New Tyres

[Mirey]

I just bought a second hand YBR125 and it's front tyre needs replacing.

I figured I'll just get both done. I'm thinking of getting Metzeler ME22s - I can get them on ebay for £65/pair.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorbike-tyres-Metzeler-ME22-90-90-18-57P-RF-/121430360694?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c45d04276
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorbike-tyres-Metzeler-ME22-2-75-18-48P-RF-/151404825771?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item23406e4cab

However, I've never fitted bike tyres before.

What I can't seem to find out online is that if I take it to a mechanics to get them to fit them is if I have to take the wheels off the bike myself? Would they normally charge a lot more to do the lot (e.g. I take my bike in and they do everything)

I'm not adverse to learning to do stuff like fitting a wheel, it's just that I'm a little scared if I do it myself the wheel will come off as I'm driving along (or things to that effect).

Speaking of mechanics, does anyone know of any decent ones near lewisham/greenwhich?

Cheers!

[Itchy]

You can get a ride in ride outservice.

But it will cost more £25-30 just to change the tyres.

Or you can take the wheels off 'loose wheel' service which will cost less.


Myself the last time I changed tyres I removed the brake discs and took them to a car place, they charged me £5.
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[Teflon-Mike]

YBR I believe has tubed tyres.
Ever fixed a puncture n a push-bike?
It exaclty the same as that, just a bit bigger.
Get a couple of GOOD tyre levers off e-bay.
I reccomend this sort:-
https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODAwWDgwMA==/$(KGrHqVHJBkE63VtkUY-BO0TfPqW3g~~60_57.JPG
They are long for plenty of leverage, curved so they can be hooked over the rim nicely and locked under sprocket or brake disc, and sharp eough to get uder the bead easily.
That set of three is £27, which is probaby cheaper than a ride-in-ride out service, at a fitters, IF they are prepared to fit tyres they haven't supplied. (Some wont.) Though you can buy them individually for about a tenner, and if you only really need one good one, like that for the 'wiggling' bit, a couple of plain ones that are cheaper are all you need to hold the tyre while you pry. And of course, you have them handy next time you need to change a tyre or fix a puncture.
While you you have the wheels off, though, I would be iclined to spend a little time and have a look at the front brake, and at least clean the front caliper pistons, & grease the float pins, if not replace the brake pads.
At the back, you have a drum brake; that will apreciate you knocking the brake dust out of the drum, checking or replacing the shoes, and greasing the pivots. While on the other side you have a cush-drive, with the sprocket on.
Check the sprocket & chain, if tyres be dead good chance bikes done enough miles that the chain & Sprockets are due replacement.
BUT get a set of these:-
https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDEyWDM4OQ==/z/LgsAAOSwQItT8cvX/$_35.JPG
As matter of course. £9 off Wemoto e-bay, they are the rubber blocks that go in the cush-drive. Its a five minute job to swap them, no special tools necessary, and they make a WORLD of difference to the bike. They are almost always hammered to death putting slop in the drive line, which is over-looked, neglected or not kown about. BUT, new ones an transform the way the bike rides, make gear changes a heck of a lot easier & smoother, while givig your drive chain a much easier time, so it doesn't wear out as quick.
Add a Haynes manual to the list for guidance, and you are STILL probably not a lot more out of pocket than taking tyres & like to a garage, AND you'll be getting a lot more value from it, as well as learning how to look after your bike.
There is nothing there, that is particularly hard or difficult or needs much more than factory tool-kit, bar the tyre levers.
Go for it... get greasy! Its a whole added pleasure to your biking looking after your own bike, with bonus you have nicer bike to ride for the effort.
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[c_dug]

The chances of getting it so wrong that the wheel falls out are next to nothing.

You might need to pick yourself up a socket set and levers as above, but DIY is almost certainly easier than you imagine. It's just lots of little jobs lined up. If I asked you to undo one bolt I doubt you'd fret over it. It is essentially just minor jobs like that all lined up.

A manual will help, if you don't have one then most halfords have an alright selection, or your local bike shop. Or if you're really strapped for cash download a copy.

Not sure where you are based but a friendly local BCFist might be willing to help you out for a cuppa tea or two. Maybe post your location.

Also, removing both wheels at the same time to bring to a tyre place will require some genius bodgineering, it can be done with bricks, wood, rope, old tyres or random junk you find in the garden, or a combination of items on that list. Or ~£50 worth of stands if you want to do it properly.
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[c_dug]

Duh! You said Lewisham.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Mirey]

[Mirey]

So I've got a Haynes manual, but I can't see anything in here about the cush drive or rubber blocks.

I haven't read it cover to cover but just checked through what seemed like obvious places - drive train, wheels etc.

Where do they actually live on the bike? I've tried looking around on the internet but I'm mainly finding discussions on what a cush drive is...

[Mirey]

Scrap that. It refers to them as rubber dampers on page 6-27.

This book seems pretty awesome. I never knew these things existed.

[Pigeon]

I've done the same tyres on basically the same rims / bike as the YBR twice, the first time I spent 10 hours on it. I shit you not.

Lube is your friend. Eventually I used some Couzens washing up liquid, made the job very simple.

Tyre leavers + a couple of rim protectors, 3 is a luxury, 2 is fine.

The ME22's are fantastically grippy. They don't last too well, 4k miles, but they offer so much grip in the wet and dry. Brilliant for that bike.
I did 2 winters and summers on them, still haven't had the balls to go faster than 70mph down Devils Dyke than I did on the 125 on ME22's, although perhaps that's more a reflection on me than the tyres

[-Matt-]

[busbar]

I too need a tyre change on my YBR as the back tyre is looking a bit bare in the middle tread-wise.

Having struggled to find anyone local to me to supply and/or fit I have toyed with the idea of changing the tyre myself but does the wheel not need balancing afterwards?

[Andy_Pagin]

[c_dug]

Balancing is unlikely to make much difference on your YBR.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[DrSnoosnoo]

[Northern Monkey]

I didnt balance the tyres on my Yam XT125, or my Royal Enfield, and Im not dead yet

I'd probably want them balanced on the NC750x, but on something that isnt going to go much past 60mph, you'll not notice.
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[ferrisio]

[Diggs]

If you are going to take the wheels off yourself take careful note of the order of spacers/washers/chain adjusters etc. Best thing to do is place them back on the spindle as you go along so you know they will be in the right place when you put it all back together again....
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[Wonko The Sane]

[Mirey]

Payday on Monday. I'll post my results and potentially pictures of how the change goes sometime next week.

[Mirey]

It's definitely more involved than changing the tyres on a push bike...

[zark]

i just got a pair of those tyres on my YBR...

Roughly the same price delivered - took it to a garage to get them fitted.

They charged £70 for both fitted - standard 1 hour labour rate - and i'm pretty sure it would have taken me longer than an hour. (they didn't charge for disposal etc of the old ones, that i've been stung for on car tyres)

I didn't realise how bad the old ones were until i had these fitted - really makes a difference to the handling. Just hope they last...

[Mirey]

Yep, starting to wish I had done that, or at least got them to just change the tyres.

My front wheel is currently like this and I have no idea how to fix it:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qo5s42z5gg1i2ee/2014-10-07%2008.54.04.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3wxxwctpzldbn0s/2014-10-07%2008.48.27.jpg?dl=0

[iooi]

[Dave70]

[wr6133]