Who changes their own rubber?

[ian505050]

I have 2 tires to change on my WR250, 2 tires to change on my GSXR and my brother who has 2 bikes require new tires on both his bikes.

I often buy rubber off ebay and get a garage to fit tires to loose rims and often pay about £10 a rim on average which also involves 20 minute tip too and from the garage.

I like to do absolutely all mechanical work on any bike i have owned myself to gain experience, but have always paid others to do the tires.

Who on here changes there own tires?

Its going to cost me and my bro approx. £80 for tire fitting labor for the 8 tires that need replacing.

Should i buy this


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-TYRE-CHANGER-Workshop-BEAD-Breaker-Stand-/230926055116?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Other_Vehicle_Parts_Accessories_ET&hash=item35c443f6cc

https://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee149/leaforge/Stands/Stand11.jpg

and this

https://www.squirrel7.f2s.com/Shop/BikeIt/TYC008.jpg

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-WHEEL-BALANCER-by-Qtech-Stand-Track-Day-PORTABLE-/230926058412?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Other_Vehicle_Parts_Accessories_ET&hash=item35c44403ac


When i am done i will have a set for changing tires that has cost me nothing in reality.

I go through at least 3 tires on a sports bike in the summer and probably 4 on the dirt bike and i would say my brother does about the same.

It seems like a good idea, but is it easy to do?

[Wonko The Sane]

how confident are you that you can balance a tyre up on a manual balancer?

Not sure I could do it!
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[ian505050]

[yen_powell]

I do my own. Bead breaker is a good idea. Get some Buzzetti levers too, I haven't nipped a tube since I got those many years ago.
The little pip you can see on the right hand end positions the lever in just the right place when putting the tyre back on.
https://www.adventure-spec.com/default/tyre-tools-buzzetti-professional-tyre-lever.html
https://www.adventure-spec.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/b/u/buz_00-955b.jpg
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[Islander]

A set of rim protectors is also a good idea.

Manual balancing isn't hard to do.

[johnsmith222]

It's a piece of piss. I've heard of those bead breaker stands damaging rims so cover it in soft tape.

Personally I'd go for the Abba bead breaker. I have that static balancing stand and it's decent. Balancing wheels is a piece of piss.

[Hetzer]

[sickpup]

[johnsmith222]

[Chalky.]

I often buy my tyres part worn from ebay, then pay £10 for two bike wheels (loose) or £10 a car wheel (drive in).

A lot less hassle.

[sickpup]

[Hetzer]

[sickpup]

[Hetzer]

[sickpup]

[johnsmith222]

[Acemastr]

There's a joke for the title of this thread somewhere!
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2017 KTM 350 XC-F - 2014 Yamaha R6 - 2005 Yamaha YZ125
2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited

[Kradmelder]

Not unless it is an emergency on the road.

It is R100 for a tyre fitment. £7. Balancing a bit more. why must I bother? I dont need to count shekels.

I use the black-o-matic tyre fitment. And they serve me coffee while I wait.

https://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m270/hvandermerwe62/IMG-20121218-00615.jpg
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2011 KTM 990 Dakar
2009 BMW 1200 GS

[Walloper]

I've used the manual balancer to balance a few tyres. It works a treat.
The lateral out-of-balance may not be so obvious.
The radial out-of-balance is normally what I notice.

Bead breaker is a must have to prevent rim damage from home made bead breakers.

And a ratchet strap to go around the tyres if you have problems seating the new tyre's bead on the rim.

Tyre Grease is good stuff to have or if you are tight you can use squeezy.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[binge]

Unless you have a machine mountable wheel, like on the VFR400 etc, then it's easier to static balance a bike wheel, which just involves even weights placed on the lightest point of the rim.
Dynamic balancing gets a little more involved.


In fairness, if you fit the tyre 'correctly', and go for a half decent make.... AND your rim is true. Then wheel balance on a bike isnt really that necessary.

I had the R1 rolling on Racetec K1s, with no balance weights, as I didn't want to stick them on freshly powder coated rims.
I did drop a stack of stick on weights in with the rims, and had them powder coated the same colour, but still, didnt bother to fit them.

Had that bike out at 185mph, and really didnt notice a wheel wobble.




Plus, if you really do insist on balancing your own wheels, you can do them on the bike by taking the calipers off, and chain (if it's rear wheel), then paddock standing the bike, letting the wheel spin free.

Granted, it wont be quite as accurate as a proper balancer, but it will iron out any serious balance issues which will cause major wobble.


I fit my own tyres, big bike tyres and car tyres on my automatic changer at work. Smaller tyres on my Chaly, and pit bikes, I do with 10" levers and my knees.

I wouldn't bother trying to lever off 17" bike tyres etc. You are likely to do more damage to the tyre or rim, than what you would save on on fitting fees at your local garage.


Where abouts are you based out of interest? Tenner per wheel is about the going rate for a 'through the til' price.
If you was to cash deal with a fitter somewhere, you'd probably get the pair done for a tenner.

[Walloper]

[MarkJ]

[G]

No need for any tools bar tyre levers for a dirt bike.

The times I've tried to break the bead on a sports bike tyres without a bead breaker, I've failed. (Me at 15 stone putting all my weight on a spade, etc.)
Have had some troublesome dirt wheels to, but always managed it in the end; sometimes using a tyre lever to lever it in.

It's generally not worth balancing dirt tyres.

I'd tend to do balancing off the bike, with some threaded rod between two chairs - might be slightly more accurate than binge's version, but not much in it.

I'm quite close to you and I do have an air tyre machine, but unfortunately don't have useful power to run a compressor where the tyre machine is at the moment.

[Kradmelder]

[ian505050]