1st attempt at changing GSA tyres myself!!!

itspilsbury

itspilsbury

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As my rear pilot 3 was badly feathered (6400 miles) and down to 1mm on the lower side of each tread groove I decided to have a go at changing them myself ....
I have fitted Tourances (not EXP) ready for Morocco in October.
I have also changed the valves for aluminium angled ones.

How did it go? Bloody hard work and I scratched my rims!

Firstly the valves - I put the tiniest amount of fairy liquid around the hole in the rim to help the rubber seal seat, put blue loctite threadlock on the threads and tightened the nut by hand with a spanner fairly tight to what I thought it should be (no fitting instructions with them). Have I done right?

The tyres - the front was the hardest ! I purchased some rim protectors - they wouldn't fit the thick GSA spoked rim! I tried pieces of plastic cut from an old 5 litre screen wash container, I tried some 4mm thick rubber.
The levers cut through and marked the rims which I have touched up with a black car touch up. Any advice please as what to use to protect the rims which works?

Thanks

Ian
 
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To be honest it is very difficult to change the tyres on GS spoked wheels without marking the rims. Likewise I use cut up 5 litre screen wash containers as protectors but no matter how careful you are you tend to still mark the rims.

Changing tyres on normal cast wheels is much easier so have decided to pay someone to change the ones on my GS going forward ;)
 
I use these type of things with a bit of practice and decent levers you can change tyres without a marking the rim at all
No problem on my 1200 or 1100 with spokes
I have fitted tyres to a few mates sports bike with painted cast wheels no problem

rim.jpg
 
itspilsbury said:
I purchased some rim protectors - they wouldn't fit the thick GSA spoked rim!
Click to expand...
If you pop the rim protectors into boiling water for a minute or two they'll soften enough to expand to fit the rims (they'll also stay the correct shape after they cool).
 
Or you could try like I did, after swearing, shouting and kicking the tyre. Tyre levers chucked away, into the shed to find the biggest hammer or anything. IT WAS NOT GOING WIN. Out comes the angle grinder, I won, but bits of melted rubber stuck everywhere on the conservatory, that took ages to clean. Oh and a small chunk out of the wheel, but I did it. Needless to say I have now a spare wheel in my garage with a small chunk out of it. A few £'s down but I won
 
If it is hard work then you are doing it wrong, or you have the wrong equipment.

I did a lot of swearing until I bought some Motion-Pro tyre levers, a Bead-Buddy and some of the rim protectors pictured above.

These are good tyre spoons:
http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0115/

And this is a good tyre iron:
http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0007/

and the Bead Buddy:
http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0471/


They are not expensive. There is a Motion Pro dealer in Australia, so I'd assume you guys will have one in the UK.

Don't give up!
 
Its certainly one of those things that takes a bit of practice to do it easily. First time I did it took me hours and buckets of sweat. Its important to keep the tyre in the wheel well opposite from where your working and I find it a lot easier if you have someone to hold the two tyre irons down while you get the third in for the final action in getting the new tyre on. Most of the time is now taken in getting the wheels on and off - plus I take the disks off the front to prevent any damage.
 
After two attempts at fitting a tyre on a CB500/4, both times resulting in pinch punctures, I eventually fitted it without using levers at all. I supported the wheel itself on a car tyre and 'trod' the new tyre onto the rim with my feet.

But I dare say modern tubeless radials are a bit harder to fit :-)
 
Technique is everything.

Use decent quality tyre levers - not excessively long or you'll just put in so much force you risk damaging the rims.

I use sections of an old inner tube slid over the tyre levers instead of rim protectors, as my rim protectors aren't a great fit on the gs wheels.

Buy proper tyre fitting soap and use plenty of it. Don't use Fairly Liquid.

After breaking the bead, push the tyre well down into the wheel well on the side opposite to where you're using the tyre levers.

Don't rush.
 
My mate used to change his tyres himself all the time so i thought I would have a go, useing his gear so it was not like I had done anything different, well I tried and i tried and well gave up.

Best £10 I will ever spend is getting someone else to do it for you lol.

spike
 
Good effort mate! There arent many folks that will even try let alone actually do it.

As has been said before, if it's hard then something is wrong. Generally more lube required but helps a lot if tyres are not cold. Road tyres are a lot harder than off road tyres due to stiffer walls.

Scratched rims? Who gives a fuck. You should see mine!
 
Tyres

having changed many tubed tyres I removed a knobbly from the rear of my 1150
defenitly tougher job (tubeless) but I hope every one knows to rest your wheel on a dustbin (with a blanket over it) to use as a support for the wheel. Why on earth does one require three irons? you've only got two hands get a long pair of slim irons and use a bit of dilute washing up liquid as a lube and away you go. Why does one put lock tight on a tyre valve? be a laugh getting that off!.
 
popeyethesailor said:
I don't want to hijack the thread but I am
Just about to try and change my rear tyre my question is does any one get them balanced ??
Click to expand...

I bought a tyre balancer off fleabay and when I got it I checked the balance of the wheels and the place that did my last set of tyres had balanced the rear wheel wrong he had put the weights on the heavy side making it twice as bad, the front was spot on. Intend to do mine from now on as it's easy. I am sure with everybody's advice I will get better at changing the tyres, thanks everyone.
Ian
 
davegs said:
having changed many tubed tyres I removed a knobbly from the rear of my 1150
defenitly tougher job (tubeless) but I hope every one knows to rest your wheel on a dustbin (with a blanket over it) to use as a support for the wheel. Why on earth does one require three irons? you've only got two hands get a long pair of slim irons and use a bit of dilute washing up liquid as a lube and away you go. Why does one put lock tight on a tyre valve? be a laugh getting that off!.
Click to expand...

Not the dust cap, if that's what you were thinking? it's the retaining nut on the inside of the rim. These are the billet aluminium valves that never need renewing, not the rubber ones.
Ian
 
Why can't I use Fairy Liquid please??

I just did. It still took all afternoon just to to replace a tube and without it (diluted) I'd still be at it.

No, actually I would have sold the bike and got one with tubeless tyres....:mad::mad::mad:

Dave



ducatiparts.110mb said:
Technique is everything.

Use decent quality tyre levers - not excessively long or you'll just put in so much force you risk damaging the rims.

I use sections of an old inner tube slid over the tyre levers instead of rim protectors, as my rim protectors aren't a great fit on the gs wheels.

Buy proper tyre fitting soap and use plenty of it. Don't use Fairly Liquid.

After breaking the bead, push the tyre well down into the wheel well on the side opposite to where you're using the tyre levers.

Don't rush.
Click to expand...
 
Just been quoted £20.00 per loose wheel to fit new tyres. Time to have a go myself.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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