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Question:

Can I tell if a Motorcycle Tire is Tubeless or has a Tube, without taking it off?

The bike is a 2005 Suzuki V-Strom, original on the front, Avon Potenzia on the back.

Answer:

the most common way is if the wheel is a spoke wheel, then it has a tube in it, this is because there is now way to seal the wheel where the spokes come thru the center of the wheel, so you've got a rim strip and a tube. Now that said, that does not mean all mag wheels don't have a tube in them, but most commonly mags don't have tubes and spoke wheels do have a tube. also the side of the tire should say tubeless if it is,,,tubeless
It is probably tubeless. Generally is you have cast rims then they are tubless. If it has spokes then it will have a tube.
Most are made to be tubeless. It will say if it is on the sidewall. To tell if a tube is installed, you look at the valve stem. If it's all rubber, and looks like one on a car, then no tube. If it has a nut on the valve stem to hold it in place, you have a tube installed. Some people (like me) have been known to run tubes in tubeless tires on cast rims.

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