The things I do for my kids! Time for new knobbies, and I've put seven on in the last week; two skinned knuckles, but no pinched tubes! All three boys have new rubber, as well as my buddy Ron. Maybe this should have been in the 4-stroke blasphemy category :whistle:
(https://i.postimg.cc/RVdZSTRF/175-E8619-D03-B-4-DCC-899-A-482-E6-EC3-B973.jpg)
My bike has gotten no love. That Michelin is a soft-terrain that's at least 15 years old, but it won't wear out! I have a set of gummy Shinkos waiting in the wings for it...maybe I can change two more tires without snake-biting a tube.
(https://i.postimg.cc/mgr2tFXS/C3-EB28-B8-1-EBD-4-DBB-9059-79-E32-A8-FB50-C.jpg)
Nice work!
Your next business venture?
"Wade's Tires and Fabrication" :cheers:
I got really tired of fighting to get tires off that have been on a rim for 20 years or more.
When I saw a tire changer come up cheap on marketplace it was a done deal.
Might not be the best, but it works with minimal effort no bashed knuckles or back pain (joys of getting older)
I actually bought a changer much like that from Harbor Freight...do you think I've taken it out of the box yet? Someday.
Quote from: 85RZwade on July 01, 2022, 03:58:01 PM
I actually bought a changer much like that from Harbor Freight...do you think I've taken it out of the box yet? Someday.
:whistle: :whistle:
I gotta get mine put together too.
After struggling/paying others to install tires with bib mousses on my dirt bike I convinced my club to my a Rabaconda. Total game changer.
We also have a pro-level hydraulic tire machine that I've never figured out how to use with confidence.
Both are a big step up from a 5gal bucket and a couple of spoons.
The tireman at the track showed me how to use the fancy pneumatic machine and then I did a bunch of changes to help remember. The tireman is underappreciated on a busy, hot day.
Waaaay better than doing them by hand, the bead breaker alone makes me want one but they sure are heavy and take up alot of space.
A different guy has some hitch mounted setup that is manual but also is a pretty slick setup. There was frequently no vendor for the tires he ran and competitors started wanting $20 per wheel and he was goin through quite a few of em and doesnt mind wrenchin.
My favorite is to ship buy em off of Wheelers at deals gap, they change them happily and are a true old school shop and motorcyclists. Kenny also knows a thing or two about those fiddies if you are trying to make a fast one.
i just pay the local shop 30 bucks a wheel. I -hate- changing tires . id rather get poked in the eye repeatedly with a bent 4 stoke exhaust valve.
but thats just me.
my local shops never have spoke weights, but still worth it most times.
$300 for a Rabaconda, or a bit less for the Tusk knockoff is so worth it.
Literally turns a pain in the ass job painless.
My local shops arent local anymore and then you get into well, thats not our tire and we charge $300 for em and we dont have any in stock and you'll have to drop the wheel off for a day.....I could buy a new bike with fresh tires on it faster:)
I used to have a car guy local that would do it, super cool and was always in and out even when he didnt know I was coming.
Still dont know why most car guys say they cant do em, imma have to take a look at this special car only machine the next time I'm in.
Honestly though, if you can change a bicycle tire, you can change a motorcycle tire.
There are a few special tools that make it way easier (even without a Rabaconda).
Murphy's Concentrated Tire and Tube Mounting Compound
Motion Pro Bead Buddy
At least 5 high quality tire levers
I use zip ties, some soap and one tire spoon. I can swap a tire in less than ten minutes. No need for a tire changer or any crazy tools.
I am with M in SC on this one. I hand the local shop my old wheel and tire and the new tire and tube. I come back the next day and hand him $30 and walk back to the car with the new tire mounted and balanced on my wheel.
I can typically mount them fairly easily. But, take them in for a 10 minute balance job. No need to pogo-stick down the road lol.
i'll admit, i'm lucky my local guy does it in a day. drop off on way to work, back by end of day. he also carries spoke, and black and silver rim weights.
Just had these put on Thursday. thats 270 bucks worth of sticky grom tires. lol. last set lasted over 5000 miles though, so cant complain.
I will DIY just about anything but with motorcycle tires I pay.
I've done car tires many times on manual machines and they are so stinking easy. Motorcycle tires even with tools, nope. I'm out.
To be honest,. my time is worth more than it costs, to me, to get a tire swapped. same way i feel about mowing the yard.
For me it all depends on the tire, I have the harbor freight thing and even some 3dprinted adapters that allow it to actually hold the rim. it works decent on regular size wheels but not on most smaller ones. My local shops charge $50 a wheel but if the rubber is stiff it is worth every penny.
i've seen the zip tie trick, i'll give that a try next time.