TRF Forums

I've been looking at mousses for the ktm. But are they worth the money. So i understand they will stop you having them timely punctures out on the lanes. But can you use them on the road? How long do they last etc etc etc...

lots been said on here about mousses do a search ,i use them ofroad on road idont fancy doing a puncture out on the trail,some folk on here will say they are not road legal but some hd tubes are also in the same boat,learn to change them yourselves as u do need to take them out and relube them but i only do that at tyre change time tril riding only mine lasted two years and wernt broken up when i took them out and i ride a lot of tarmac to get to lanes with no overheating problems that some mention on here curently got a tube in front and mousse in back,if u are only an average rider u wont notice the differnce with mousses till they are worn out then its like riding with a flatie

Mousses aren't perfect, but I wouldn't run anything else now. Having ruined my mate's day out when I got a flat, and no amount of goo or air would get the tyre up (big fencing staple through it). Yes, if I'd had a tube we could have replaced it, but that would be an hour out of riding time. No, they aren't worth the cost and hassle of fitting, but they are worth it for peace of mind. I too do a few road miles between trails, but I only cruise 50 to 55 anyway. Even after 500 miles they are still a little hard for me - possibly because I run Mitas tyres which have less room in them for the mousse. I estimate it emulates about 20 psi. Legal/illegal? Who knows - you'd have to take the tyre off to see the mousse as the tube valve is still fitted.

As has already been posted mouses all the way.

They are difficult to change at first but practice does make it easier, I can do a front and rear within an hour.

Don't over speed when in the road as this can warm them up excessively.

Not for road use - correct, but who'd know they're fitted. Top tip, use an old inner tube valve cut off and in the rim hole, this will do several things, prevent dirt ingress which could cause wear, assist you in seating the tyre if it hasn't fully seated on the rim by use of an airline, and, if you did get stopped would look like a tube is fitted in your tyre.

For the peace of mind, the reduced weight to carry around (levers, tube, pump, repair kit) and let's face it, it's normally muddy or raining when you get a puncture, never next to a beer garden on a sunny day, you'd be nuts not too.

If you are worried about the hassle of fitting, there are some companies, or maybe even forum users who will fit them. But let's face it, how often do we have to change tyres.

Go for it, spend your time riding not fixing!

QUESTION , Would it be possible to squirt lubricant into the valve aperture to keep the mousse lubricated?

Not easily, if you could I would not think it would distriibute very well.

If you have both a rim lock and valve fitted the amount of muck getting into the tyre would be greatly reduced, plus if you put a get bit of lube in the tyre when you assemble it should see the life of the tyre.

my mousses have never been bone dry and only relubed at tyre change time,my mate does use the valve to put more lube in and his have lasted about same as mine

Basically a grey area...

If you have a road legal tyre..a loose surface/rock/mud tread that is designed and intended for both surfaced and unsurfaced road use then that's the first step.

The tyre needs to have a small moulded "MST" or "e" on the side wall indicating a US or EU standard that's suitable for road use in regard to both EU and British Road Traffic Regulations.

In addition to this the tyre must NOT have "NHS" on it as this is the US "No to Highway Standard"...

Then the "tyre" needs to have an air cell that can be pressurised by way of a valve so that the pressure can be adjusted to a recommended level in line with recommended pressures from both the tyre manufacturer and the bike manufacturer. The bike manual will give you these pressures as well as the max pressure on the side of the tyre.

At all times on any road, surfaced or not you need a reasonable safe performance for the intended use and actual use.

There needs to be an ability to let air out of the tyre to deflate it. Does not say by how much but it should be in line with above.

Normal wear/condition rules also apply to damage/tread depth etc..

So if you can inflate your tyre via the tyre valve and let air out to show a visible "deflation" then it should be legal regardless of what's inside the tyre as well..

However to complicate things more..extra thick inner tubes often carry a competition only or Not to Highway standard on the box... Extremely difficult to prove without the box.

It is possible to seal the inside of a spoked wheel with certain tapes to effectivly make it into a Tubeless Wheel Rim...

You can buy tubeless motorcycle tyre valves to fit the standard size inner tube valve hole in spoked wheel rims... I put a second in the spare 2nd rim lock hole and rubber grommet the remaining rim lock bolt hole.. This effectivly allows me to use the motorcycle tyre valves to pressurise the tyre regardless of what's inside it..providing the tyre does not have a puncture...

In this way I am happy that the tyre is correctly fitted, has at least one rim lock and I can adjust the air chamber in the tyre in accordance with the regulations..

However ...again...there is more.. Certain moouse have warning of being unsuitable for high speed constant road use as there is a possibility that the moouse will fail, either suddenly or by rapid deterioration...

But this is exactly the same as an inner tube..and as long as you have the correct recommended tyre for the tubed rim it should stay on long enough to allow you to slow down safely..

A tubeless rim is designed for a tubeless tyre of a certain size... And will be a much better fit...

However there are some moouse that clearly state they are guaranteed for life and don't deteriorate during prolonged high speed use.. But they don't usually state they are suitable for road use and are not tested for road use...

So you can fit a crappy thin road legal inner tube that is labeled for road use that will last 10 mins before you rip the valve out of get a pinch puncture and be forever stopping to fit or change.... Or fit an extra thick non legal innertube that will stay inflated !

With the introduction of the tubliss 2 system you have a tight small high pressure inner tube that seals the spoke ends making it a tubeless tyre rim...
There is a secondary tyre valve now allowing the air cell of the tyre to have its pressure adjusted or deflated..meeting the requirements of the regulations..

So as the actual pressure of the sealing rim does not inflate or deflate the actual tyre..there being a second valve for this...they are using a different method to seal the spoke ends creating a tubeless tyre should meet the regulations regardless if you also have a mouse fitted in there as well ! The additional cover seal over the top of the tubliss sealing inner tube shoulder stop the moouse wearing a hole through it..

I cleaned out and properly prepped my wheel rims, then spray painted the spoke ends with a thick industrial paint sealer. I then taped over them with a thick gel tape as well.
Tubeless tyre vales still fit in the relevant holes and it does keep pressure overnight......


BUT seek proper legal advice and stay Road legal at all times..

I've changed the rear four times and front three...works well..never been stuck with a flat on the lanes in over 30,000 miles... I have two sets of wheels..

Or simply buy tubeless rims next time you change...

Just a quick tailpiece to Andy's informative post. Many tubeless rims have a 'clincher' profile which is a safety feature designed to retain the tyre should rapid deflation occur. A tube specific rim may or may not have this profile so please be aware of this.

Insurance companies will always look for a reason to reject a claim, and anything fitted to the bike which states it is for Non-Highway use or something similar will give then a get out clause.
If you are happy to take this risk then be prepared for the consequences.
If you don't want to take the risk then either contact your insurance company in advance and obtain their approval or don't fit anything that clearly states it is for non-highway use, whether this be a tyre, inner tube or mousse.