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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: JamesG on January 16, 2004, 09:12:14 AM

Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: JamesG on January 16, 2004, 09:12:14 AM
Got ma' new D205s already (was expecting them on Monday)!

(http://www.knology.net/~ARS/images/D205s.jpg)

Guess what I'm gonna be doing this afternoon?  :thumb:
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: GRU on January 16, 2004, 09:18:43 AM
have fun with them  :thumb:

how much $$$ did you spend on them?
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: JamesG on January 16, 2004, 09:29:14 AM
Thanks,

$77 for the front and $94 for the rear with I think $8 a tire shipping from www.discountmotorcycletire.com

I've ordered my last few tires from them and they've always had good prices and quick shipping.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: GRU on January 16, 2004, 09:41:00 AM
awsome, i'm gonna have to order some tires too....thanks for the link
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: dgyver on January 16, 2004, 09:51:21 AM
Are you going to mount them yourself? Most shops around me will not mount a tire they do not sell. I know of one shop but it took all day to get them mounted. I usually go to MARMO to get tires for my TL.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: JamesG on January 16, 2004, 09:57:50 AM
Yeah, I have a home built tire changing rig.

Takes time and aggrivation, but its better than getting screwed by shops...
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: Bob Broussard on January 16, 2004, 10:37:07 AM
Quote from: dgyverAre you going to mount them yourself? Most shops around me will not mount a tire they do not sell. I know of one shop but it took all day to get them mounted. I usually go to MARMO to get tires for my TL.

That's pretty stupid, not mounting tires that they didn't sell. :roll:
You'd think they would at least make a buck mounting them.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: ScottWV on January 16, 2004, 10:41:45 AM
QuoteThat's pretty stupid, not mounting tires that they didn't sell. :roll:
You'd think they would at least make a buck mounting them.

I think somebody said before it has something to do with liability and insurance, they can only mount tires they sell due to liability if they get sued.  Or something like that.[/quote]
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: dgyver on January 16, 2004, 11:23:42 AM
Quote from: ScottWV
QuoteThat's pretty stupid, not mounting tires that they didn't sell. :roll:
You'd think they would at least make a buck mounting them.

I think somebody said before it has something to do with liability and insurance, they can only mount tires they sell due to liability if they get sued.  Or something like that.

That's what I have been told. But I really think it is so you have to buy their over priced tires.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: octane on January 16, 2004, 11:53:36 AM
Quote from: ScottWV
QuoteI think somebody said before it has something to do with liability and insurance, they can only mount tires they sell due to liability if they get sued.  Or something like that.

That's the stupidest thing I ever heard! Maybe I'm retarded, but that makes no sense. Every shop I've ever been to claims no responsibility for damaging a wheel, etc. while on their machine and if the tire fails, it's the manufacturer's issue. So where does the liability come in? I have 3 local shops I go to and while none of them are thrilled about mounting mail order tires since they don't make the markup, they'll mount them. But they get 20 or 30 bucks a wheel to do it.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: ScottWV on January 16, 2004, 02:20:11 PM
Quote from: octaneThat's the stupidest thing I ever heard!

:o Whoa!  Sorry I said anything....

I don't know, that's just what I've heard.  I bought tires for my car on the 'net before, and had them mounted by a local shop w/o any problem.  So it probably varies from shop to shop...
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: cozy on January 16, 2004, 02:34:41 PM
SCENARIO:
I'm a motorcycle shop owner. Smartass brings tires in to be mounted that he bought on this newfangled  :bs: invention called the "internet". Maybe there's somethin' to these here computers. Maybe i could find better tires than what i sell for better prices than my competition. I might cost me some initially, maybe i'd have to buy a "for dummies" book or somethin' like that. Or make friends with a distributor or advertise..........

NAH!!
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: Lars on January 16, 2004, 03:15:44 PM
Quote from: JamesGYeah, I have a home built tire changing rig.

Takes time and aggrivation, but its better than getting screwed by shops...

:P LOL That's what I want to hear  :cheers:

I'm a lucky guy. I know a tire shop where BT45's aren't expensive and they will mount it for free, even the new valve is for free!. I might save a couple of bucks by buying via internet, but the savings usually quickly dissapear when you add the shipping costs + mounting costs from the tire shop. Besides, now I'm supporting the local tire shop, without it I couldn't even mount the tires!

And a professional tire shop won't screw up your rim.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: Lars on January 16, 2004, 03:16:42 PM
Quote from: Lars
Quote from: JamesGYeah, I have a home built tire changing rig.

Takes time and aggrivation, but its better than getting screwed by shops...

:P LOL That's what I want to hear  :cheers:

I'm a lucky guy. I know a tire shop where BT45's aren't expensive and they will mount it for free, even the new valve is for free!. I might save a couple of bucks by buying via internet, but the savings usually quickly dissapear when you add the shipping costs + mounting costs from the tire shop. Besides, now I'm supporting the local tire shop, without it I couldn't even mount the tires!

And a professional tire shop won't screw up your rim.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: JamesG on January 16, 2004, 03:37:14 PM
Yep if you only get tires changed occassionally, paying slightly more to have your tires changed for you and cultivating a relationship with a shop is worth while. I know I would.

But when you maintain a friggin fleet of street bikes and race bikes,  the savings and actual convience of changing them yourself is considerable.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: ashman on January 16, 2004, 03:46:03 PM
ha, One day i hope to have a "fleet" of bikes. From what I've found looking around a lot of shops won't mount tires you bring to them. But a couple i've found do. I'd say 70% wont 30% will.(very rough est.)
-ash
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: clkeith50 on January 16, 2004, 05:02:29 PM
I agree with James on the fleet savings. The local shops around me don't mind doing it for $25 per tire to mount and $10-$15 more to balance. A manual car tire changer and motorcycle wheel adapter from Harbor Freight Tools cost me about $60. A good quality static balancing stand cost me another $130. That stuff paid for itself the first summer when I had 8 tires to mount.  Since then, I've mounted 6 more of my own, 6 more for friends, and have 4 more sitting in the garage waiting to be mounted, and 2 more bikes that still need tires.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: Cal Price on January 16, 2004, 05:47:22 PM
I thought it was "the smell of napalm in the morning" Charlie don't surf and all that. And, incidently good luck with the tyres, have fun.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: GRU on January 16, 2004, 08:52:57 PM
i work at tire & lube express so i change tires every day, but i work on cars...is there a way to use the car tire machine to mount motorcycle tires?
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: JamesG on January 16, 2004, 09:04:59 PM
They operate similarly, but are different. For one thing the central shaft that holds the rim at the axle is way to big on a car changer.

But bikes require MUCH less leverage to get tires off.  My tire changing devices are a bead breaker and balancer made of 2x4s and a tire removing jig made from an old car wheel with a peice of old garden hose duct taped to the rim.

I think I spent no more than $30 on the whole thing.

James
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: pizzleboy on January 17, 2004, 09:19:59 AM
JAmesG:  Any way you could post some pics or plans of your homemade rig?
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: Blueknyt on January 17, 2004, 11:20:35 AM
I change my own tires, 2 tire levers, 1 long and 1 short, takes me about 10 mins once the bead is broke. i need a good bead breaker, im tired of using the motorcycle as one.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: Kerry on January 17, 2004, 02:05:01 PM
Quote from: pizzleboyJAmesG:  Any way you could post some pics or plans of your homemade rig?
I'm interested in pictures of James' setup, too.  Meanwhile, here is a link that describes a 2x4 bead breaker:
Mounting and Balancing Motorcycle Tires

For the hardcore tire changer or neighborhood cycle club, here's an impressive-sounding balancer:
Rod Neff's Motorcycle Wheel-Tire Balancer.
Be sure to follow the link (at the top) to  Rod Neff's web site.  Looks like Rod is in Santa Monica, CA - so he might "local" to some of you folks!

You may also want to check out his Mini Balancer
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: TheGoodGuy on January 18, 2004, 03:29:03 PM
for my friends harley when the motorcycle shop couldnt isntall the tyre on the front wheel we took it to a car place, and they installed it in.

They took off the tires with the car tire removal thing and then re put it back on.. and inflated it. Problem with his bike tire not installing - not enough pressure from the pump to inflate the tire to install the bead.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: GRU on January 18, 2004, 11:06:58 PM
i'm gonna have to bring my wheel/tire to my work and try to take the tires off using a car tire machine....i think it's gonna take a little more time but maybe not
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: JamesG on January 19, 2004, 07:34:49 AM
Here is the "plan" I used to build mine.

http://users.net1plus.com/holbrook/tireeqpt.htm
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: dgyver on January 19, 2004, 11:44:25 AM
What about balancing them? Do you have a balancer or do you just align the mark on the tire with the valve stem?
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: JamesG on January 19, 2004, 11:55:01 AM
I have a spin balance jig. Really just a frame made of 2x4 with notches cut in the top to hold the axle. Its not rocket science. Spin the wheel a couple of times and you can find the heavy spot every time.

I usually find the heavy side of the wheel by itself first and then align the "dot" on the tire.  3 times out of 4 that balances the wheel but sometimes I have to add weight.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: JamesG on January 25, 2004, 02:41:38 PM
Got the D205s on Lita's bike today.  They went on ok, but took considerable time and weights to balance, 40 grams on the back and 30 on the front. I guess thats understandable when you consider that they are significantly heavier than the BT010 and BT45 they replaced.  
The rear 140/70 bearly clears  the brake caliper arm. There might be 5mm at most between it and the tire. Chain side is ok.  Both tires look much bigger in circumfrence and over all mass than their specs would suggest. The front looks like a 120 sitting next to the one on my YZF. They remind me of the difference between regular and snow/winter car tires.
Didn't get to test ride and tinker with the suspesion yet, its been rainy here all day long.  :(  I'll post some pics when I get some batteries for the dumb camera.

ciao,
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: Bob Broussard on January 25, 2004, 07:53:44 PM
Some Dunlops tend to be large for their size designation.
I've seen a 207 (120 front) that rubbed the fender on a ducati 916.
The race rubber seems to be better about sizing.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: dgyver on January 25, 2004, 08:08:44 PM
Quote from: Bob BroussardSome Dunlops tend to be large for their size designation.
I've seen a 207 (120 front) that rubbed the fender on a ducati 916.
The race rubber seems to be better about sizing.
Another reason for me to dislike Dunlop.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: JamesG on January 26, 2004, 08:14:40 AM
Ok here are some pics. Still haven't had a chance to ride and see how they feel 'cause it won't stop friggin' raining!

(http://www.knology.net/~ARS/images/120v110comp.jpg)
Here is the 110/70 vs. the 120/60 on my YZF.

(http://www.knology.net/~ARS/images/GSwD205s.jpg)
See how much bigger these tires look? It will be interesting to see what it does to the gearing and speedo error...


(http://www.knology.net/~ARS/images/GSwD205r.jpg)
The back tire is slightly bigger, but not too big. The 70 size does make the bike lean over better, too much for the shortened side stand! I think I'm going to swap out for a stock lenght one.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: dgyver on January 26, 2004, 08:26:51 AM
All I see are little red x's.  :dunno:

Lucky you only have rain. We got sleet and wintery mix crap.
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: JamesG on January 26, 2004, 08:32:20 AM
Darn it.  Yahoo...

Go join my Yahoo Group (http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/AggressorMailList/) and you will see 'em.
:)
Title: I love the smell of new tires in the morning!
Post by: JamesG on January 27, 2004, 08:51:59 AM
Ding!

Pics are fixed.