The BMW G650x Country, F650 Dakar, and Sertao are all great bikes, and despite the varying rim sizes up front, they all share a 17″ rear wheel (130/80/17 tyre size). Great on the road but a slight compromise when riding off-road, if only due to the fact that many of the best off-road tyres, and so too inner tubes, are only available in an 18″ rear.

Michelin and Continental both make great tubes, but their heavy duty range isn’t available in 17″ sizing. Whether you really need a heavy duty inner tube is a moot point, they aren’t suppose to be used on the road, but are suppose to be more puncture resistant off it.

In a pinch (as in get you home) even a 21″ tube will fit on a 17″ rim, but when you consider that heavy duty tubes are often 2.5-4.5mm thick and weight well over a kilo each, you have to ask if you really want to add that extra rotating (unsprung) mass.

Better to find a tube (and spares) in the wheel’s native size if possible. To this end I scoured the usual forums and have started compiling a list of heavy duty (over 2.5mm thick) tubes that are available to fit the 17″ on these bikes.

Heavy duty 17″ motorcycle inner tubes

OK, it’s a very short list, but it’s a start. If you know of any others please let me know in the comments and I’ll add them up here.