How are you using the wood blocks? I've seen one of No-Mar's videos where they use wood blocks to change a Gold Wing tire. Similary to how you use them?
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Changing My Own Tires? - Requesting Sage Advice
- Thread starter jbtex
- Start date
How are you using the wood blocks? I've seen one of No-Mar's videos where they use wood blocks to change a Gold Wing tire. Similary to how you use them?
Yes, that is awesome. The lip on my mojolever is not quite tall enough to keep the tire in place while I am working my yellow-hand into place.
52184
GTRider
Message sent.
Mine is 16" over all length; looks like most shown on his site are now 12". I believe the Suzuki, Kawasaki, etc..., Universal versions are all the same. Just two identical adjustable cones and two identical bearings on each end. The axle is a solid, straight shaft; it's not necked down on each end to use smaller bearings. The bearings can slide down the shaft.
Hi Rick. My location is in my profile. On the wet and left side.
You are you, and I am me. I stated I spent $1,000 but that didn't explain the number and types of bikes I've owned, and that has changed since then, and so has the collection of "accessories". I have many or most of them. I have 4 very different bikes in my garage now, and have had up to 6 during transitions. Harleys, dual-sports, sport-touring, sport. Tubeless and tubed, deep center drop and shallow as well, with TPMS and not, wide and thin, tall and short, spoked and one-piece, single sided and double sided, painted and chrome, super rigid sidewalls and flexible, low profile and tall.
Mine all got/get new shoes every year, and like Boxflyer (and a couple others here) I'll mount brand new tires for long trips, and then save them for remount when back home just for riding local or as "emergency" replacements. My 2 track bikes go through tires like crazy (3 sets minimum per season each), and I have friends and family that ride as well. And,... there is the occasional flat tire I won't trust until patched from the inside that causes another mount/remount cycle. I have no idea where you can get a $30 mount (each) without spending the time taking your wheels off yourself, then taking them someplace to have new rubber mounted and balanced (whenever they can get to it), and then buying those tires from that place at an inflated (pun) price.
My experience has been that the money I "save" is based on internet purchases of the tires I want, at the times they are offered at low(er) prices, plus my time versus a tire place's rate & inflated prices. Even taking one track bike out of the equation and up to $75/set saving for tires alone, I am sure I save a minimum of 9 x $75 = $675 every year, and 9 x $50 = $450 a year on installation charges. That's $1,125 a YEAR.
As I am exploring which route to take with needing tire changes (see original post), I too am in a situation where multiple bikes need them done. Between the three bikes listed, we also have a little Honda CBR250R that we practice on in a parking lot and a 2007 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 I converted into a bobber, which I am selling soon. It too needs new tires before it's leaving the garage.
My wife and I are discussing our various motorcycling preferences (touring, a bit of off-roading, riding county gravel roads, going on trips, etc.) and the tires we want to use. Having a tire changing setup at home affords us the ability to experiment with different tires. Remember that we are relatively new to motorcycling, so don't have the breadth of experience others have, including which tires they have settled on.
For example, on my wife's G310GS we have the Anakee Wild. They require replacement fairly soon. We talked about trying the new Dunlop Trailmax Mission tires on the bike, as it promises improved handling on and off pavement. She really likes the Anakee Wild, but is interested to see how the Dunlop perform for her.
If she doesn't like the Dunlop, we take them off, put them on my F750GS for me to try, and then put a new set of Anakee Wild on her GS. That's a lot of changing around tires and I really don't want to spend a couple of afternoons taking wheels in and then picking them up a couple days later. The local mobile tire service wants something like $110 per tire set. Doing the math puts perspective into the mix.
All that to say that there are different circumstances where a $1,000 investment in the proper tools makes perfect sense. Do I want to spend that kind of money? Not really. However, in the grand scheme of things and considering everything involved, it may afford flexibility, conservation of engergy, and other aspects that make it worth it.
For me it is a convenience thing. I can change tires when I want. I have changed tires at 2AM when I was just feeling like being out in the shop. Also, what started it for me was dropping the motorcycle off at the shop, getting a ride home, then back again. I can spend more time bringing the bike to and from the shop than it takes to just change the tire myself.
Plus, I go through at least one rear tire a year, and often just change them both at the same time.
Also,I have the Horrible Freight tire changer with the Mojolever. About $200 invested, maybe $300 with tire irons and rim protectors.
Well-clearly it makes sense for you!! My space, budget and leisurly life style make the local (responsive) shop my tire preferance. I too have four bikes but a fairly stable stable- so not a lot of tire changing- oil on the other hand!!
Ha! Careful there, lest we get sucked into the "Oil Thread Wormhole".
And yes, indeed. Much of servicing a motorcycle is governed by access, convenience, mechanical abilities, age, physical condition, space, financial resources, interests, and so many other factors. I wish I would have access to a full machine shop. I'd love to rebuild classic bikes and marvel at what this master does.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgmuTQuYHxI
The point is that we have these amazing machines we can choose to work on and enjoy the process doing so, or let someone else maintain them and just enjoy the riding part.
yeehastephen
Member
Lots of good info here. Bottom line is how many/often do you want to change tires?
If not that often (once a year or so) it's better to take the wheels off and take them to a shop.
I ride a lot (year round in Texas) often on the abrasive Texas chip sealed roads and I change tires a lot. Like every 6000 miles when I do a bike service. (makes service intervals expensive, don't it!) I run thru about 4 to 5 sets of tires per year.
I jumped in and bought a NoMar. One of the top-of-the-line models back then. Then I bought an Atlas automatic tire changer. I'm soooo much in favor of the automatic machine.
You can get into a NoMar type (Cycle Hill) changer for about $500. Automatic changers are about $1000 and go up.
https://www.nomartirechanger.com/Cycle_Hill_HD_Tire_Changer_CH100_HD_p/tc-ch100hd.htm
https://www.bestbuyautoequipment.com/Motorcycle-Tire-Changers-s/423.htm
Sounds expensive till you realize a lot of shops are getting around $50/per to mount and balance tires now days. Was about $400+ per year for me. Didn't take long to get my $$ back.
The ultimate thing for me is that I can change tires any time of the day or night (midnight in my underwear if I want to!) and any day of the week/Sundays/Holidays. I don't have to wait for the shop to open. Also I can take that extra special care to put the tire on right, balance it perfectly, (I have the Marc Parnes stuff) and not scratch or damage my rims the way the shop might. How do I put a price on that?
Got that nagging doubt at the back of your mind the night before a big trip? No worries... slap on a new tire and worries disappear.
I say go for a machine. Start small/cheap if you must, and work up. Or jump in the deep end and get a $$$ machine. You will not regret you decision.
FYI - my garage is small so I mounted my NoMar on a pallet with studs/wing nuts so I could de-mount it and stack it in the corner. My automatic machine is on lockable steel rollers so I can roll it into the corner when done.
If not that often (once a year or so) it's better to take the wheels off and take them to a shop.
I ride a lot (year round in Texas) often on the abrasive Texas chip sealed roads and I change tires a lot. Like every 6000 miles when I do a bike service. (makes service intervals expensive, don't it!) I run thru about 4 to 5 sets of tires per year.
I jumped in and bought a NoMar. One of the top-of-the-line models back then. Then I bought an Atlas automatic tire changer. I'm soooo much in favor of the automatic machine.
You can get into a NoMar type (Cycle Hill) changer for about $500. Automatic changers are about $1000 and go up.
https://www.nomartirechanger.com/Cycle_Hill_HD_Tire_Changer_CH100_HD_p/tc-ch100hd.htm
https://www.bestbuyautoequipment.com/Motorcycle-Tire-Changers-s/423.htm
Sounds expensive till you realize a lot of shops are getting around $50/per to mount and balance tires now days. Was about $400+ per year for me. Didn't take long to get my $$ back.
The ultimate thing for me is that I can change tires any time of the day or night (midnight in my underwear if I want to!) and any day of the week/Sundays/Holidays. I don't have to wait for the shop to open. Also I can take that extra special care to put the tire on right, balance it perfectly, (I have the Marc Parnes stuff) and not scratch or damage my rims the way the shop might. How do I put a price on that?
Got that nagging doubt at the back of your mind the night before a big trip? No worries... slap on a new tire and worries disappear.
I say go for a machine. Start small/cheap if you must, and work up. Or jump in the deep end and get a $$$ machine. You will not regret you decision.
FYI - my garage is small so I mounted my NoMar on a pallet with studs/wing nuts so I could de-mount it and stack it in the corner. My automatic machine is on lockable steel rollers so I can roll it into the corner when done.
yeehastephen
Member
If you're asking Stephen, I love it. I have one similar to the current Classic HD changer. https://www.nomartirechanger.com/Classic_Model_Motorcycle_Tire_Changer_p/tc-classic.htm
The rubber block things that hold the wheel take some getting used to but when you do, they are thee thing for a tire machine.
Some people have trouble with them slipping but if you keep them clean and free of tire lube they work great
If you do tubeless dual sport tires with spokes thru the rim lip ala BMW GS you should get the Posi Clamps. Harder to use but work better with the odd shaped dual sport rim lips.
Also "The Yellow Thing" is a great help holding the tire bead down in to the well of the rim while mounting. The "Extra Hand" clamps don't work well for me and I never use them.
I also use the Mojo Lever more than I use the NoMar mounting bar. https://www.mojotiretools.com/mojoweb.htm
The NoMar has a learning curve. Seems frustrating at first, but when you get the hang of it you'll be zipping tires on and off as fast as the videos. When you start you'll swear you'll need a helper to make things work, but keep after it and before long it's a snap.
One thing that helped me is I marked all the positions of the rubber wheel clamps for the different size wheels. I have my own code marked on the machine and can pop those things in and out with ease.
Use a good tire lube, not a homemade concoction.
And again, I did not mount mine to the floor. My space is limited ( I only have 1/2 the garage for my toys) so I mount mine to a wooden pallet. 1/2" studs with wing nuts make for quick assembly and disassembly for storage up against the wall. I stand on the pallet while turning the mount/demount bar and its plenty solid.
Buy in was kind of stiff. Specially if you buy a balance kit too. ( I use the Marc Parnes setup on top of 2 nice jack stands)
Anything else? Let me know.
SS
The rubber block things that hold the wheel take some getting used to but when you do, they are thee thing for a tire machine.
Some people have trouble with them slipping but if you keep them clean and free of tire lube they work great
If you do tubeless dual sport tires with spokes thru the rim lip ala BMW GS you should get the Posi Clamps. Harder to use but work better with the odd shaped dual sport rim lips.
Also "The Yellow Thing" is a great help holding the tire bead down in to the well of the rim while mounting. The "Extra Hand" clamps don't work well for me and I never use them.
I also use the Mojo Lever more than I use the NoMar mounting bar. https://www.mojotiretools.com/mojoweb.htm
The NoMar has a learning curve. Seems frustrating at first, but when you get the hang of it you'll be zipping tires on and off as fast as the videos. When you start you'll swear you'll need a helper to make things work, but keep after it and before long it's a snap.
One thing that helped me is I marked all the positions of the rubber wheel clamps for the different size wheels. I have my own code marked on the machine and can pop those things in and out with ease.
Use a good tire lube, not a homemade concoction.
And again, I did not mount mine to the floor. My space is limited ( I only have 1/2 the garage for my toys) so I mount mine to a wooden pallet. 1/2" studs with wing nuts make for quick assembly and disassembly for storage up against the wall. I stand on the pallet while turning the mount/demount bar and its plenty solid.
Buy in was kind of stiff. Specially if you buy a balance kit too. ( I use the Marc Parnes setup on top of 2 nice jack stands)
Anything else? Let me know.
SS
yeehastephen
Member
The Posi Clamps give a better bite than the blocks and are almost a must for dual sport type wheels with the spokes thru the rim lip. Not a need for regular tubeless wheels (R1200RT)specially if you keep the blocks clean and free of tire lube. (some complain of slippage with the blocks)
I use THE Yellow Thing every time but never use the XtraHands clamps. They just don't work for me.
SS
Last edited:
yeehastephen
Member
I'm one of those where the math works. I ride year round on rough Texas chip seal pavement and it chews up tires. i change tires every 6000 service (makes for expensive service intervals) Also I often use 3,4 and sometimes 5 sets of tires a year.
The shops around here charge $50 per for a tire mount and balance, so I can make up the buy-in cost back in about 2 years.
When recommending a home tire changer I often ask how many tires are going to be changed per year. The math doesn't work for once a year changes.
Plus there's an unseen cost savings for my peace-of-mind. I can swap tires at any time of the day/night including Sundays and holidays and at my own convenience as in the middle of the night or not having to get out in stormy weather.
I may be a minority, but I bit the bullet and came out a winner.
SS
I'm one of those where the math works. I ride year round on rough Texas chip seal pavement and it chews up tires. i change tires every 6000 service (makes for expensive service intervals) Also I often use 3,4 and sometimes 5 sets of tires a year.
The shops around here charge $50 per for a tire mount and balance, so I can make up the buy-in cost back in about 2 years.
When recommending a home tire changer I often ask how many tires are going to be changed per year. The math doesn't work for once a year changes.
Plus there's an unseen cost savings for my peace-of-mind. I can swap tires at any time of the day/night including Sundays and holidays and at my own convenience as in the middle of the night or not having to get out in stormy weather.
I may be a minority, but I bit the bullet and came out a winner.
SS
Great input, Stephen! Thanks for the taking the time to document your experience! Confirmed what others have pointed out and we made the decision to invest in a No-Mar changer. I'm about to change my wife's G310GS tires, which will be my first hands-on exposure to it.
What I did is drill four holes in the garage floor, using drop-in anchors, with the plan to bolt the base plate to the floor when needed for the tire changes. It's a 10 minute job to bolt and then reattach the arm. I'm looking at the moment for rubber plugs to plug the holes in the garage floor when not in used.
I had looked at different solutions for moving the changer out of the way when not needed and settled on this one. It is rock solid and from the looks of it, the drop-in anchors should do their job marvelously.
As for doing the math: It's not just about the financial side. There is also a time and convenience aspect involved. Between the four bikes we have and riding that same chip seal surface on many of the Texas roads, we have already noticed that changing the tires will be a frequent task. For us it is between calling out a mobile tire change service at $110/tire change, taking the time to drive the wheels to a place and being charged just a little less, finding someone who has a tire changer setup and bug them, or having a tire changer in the garage.
We're still young in the motorcycle game that we haven't settled on which tires to have on the bike, so there is the additional flexibility of experimenting with different shoes on the bikes. Throw all that into the equation and having your own setup makes a lot more sense - for us.
Thank you, everyone, for weighing in. It has made the journey to finding the right solution much easier!
TEDZEMLICKA
Member
Made a fixture to mount mine on the hitch receiver of my pickup truck.
I used "Red Head" concrete anchors for mine. Then I bought some quality stainless steel button socket cap bolts from Marine Bolt Supply that I screw in as "blanks" when I'm not using the tire changer. I combine that with some anti seize just in case. The floor area where I put mine, happens to be really close to where I park my car in the winter, so I didn't want to worry about salt/sand egress into the threads - hence the fancy bolts.
lee
Debbie's Servant
Great minds! :-D
Thanks for that link for the socket caps. Exactly what I am looking for, and yes, that anti seize is a good idea!
