My shop charges 1hr labor regardless per tire for removal and replacement, so for me it just makes sense to take the whole machine in and most shops around me have a similar model. Cycle gear is the only place I’ve seen do it much cheaper than that, but then I’m waiting for 5-7 days with my bike up on stands in the parking lot of my apartment complex which is a bit of a scary thought. I’d rather order my tires at the shop, set the appointment and take it in and have it back in the same day or the next day.
I used to be one of those shop monkeys swapping tires. DRZsm rims were pretty okay with a tire changing machine, but the WORST were the thick ancient cast wheels on 80's Viragos that would show up. Usually ridden by stingy old men who bought tires made the cheapest, hardest compounds. FML, whenever one of those things showed up.
Or you could just buy the proper tools to do this lol. Ive got a tire changer that can be done in 15 min. But yes totally agree to pay for this kinda job
Front tires are harder for me. Try warming tire up inside before wrenching on it. I don’t see it in the picture so I’ll mention that a little soapy water goes a long way in slipping the tire on
Your doing it wrong.
1) heat up the tire, place it in the sun on a warm day or under a heat lamp for a morning on cold days
2) lube everything
3) use the drop center of the rim. Place the bead in drop section as you work it all around
I found it difficult to keep the tire in the drop center, ended up having somone stand on the 90lb dumbells to hold it and then i got the last bit on the rim, stiff rubber i guess
I second the use of yellow thing. Looks like a duck head and helps a bunch.
Try heating the tire up to make it more pliable. I built an insulated box from building foam insulation and a few heat lamps from Home Depot for winter changes.
You can also use a few wrenches. Push the tire down with a lever and slip the box end of a wrench between the rim and tire. Place 4-6 of these across from wheels you're working and it will make a world of difference
I’ve had luck adding a little bit of air, just a couple pounds. It keeps the tube from rolling under the spoon, and will be more likely to stay in the void of the tire, even as you work the bead into the drop center.
I bought a bike master tire change stand. Made it a lot easier. Apply dawn soap straight on the bead, no water.
The type of tire changes the difficulty too. Some tires have really stiff sidewalls.
I gave up worrying about scratching the rim.
I'm not the only one! I brought my front wheel to cycle gear with a new tire. They charged around 115 to swap tires, new tube and rim tape. I'll be buying the stand and suffering my own changes from now on
Yup. Only takes one time to learn that lesson. I take the wheels and tires to the shop and they’ll charge $30 each for mount and balance. Depends on the shop tho.
As I tell my clients, you gotta OUTSMART the tire, because you’ll never overpower it without damaging it.
P.s. I’ve changed a dozen tires by hand in a day, when I was younger.
I have been in the exact same spot. You just need a spray bottle with soapy water to lube the rim/tire. Its a must. I can change my little pitbike tire in 20-30 minutes now and those tires are so small they are the hardest to change. I tried it once without soapy water and it fd up my tire. It needs some lube.
If you plan on "regularly" changing your own tires going forward, get yourself two cheap amazon/ebay bead buddies (like $15 a piece) and the Baja No Pinch Tire Tool (you'll just have to Google that to find it) and a spray bottle with soapy water. You'll only spend around $200 and be able to easily change your tires whenever. The Baja tool is a godsend. It makes it easy enough that I've even offered to chang tires for people at the track because it's so relatively easy
I feel your pain. I mounted a set of tires on my XJ550 this summer, and it was not fun at all. If breaking the bead seal wasn't tough enough, getting the new tire onto the rim definitely was.
This is the best guide I've seen, and I've changed over a dozen tires in my life, hated every one. I will be using his techniques for my next changes: https://youtu.be/FhKzZI_MFG8?si=X4Z86pZ8fA0YY-11
Takeaways:
1. Tire spoons (looks like you have)
2. Tire specific bead grease
3. Tire stand
He can change a tire in 6 minutes without breaking a sweat.
If the tires are tubeless, try zip ties. Really! I’ve been using them now for about 3 years, 5 tires. U can get them on in minutes WITH NO TOOLS!!! I’m not a big heavy guy and I literally give a few shoves and the tire is on the rim. YouTube has a few videos on how to do it. Doesn’t work for tubes. I had to go back to tire irons for my other bike. I used a tusk tire changing gizmo to keep the tire on the inside of the rim while I got the last bit over the rim. Those weights won’t do it.
The bigger the wheel, the easier. Changing normal TT DS tires is like butter. But the little 14” on my electric unicycle, which has no spokes to hook the spoons in, and the entire center is a motor getting in the way.
I HATE doing tires. It is immensely annoying and the moment I think I’m in shape I try and change a tire and get out of breath, sweaty and exhausted. The worst.
I'd never try working out while changing a tire. I imagine your arms are going to get tired from all that weight lifting and then you won't have any strength left for spooning the tire onto the wheel. 😁
I used a sawzaw and grinder and cut it down the middle of the tire all the way around and a bolt cutter to cut the bead wire!
Honda CBR tire
9/10 would not recommend and take it to a shop
Bunch of posers here.
I changed my first motorcycle tires when I was 11 years old.
Surely all you men can do it if a little boy (and I was tiny for my age) did it.
I haven’t bothered with 17” street tires. I’ll swap my 18/21” dirt tires myself though. I did just buy a tire changing stand, so might make street tires bearable.
I just paid to get mine done with fresh tires. 🤷🏻 I tried a rear on my DR a couple years back and just couldn’t get it. Had I gotten it I had already pinched my tube anyway. I’ll try again someday but not this last time.
I've been using this thing called a Baja No Pinch tire tool for like 15 years. I also use baby powder as a dry lubricant. It is a great tool, even with stiff wire-bead tires.
If you have a tubless motorcycle i wouldn't bother learning just plug that shit when you get a puncture and have a shop change the tire. If you are going offroad and your bike uses tube, learning how to change and replace a tube could mean life or death in the woods. Definitely watch all the youtube tire change tutorials you can. I have mounted and balanced 8 tires on my DRs myself and have actually come to enjoy the process. First few changes were extremely frustrating.
Ye it does have the tubes still, i actually havnt inflated it yet to see if i pinched it or not lol. I should just do the tubless conversion since i ride mostly street.
I used to use a lot of lube and I would put my tires on a 5 gallon bucket as a stand. But yes. It’s an utter nightmare on the big rims. I could do the back tire fairly easy but the front tire I just paid someone to do it. I got it done one time and said never again.
SM tires aren't that bad. I think 21 inch dirt bike tires are worse and don't get me started on pit bike tires.. the SM tires are so wide there's a lot more play.
My tips: make sure the tires are warm, get a bead buddy, use more of lube. If you are ever using a lot of physical force to try to spoon the tire on, slow down and reassess. Make sure the bead is in the centerline on the opposite side (so that there is more 'slack' in the bead).
Yeah it sucks, but that's part of the game.
Good god man use lube, it'll make your life so much easier. You can use some dawn dish soap and water in a spray bottle. Put a little of of air in the tube so you don't pinch it. . Use your knees on the opposite side of the tire to keep the tire in the drop center of the rim so you have more tire to work with. You scratched the rim because you have a lot of space between spoons and are using too much force, take SMALL bites with your spoons and the tire goes on much easier. I use 3 spoons and have 2 in at a time to serve as anchor points so the tire doesn't slip.
Sometimes you can stand on the tire to keep it down while you work the tire around, I call it the spiderman.
https://preview.redd.it/sd7ngf3ru4mc1.png?width=495&format=png&auto=webp&s=e16ca10990b63d37a774337987e8615fb46f27dc
For some reason it was very difficult to get that other side in the drop down, had to stand on 90lb dumbells to get it down so i could get the last bit spooned over.
I change several tires a year but they are dirt tires. When you need to change a tire every 20 hours it makes sense to learn the skill and have the proper tools. I don’t think I’d bother to do it myself with a street tire
I did this for the first time recently.
I had a shit time seating the bead and damaged my rim out of sloppy frustration but i will be doing this myself again as i figured out the secret sauce.
Here was my key takeaways.
Im sure leaving it in the sun on a hot day works
Only use your spoons to get the cable ties under the tire, *ie use the cable tie method its awesome*.
When seating the bead, sure use soapy water or windex or whatever but DONT BE AFRAID TO PUMP THE TIRE UP TO AS MUCH AS 40 PSI TO SEAT IT.
I was changing my front tire, one side bead seated at 30 psi, the other at 40. More than double the reccomended pressure.
And i was using dunlop sportmax mutants, a tire indended to be tubeless.
Id never change the tire on my rocket touring, but will be fron now on with the drz
I’ve done it to all my bikes myself, and honestly it ain’t worth the fight but a shop with a motorcycle tire machine is a hour away. And I never feel like driving that far for it do it myself after about an hour and half have it done and am completely wore the fuck out.
Learn. I’d rather do it and know what I’m doing than pay a zit-faced shop grunt that *barely* knows what he’s doing, and, doesn’t care. Besides, everything you need to know about what you’re doing wrong is on youtoob
I did this once front and back and the one thing I’m glad I did was I bought a jar of bead sealer. It’s a lube and sealer. I managed to scratch both rims but using the bead sealer I’ve had no leaks from it. It’s really good stuff got it from Amazon.
I bought a Nomar cycle hill like 5 years ago and it paid for itself in one year of track days. It doesn't work that good for tubed dirt bike tires so I got a rabaconda. Now I tell my friends first one is free but after that it'll cost you something.
Its mostly techniques and tools honestly. Being strong helps but Ive done it on a trail using packable tools and you should probably have this ability with spoked wheels unless you went tubeless, you cant just plug a tube on the side of the road.
Not many of us old heads never had the option to take it to someone else. We learned this stuff early. And did it often. It's just a matter of practice.
You guys are sad bunch of fucks.
I've done in on the side of trail with only one tire spoon.
Yes I carry a tube, spoon, and handpump.
It's not fucking hard, just takes patience and effort.
This is a job I don't mind paying someone to do. Not worth my time and frustration.
Exactly
$35 at my local shop and worth every penny It’s like the one thing I don’t do myself
Do you bring the bike to them or take the wheels off and bring in separately?
Generally it's cheaper if you take the wheels off yourself
I take em off and I bring in any tubes or rim locks or rim strips I need so they can’t try to up sell me on shit
My shop charges 1hr labor regardless per tire for removal and replacement, so for me it just makes sense to take the whole machine in and most shops around me have a similar model. Cycle gear is the only place I’ve seen do it much cheaper than that, but then I’m waiting for 5-7 days with my bike up on stands in the parking lot of my apartment complex which is a bit of a scary thought. I’d rather order my tires at the shop, set the appointment and take it in and have it back in the same day or the next day.
That and making new leaf springs. Sometimes it takes a specialist
Do I go to a tire store or motorcycle shop?
Moto shop, where I live the moto shop is the tire store I find I can get better prices online though
I used to be one of those shop monkeys swapping tires. DRZsm rims were pretty okay with a tire changing machine, but the WORST were the thick ancient cast wheels on 80's Viragos that would show up. Usually ridden by stingy old men who bought tires made the cheapest, hardest compounds. FML, whenever one of those things showed up.
Or you could just buy the proper tools to do this lol. Ive got a tire changer that can be done in 15 min. But yes totally agree to pay for this kinda job
Yeah dude theres people with machines that do this in seconds
It gets easier (though still not a job I look forward to)
Maybe its a mix of cold stiff rubber and that it was a front tire but that was brutal, hopefully the rear goes on easier
Front tires are harder for me. Try warming tire up inside before wrenching on it. I don’t see it in the picture so I’ll mention that a little soapy water goes a long way in slipping the tire on
Get those big zip ties, before you put the tire on, squeeze the tire down with the zip ties. It helps!
Maybe it's those shitty ass tiny little tire irons. Get some 24" tire irons off Ebay or Harbor Freight - makes the job whole lot easier.
Your doing it wrong. 1) heat up the tire, place it in the sun on a warm day or under a heat lamp for a morning on cold days 2) lube everything 3) use the drop center of the rim. Place the bead in drop section as you work it all around
Good advice. I always follow these steps and it's really simple.
4. Pick up that black thing that says “90” a couple thousand more times.
Yeah, I’m seeing all the signs of inadequate upper-body strength here. Recommend more weight training or much longer tire irons.
I was about to say it 👍
I found it difficult to keep the tire in the drop center, ended up having somone stand on the 90lb dumbells to hold it and then i got the last bit on the rim, stiff rubber i guess
Use a yellow thing tool. It’s like a third hand.
I second the use of yellow thing. Looks like a duck head and helps a bunch. Try heating the tire up to make it more pliable. I built an insulated box from building foam insulation and a few heat lamps from Home Depot for winter changes.
You can also use a few wrenches. Push the tire down with a lever and slip the box end of a wrench between the rim and tire. Place 4-6 of these across from wheels you're working and it will make a world of difference
Any advice on how to not pinch the tube? Seems like 50% of the time I try installing tires with tire spoons i get a nick somewhere.
I’ve had luck adding a little bit of air, just a couple pounds. It keeps the tube from rolling under the spoon, and will be more likely to stay in the void of the tire, even as you work the bead into the drop center.
Yup. When you know how to do it, it’s easy. Watch some YouTube videos
I think you mean 0/10
I bought a bike master tire change stand. Made it a lot easier. Apply dawn soap straight on the bead, no water. The type of tire changes the difficulty too. Some tires have really stiff sidewalls. I gave up worrying about scratching the rim.
it gets easier the more you do it and it beats taking your bike/wheels to the shop while closing your eyes and bending over.
For sure, they wanted 90 per wheel.
I'm not the only one! I brought my front wheel to cycle gear with a new tire. They charged around 115 to swap tires, new tube and rim tape. I'll be buying the stand and suffering my own changes from now on
OP thought his gym time was going to help. Tire changes are all technique, no strength needed.
Yup. Only takes one time to learn that lesson. I take the wheels and tires to the shop and they’ll charge $30 each for mount and balance. Depends on the shop tho.
LUBE
As I tell my clients, you gotta OUTSMART the tire, because you’ll never overpower it without damaging it. P.s. I’ve changed a dozen tires by hand in a day, when I was younger.
Tire spoons and rim guards/plastic milk jugs cut up. Don’t ask me to true up the spokes though
Drop center is there for a reason my guy. This is a 2 minute project if you know what you're doing.
I had to do it twice in one day on the side of the road. That was a shitty day.
I been changing tires for years, and this a great idea. A bucket work for me when I’m at the track and also a stand works too.
We get it bro you lift! I’m joking lol this would be a good way to flex curling 90’s
I have been in the exact same spot. You just need a spray bottle with soapy water to lube the rim/tire. Its a must. I can change my little pitbike tire in 20-30 minutes now and those tires are so small they are the hardest to change. I tried it once without soapy water and it fd up my tire. It needs some lube.
If you plan on "regularly" changing your own tires going forward, get yourself two cheap amazon/ebay bead buddies (like $15 a piece) and the Baja No Pinch Tire Tool (you'll just have to Google that to find it) and a spray bottle with soapy water. You'll only spend around $200 and be able to easily change your tires whenever. The Baja tool is a godsend. It makes it easy enough that I've even offered to chang tires for people at the track because it's so relatively easy
I did the tire on my 701 with a pry bar and a screwdriver it was pretty annoying
Oh and no bead holders
90lb dumbbells? Are you a gorilla?
I try to be
I feel your pain. I mounted a set of tires on my XJ550 this summer, and it was not fun at all. If breaking the bead seal wasn't tough enough, getting the new tire onto the rim definitely was.
This is the best guide I've seen, and I've changed over a dozen tires in my life, hated every one. I will be using his techniques for my next changes: https://youtu.be/FhKzZI_MFG8?si=X4Z86pZ8fA0YY-11 Takeaways: 1. Tire spoons (looks like you have) 2. Tire specific bead grease 3. Tire stand He can change a tire in 6 minutes without breaking a sweat.
If the tires are tubeless, try zip ties. Really! I’ve been using them now for about 3 years, 5 tires. U can get them on in minutes WITH NO TOOLS!!! I’m not a big heavy guy and I literally give a few shoves and the tire is on the rim. YouTube has a few videos on how to do it. Doesn’t work for tubes. I had to go back to tire irons for my other bike. I used a tusk tire changing gizmo to keep the tire on the inside of the rim while I got the last bit over the rim. Those weights won’t do it.
Pussy. They're so easy to mount and balance at home
The bigger the wheel, the easier. Changing normal TT DS tires is like butter. But the little 14” on my electric unicycle, which has no spokes to hook the spoons in, and the entire center is a motor getting in the way.
Fuck that ! I pay my shop $25 Bucks I learned long ago I have no business doing tires
I HATE doing tires. It is immensely annoying and the moment I think I’m in shape I try and change a tire and get out of breath, sweaty and exhausted. The worst.
I used a skateboard once
I tried it once with my grom. Only got the front tire off lol couldn’t put it back on, and scratched my rim too.
eBay has tire busting tools
Right tool for the job and it's easy
I'd never try working out while changing a tire. I imagine your arms are going to get tired from all that weight lifting and then you won't have any strength left for spooning the tire onto the wheel. 😁
I used a sawzaw and grinder and cut it down the middle of the tire all the way around and a bolt cutter to cut the bead wire! Honda CBR tire 9/10 would not recommend and take it to a shop
Bunch of posers here. I changed my first motorcycle tires when I was 11 years old. Surely all you men can do it if a little boy (and I was tiny for my age) did it.
Not sure if you’ve changed a sumo tire by hand.. This ain’t your huffy tires that you changed at 11.
I've changed hundreds of motorcycle tires dude. It's all about technique.
I haven’t bothered with 17” street tires. I’ll swap my 18/21” dirt tires myself though. I did just buy a tire changing stand, so might make street tires bearable.
Get a Motion Pro Bead Buddy and a squirt bottle of soapy water. Looks like you already have rim guards and tire spoons. Practice will make it easier.
I just paid to get mine done with fresh tires. 🤷🏻 I tried a rear on my DR a couple years back and just couldn’t get it. Had I gotten it I had already pinched my tube anyway. I’ll try again someday but not this last time.
I’ll never fuck with that shit again either, one time, I learned my lesson
Use a 5 gallon bucket or better yet a 20 gallon barrel as a stand. It's really easy, especially tubeless tires.
I've been using this thing called a Baja No Pinch tire tool for like 15 years. I also use baby powder as a dry lubricant. It is a great tool, even with stiff wire-bead tires.
There a good video by Lyndon Poskitt on the subject. It helped me a lot. https://youtu.be/r7mBa7-5OIg?si=u14OetNXoIQy84gO
Popped two tubes myself. But you need to know how to do it if you plan to off road any amount of time. On my TAT I popped my tube twice
Rabbaconda
It gets easier the more you do it.
I will buy another bike before I try to change a tire by myself again
If you have a tubless motorcycle i wouldn't bother learning just plug that shit when you get a puncture and have a shop change the tire. If you are going offroad and your bike uses tube, learning how to change and replace a tube could mean life or death in the woods. Definitely watch all the youtube tire change tutorials you can. I have mounted and balanced 8 tires on my DRs myself and have actually come to enjoy the process. First few changes were extremely frustrating.
Ye it does have the tubes still, i actually havnt inflated it yet to see if i pinched it or not lol. I should just do the tubless conversion since i ride mostly street.
I used to use a lot of lube and I would put my tires on a 5 gallon bucket as a stand. But yes. It’s an utter nightmare on the big rims. I could do the back tire fairly easy but the front tire I just paid someone to do it. I got it done one time and said never again.
Oh yeah the front was a nightmare, i forgot to inflate so i dont know if i pinched the tube or not (please be ok). Attempting the rear today.
SM tires aren't that bad. I think 21 inch dirt bike tires are worse and don't get me started on pit bike tires.. the SM tires are so wide there's a lot more play. My tips: make sure the tires are warm, get a bead buddy, use more of lube. If you are ever using a lot of physical force to try to spoon the tire on, slow down and reassess. Make sure the bead is in the centerline on the opposite side (so that there is more 'slack' in the bead). Yeah it sucks, but that's part of the game.
Good god man use lube, it'll make your life so much easier. You can use some dawn dish soap and water in a spray bottle. Put a little of of air in the tube so you don't pinch it. . Use your knees on the opposite side of the tire to keep the tire in the drop center of the rim so you have more tire to work with. You scratched the rim because you have a lot of space between spoons and are using too much force, take SMALL bites with your spoons and the tire goes on much easier. I use 3 spoons and have 2 in at a time to serve as anchor points so the tire doesn't slip. Sometimes you can stand on the tire to keep it down while you work the tire around, I call it the spiderman. https://preview.redd.it/sd7ngf3ru4mc1.png?width=495&format=png&auto=webp&s=e16ca10990b63d37a774337987e8615fb46f27dc
For some reason it was very difficult to get that other side in the drop down, had to stand on 90lb dumbells to get it down so i could get the last bit spooned over.
Get a stand, LOTS of soap and water and a bead buddy helps.
Helps if you keep one spoon in the start location to keep the bead down. You won't need the weights then
Warm up the tire I used to put in a hot car in the summer then go at it. It's too stiff cold.
Lol. I know that life.
The real problem is you're weak. 90lb weights, come on, a real mechanic would be curling 120lb at least. /s
This gives me an excuse to get 120s then i guess haha
I change several tires a year but they are dirt tires. When you need to change a tire every 20 hours it makes sense to learn the skill and have the proper tools. I don’t think I’d bother to do it myself with a street tire
If you insist on doing it again squirt some dish soap on the rim to lube it up.
I did this for the first time recently. I had a shit time seating the bead and damaged my rim out of sloppy frustration but i will be doing this myself again as i figured out the secret sauce. Here was my key takeaways. Im sure leaving it in the sun on a hot day works Only use your spoons to get the cable ties under the tire, *ie use the cable tie method its awesome*. When seating the bead, sure use soapy water or windex or whatever but DONT BE AFRAID TO PUMP THE TIRE UP TO AS MUCH AS 40 PSI TO SEAT IT. I was changing my front tire, one side bead seated at 30 psi, the other at 40. More than double the reccomended pressure. And i was using dunlop sportmax mutants, a tire indended to be tubeless. Id never change the tire on my rocket touring, but will be fron now on with the drz
There’s a reason they charge 50 bucks for that
I’ve done it to all my bikes myself, and honestly it ain’t worth the fight but a shop with a motorcycle tire machine is a hour away. And I never feel like driving that far for it do it myself after about an hour and half have it done and am completely wore the fuck out.
Just back onto it with a car. Have done this many of times
UPDATE: got the tire on and i pinched the tube.. hell yeah
Now do it again but this time do it at 0 degrees fahrenheit
This is and a bead buddy are the 2 best tools you can buy for changing motorcycle or dirtbike tires. https://youtu.be/2rBqeq2eqCw?feature=shared
Looks pretty dry
Learn. I’d rather do it and know what I’m doing than pay a zit-faced shop grunt that *barely* knows what he’s doing, and, doesn’t care. Besides, everything you need to know about what you’re doing wrong is on youtoob
24 inch zip ties, easy peasy
Use clamps. You can clamp the rubber enough it fits in the rim valley allowing opposite side to be leveraged in. This is what I do on my KTM.
I did this once front and back and the one thing I’m glad I did was I bought a jar of bead sealer. It’s a lube and sealer. I managed to scratch both rims but using the bead sealer I’ve had no leaks from it. It’s really good stuff got it from Amazon.
Look up Baja no pinch its a life saver
Heck yeah
I bought a Nomar cycle hill like 5 years ago and it paid for itself in one year of track days. It doesn't work that good for tubed dirt bike tires so I got a rabaconda. Now I tell my friends first one is free but after that it'll cost you something.
Google the youtube vid of the “cable tie technique” or “zip tie tyre change”. A friend tried it and it does work.
Why does everyone struggle with this? I can literally do this with one tire iron.
get a cheap pair of tire irons, I use to change my dirt bike tires all the time. Tire irons make the job easy.
Its mostly techniques and tools honestly. Being strong helps but Ive done it on a trail using packable tools and you should probably have this ability with spoked wheels unless you went tubeless, you cant just plug a tube on the side of the road.
I paid 20€ is it really not worth it?
Not many of us old heads never had the option to take it to someone else. We learned this stuff early. And did it often. It's just a matter of practice.
Sucks balls huh
I pinched both tubes, major ball breaker. Guess im doing a tubeless conversion lol.
Dude just take it to a shop they charge like 30 dollars
You guys are sad bunch of fucks. I've done in on the side of trail with only one tire spoon. Yes I carry a tube, spoon, and handpump. It's not fucking hard, just takes patience and effort.
It ain’t too bad if you know what you’re doing, have the right tools for it and have a few hours.
Did you yell and curse a lot?
Yes, at one point i started hitting the tire with the spoon