You don’t have to but we advise all of our customers to fit new tubes when fitting new tyres.
It’s mainly down to economics and safety.
The cost of a new motorcycle inner tube is between £10 and £25, with most motorcycle inner tubes costing around £15.
Compare that to the cost of removing and fitting a new inner tube, which is around £25.
An inner tube is not as robust as a tyre and has a different role to play. The tube’s valve is the most likely area that will fail, as the rubber around the valve tends to be under more force than any other area of the tube. An old tube is more susceptible to a puncture from a pinch than a new tube.
So when you’re fitting a new tyre, a rear for example, you’re going to be spending around £120. Is it worth saving £15 by not fitting a new inner tube? Is it worth the risk of a puncture and the hassle involved in getting that repaired or replaced?
You can always keep your old tube as a spare if you feel it has plenty of life left in it, as replacing a tube on a trail is a lot easier than trying to fix a puncture.
For further reading, we’ve published an indepth guide to motorcycle inner tubes, which tells you everything you need to know (and some things you probably don’t) when it comes to getting the right inner tube for your bike.
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