Time to change some tyres

So I had three bikes that needed new rubber and the thought of taking the tyres off to lug them to the closest trust worthy shop (28mi/40minutes), pay $35usd per tyre ($40 if I don't buy my tyres from them which means my tyres would cost me about $20 more), drive home, then drive back to get them another day and have a 75% chance they will be nicked up didn't thrill me. This fun event prompted me to break open the piggy bank on a new tyre changing system.

It's a No-Mar tyre changer, $595usd (free shipping, nice incentive as it weights 80lbs). There is always a guy who can put his tyres on a 5gal bucket and bust tyres and only nick the rims "a little" with only 35 bucks invested in the system. That ain't for me. I would 1. make the rim look like total crap that way or 2. be in the garage for 8hrs trying not to make them look like total crap and make them look just sort of crappy. The first step is knowing your limits.

Anyway, this thing is well known and proven to work. Speaking now from experience I can tell you it does. I tried a couple times to scratch the hell out of my rims but nothing. Not so much as a pin head size nick. Plus, with three changes it will about 40% pay for itself. Plus again, I like working on my own stuff!

The biggest problem is it's to cold to change tyres in my garage. Solution...bring the garage into the house. I have a spare room I'm not using for more than storage so I setup the changer in there. I made a 4 x 4ft 3/4inch plywood base mounted on two 2 x 4inch supports. The changer is mounted with four 2.5inch bolts with galvanized steel supports. After changing two sets of tyres I have no regrets on the outlay of cash. Works great!

No-mar tyre changer. I bought the...uh..."cheap" one.
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If your really bored watch a vid on the site of a tyre change. I think it's pretty cool myself ().
Not near as easy as they make it look but it is far from hard.


SD990 front rim and new rubber (I direct the space heater on the rubber to soften it up):


Marc Parnes wheel balancer with fresh rubber on the rear wheel: ().
Not part of the No-Mar and more money but a nice product.

Kevin, you are a true inspiration. A very nice how-to. joe says more power to you!! THanks.

Well I have to admit, Im that guy that bust his tyres on a 5gal bucket, but in my defence I dont ding wheels I also have a bit of an unfair advantage, I did nothing but bust tyres at the local motorcycle shop between the ages of 15-17, that suported my dirtbike habbits for awhile But I can say as the years fly by getin down on all fours and wrestling a chunck of rubber onto a chunck of alluminium is loseing its glory. I think I will check this out. And If I get some spare time I will show everyone here hot to make a nice ballencer

Very cool. I hope to build a bigger garage when the economy comes back, and one thing I plan for my bigger garage is a tyre change setup. Your system looks great.

Thanks Joe More of a "how to" throw money at something I think!

Motohooligan I knew someone was going to do the homemade wheel balancer thing That'd be great if you do. I want better stands than my Pepboy jack stands. I'm late in life into motorcycles so not really any experience with tyre changing. I changed a total of one rear dirt bike tyre (on a 5gal bucket with spoons so I did it at least once like a man ) prior to getting involved with this rig. It is hard on your back. After that the thought of doing six street bikes tyres was not appealing. I still use spoons for the dirt bike but I have to confess I bought a stand to assist for that too

This thing is really nice and I think it would work great for street tyres too if you want to go the tyre iron route. Saves your back and knees and is very sturdy (has mounting holes in the feet). There's another forum I like, (go there if nothing else to look at the great photos on the Enter page). Those guys will really make you feel like a puss (well, not you and Joe, from your work I think you'd fit right in ) with all the ingenuity and things they fabricate to get the job done economically.

That's cool! I've been longing for the Abba Products Tyre Changing kit for ages, but 've just not been able justify it.

cool, I geddit now, thanks!

BTW, I know what those other beads are....(before D Pete chimes in)...but let's stay on topic

NONONO!!! I will not mis-lead people, this you see before you is one PIA!!! I tried it with a professional snap-on slide hammer/bead pounder........once !

I thought that 1 ton split bead truck tyres were a pain, (was working on truck tyre's at the ripe old age of 14).

Did try to do it back in 1990 at the track and over the weekend of racing, what a mistake, I am not cut out for the tyre stuff any longer?

If you have real fresh rubber on the bike and you are used to doing this sort of thing... go for it but my immediate advise is stay away, or do it once,,then

it will make you happy to pay someone gladly, I do not kill my own livestock either, some things are better left to the pro's, this imo is one of those things.

Kevin has chosen the way to make it work, if you have a bud that is willing to split the cost of starting up, or a mobile MC tyre changer may be up weeksy's alley?? (or mine)....