Tire Changing is Fun!

[dukepilot]

Did a rear tire change today. Love that single sided swingarm. Made getting the rear wheel off easy! The wheel is very light. The actual tire change went smooth, not a scratch on the rim and I'm using old school tire irons. Spooned off the tire from the right side of the rim and installed the new Pirelli Diablo from the same side. I'm also using 2oz of dynabeads for dynamic balancing. We'll see how well they work.

[BillyD]

There are several things in life that simply aren't worth doing one's self. Some examples that come to mind include:

1) Home dentistry;
2) Cutting and splitting firewood; and
3) Changing tires.

If you actually like changing tires, then you're just a masochist at heart. At least you didn't post another picture of your Sato Racing rearsets. If you had, then I would also accuse you of being a sadist.

Bill

[dukepilot]

Originally Posted by BillyD

There are several things in life that simply aren't worth doing one's self. Some examples that come to mind include:

1) Home dentistry;
2) Cutting and splitting firewood; and
3) Changing tires.

If you actually like changing tires, then you're just a masochist at heart. At least you didn't post another picture of your Sato Racing rearsets. If you had, then I would also accuse you of being a sadist.
Bill

I use plenty of tire lube... that's the secret! Oh yeah, those rearsets are sweet, check out my avatar! Shifting action is at least 100% better.

[johnchypermotard]

peter -

if you think tire changing is fun ... you have not experienced true fun until you have had the zen oneness feeling cleaning rain gutters provides. so come on over, and you can clean our rain gutters this weekend.

Originally Posted by dukepilot

Did a rear tire change today. Love that single sided swingarm. Made getting the rear wheel off easy! The wheel is very light. The actual tire change went smooth, not a scratch on the rim and I'm using old school tire irons. Spooned off the tire from the right side of the rim and installed the new Pirelli Diablo from the same side. I'm also using 2oz of dynabeads for dynamic balancing. We'll see how well they work.

[lelenb]

I do change dirt bike tires, but I think I would destroy my rims on the Hyper. The best ever experience was installing a rear Michelin Bib Mousse in a hotel room the night before a race for my friend because he gave up after only a hour or so; sissy. The key is that it takes at least an hour and a half when you forget to bring the included tube of lube. The good part was that it was easier to get off at the next tire change because it turned into foam confetti without being lubed.

[dukepilot]

Originally Posted by johnchypermotard

peter -

if you think tire changing is fun ... you have not experienced true fun until you have had the zen oneness feeling cleaning rain gutters provides. so come on over, and you can clean our rain gutters this weekend.

I'd rather give myself a root canal

[bahwolf]

I haven't done the tires on my Hyper yet, but I've had good luck using the plastic rim protectors available from Dual Star and others to keep me from marring up my wheels. I wouldn't go so far as to say I enjoy changing tires (and, yeah, I do it old school, too, with tire irons, some busted knuckles, and a fair amount of cursing on the floor of my garage), but I do it (a) to save money and (b) to keep myself in practice so that I can change a tire or fix a flat anytime/anywhere. I've lost track now of how many times I've fixed flats beside the road or on some desolate stretch of trail while riding my dirtbike or dualsport.

[dukepilot]

Originally Posted by bahwolf

I haven't done the tires on my Hyper yet, but I've had good luck using the plastic rim protectors available from Dual Star and others to keep me from marring up my wheels. I wouldn't go so far as to say I enjoy changing tires (and, yeah, I do it old school, too, with tire irons, some busted knuckles, and a fair amount of cursing on the floor of my garage), but I do it (a) to save money and (b) to keep myself in practice so that I can change a tire or fix a flat anytime/anywhere. I've lost track now of how many times I've fixed flats beside the road or on some desolate stretch of trail while riding my dirtbike or dualsport.

Yes, those plastic rim protectors work OK but they can scratch a black rim pretty easily when you put them on or take them off. I use pieces of plastic cut from a Liter soda bottle or mouthwash bottle. They're thin, somewhat rigid and work pretty good between the rim and your tire irons.

[17DoubleE]

Hey Dukepilot, I'm glad to read your post as now I know that I'm not the only one who enjoyed changing tires! In the past (on other bikes) I've used spoons and plastic pieces to protect the rim. This is my first Ducati and the last thing I want is a scratched rim (be it from a shop or myself). I liked what I saw on the nomar videos and made a similar mounting bar and rim holding fixture. The Ducati rim seems to have a generous dish shape making it pretty easy to mount the new tire. To remove the worn out one I break the beads, then squirt some dishwashing soap around the sidewall and use a hunting knife to cut around the sidewall. The soap lubes the knife and greatly reduces the effort required. The bead and remaining sidewall can then be removed with your hands. No tool contact with the rim at all this way.

Do you statically balance the rim/tire? I've only used that method and it seems to work fine.

[17DoubleE]

That rear rim.....I meant to comment too on how astonishing light it is! When I got the old tire off and handled that rim, I couldn't stop the huge grin on my face! I ran it upstairs to show the wife; took it to work the next day and handed it to a couple of my coworkers who ride bikes. In my opinion it's a work of art, showing awesome engineering and manufacturing. Had I taken the bike to the dealer for the tire change I'd have missed out on all that!

Now if it'd just warm up a bit I'd be riding it instead of talking about it....