Lester Wheels - Tube or Tubeless - definitive answer
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Re: Lester Wheels - Tube or Tubeless - definitive answer
Did Lester quit producing wheels when the factory burnt down?
Bob Gill
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I've considered joining Insomniacs Anonymous, but I decided I'd sleep on it.
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- alwing17
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Re: Lester Wheels - Tube or Tubeless - definitive answer
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.
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1976 GL 1000 "Screaming Yellow Zonker"
1976 GL 1000 Sulfur Yellow x2
1981 GL 1100 "Crown Royal"
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1977 GL1000 Cirrius Blue
1977 GL 1000 Skidmark build
1976 GL 1000 Limited
2003 ST 1300 Silver Streak
(And those are just the Gold Wings! With an exception..)
Team 898...25%er...*Beverages Consumed
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Re: Lester Wheels - Tube or Tubeless - definitive answer
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.
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1976 LTD - '993 LTD...and so it begins'
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Re: Lester Wheels - Tube or Tubeless - definitive answer
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.
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- wingrider
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Re: Lester Wheels - Tube or Tubeless - definitive answer
I will have to check the ones I just bought...they are both new in the box. Special additions none the less! 

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Re: Lester Wheels - Tube or Tubeless - definitive answer
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.
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---- Bradshaw Bikes custom polishing for your wing. Visit us on facebook!
1978 Learning Experience
1980 County Road Hauler "Brain Damage"
1978 Cafe Custom Gl1000 "Vyper"
1977 Bulldog Inspired "Vaincre"
1981 Street Fighter GL1100 "No Quarter"
1983 Supercharged Street Drag "Anubis" (in worx)
1983 gl1100 mint restoration "Kristen"
1985 Aspencade..pondering.
- BlueThunder
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Re: Lester Wheels - Tube or Tubeless - definitive answer
I've had 2 sets of Lesters... one in 1981 and the other in 2015. Both were/are tubeless.
...Brian
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Re: Lester Wheels - Tube or Tubeless - definitive answer
Good job, Doctor Archivist.
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Re: Lester Wheels - Tube or Tubeless - definitive answer
18" lester on a 78 I parted out many years ago.
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