Tires, tubeless? Tube? Put them on yourself?

[bustinjustin2k]

Hi guys, I was curious which you prefer for street riding, I dont know if one kind of tire is made for street riding or not. Like can you use a tubeless tire on the street even etc.

What do you think about putting the tire on yourself? Safe? like a bicycle tire?All you need is a screw driver and some cussing?

What do you think,
Thx

[KennyJ]

I install mine myself, not that hard with the right spoons. The tough part is removing the old tire/breaking the bead.

I use those big C-Clamp vise grips. I put one pad on the side of the rim, and the other pad on the opposing sidewall and squeeze. Once they lock down, I take a regular pair of vice-grips and twist the adjuster until the bead pops off. Do the same for the other side. I do this with the rim still on the bike, and the bike on the center stand.

As for tubes/tubeless, that is mostly dictated by your rims. If you have tubeless rims, you should run tubeless (less unsprung weight, less rotating weight, less chance of pinching a tube).

Tubes are the norm in spoked wheels though (it is hard to seal a rim with 40 to 60 holes in it!).

Kenny

[bustinjustin2k]

Thanks for the reply,
How does one know if ones tire rim is a tubeless rim or not?

Mine do not have spokes.

Do you have to reseal it with tire.. bead... stuff..

I hate not knowing what the hell im talking about heh.. Bein the noobie is never any fun.

Justin

[KennyJ]

Everyone is a Newbie at some time...no worries!!!

Most of the time the rim is stamped "tubeless" if it is a tubeless type rim. Those with tubes usually a blank.

What bike is it...year, model, rims, etc, like a 85 GS550E...

Someone here can help you.
Kenny

[KGB]

Thanks for the reply,
How does one know if ones tire rim is a tubeless rim or not?

Mine do not have spokes.

Do you have to reseal it with tire.. bead... stuff..

I hate not knowing what the hell im talking about heh.. Bein the noobie is never any fun.

Justin

Justin,
What model Suzuki do you ride/own?
Take a look at the rim, does it look like bigger bicycle rim, lots of spokes?
Or is it 5 or 6 pieces of metal, commonly called a"mag" wheel?
If it's a mag type, there's agood chance it will use a tubeless type tire.
If it has spokes, then you need a tube.

[earlfor]

Re: Tires, tubeless? Tube? Put them on yourself?

Justin

Tires are marked with directional arrows. The arrow should be pointing in the direction of rotation when the tire is installed. On the sidewall of the tire, you will see a small yellow (about 3/8") circle. This is the light point of the tire and the valve stem is located at this point. tires should be balanced. If you have spoked wheels, the balance weights are usually crimped around a spoke. If you have a mag wheel, the balance weight can be the same as is used on a car rim. It will snap onto the middle ridge of the mag wheel. Usually you will not need more than two or three ounces for a motorcycle tire. If you have spoked wheels, then you must use a rim band. (a giant rubber band like thing that stretches over the rim and covers the spoke ends) You will also have to have an inner tube. Inner tubes comes in various sizes for tire diameter AND width. They must me matched correctly. If you have mag wheels, some are tube type mags and some are tubeless mags. If they are tubeless mags, you do not want to install a tube and stamped onto the side of the mag, it will say "TUBELESS". If it does not say TUBELESS, then it is a tube type mag. Neither type of mag requires a rim band. You may use stick on weights for balance on either type of mag or on a spoked wheel.

The wheel should be balanced on its axle with the axle ends resting on a couple of supports. There is usually too much drag to accurately balance a wheel after it is installed on a bike. Brake rotors can be bent fairly easily. For the first attempt at changing a tire, it is best to remove the rotors.

Forget using screwdrivers. You will only succeed in busting up your knuckles, gouging the rim and tearing up the tire. Buy the best set of motorcycle tire irons you can find. It is money well spent. Motorcycle tires fit very snugly, and cheap tire irons will bend like a wet noodle and be about useless. You will also need some rim protectors to insert between the tire and the rim so the tire irons never pry directly onto the aluminum of the rim. Never put any force on a brake rotor!!!!!!
A rim protector is just a piece of folded plastic. You can use a butter tub lid folded over the rim where you are going to place the irons. (thats what I use)

Installing a tire is much easier if you put a capfull of liquid JOY (soap) in a spray bottle of water and keep the tire bead damp as you are working.

You will need three tire irons, or two tire irons and a bead stop to install a tire. I use three tire irons, but since I have three hands, it isnt a problem for me.

To make working on a tire easier, I made a small table with the surface made from 4 pieces of 2 x 6 lumber. The table top looks like a picture frame with the 6" side up. The hole in the center is 1 inch bigger than a brake rotor, so I can sit the wheel on the table and the rotor is underneath and safe. There is a post bolted to one side of the table about 1 foot tall. To the post is bolted a cross arm and from the cross arm is bolted an 8" wooden foot. Each point pivots on one bolt. The cross arm on top of the post is 4 feet long. The foot is above the rim to tire intersection and pivots on the cross arm. When I place the foot on the sidewall next to be bead and pull down on the 4 foot cross arm, it breaks the bead. Turn the tire over to break loose the other side.

It is considerably more difficult to change a motorcycle tire than it is to change a bicycle tire. On the motorcycle, you cannot gouge the rim, cut or gouge the tire bead, bend spokes, or distort brake parts and you need to accurately balance them plus install the tire correctly rotationwise and balance dot.

Earl

Hi guys, I was curious which you prefer for street riding, I dont know if one kind of tire is made for street riding or not. Like can you use a tubeless tire on the street even etc.

What do you think about putting the tire on yourself? Safe? like a bicycle tire?All you need is a screw driver and some cussing?

What do you think,
Thx

[opiewontaylor]

If your bike has tubes in the tires, no big deal to change tires. But get tire spoons-irons. A screwdriver is just asking to cut the tube. If your tires are tubeless, I'd leave it the pros. The bead on tubeless tires makes it a much tougher project, particularly if you're not experienced.

[Paul]

I can do any job on a bike, anything but change a tyre.
I've got the correct tyre levers, I've tried various lubricants, I just cannot do it!
If I have to fit a tyre at home, my mate comes around and does it for me - with a teaspoon!
If I'm out & I get a puncture, either I call the get you home service or use a puncture sealant/temp repair.
I know, I'm holding my hand up I'm f****ng useless when it comes to tyres!

[earlfor]

I know how you feel Paul. :-) The first half dozen times, I probably should have had a video made. It was about the same as an amorous monkey with his favorite football.

Earl :-)

I can do any job on a bike, anything but change a tyre.

I know, I'm holding my hand up I'm f****ng useless when it comes to tyres!

[Don Lobacz]

The real key to changing tires is to have the bead opposite of where you are working drop down into the center channel.

Tubeless changes are MUCH easier to do. Pinching a tube is a constant threat.

Early Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha mags are tube-type rims.

[Anonymous]

I don't install tires. I take it to my mechanic, who owns and operates an independent shop. I give him $20 and he installs my tire, with the wheel off the bike.

If he pinches a tube, it's his to replace. He has the knowledge, expertise, and tools. I don't. $20 is easy enough to cough up for guaranteed work.

Nick

[jimcor]

The real key to changing tires is to have the bead opposite of where you are working drop down into the center channel.

Tubeless changes are MUCH easier to do. Pinching a tube is a constant threat.

Early Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha mags are tube-type rims.

And some BMW types too! The 'snowflake mag' for instance.

I do my own tire changes, even the radials on the Kwacker...eveyone I do I swear is the last. Three tire irons one is made from an old leaf spring my Dad made back in the 50s (my best) over two feet long.

I tell myself I'm building character as I'm working on the wheel...and I am...the wrong kind... after I'm thru I'm the nastiest SOB....

[mcycle-nut]

My buddy's motorcycle shop has a motorcycle tire machine. I take him the wheel, and it's done quickly and he balances it. No fuss, no muss, no busted and bleeding knuckles. Sure it costs a few bucks, but sometimes you just gotta cough up for this kind of stuff. How many of us change our own car exhaust systems? Not many I'm guessing. Sure most of us CAN do it, but it's such a pain in the ass. Same thing. 8)

[Anonymous]

Tires are give and take. Tubed tires are so easy to work with that once I get the first bead over the rim I just grab the tire and rip it off without using a tire iron for the second side. But, putting the tire back on makes things so miserable. Tubeless tires are much harder to work with physically, but it's okay to man handle them since there's no tube to worry about. Even so, I use tubeless tires with tubes since you can ride slowly with a flat tire without much trouble.

Cheers, Steve

[Anonymous]

After riding and racing dirtbikes for years, I would feel like I was being cheated if I didn't change my own tires. I wouldn't want to waste the time having to cart it 40 miles to the closest shop and then either having to leave it or wait on it and risk someone skinning my rim.

The hardest part is braking the bead loose, after that , you've got it made.
All you need is some good tire irons, (a little baby powder if you use a tube), and some dishwashing liquid to make her slide on better, plus a little know how. No problem!!