DIY Tire Change

[bbanjo]

I just got my Pirelli Demon in the mail along with my irons to replace the OE tire with many many way too many miles and miles, a screw and a nail embedded in said rear tire. I don't believe in paying folks to do what I can do, and I've read the more comprehensive tire changing posts here on our beloved GSTwin.

Tell me how you've done it in your garage with what you have at your disposal (not a shop).

Thanks,

bbanjo

buy The Hold Steady as they're good riding music

[Blueknyt]

have you ever changed a tire on a bucycle? same thing, but, you have to break the Bead loose from the rim first. that its self is the hard part.  change all my own tires, and most car tires, so i made my own bead breaker.

it also can take abit of finesse as all tires fit alittle diff even same size and brand. it helps to watch someone do it the first time.

[bbanjo]

Sweet.  I've got 20+ years DIY fixing and making better my VWs and just wanted the tie into something that I've done before. I have switched bike tires on my Cannondale, and thought that I could do the same with the Demon, but I don't ride my '91 Can at 110 mph.

Balance, I know what to look for.

dot to the bottom.

rotate, rotate, rotate.

Weight to neg the heavy spot/

All this from a jack@$$ who's been riding the bike with more metal in the tread than anywhere else for 1000 miles.

I do check the tires, but my bike gets me to work everyday. I've been sooooooo lucky.

[JetSwing]

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/tire-changing.html

[davipu]

three things to make this really easy.
1 mix up some soapy water like your a kid making bubbles in a spray bottle, you can't have too much lube.
2 with the bike on the center stand brake the bead with the tire still on the the bike.
3 use a 6 inch c clamp going through the wheel the fixed side against the rim and the moving side on the rubber as you turn it, it will open a gap whare the bead sits. spray lube here.  work the lube in by backing off the c clamp several times and she will pop off with little to no effort.
4 a simple 20 dollar set of jackstands and the axle make a great ballancing stand. or if you remove the brake caliper you can ballance the wheel on the bike.

[Daniely]

Offroad we took the stem out of the valve and just jammed an air compressor chuck on it. Once the bead set, you had better get that chuck off the valve before the tire blew...many a close call...

[Alphamazing]

What I did to break the bead on my tire was set a 2x4 on the ground, flush with the wheel as much as possible. Now, you can either get another small 2x4 and place it on the top of the tire in the same spot as the other (I think that works best) or just get a LONG piece of 2x4 and place it under a car at the jack point and use it as a lever against the tire, pushing it down.

Get it? Tell me if not. I'll make pictures.

[Trwhouse]

Hi there,
Let me be the first to admit that I too was annoyed at the prospect of again paying to have a shop remove the old tires on my rims and replace them with new ones at a cost of $20 or so per wheel.
So with that in mind, I built a bead breaker out of 2x4's that bolted to my garage wall. It even worked and popped the beads off easily. The rest of the job was not worth the hassle, however.
When I worked in a motorcycle shop in high school and college, I'd throw the wheels onto a tire changer and be done in a minute, if that. But try wrestling with tire irons and 2x4's on the floor, while trying not to gouge your pretty wheel rims, and when you finally have the stupid tires off the wheels, you'll wonder if it is worth all the aggravation.
That's when you learn that breaking the stupid beads and removing the tires from the rims was the EASY part. Without a powerful compressor, getting the new tire beads to SEAT on the rim and allow you to put air into the tires is ridiculous. I tried three gas station compressors and had no luck.
That's when I took the wheels to my local bike shop and asked them to air them up and balance them on their spin balance machine. It cost $20 and was SOOOOO worth it. Balancing wouldn't have been a big deal on its own (it's actually quite easy to do, but if you're having a shop swap the tires, might as well let them balance the wheels too), but replacing tires in your garage just isn't worth the time, effort and sweat equity involved.
Now I go to an independent motorcycle shop and bring them only my wheels and new tires. For $20, they'll swap the tires and balance the wheels. I can return to my garage, bolt my wheels back in place, and life is good. Well, OK, then you have to fight with the GS500's LOUSY, INACCURATE chain adjusters, but that's another story.
Worth every penny, those minor tire swap fees, in my humble opinion.
Best of luck!
Todd

[davipu]

your humble opinion sucks. but that is just my opinion.

[Trwhouse]

Hi Davipu,
Now we all see why you are a "Turdburglar who drinks alone," as noted in your profile.  Who'd want to hang out with someone with such a nasty attitude?
Your online manners are truly terrible.
I was merely sharing my own experience, as everyone else here does. That's how we learn from each other. That's what makes this such a great place for all of our fellow GS500 owners. If someone disagrees with my comments or anyone elses, they certainly don't have to be nasty about it.
Next time, disagree but do so without the nasty, condescending tone. It will be nicer for everyone.
Have a great day!

[davipu]

it appears that scarstic humor is lost on you.  normally I'd tell you to have a nice day and don't get hit by a bus. but that one whould probably be lost on you too.  so just don't get hit by a bus.

[Trwhouse]

Dear Davipu,
Actually, I love sarcasm, and believe me, I do dish it out to my friends. But since I've never met you, nor do I recall many of your posts, I didn't realize you were being sarcastic.  
My apologies for being oversensitive in this case, as I do appreciate sarcasm and humor. It keeps us all sane. But when it comes from someone I've never met, it's hard to know it was just some friendly sarcasm. The Internet is a bad place to see someone smiling as they say something sarcastic to you. That lack of context can kill great sarcasm.  I stand corrected now and am cool. Thanks for your friendly reply.
Yours in GS500's,
Todd

[poormanracing]

:lol: ...your good davipu... :lol:

[pandy]

Welcome to GSTwin, Todd....and, "Fasten your seatbelt; it's going to be a bumpy night!"  

Ya' see...we're on a shoestring budget here  :dunno: .....davipu works really cheaply, so he's the designated drinker...er...I mean greeter...aw, heck, he does both for one low price!  

Ya' better get to know us before ya' jump on any of us, cuz we have a girl gang here that will....oops...sorry..we use that greeting once you get to know us better....  

Just don't take anything a few of us say seriously, and make yourself right at home.    

Oh...and do you have a PURPLE GS? :mrgreen:

Yeah, I know ya' joined long ago, but you're too quiet, so you have to go through initiation all over again. :P