Tire changing advice - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

**Clint** · 09-28-2009, 11:20 AM

Hey, all. I changed my fourth tire Saturday morning using my thin-budget home setup. It went well, and my 70 mph commute this morning indicated success. As always with new tires, the handling has been restored. I can turn again! I've found that a few things really help with levering the tires on and off:

First, always be aware of what the back side of the tire is doing. If it's way down low, or it's up on the bead shelf, you'll be stretching the tire much further than you should, risking damage to the bead reinforcement. This could be dangerous. I keep a rubber mallet on the bench, and I'll whack the backside of the tire down as I work around the front. It's apparent how much slack is created when I do this, making that last few inches much easier. I also whack the tire bead downward on the lever as I pry. You don't want to be stretching the bead over the rim and up above it two inches. Keep the rubber right tight to the rim.

I keep a spray bottle of dishsoap solution nearby, too. I try to keep the entire bead damp, again to avoid damage. You can use it when you seat the bead, too, but I haven't found it to take more than about 20 lbs. of pressure to seat a motorcycle tire.

You'll want 3 tire levers. I only have two, so I'm constantly looking for a something to maintain position on the left side, while I'm leapfrogging the two levers on the right.

I use sections of a paint roller for rim protectors. Its the type with a heavy plastic core tube, and it's cut into 2" x 2" squares. If I cut up another roller, I'll make them longer so I can use one pad under two levers. The curve of the tube and the padding provided by the nap ensure that no damage occurs. You really need to be careful not to let one slip inside the tire, however. They're a pain to get out of a partially mounted tire.

I've reduced my balancing apparatus to the axle and jack stands. My wheel bearings are free enough that I can easily balance to 1/4 ounce, more than adequate for street riding. I know for a fact that some shops don't do that well.

That's all for now. Don't be afraid of changing tires. I can do a pair in about two hours, off the bike and back on. That can be a big money-saver if you don't have a good, inexpensive shop nearby.