I wore the Kenda Challenger right down to where I could almost see the air inside. I was disappointed when I checked my little black book to find that I only got about 4000 miles out of it. The Metzler I had on the front was getting a little dry rotted too, so I ordered a set of Dunlop 404's from Motorcyclesuperstore.com. I paid $142 for the set, and they shipped it free. The tires arrived in three days, which isn't too shabby with free shipping to Montana.
Now, to the point... When we shod Kay's bike last time, I paid sixty bucks to have the tires mounted and balanced. Being the cheapskate I am, I decided to buy some tire irons and do it myself thenceforth. This may have been poor judgement on my part. The back tire was a real bear, and I scratched the crap out of my wheel before the job was done. I Finally had to enlist the aid of a friend to wrestle the new one on. Those of you who have seen my bike will realize that a scratched up wheel won't detract much from the aesthetic value of the machine as a whole. Nonetheless, it is discouraging to scuff your bike. I guess the protective coating of oil and bugs wasn't thick enough.
I'll do it again next time, with lessons learned this time guiding me, but a word of caution, if I may...
While I am usually a very vocal proponent of doing it yourself because this bike is so easy to work (and learn) on, I don't think I would recommend that someone learn to change tires on these wheels. It takes lots of finesse and patience, plenty of strength, and the right tools to get that stiff old rubber on and off that shiny wheel. One slip, let alone forty-eleven slips, can mess up a spendy wheel in a hurry.
If you go ahead and try it yourself, good on ya' for having the guts... At least make sure you have a new tube on hand, just in case you pinch the old one with a tire iron and have to dismount half the tire and replace it after disregarding your friend's advice and trying to reuse the rusty, cruddy old thing that came out of the tire you are replacing.
Foaming bead lube around the spokes after inflation is not a good sign, as it turns out.