Tire Changing Question - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

Jammer · 03-17-2008, 08:47 PM

Question on changing tires on my Gixxer.

Honestly I'm tired of the 3.25 for the less expensive gas. The $80 an hour now to get my bike worked on. My inspection for my Gixxer alone is coming up in June. I need new tires. I'm thinking of trying out the Battleax. I've had Dunlop all this time.

Two part question. If I change the tires myself. What dangers are there other than possibly breaking the tire bead? I'll need two tires with a labor rate with the tires on the bike of 60 + 40. 100 bucks for me. Suz got a nail in the back of her 06 Gixxer for there's another 60. For that money in labor I can go get a bike lift. Tire irons are about 25 for two of them...even if I pay 40 for two I get the tools myself.

Here's the second part question. A friend has his Concorse tire changed at a local repair shop. I was told by him that his tire was put on wrong because the guy normally works on Harleys. That made no sense to me. I mean a tire really is a tire. You have direction and at best balancing. Yet he still maintains the guy put the tire on wrong. I saw him riding his bike so the guy couldn't have broken the bead. Any clue of what this guy could have been speaking of? Provided that he was correct in the first place.

Suz, that's wife Suz brings up a good point. There are times when we will get the bug and go blasting down the highway. For safety she wants the tires put on right. Like I was asking..any dangers of putting tires on..things I should know about to do it the right way?

Sincerely...