The weather is finally changing and my wife let me have the afternoon to "go play".  While I would rather have gone for a ride, the factory original tires on my '93 obviously have to go.  So starting with the rear, it wasn't as bad as I feared it might be.  The most tedious part of the job was the cleaning. 

Rather than build a balancing jig, I used the axle pin, which conveniently has a hole drilled through the end of it, set the unmounted tire on the rim and suspended it from my kid's shop crane with a bit of wire through the K-pin hole.  Using a pen sized bubble level and rotating everything this way and that several times I came to the conclusion that the tire is as well balanced as one could hope for and the wheel is also balanced with the factory weights. 

I did ding the paint up a bit with the tire levers.  After the first one I stopped caring and just sent it.  Easily touched up later.

Tomorrow and maybe over the next several days I'll be doing the front tire as well as new fork seals, replace the replacement indicators, and a few other little projects. 

Still a long way to go to get this steed fully up to snuff.  She spent a long time in storage before I got her but I'll soon be reaping the benefit of another's folly.  She likes to be ridden.

go on youtube and search 'zip tie method motorcycle tires'. this is the easiest method i have ever tried and it works, no scratched rims.

Quote from: grader on March 17, 2019, 08:42:48 PM
go on youtube and search 'zip tie method motorcycle tires'. this is the easiest method i have ever tried and it works, no scratched rims.

Ditto, used zip ties to change my rear tire a few months ago. The front should be even easier.

Tire day #2!  Took the front down this time and used the zip ties.  The main reason I didn't use that method on the rear is I didn't have any at the time and wanted to spend the time working rather than fetching.  So I made it a point to acquire some big zips during the week and only needed three to get the old tire off and used five on the new tire. 

With the tire accomplished I then took the forks apart for an oil change and new seals.  At Dollar Tree with the wife earlier I snagged a turkey baster, then measured and marked it for setting the oil level.  A great tip to make that part of the job super easy!  Also made the inside tool out of a 15/16" nut welded to a $2.00 piece of rebar rather than a $10 piece of all-thread.  Using an impact gun with the spring still in made disassembly a piece of cake, it just spun right out of there.  Had to use the tool for reassembly but that was also simplified with the impact tool.

Next time I have some garage time I need to replace the turn signals, one has a broken stem and they're just not great overall, new fuel lines, oil change, and freshen the brake fluid (which is probably OEM).  Looking forward to riding again soon even if there's nothing but rain in the forecast all week.

Had some unexpected time yesterday so I used it to replace the turn signals with ones that aren't broken and hanging by their wires.  Then replaced all the fuel lines, the old ones melted after only a few months.  Who sells tubing, calling it fuel line, made of material that's fuel soluble?  Cycle Gear, that's who!  But since it was already the end of the season, I just drained the carbs and threw the cover on.

All that's left is to change the brake fluid and then siphon enough gas from the scooter to get to the fillup place.