Really struggling with the rear tyre right now :(

[Jontyrider]

Got a Kawa ZZR 400 which is 160/70-17.

I've removed the valve core so obviously there's no air but it is rock rock solid- the tire lever just absolutely refuses to go in- anyone got any ideas please? can't believe I've broke sweat at the first hurdle
Never had this problem with other tyres it usually just pops in under the soft tyre with a bit of a push...

[Bozzy]

Put the tyre in a vice to break the bead if you can't do it by standing on it.
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2004 SV650S >>> 2009 Street Triple R

[craigT19]

you need to break the bead as it will be stuck to the rim, ive done mine in the past by putting the wheel against a wall then putting a car jack on the floor with a breeze block behind it then jacking the tyre into the wall untill the bead went.

Please excuse the drawing but its all i could do to help explain

I normally do it once per side of the wheel and the tyre comes off.
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Bikes owned :- 2001 nsr125, 1999 zx6r, 2006 yzf-r1, 2009 xmax 250, 2012 yzf-r1, 2015 MT-07
Current bike : - 2016 MT-10
BCF member pops. sadly missed 1945-2003

[stinkwheel]

Use a garden spade to break the bead down.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Beehive Bedlam]

Next time take the wheel to a garage it saves a lot of fucking around.

[Chris45]

Reckon we've all been there at some point... I used a large G clamp on the rear tyre once, borrowed from a neighbour. Did the trick, got the old tyre off, new one on, but was it really worth all the fekking around? No. Honestly m8, just take the wheel to a garage and watch in wonderment as that tyre is peeled off efortlessly and the new one goes on. We all like to take care of our bikes, but some jobs are just a pain in the arse... talking of which, here comes the wife... gotta go!
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Honda CG125>Suzuki GT185>Honda CB 250N>Suzuki GSX400>Honda CX500B>Kawasaki GPZ305> Kawasaki GPZ550>Kawasaki GPZ500S+BMW 650GS

[Jontyrider]

Managed to break the bead with a G Clamp and a mate's special tyre irons- this one was especially hard cos the tyre's are really really old so the bead was really well set in. Was actually not bad- I always take it to the garage usually, just thought it wouldn't hurt to do it myself sometimes
cheers for the top tips, I'm sure they're all great I'll experiment with a few of them and see what consistently feels comfortable

[Jontyrider]

If the tyre is being taken off it's almost certainly completely toast does it really matter how it's taken off tbh- couldn't you just angle grind a circular split right in the middle all the way around parallel to the wheel and then both split sides off?
I mean I can't think of a reason why you'd want to take the tyre off unless it was dead... why bother cursing and getting swollen fingers and farting like I just did.

Also what does everyone thing about this following method?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-PD48uGl4o

If it's as easy as the above video then I'll just install them that way from now on instead of the normal way I've been doing it for ages with tyre levers- then take it to the garage to inflate it- probably for free I assume.

[Arcane1729]

Wow that video looks neat Jonty- not sure if he edited stuff out though and actually getting it off was just as hard as using tyre levers-
there's some actual metal in the tyres so grinding through the top will probably be really hard and also overkill-

this other video shows someone else's fail : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlIbeGPI-I8

Maybe if you got to the final bit where you needed to pull off that last side of the tyre off the opposite rim edge to completely get it off: maybe then you could grind a long rectangular strip parallel on the side of the tyre which is touching the rim. I don't think there's any metal on the side of the tyre- anyone know otherwise?
Actually if there isn't maybe just a knife would do?
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Kymco Super 8 (125) Honda CBR 125
A2 2017
Teflon Mike: "A man can dream... but most of them are probably best not voiced.... Folk will likely think you are just mad, sad or simply a pervert."

[BTTD]

[Hawkeye1250FA]

Breaking the bead is tough. I used a 6ft steel pole as a lever, with one end under a transit van and a piece of wood pushing down on the bead at the fulcrum.

It bent the pole a couple of times on the rear tyre.

Front was easy in comparison.


I like the jacking into a wall idea, and will be stealing it.
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1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[Arcane1729]

Motion Pro Bead Pro Tire Levers in between 2 G Clamps not just 1 about 30cm apart about work amazing for breaking the bead. It's getting the last bit off which is hard for me.
And I will be stealing the Zip Tie idea for putting on.
____________________
Kymco Super 8 (125) Honda CBR 125
A2 2017
Teflon Mike: "A man can dream... but most of them are probably best not voiced.... Folk will likely think you are just mad, sad or simply a pervert."

[pompousporcup...]

[Monkeypony]

[kramdra]

3 blocked of wood and a spade will have it done in seconds.

[Jontyrider]

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaFAiAwZscjCmu-LA2PNmP1GV5zGVvAJq

Well, angle grinder was silly. I tried the above with a knife and it was a fail too- I've never dealt with car tyres so maybe they're much easier to work with or perhaps I need a proper industrial or very sharp knife for motorcycle?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeXcLl6tl3c&index=2&list=LLf0xucIcmjjJtT3-jILjoWQ

This guy seems to be slaying it- though once again they are car tyres- with such a high power tool not sure a motorcycle tyre would be that much harder... Any idea where I can buy this tool and that bit?

Talking about cutting sidewall only here.

[V2]

This!

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/draper-mtc100-manual-tyre-changer/

[defblade]

[doggone]

It's breaking the bead that has got harder with modern tyres having very small sidewalls to attack.
Once it's popped into the middle you only need 2 or 3 tyre levers which are useful for other jobs too.

Very easy to scratch alloy wheels though, I always start with good intentions and rim protectors but eventually get to sod it stage.
Dicking around with over-sized cable ties was interesting but he still needed a lever to ease it off, it looked very time consuming and he had a special tool to break the bead.

With a bit of lube getting them on/off is not usually too difficult.
Just make sure the side opposite where you start is firmly held into the central well.

What do home fitters do about balancing?
Provided original weights are there I have never bothered
Nothing bad happened...
When I've had them done at tyre shop he usually puts it on the rig and says seems about right anyway.
Surely it's the wheel needs balancing anyway the tyre ought to be the same weight all round.

[BTTD]

[BTTD]

[Rogerborg]

[Arcane1729]

jonty that tool seems awesome- i might get it if you find out what it's called

Edit: He said dremel- it's the bit that's interesting though
____________________
Kymco Super 8 (125) Honda CBR 125
A2 2017
Teflon Mike: "A man can dream... but most of them are probably best not voiced.... Folk will likely think you are just mad, sad or simply a pervert."

[Evil Hans]

[Jontyrider]

Arcane1729 I know he said dremel in the video but americans just seem to call any multitool a dremel not an actual dremel by Dremel.
The bit you want is this:
https://shop.bosch-professional.com/gb/en/accessory/starlock-hcs-multi-blade-asz-32-sc--2531096

A starlock multiblade

amd it fits the Bosch PMF 220 CE- you can buy it in a set here:

https://www.howetools.co.uk/bosch-pmf-220-ce-set-240v-multi-function-tool

Roger I had a feeling when I tried to push in sidewalls of the old zzr400 rear tyre and there wasn't much movement inwards that it was only suitable for modern soft tyres