The tyres on my Yamaha XJ600 keep deflating, even after though I have taken them off five times and had the wheel rims cleaned up. The tyres are about three years old. What should I do ?
Well, The only way to find the source of the leak is to slowly rotate the tyre and wheel assembly in A water-filled bath and look for bubbles.
For both tyres to be deflating at the same Time my money is on problems with the bead seat area of the wheel, which you’d see as air bubbles escaping between the tyre and the rim. This area can become corroded and if a tyre has been in position for several years the rim can “weld” itself to the tyre’s bead. When the tyre is removed it can leave small flakes on the wheel, leaving a surface prone to slow leaks.
If your cleaned-up wheels haven’t ‘responded to treatment’ then I’d suggest looking for secondhand wheels in better condition, or having your rims powder-coated by a reputable company who would clean the bead area scrupulously before applying the coating.
If the valves are old they sometimes begin to leak, so should be replaced every time a new tyre is fitted. Even if yours are air tight but haven’t been changed for awhile I’d replace them anyway. You never know when they could fail…