Gyrobob
Serious Thumper
Offline
Posers ain't motorcyclists
Posts: 2571
Newnan, GA
Gender:
|
Digger speaks truth. Knowing how to do it is the largest factor. I like his statement about taking a mental break and figuring out what you are doing wrong when it seems too hard to do.
I have always changed my own tires,.. since the late 1950s. The toughest one was on a Goldwing along the side of the road at night in the rain when a nail did me in. It took a couple of hours altogether,... even with some help from a really good guy with a coleman lantern, some tools, and an umbrella.
Curiously, I am just too lazy to do this kind of thing on the big bikes like my FJR-1300 anymore. I'd probably still be doing my own work on that, but I found a guy here in the ATL area who is a real craftsman with tires, and will install and balance for $25 if you buy the tire from him, or $35 otherwise. These days my time is worth more than $25 for that amount of work.
I did do all the tire-changing and wheel straightening on the Double RYCA build. -- Taking off four tires took about an hour. -- Straightening the wheels took a couple of evenings. -- Installing the tires took another hour.
The Savage tires and wheels are child's play compared to a 'Wing, but, again, as Digger relates, if you know the relatively simple techniques, changing Savage tires is more a matter of tedium than difficulty.
I carry a couple of small aluminum tire spoons with me in the toolkit. For the FJR, I don't do that anymore. I carry a tubeless tire plug kit, and a very small pump,.. the idea being to get me on the road temporarily so I can get to a bike shop. I haven't ever had to use that option.
Anyway, read up on it, study those videos, and use Digger's advice. Tire take-off and install will be only a chore, not a nightmare.
P.S. -- the trash bag thing does not work on motorcycle wheels/tires.
|