http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/articles/view/790/motion_pro_bead_popper_/

I just tried out this "bead popper" from motion pro..

Works "pretty good"  not great but pretty good....

You just wedge it between the tire and the rim, and whack it with a dead blow hammer.  With a little lube on the rim it did loosen the bead easily...you have to work  your way all around the rim.

What it did not do is get the tire completely off the bead...it just moved the tire a bit.

I then used my "cave man" bead tool, made out of three pieces of 2x4 and easily got the tire off the bead completely.

Cookie

Good to know, I've never been sure how effective that would be. I bought one of these...
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/77/36712/ITEM/Motion-Pro-Tire-Bead-Breaker.aspx



It works alright too, it definitely has the leverage to pop a bead, but it really only wanted to pop it off of the one side. I guess for the other you're suppose to put one side on the rim and the other on the tire. Either way it's a convenient tool to have until I get a better stand someday.

Honestly though, the 2x4 setup is really the way to go. Getting the bead off is easy, fighting the rim off the tire is the part that takes practice. I've seen people do it in 20 second on youtube but it literally takes me forever haha. i wish harbor freight still sold their stands. I had been waiting for one of those to go on sale before I bought it, but then they just stopped selling them all together.

Quote from: twocool on January 13, 2012, 12:39:23 PM
three pieces of 2x4 and easily got the tire off the bead completely.

Cookie

I heart the multiple 2x4 method.  Or, another bikes' sidestand, if you have one. Eaaaassssy cheese !

a hydrolic jack + someones car. Easy as pie.

Quote from: tt_four on January 13, 2012, 06:11:04 PM
Good to know, I've never been sure how effective that would be. I bought one of these...
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/77/36712/ITEM/Motion-Pro-Tire-Bead-Breaker.aspx



It works alright too, it definitely has the leverage to pop a bead, but it really only wanted to pop it off of the one side. I guess for the other you're suppose to put one side on the rim and the other on the tire. Either way it's a convenient tool to have until I get a better stand someday.

Honestly though, the 2x4 setup is really the way to go. Getting the bead off is easy, fighting the rim off the tire is the part that takes practice. I've seen people do it in 20 second on youtube but it literally takes me forever haha. i wish harbor freight still sold their stands. I had been waiting for one of those to go on sale before I bought it, but then they just stopped selling them all together.

That Bead tool , I think, is designed to use "on the road"...compact etc.  But If I get a flat "on the road" I'm screwed, because I don"t have another tire!  Maybe good for "tube type" tires, where you could easily carry a spare inner tube?

I guess it would work in the shop too...but I like the 2x4's....because it cost nealy nothing and works great!

As for changing the tire, you get beter with practice, and good tire irons.  THis last one took me about 1-1/2 hours, complete....with balancing and re-assembly....working lesurely....

Down from two days it took me to do my scooter tire three years ago....

Cookie

Haha, yeah the first set I changed literally took me all weekend and a bit of sweat. the second set went way easier, but still took a little effort. I haven't had to change any since, but I'll give it time. Some better tire irons are on the list, as are better rim guards. I went to cyclegear to grab some of the motion pro rim protectors and all they had were the stocton copies. The plastic stretched out super bad when I tried to hold them in place by the string when they wanted to pop off, and I feel like eventually they're gonna pop off inside the tire haha. Motion pro has some nice thin looking ones I'll probably grab for next time though. I'm not sure why they sell two different styles of rim protectors, you'd think they would know which of the two is better and just sell those.

Quote from: twocool on January 13, 2012, 08:48:18 PM

That Bead tool , I think, is designed to use "on the road"...compact etc.  But If I get a flat "on the road" I'm screwed, because I don"t have another tire!  Maybe good for "tube type" tires, where you could easily carry a spare inner tube?

The one I have is compact enough to use on the road, but it's seriously heavy. You'd have to be on a pretty intense ride for it to be worth carrying. I'm not sure which of the two tools you were referring to.

Quote from: tt_four on January 13, 2012, 11:00:14 PM

Quote from: twocool on January 13, 2012, 08:48:18 PM

That Bead tool , I think, is designed to use "on the road"...compact etc.  But If I get a flat "on the road" I'm screwed, because I don"t have another tire!  Maybe good for "tube type" tires, where you could easily carry a spare inner tube?

The one I have is compact enough to use on the road, but it's seriously heavy. You'd have to be on a pretty intense ride for it to be worth carrying. I'm not sure which of the two tools you were referring to.

The one that looks sorta like a double  "c" clamp is for on the  road...

The one that I have is a plastic wedge thingy....yeah really small and light

BUT......

It requires you also use a 2 lb dead blow hammer!!!!

You don't want to be carrying around a big mallet with you....but some carry the wedge tool and just go find a big rock when they need it..

Cookie

That C-clamp is cast iron, I wouldn't be surprised if it weighs more than your dead blow hammer, plus you need to carry a giant wrench with you to work it. It sounds like a lose-lose situation no matter which way you go haha.