How many of you change your own tires

[slip]

Now I just got the bike a week ago. I had taken the bike for a ride in the development a few times, as it wasn't plated. Got the plate Friday and took her for a ride. It was a short one as it was cold. Today it was a little warmer, so took her for another ride. I am leaving the neighborhood, and I make a turn at a corner, and the rear end slid out a little. I go a little further down the road and then made another turn. Same thing, but it was worse, thought I was going to loose it. Pulled over right away. I thought that I must have picked up a nail or something, as it was loosing air fast. Limped home. Put air in the tire, and it appears to be leaking right at the valve. Looks like a need a new tube. Took the back wheel off, and thought I try taking the tire off the rim. I have these short aluminum spoons and I bent one trying to get the tire over the rim. I guess steel irons are needed. I'm wondering if it is worth it to do it my self. 

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Forgot to mention I have XR650L.

Edited February 15, 2015 by slip

[slip]

Think I will get a couple of tire irons tomorrow and give a whirl. 

[spaceboy]

Your going to need to be self sufficient with changing tires. A good set of spoons, a 5 gallon bucket and maybe a bead buddy will go a long way.

[BigRedThumper]

I do my own. Depending on the tire they can be seriously stuff sidewalls. And a cold tire is even harder to work with. Check out the YouTube videos on removing tires. Lots of good info there. If you plan to put tires on I suggest getting a Baja no pinch tool. Works great

[cse2c]

Always. I've never paid for a dirt bike tire change.

Street yes

[bergie93xrl]

This one I found to be helpful because of the rim lock

How to Change a Dirt Bike Tire in Minutes:

[bergie93xrl]

It's odd he's using what looks like a half full bucket of used motor oil

I used a bucket filled with golf balls.

[cycletech1]

It's odd he's using what looks like a half full bucket of used motor oil

I used a bucket filled with golf balls.

That's to lubricate your tire irons when you drop them into the bucket.

[brianhare]

If you ride a bike in the dirt,you gotta learn to do it,,saves money for one and readies you for trailside repairs as needed..

 

it`s rather easy with the right tools and making sure the tire is warm..

 

I bought this changing stand a few years ago......it holds an air tank and makes it so i don`t chase the rim arround a garbage can like i`ve done for so many years..........not having to bend over the whole time is pretty sweet too..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B

[slip]

I found this on the motorcycle superstore web site. Pretty intuitive.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjt0k1ptBoc#t=25

[slip]

I do my own. Depending on the tire they can be seriously stuff sidewalls. And a cold tire is even harder to work with. Check out the YouTube videos on removing tires. Lots of good info there. If you plan to put tires on I suggest getting a Baja no pinch tool. Works great

Oh, you men like D606's. That's what the bike came with.

[Backwoods-Bomber]

I tried out the "zip tie method" on my last change. It worked ok but was far from "spoon free" as it was advertised. I do think I will try it again though on a true mx tire I. I tried it out on a dual sport front tire so it may not have been a fair test.

[09BigRed]

Take your time time changing the tube and tire. You don't want pinch a tube.one easy way I found to break the bead is to stand on the tire(my 240lb easily breaks it off) then just place it on the gallon like the rest of the fellas do and work the tire with some good irons. My trick to install the tube is to use some baby powder. Makes the job a whole lot easier and not as messy as lube. Just my 2 cents.

[firsthere]

A 6" C-clamp also works well for breaking the bead. Another trick when trying to get the valve stem into the rim is to solder a small cable to an old valve stem insert, then thread it in the tube, route the cable thru the rim, then pull the cable and stem thru the hole.

[marvin willis]

I've been changing mine my whole life have a 60% of pinching the tube. I will randomly punch the tube spooning the tire back on. Very frustrating. They make it look so easy in the videos. I've never seen a beef buddy til the video. Will be ordering that as soon as I get done typing this.

[slip]

09BigRed. Yep this worked for me. I have yo go to work now, so I'll try to spoon it off when I get home

[marvin willis]

I've never tried putting the tube in the tire before putting it on the rim as the 2nd video showed. Is that how yall do it?

[brianhare]

I've never tried putting the tube in the tire before putting it on the rim as the 2nd video showed. Is that how yall do it?

 

that`s how i do mine,i put the tube in the tire,,took sime practice but it`s nice on the front tire...trying to wrestle a 8mm heavy duty tube into a skinny arsed front tire that`s already mounted on the rim really sucks.

 

i stand the tire up..valve stem at the bottom,,,push the rim inbetween the beads and onto the valve stem...the rim ends up inside the tire between the beads....then i put on my rim protectors and spoon one side on,,flip the rim,,spoon the other side on and done like dinner..

 

B

Edited February 15, 2015 by brianhare

[rboe]

I bought the big spoons with the huge aluminum handle. Sweet! after I saw the no-mar guy use rim grease I bought some of that (only tire that would not seat on the rim properly was on the 650L of course). Just picked up the No-Pinch tire tool, but have yet to use it.

 

Youtube is your friend. A video is worth 10K words.

[ScottRNelson]

I've been changing mine my whole life have a 60% of pinching the tube. I will randomly punch the tube spooning the tire back on. Very frustrating. They make it look so easy in the videos. I've never seen a beef buddy til the video. Will be ordering that as soon as I get done typing this.

I'm more like you.  I seem to have to do it twice to get one tube in there to hold air.

 

I've changed quite a few tires myself on my XR650L, mainly to make sure that I would be able to do it on the trail.  I use all of the tools that I would expect to have with me, except for the tire pump.  I'll use an electric pump for that part.

 

I too have watched quite a few tire changing videos, and it helps a bit, but it's still a struggle for me.

 

I need some decent rim protectors too.  I hate scratching up my rims.