SuzukiSavage.com - Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE)

bobtreat

Ex Member

Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE)
06/25/06 at 17:01:59

I'm a do it yourself guy,So today to save a couple bucks
the wife and i attemped to change the front tire.Sounds easy enough,changed car,truckand even tractor tires.
Well metzeler tires are tough Angry

I mean tough!Not thin and flimbsy like the IRC we took off.Two hours later with a lot of gruntin we got it on Grin

Only to have air woosh out as fast as it went in :'( Made the phone call to our scooter mechanic.Gotta wait till tomorrow for a new tube.I think i over tightened the valvestem nut.We'll see when he gets it off Undecided

Any thoughts??

Back to top

IP Logged

Paladin. Serious Thumper Offline Hamster Posts: 4929 Sunny Southern California Gender:	Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE) Reply #1 - 06/25/06 at 17:38:31 Other than bicycles I've not mounted a tire. And from what you post I think I'll pass and let those experienced in the art do it for me.
Back to top	IP Logged

sluggo Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline big singles lead, twins follow the pack Posts: 4744 moses lake washington Gender:	Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE) Reply #2 - 06/25/06 at 22:16:40 p, that's the way i've done it for years
Back to top	SINGLES RULE, HARLEYS DROOL IP Logged

WD

Serious Thumper
2005 No Login

Offline

Professional
"scooter
trash".

Posts: 5207
Rosemark TN
Gender: male

Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE)
Reply #3 - 06/26/06 at 00:33:01

I change motorcycle tires everyday. Nothing to it. Pull the valve core, deflate tire, and run through the bead breaker. Clamp in tire machine. Grunt, swear, cut through the tread with my sawsall because the tire has no flex left. Dismount sad carcass. Cuss some more because I forgot to remove the stem nut on the tube and yanked the tube (sans stem) into a zillion little dry rotted pieces. Or got the tire machine stuck in the tube and holed it.

Goop up the new tire's beads and the wheel hoop with rim ease (fancy name for dish soap). Install the first half of the tire. Cuss, fight, throw the 600 pound tire machine across the shed trying to install that new tube in the hole. Install the second half of the tire.

I can change a big rig tire in 15-20 minutes. A car tire the same. A Kenda cheapie on a Kawasaki or similar cast wheel? 5 minutes, including balancing. A Metzeler or Kings on a spoked wheel? Anywhere from 10 minutes to 6 hours... Shocked

-WD

I hate changing tires, but, I'm the best person at it in my shop...

Back to top

On 2 wheels since 7/87

Black and Chrome 2003 1950s style custom

IP Logged

bobtreat Ex Member	Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE) Reply #4 - 06/26/06 at 13:38:12 All done new tube mounted tire and balanced cost a woppin $12.20.Sometimes it just dose'nt pay to be a do it yourselfer!!!!!
Back to top	IP Logged

911radioman Ex Member	Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE) Reply #5 - 06/26/06 at 17:03:45 I let the boys at the bike shop deal with my tires. Couldn't pay me enough to mess with those things...
Back to top	IP Logged

klx650sm2002 Serious Thumper Offline The more I learn the less I know. Posts: 2041 Cumbria,England Gender:	Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE) Reply #6 - 06/27/06 at 03:17:57 Bike shop allways fit my tyre's too, it's cheaper on tubes. Clive W
Back to top	IP Logged

LANCER

Serious Thumper
Alliance Member

Offline

Savage Beast
Performance Parts

Posts: 10661
Oklahoma
Gender: male

Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE)
Reply #7 - 06/27/06 at 04:14:07

I got a new rear tire a few months back on ebay, thought of doing it myself, called the local helpful dealer to inquire about new tube and cost to mount/balance ... they said about $36. Hmmmmmm, I thought. That sounds like a good deal, so I take it in... it's late in the day so I pick it up the next morning ... but is the bill $36 ?? No, it is less. Icannot remember the exact amount but it was somewhere around $26-28 I think.
Hmmm, I think. For once I made the right decision the first time. YEAH ME !!!! Grin

Back to top

IP Logged

Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE) Reply #8 - 06/27/06 at 06:35:14 The folks used one of these on the last tire change - always seemed a little tight with the rear short spokes, this makes it easier
Back to top	IP Logged

mickthelimey Ex Member	re, jacking up the bike Reply #9 - 07/01/06 at 02:16:07 I know our Savages do NOT have a center stand,why they don't put them on I shall never know. Any way what do you guys do to remove the belt drive? I also notice a bracket slightly aft of midships,my question is,can I use a jack on that spot to lift my bike without bending it? any one have any better ideas? Mick the Limey
Back to top	Science and Logic fly you to the moon, Religion makes you fly into skyscrapers IP Logged

Banger

Full Member

Offline

Carpe Zookem

Posts: 159
Tennessee, USA
Gender: male

Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE)
Reply #10 - 07/01/06 at 04:50:25

Reelthing wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:06:

The folks used one of these on the last tire change - always seemed a little tight with the rear short spokes, this makes it easier
http://mccserv.com/savage/stem.jpg

Dude, I would KILL sometimes to have a valvestem like that. The only gas station in my town that has free air has a long big-rig style head on the air hose, so I can't air up there. I have to take the Zook down to my parents' house and borrow their air compressor. And to get an accurate pressure, of course, I have to let the bike sit for an hour or more so the tires cool before checking and airing.

Anyway, on a slightly related note, I had my first flat on my new Trek bicycle yesterday and attempted to patch it. No-can-do. I was fairly amazed at myself being able to figure out the procedure for removing the tire and everything, and even in putting it back on the rim, but I just couldn't get the patches to hold-- and that was with the rubber cement supplied in the patch kit! Sometimes, it's better to just buy a new tube and move on with your life.

I'm looking into a company called Air-Free Tires for my next set of bicycle tires. As the name implies, no air is used for their tires. And they supposedly ride remarkably similar to pneumatic tires, according to most people I know who have used them. The idea wouldn't work on the Savage, I'm afraid, but I look forward to trying them out on my Trek one day.

Regards,
Banger
=======

Back to top

IP Logged

911radioman Ex Member	Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE) Reply #11 - 07/01/06 at 11:30:33 Yep, those right angle stems are sweet. I had one installed when I replaced my rear tire this spring. 8)
Back to top	IP Logged

MacAttack Ex Member	Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE) Reply #12 - 07/06/06 at 09:29:55 Air-free tires... In the dirt bike world, there are two solutions - mousse tubes (foam tubes) and Tire Balls (foam balls). Both are expensive and a PITA to install. But I don't see why that can't be done on the street side. I want 1% royalty
Back to top	IP Logged

enophile

Full Member

Offline

1998 Savage, black,
mostly stock

Posts: 116
Morgantown, WV
Gender: male

Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE)
Reply #13 - 07/06/06 at 12:14:36

MacAttack wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

Air-free tires...

In the dirt bike world, there are two solutions - mousse tubes (foam tubes) and Tire Balls (foam balls). Both are expensive and a PITA to install. But I don't see why that can't be done on the street side.
I want 1% royalty Cheesy

I think they are not good on the street due to the lack of cushioning that is provided by a pneumatic tire. They probably wouldn't corner very well, either, because the tire wouldn't form itself to the road as well.

Back to top

The number of cylinders isn't important...it's how you use them.

IP Logged

WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: Do it yourself (FLAT TIRE) Reply #14 - 07/06/06 at 22:19:03 Mick, I either jack up the bike at that bracket you mention, or use a board on the floor jack. Haven't messed it up yet, and my Savage has spent a good part of the last 8 months on a jack. Oh, and it is definitely worth the extra $3 a tube for the 90 degree stems. For ANY motorcycle wheel. -WD
Back to top	On 2 wheels since 7/87 Black and Chrome 2003 1950s style custom IP Logged