Lester Wheels - Tube or Tubeless - definitive answer

[Recycled Roadkill]

Did Lester quit producing wheels when the factory burnt down?

[alwing17]

Yes they did... More companies were producing bikes w/mag wheels,so the writing was already on the wall..Just like Craig Vetter and the fairings and luggage. Honda figured it out in 1980 and made the Interstate.

[Fred Camper]

Thank you for posting, now I have the confidence to remove the tube from the front next time I replace the tire. Way easier to put in a plug on the road.

[Old Fogey]

Not trying to add fuel to the fire, but I have only had two sets of Lester wheels in my hands; the one set NOS still in their very damaged boxes and the other used. One set had large valve holes which would accept a tubeless valve, the other set had small holes that could only take the valve stem of a tube. Unfortunately I did not check out the rim shapes, as I thought that the usage was self evident.

[wingrider]

I will have to check the ones I just bought...they are both new in the box. Special additions none the less!

[sunnbobb]

I have come across both valve sizes. I used a small passenger car valve stem on the smaller one and a larger truck valve stem on the larger one. My local tire shop helped me figure out each one.

[BlueThunder]

I've had 2 sets of Lesters... one in 1981 and the other in 2015. Both were/are tubeless.

[Patriccio]

Good job, Doctor Archivist.

[calif wingnut]

18" lester on a 78 I parted out many years ago.