old motorcycles

[Tommo]

Hey fellas the thing to remember is that air pressure and air pressure alone keeps a beaded edge tyre on the rim. Don't confuse apples with oranges and compare them with wire sided tyres. Totally different technology.

[Tom Lovejoy]

Rick, Iam far less experienced then many in the club. But my experience with clinchers - my deluxe,2 flats - one a blow out in a curve at about 35 or 40 in traffic, both were my back tire. 1st one scared me abit, but the 2nd one really did it to me. Lady in a Ford truck was skidding trying her best not to hit me, I dont know who was more scared her or me. Worse than that, my tire came completely off and rapped around my chain guard and in my spokes. I could not even get the machine off the street without the help of a couple fellows. Though I was not hurt and the damage was minnor, it was a big deal to me for certain.
My Henderson was the most expensive motorcycle I ever bought and took me 5 years to get finished and running. Not only do I not want to get killed on it, but I did my own paint, so that damage was a big deal to me. After that I could not enjoy it anymore I was always waiting for a boom, that was in about 3,000 miles of ridding. I asked the most experienced guys in our chapter and did what they said to do as best I understood them. But for me that was it, I put drop centers on it and have not had a problem since - about 1,500 miles thus far.Best of all for me it took that worry away.
With the clinchers I was running 50 lbs pressure, my clinchers are now on the shelf. I know a couple of people who have many miles on clinchers with very few problems, but I also know several who have had blowout after blowout and a couple accidents that have wrecked beautiful machines, that was the only reason I mentioned it, the guys in my chapter call me a worry wort - but thats my two cents Tom.

[silentgreyfello]

clinchers

I run several bikes with clinchers at 50 psi minimum... no problems yet, though most of my bikes only do 30-35 mph tops.

I think someone also mentioned powdering your tubes so that the tires don't pull the tube / stem. A dirttracker told me about that trick twenty years ago and I have been doing it since. He used baby powder, as do I. I rub the powder inside the tire AND all around the tube before installing the tube into the tire. You don't want the powder on the clincher lip... clean it before pumping. I then pump the tire to about 5 psi and push in the edges of the tire, working around the tire on each side. This helps ensure that the tube isn't pinched or twisted inside. I also tighten the valve stem nut. It is then ready for air!

Think about those boardtrackers in the early teens doing nearly 100 mph on clinchers!! Yikes!

[DWN]

Well, I'm really wondering if perhaps I shouldn't lace up a set of modern drop-centers on this machine. I hope to ride this bike to some AMCA events, perhaps 200 miles one way. I don't want to poke along at traffic clogging speeds just so I can feel safer about getting stopped if a tire blows.
Let me say here too, this bike is perhaps a bit heavy for the clincher tires, and I am certainly a heavier load than the bike was designed for.
In 40 years and perhaps 250,000 miles of riding, I've had one tire falure on drop centers, and it was from a sidewall puncture. I had my first clincher episode before we even had the bike back on the ground.
Many of you have mentioned the Coker tires. I used the Universals because I was advised that the Cokers may pop off the rim. Anyone have experience with these two brands?

[silentgreyfello]

I have run both with no problems. However, a friend of mine was running a '25 JD on a road run (with Cokers) and blew a tire at 55 mph. The tire came off the rear rim and slammed him to the ground. He spent about 6 months recovering and the bike is still wrecked. If you are going to run at highway speeds, drop centers are the safer bet, even more so the heavier the rider.

[Tommo]

I need to be careful what I say here but I wouldn't even ride around the block on either of the brands mentioned,they're only show tyres. If you put either of them up against a Dunlop and compare them you can see why.
Rick I know I have a spare Henderson front hub and may even have a bare rear one. Why don't you look seriously at building up a second set of wheels on drop side rims and keeping the originals for fitment when required. If you change your existing wheels you will still be up for new rims, tyres, tubes and spokes so the only extra cost will be the hubs and you will not have spoiled or devalued those original wheels, and that way you can have the best of both worlds.
Now on the rider weight issue, I weigh in at just short of 260lbs, stand just on 6ft 2ins tall and have no fears riding on any beaded edge tyred motorcycles I own, be it a Douglas on 26x2's or a Harley on 28x3's or my Ace on 385x20's but they will have tyre pressures way in excess of 50psi.
We didn't have Board Track racing here in NZ but we did have grass track on mile circuits and years ago when talking to those guys, that rode Harleys,Excelsiors and Indians on the grass on beaded edge tyres, about this very subject the concensus was that only a fool would compete on tyre pressures under 70 psi.
Now I can only take those gentlemen for their word but my experience has shown that so long as the tyre is sound, the rim edge is not at all sharp and the rim is the correct size for the tyre being fitted you will have no troulbe at all so long as you inflate it to at least 50psi.
Just on rim sizes 26 x 2 1/4 is a different rim size to 26 x 2 1/2 yet you still find people trying to mismatch these sizes.
Enough of my ramblings.
Tommo

[DWN]

Well, it's been over a month since we bantered about the clinchers on the '27 Henderson. Here's an update.
Last week I went over to my brother's house, where I have the Hen stored, and set about getting it ready for a turn around the block. We checked everything and aired the tires to 50psi as recommended by several of you folks. The front had a bit over 20psi in it, but the rear had nearly zero pressure. That should have raised a red flag........
I turned on the gas and fired it up. After it warmed up a bit, I pushed it outside and swung a leg over. Just about then, "Ka-Pow" from that rear tire. That's two blow-outs on the rear, while the front is still okay.
Yesterday I went back with a 21" tube. I carefully put in that new tube using two slender wooden paddles as suggested earlier in this thread. A bit of soapy water was applied to the bead to make them slip on easier too. I inflated to 15psi, deflated, and re-inflated to 50psi in several smaller increments. As of this evening, it's holding pressure, so I must have pinched the tubes on my previous mountings.
I'll let it set a few days, and re-check the pressures. If all is well, I'll try taking it for a run, at slow speeds.

[Tom Lovejoy]

Something I was told to do when inflating was to pump up abit and then bounch the wheel around as you turn it and that was also supposed to help set the bead in place. The guy who passed that to me had years of experience with clinchers, just passing it on. Wish you good luck with it and look forward to hearing how your ride went.
My Dad and I went out last weekend with my deluxe, running well. On a nice easy turn started to let her breath a bit, suddenly a line of stopped cars dead ahead. I was running about 50mph and man I tell you- that WOKE me up quick, take it easy on your antique. Sometimes they run good enough you kind of forget how old they are - until you need to stop quick!! With out the front brake, 50 mph can seem fast real quick! usually cruise more like 35, good luck with yours, Tom

[AdminGuy]

talc (baby powder) on the tube and inside the tire. Use hand soap w/ a little water, not much - on the bead. It will slide into place--- like you know what. Maybe you can't do that with a clinch? It needs the grip on the rim doesn't it. might be a little risky. maybe just water. Ok - I know nothing.

Brakes smakes- highly over rated. Fred Flintstone had his technique down pat. hee-hee- I hear ya Tom. I think everyone has ridden the gutter a time or two. I have a full head of grey hair.

Whoops - sorry guys didn't read the whole tread. it's a good read. Thanks to everyone for the input/knowledge.

[DWN]

Since we're on the brake thing, I was wondering if any of you have put a front brake on an old bike. I've toyed with trying to put a '28 front end on this '27, but it's probably cheaper and just as easy to use a more common brake assembly with my front end.
Over the years, front brakes have saved my skin a bunch of times. I'm not intending to do stoppies, but it seems a shame to let a patch of traction go to waste when a rear bumper is getting close to your nose.

[exeric]

With all due respect to safety and effeciency I think you're missing the whole point to having and riding an old motorcycle. If you want a modern bike, get a modern bike. 6 volt electrics, crappy brakes, less than stellar performance, and clincher tires go part and parcel with old motorcycles. It's your motorcycle and you can do what you want with it, but you're just making a lot of extra work for the next guy who's has to put it all back to original.

[c.o.]

I do believe as well that those early front brakes were nothing to write home about..........

[DWN]

That's what I was wondering, whether it was worth the bother. But it would be reassuring to have an extra bit of whoa power when Granny pulls out in front of me as I wander down the blissful paths. Plus, it would make stopping on hills easier, with the foot clutch. But this bike was built to ride, so I will try to use it at perhaps 50% of it's potential.
I realize the Henderson will never be able to measure up to the newer stuff. I have a modern bike for that.

[Tom Lovejoy]

To each his own, I would leave the front end the way it is - I like the look of the 27 forks better than the 28s. You just got to have your thinking cap on when your riding the old stuff. You got to look alot farther ahead and think ahead - anticipate, more so than with your modern bikes. The back brake is actually not to bad, have not had many close encounters when running at a slow pace. If you feel like turnning up some speed - try picking a road carefully. Again though - use caution untill you have faith in those clinchers, or change em out. - just my opinion. I have had several close calls, but have not hit a thing yet :-) But we have lots of traffic here in L.A. and alot of folks dont care a darn about what your ridding or how old it is, they just want you out of the way. I think the back brake is ok as long as your not sleeping at the handlebars and your just cruiseing. Oh yes, like adminguy says - Hendersons were made to run, not stop, you dont need no stinking brakes!

[c.o.]

I'm in agreement with Tom, once you've got the feel of your machine, you'll know it's limitations. I've ridden plenty of bikes with limited braking capacity. Engine compression can be your friend and once your comfortable you'll be amazed at what your bike can do............. Have fun and enjoy that Henderson of yours. They are a wonderful machine.........