[@LuckyNikitaBoba]

You're awesome! You never gave up. I would want to ride with people like you! I have to learn how to change a tube!

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Ha! Well, giving up isn't an option. I gotta get home one way or the other. I've changed dozens of tires/tubes in my years down riding the rocks of the Rift Valley. It is a skill worth having for sure! And now that I have new spare tubes packed I shouldn't ever have to make a sequel to this video!

[@philipsmith6152]

Been running tublis for 6 years, even if the inner is flat, you can still ride on it, at least back to the car...that the whole idea of tubliss. Only ever had 1 flat inner, on 4 bikes.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

I abuse the TUBliss a bit... my rides start from home and include 20km of tar to begin with (or more). Then it's anywhere from 100 to 300km of rough and quick riding. Limping home isn't an option usually... hence dragging tubes along. So the failure here was not really TUBliss... it was a once in many years problem made unsolvable by me bringing pre punctured tubes along like a muppet!

[@jetmuchacho]

I played around with tubliss for a about a year but got so fed up with it I threw them in the garbage lol. Nicely seasoned tire there at the end.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Yes, very spicy smelling garage at the moment. Haven't looked yet, but I guess the D606 tire is dead from the abuse.

[@andeanrider6355]

Me too.

[@dustinbugal2069]

Why?

[@jetmuchacho]

​@@dustinbugal2069 For racing it was a no brainer. Tubliss made an appearance in our race series and I had them on 2 of my bikes. I was lucky with them, but I watched a couple riders lose their race that year and limp back to start with tubliss failures. I just thought "aaaah they didn't know what they were doing". But mine kept losing air and I had to run tire slime, the rims would smash into the rocks with lower pressures, the bike was twitchy and deflected off the smallest roots in the corners, making me ride tense and burn energy, it seemed to really destabilize the bike in the really technical sections probably because of the lack of weight in the tire itself. Can't remember what else, but I switched to mousses at that time and never looked back. It was quite a few years ago now but I remember them adding a lot of unnecessary stress to my races at the time, and it was a relief to get rid of them. Nowadays when I hear another racer bragging about how awesome tubliss is I just bite my tongue lol. I'm not driving all day and spending $1000 on fuel for each race just to get a flat and DNF.

[@jonbaker7370]

I will keep using my tubes, last year had a rear nail puncture and I was able to change it and even patch the nail hole in my 18 tube and put back on total time about 20 minutes alone.

[@tincho1979]

Llevo utilizando Tubliss unos 10 años. Solo una vez pinché la cámara interna rodando. Aunque si pinché varias veces en el proceso de armado y desarmado 🤷🏻‍♂️ 😬 sobre todo al principio, después, ya con práctica no volví a pinchar más. Y si pincho la cubierta extrema es muy fácil parchar. Yo amo el tubliss Saludos desde Argentina 🇦🇷

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Argentina... fui una vez en los anhos 90. Sufri muchas horas en autobuses desde BA a Mendoza, (Bolivia y Peru tambien).Tengo muchisimas ganas de volver con mi XR650R un dia! Un abrazo desde Kenya.

[@tincho1979]

@@OsadabwaMoto gran aventura por Sudamérica 👍🏻 Mi madre me habló muchas cosas de Kenia. Un día me gustaría conocer… Saludos y si planeas regresar por Sudamérica serás bienvenido al Norte de Argentina 🇦🇷

[@edcallies3414]

Love to see the old BRP's still on the trail

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Not just out on the trail, absolutely dominating it. They are the perfect weapon. Nothing new comes close because people who spend upwards of $14,000 on a new KTM really don't want to blow $$$ more on suspension upgrades, and plush desert suspension is key for multiple days of 8 hours of heat and rocky stuff in the Rift Valley. Hope this isn't the only one of my videos you watch cause this is the embarrassing one!

[@TheRealSykx]

I was musing about getting a new CRF450RL but now the BRP has caught my eye, haha oh the temptations.

[@frankiemaserati701]

I had one fail on me in France last week, it was a nightmare to say the least! FYI Tubliss recommends changing tubes at 100hrs or 1 year, whatever comes first. I didn’t have a patch kit either!

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Wow, I didn't know about the 1 year recommendation. Makes sense I guess. Thanks

[@frankiemaserati701]

@@OsadabwaMoto yup - it's in the small print mate 🤣

[@thesheepman220]

Puncher outfit , you need 2-3 rolls gorilla tape , get some hand fulls of any vegetation say about foot long tape up enough to go around around the wheel , tape it on the wheel then starts again you may have to do a few layers to build up the wheel inside , just a tip I’ve done it and it works , or at least 2 spare tubes , puncher repair kit enough for both wheels, because I did exactly the same as you , I limped my my bike a for about 10 miles , learned my lesson that day sort of take care when it goes wrong goes wrong big time 👍

[@yurgon]

this video is comedy gold

[@j-way1809]

Just a thought. The tar rope, along with rubber cement to patch the tube, might have worked. Or rubber cement and cut rubber for a patch air up to max psi. Who knows, but you're back home safe and sound.

[@6Twisted]

I tried Tubliss. They failed after two rides and it was a ballache to get them out. I switched to mouses 3000 miles ago and they're still in decent shape and on the second set of tyres now. PS pushbike tyres hold 100psi and you can patch those.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Yeah your experience mirrors many here. A lot of it depends on what quality you can get your hands on and what type of riding you do. I think a lot of TUBliss failures happen because of user error, especially in the beginning, but that alone is enough to put people off. It's put me off from using them up front (that and the front tyre is just so much easier to puncture with a nail/thorn). You're right about the inner tube by the way. I've already patched the one from this video and she's holding strong! Now I have a nail in my other XRR tyre, but guess what, it's a tube (SUMO tyres and haven't made them tubless yet), so I have to wait until I have time to fix it! My conclusion: Nothing's perfect!

[@BenLea-rq3rm]

You're undying spirit should be a lesson to all. The journey is getting from A- I'm screwed to B- I'm home safe. I have spent too many days with individuals who stub their toe in the morning and make sure all riders in the group suffer for it all day! Keep on Truckin Bro!

[@OsadabwaMoto]

It helps to be stubborn in the right direction sometimes 👍

[@BenLea-rq3rm]

@@OsadabwaMoto Yes it does, well done! How do you navigate 700km? Maps? GPS? It seems like an easy way to get really lost.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

@@BenLea-rq3rm the track I was on I know by heart. Been here 10 years, so I have lots of them memorized. When we go deeper in the bush, I use Google Earth to plot tracks then follow them. It's amazing the stuff I've found that way. It's not 100%, but pretty close. I used to use a Garmin GPS but I hated the interface and the software and the expense so much I ditched it in favor of a mobile phone and GuruMaps (or any one of a number of mobile navigation tools). The system's pretty well dialed in by now. Hope you're looking at the other vids of us succeeding, not just this epic fail vid! Cheers

[@BenLea-rq3rm]

@@OsadabwaMoto I was watching the ADV in Kenya vid and I was thinking "how do these guys not get seriously lost". that's also where I got the sore toe thought "ouch". I ride the mountains and deserts in the northwest USA and we use mobile phone aps to navigate. I intend to watch more of your videos as time allows. It's snowing now in these mountains and I'd rather be riding but this time of year allows some time for checking out the journeys of others. Really liked your beer vid. Peace Man

[@OsadabwaMoto]

@@BenLea-rq3rm For every video on KZbin there's a whole write up on ADV Rider. I actually like doing and re-reading the writeups better than the videos, but the vids add to the whole thing. Search for Osadabwa. This is the one that goes with the beer vid: www.advrider.com/f/threads/return-to-the-valley-of-the-mountain-of-god.1688599/

[@DomingoDeSantaClara]

I've used the plant stuffing method on a wheelbarrow tyre, but i used dead grass and stuffed it really tight, i think using live plant material won't work because the moisture gets forced out and won't maintain the pressure, but hey it got you out of there and that's all that matters.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Yeah it was definitely sub optimal mousse material but I had to try. No grass around and I was fed up! Glad I tried though so I know not to do it that way again.

[@pawelwolski1316]

Thank you, so my next adv bike will have proper tubeless, spoked rims. The new CFmoto 450 MT is it. The Honda Rally 300 that was in the running in addition to suspension, fueling/ecu tune, exh/air intake snorkels/cams, skid plates/racks, now needs rims.........Too much $$$$$. Thx for helping ease my mind with my choice.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Cool. Good luck with the new bike 👍

[@701Adventures]

I have the Bosch tyre inflator that you mentioned, it will inflate to well over 130psi which is more than good enough for the TuBliss system 👍

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Yeah it looks perfect. Any feedback on how much air it can pump on one charge?

[@701Adventures]

@@OsadabwaMoto It will pump up both the high pressure tube and the tyre to both wheels probably about three or four times before you will need to recharge it. It still won’t be flat at this point but better to be prepared just in case you need it. It’s a very rapid tyre inflator also, it doesn’t labour, it just gets on with the job. It’s expensive but in my opinion well worth the money and it doesn’t take up much room either.

[@TomJAdv]

Oh man.. that hand pump... I was literally writing blog about hand pump and motorcycles... It sucks more than anything else... If its ok, ill add link to your video in my blog post 😉👍

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Well, to be fair to the pump, the reason it took so long is because I was pumping against a punctured tube in all three instances (like a muppet). Pros: Very light, very compact. Cons: Pumping. So yeah, I'll invest in the Bosch. And link to whatever you want amigo, this is the internet! Ain't no rules! (Though I appreciate you asking.)

[@dznnf7]

Dakar racers run Michelin mousses - size must be closely matched to your tire. Lots of guys racking up high speed miles in Baja, and on pavement. Tubliss inners are cheap and compact, and I wonder if road bicycle sealant like Stan's would close that small hole you had? Great video!

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Yeah the Michelin mousses could handle it. We're very far from being as badass as Dakar riders! But they replace them every day! I'm just a guy riding for fun, so they need to last a lot longer than that (like 2 tire changes at least which is 4-5000km for me). Essentially: 1) we can't get Michellin stuff here 2) it'd be expensive as hell if we could 3) Fixing punctures is part of life... this story went south because I wasn't prepared for it. 4) Minor one - I hate how mousses feel... And you're right about those inners, I just need to get some and carry them along. In fact, that might be the solution, instead of carrying the 18" spare. Either way you have to pull the TUBliss inner out... might as well put it back since it has definitely saved me a lot of trailside time with nail punctures. You're also right about maybe trying the typical bicycle sealant for that one... that white latex stuff might just have done it. I need to get that compressor though... pushing 100psi into a tube with a pump is the shits. Cheers

[@dznnf7]

i run a Michelin mousse in the front and have a lot of pavement miles on it now - over 1500. All good. And I run Tubliss in the rear for the same reasons you do. I'm thinking your bike is battery-free, but those tiny 12V compressors are awesome. Guys report the USB charged mini ones are a great option too - and inexpensive. @@OsadabwaMoto

[@OsadabwaMoto]

That's a pretty smart combo... mousse up front and TUBliss or Nomousse in the rear. But I have to use Michellin... tried others (Golden Tyre and another brand... don't remember which) and they don't last even up front. Even had one roll on me and I went down like a sack O' spuds.

[@dznnf7]

No doubt. Most mousses are made and marketed for hard-enduro, almost trials riding stuff. Super soft. I wouldn't even try one on hard tracks or asphalt at speed. And the forks need some definite clicker work to make them feel "normal". @@OsadabwaMoto

[@tomcorle1400]

Those inners are like $ 15 at rocky Mt Atv...@@OsadabwaMoto

[@Dualsportdisciple]

what an epic journey! I enjoyed every minute

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Glad my suffering can bring some joy to the world :) Now go watch a vid of us ripping around some of the best bits of Kenya! Those vids nobody watches!

[@endurokenya2306]

you got pretty unlucky with that nail. I also run tubliss for my 500 front and rear. Has served me well so far. But I indeed always carry a spare tube and patches. You can get Michelin mousses here, I run them on my race bike but I agree they would go too quickly on tarmac.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Definitely unlucky, but given the number of nails around it was bound to happen. Who sells Michelin in Nairobi? It could be worth it for a really long trip sometime. Cheers

[@endurokenya2306]

@@OsadabwaMoto Shivam imports them if you ask him. Price was correct.

[@Treeclimbingexpert]

I have a drz 400s. Still got tubes on mine.

[@ManBikeSwag]

I felt your pain

[@markfenby4402]

mate go and get a lucioli tube 7mm thick i have been running one for 3 years its now done 400 hours hard enduro works great you will thank me cheers mark

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Very cool that you found something that works for you, but I don't think this ticks the boxes for my specific use case. Happy to be educated here, but it's still a tube, no? No tube is going to stop a nail. And at $336 apiece (at Lucioli USA website), it would have to be absolutely bomb proof for me to consider it. Other thing is, I'm not doing hard enduro. I'm doing hard adventure, rally raid, or just all-around dirt biking. I don't need or even want low pressures 98% of the time.

[@davenawahine4428]

The type of riding you do, use a mousse or mousse balls/wedges. Tubliss is better in hard enduro, running very low pressure like 2 or 3 psi.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

You're right that we don't want low pressures but I have not had good luck with Mousses. Even though we try to limit our tar riding they still turn to mush too quickly to be worthwhile.

[@ogasi1798]

i use nitro nuteck mousse - i never have this issue , i just ride and relax

[@babar69110]

2 rim locks on each wheel, even 3 on back . MTB tubes as ultimate back up ;)

[@jeremyclifford1664]

Blimey,thats what friends are for,but,where are they,would help thing alot,,still,good skill,determination,but bad luck,try,ntry again,you,ll win,in the end,jambo,from Blighty, allafu,n qwenda pesi pesi,mingee sana,

[@fmtnic]

Mousse for me. Never have to worry.

[@fmtnic]

PS. Great video. First time seeing your channel and I subscribed.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

@@fmtnic This has been a funny week. I've been putting vids up for my mates and I for years, but KZbin only feeds us what's best for their bottom line, not what's maybe right for the viewer. This time I'm getting lots of feedback and I can only assume it's because it's not about "guys riding hard in Africa and exploring awesome tracks and places with mates", but because I mentioned a product that people search for and debate (endlessly) about. Anyway, welcome to the Pig Pen! Cheers

[@fmtnic]

It's funny because I was helping a friend do his first mousse install this afternoon and we were (or I was) kind of bashing tublis and your video came up in my feed. We live and ride in Cambodia and flat tires are just way too common so years ago I made the switch to mousse and will never go back. Most of my flats here were nails and wire etc. My biggest motivation was not having to carry so many tools and tubes. I like to ride light. Anyhow I look forward to your other videos and a big hello from Cambodia. Cheers , Nick @@OsadabwaMoto

[@Psycho-Seventy-Eight]

@@OsadabwaMoto Your vid popped up for me because of Tubliss system. Glad I found your channel. I subscribed immediately. I'm also glad you addressed why you couldn't ride home on the flat with tubliss. That is my go to plan, but if I'm way out in the middle of nowhere in Arizona desert, I'll bring a spare tube as well just in case. Also, I just saw a vid on someone with half mouse on top of tubliss. I've seen guys cut down a mouse to go with tubliss, but no one actually selling a half mouse. I haven't watched the vid yet tho. so it is possible he cut it himself. Looked factory tho. My issue with mouse is they say it deteriorates on the road at speed, and like you, I ride the HWY to the trails.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

@@Psycho-Seventy-Eight I reckon there's no perfect solution. Each of us will weigh our situation against the available options. Despite all the confident folks here shouting about mousses, I personally hate them and they don't work well enough for my use to blow the bucks on. Most of these guys think I do enduro riding, which I don't. That'd be a different story. Does this mean I have to fight a battle now and then with tubes or TUBliss, yes! But this particular muppet show was caused by lack of appropriate backup, I don't really blame TUBliss itself... I mean, it was a 4" nail, and unless they make a Kevlar red liner, we're stuck with what we have. And about the 1/2 mousse/TUBliss combo... not sure that would have saved me... it might have slowed down the nail enough not to puncture on the first rotation, but then I kept riding and it would have nailed it in nice and deep... so anyway.

[@Dualsportdisciple]

Would you be open to doing a podcast?

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Now that's unexpected. Maybe. Hit me up a PM in ADV Rider 👍.

[@ivanrybkin9384]

you had rubber glue, why not cut one type to patch the other one???

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Well I didn't have much glue and I didn't expect it to hold I guess is the answer. The rear tube was chewed through (from a previous misadventure with a cut tyre flexing snd viting anhole in it) so it would have been a risky fix. Cut was long and rough. Then the 21" tube... by the time I got around to that it had started to rain. During the rain a guy on a bike came by and I actually paid him to patch it with his kit. The thing slid off like a scab in a hottub. After that I was ready to just trow in the towel 😆

[@TheRealSykx]

Save some fun for the rest of us

[@proto7688]

Holly shit, mouse for life, fuck this shit

[@OsadabwaMoto]

I hear you. My issue is that mousses and my XR650R don't play well together... at least the ones we can buy here in Kenya. The bike is heavy, we mostly ride hard-pack rocky stuff in the heat at between 50-70mph, and we can't avoid tar... sometimes hours of it. Under those conditions, they just don't last. I've had to compromise. Up to now, having a tube in the front with sealant in it and TUBliss in the rear has served me well. The rest of my mates just use tubes.

[@donaldblank8873]

2 Bliss tubes are 1199 apiece. Order 3 moto sport

[@RodrigoGarciactg]

Are you switching over to a mousse now?

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Nope. Already reinstalled my TUBliss. I also bought a NomOusse from Spain to try. Mousse does not work well for me.

[@Steve-vz3ud]

Don't like tubeless carry 2 spare tunes patch kit small pump.swear by rim locks on all my bikes

[@TetraX-ui7xl]

. ??? Rimlock only if you run low pressure ??? ??? clean out the slime with petrol... ??? .

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Yeah maybe so! Good ideas.

[@MatijaBuhMetaliero]

hahahahahaha vyou're great

[@chrisscott1547]

I will not own a moto that uses any type of inner tube.

[@OtisFlint]

Me neither. Mousse or nothing.

[@danstevens2204]

Stuff it full of grass etc and head home

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Guess you didn't watch till the end 😀

[@chadrides914]

Tubliss front is an absolute fail of a design but it works fantastic in the back! And what kind of third world sh’ hole are you riding in? And your the one puncturing the tubes when your hacking at them with your irons.

[@OsadabwaMoto]

Welcome, Gigachad, and many thanks for your comment. I agree with the first bit totally. The answer to the second bit is Kenya, but a small correction is required to fix your ignorance: it's a middle income country, not considered 3rd world. The comment to the third bit is simply: eat me.

[@chadrides914]

@@OsadabwaMoto sorry I kinda got revved up at work dealing with some truckers and then took it out on my KZbin comments. I apologize. I surely was being an arse hole

[@OsadabwaMoto]

@@chadrides914 don't sweat man. The Internet is where our inner arsehole always tries to take control. Thanks for coming back and thumping yours on the head. And of course you have a valid point about levers and punctures, and I've done it before. This time though it was simple lack of preparation and not ham-fistedness that got me. Peace.

[@chadrides914]

@@OsadabwaMoto keep shredding the gnar on your Dirtbikes. Looks like you’ve got lots of exploring still and the experience to do it.