rear tire install DIY or pay $55

[jetstream]

I plan to put a Kenda 270 in 130/90 on the rear of my 650l

I have no tire tools, have never attempted this before.

Question is ? Do I buy a few tools and do it myself

or cough up $55 in labor to the dealer and buy the

tire from them to boot for $82 plus tax. I have read

about pinched tubes busted beads etc....

thanks for the help.

[brianhare]

I plan to put a Kenda 270 in 130/90 on the rear of my 650l

I have no tire tools, have never attempted this before.

Question is ? Do I buy a few tools and do it myself

or cough up $55 in labor to the dealer and buy the

tire from them to boot for $82 plus tax. I have read

about pinched tubes busted beads etc....

thanks for the help.

Well,you really should be able to change your own tire,i mean if you go on a trip in the middle of upper-rubber-boot-nowhere and had a flat wouldn`t you like to drive out instead of walk out...

I just got 2 D606`s today actually,got some UHD Michelin tubes coming tomorrow or thursday,i plan on doin them myself...but then again i have 40 thousand in tools and am a mechanic/shop foreman at a 7 bay shop,if i let someone else do them i`d get teased to death....???

But really,,you should be able to tackle this job yourself,just get a couple of tire levers and take your time...

I always say if someone is going to screw up the job,,,it might as well be me,?

B

[Denn10]

buy the irons and do all your tires from now on!!

[EXxrldtgnow300dtg]

Buy the needed tools and eventually they will pay for themselves. Tires are fairly easy to change out, it's the possibilty of pinching of the tube that can be a PITA. THere's a video of a guy that makes it look like cake floating around here somewhere.

[Donkk]

I just mounted my first rear tire. It did take a bit of work but im sure it will go better next time. All in all it wasn't to bad just take your time. Also there is a tire change video some where that I watched and it helped a bunch. You mite search you tube for it.?

[Old Dog]

From past bad experiences with shops, I'd say do it yourself. ?

I took my XRL in the 2nd year I had it to get a new set of knobbies put on, and the morons at the shop scratched the hell out of my rims and charged me big $$ on top of it ... never again (especially since I'm now running $800 + Sumo rims). I went out and purchased myself a proper set of tire spoons complete with plastic rim protectors/sliders, so it's harder to score/scratch the rims.?

[Ben99R1]

I plan to put a Kenda 270 in 130/90 on the rear of my 650l

I have no tire tools, have never attempted this before.

Question is ? Do I buy a few tools and do it myself

or cough up $55 in labor to the dealer and buy the

tire from them to boot for $82 plus tax. I have read

about pinched tubes busted beads etc....

thanks for the help.

Jetstream. The tire you want to buy will be really small on your rear. Stock size is a 140. You can even fit a 150 using a kenda 270. That what I use its a bigger pattern it will give more traction. As for the price that's a little high. You can get the tire on line for less including shipping. Check out Rockymountainmc.com They sell the 130 for 41.99 the 150 for 53.99. I think shipping is like 10.00. For that price you get tire irons and a extra tube less that the shop wants to charge you. Carp what your willing to spend at the local shop you can get a front too. Goodluck Ben

[dave43684]

Get that big rear axle socket and some tire irons and go to town. ?

[Onederer]

Search engine will do wonders:bonk:

Your going to have a flat eventually, best to learn how to deal with it before its a have to.

Stock tire size is not a 140. Stock size is 4.60 which is around a 120. Remember if you keep going with a wider tire 120-130-140 and the aspect ratio stays the same, say a 90, the wider tire will also be taller. A 120/90 is shorter than a 140/90, but a 140/80 should be close to a 130/90 height. Also changing tire height afects final drive ratio's. Changing tire size affects more than the tire. Also just because a tire is listed as a certain size does'nt mean a different style or brand of the same listed size is the same size, there are variations. But sure, a K270 130/90 will work fine, good dual sport tire.

[exdirtbiker]

I just used my old 'Motion Pro' tire irons to change tires on my SCAG mower... tiny 6" rims... what a PITA !!!!!

Those irons made an 'impossible' job pretty easy. (screwdrivers would not work... I tried ! )

Buy the right tools, you'll have them forever. Mine are from the 80s.

[NBer]

Reading the first reply i got to "middle of upper-rubber-boot-nowhere " And i knew it was posted by a Maritimer before i glanced over to see the avitar. I think thats right neer to Hautaboujangane ey?

[ScottRNelson]

Can anyone suggest a good place to get a set of tire irons, spoons, whatever?

I've changed plenty of dirt tires and fixed flats, but always using whatever screwdrivers I happened to have available. I would like to use the correct tools from here on. Even better if I can find something that would fit into my tool pouch.

[WR TOM]

I plan to put a Kenda 270 in 130/90 on the rear of my 650l

I have no tire tools, have never attempted this before.

Question is ? Do I buy a few tools and do it myself

or cough up $55 in labor to the dealer and buy the

tire from them to boot for $82 plus tax. I have read

about pinched tubes busted beads etc....

thanks for the help.

Move to Prescott & I will do them for $25:busted: Seriously you can get tires online for $60 or so & once you change a few you will get the hang of it.

[dave43684]

Can anyone suggest a good place to get a set of tire irons, spoons, whatever?

I've changed plenty of dirt tires and fixed flats, but always using whatever screwdrivers I happened to have available. I would like to use the correct tools from here on. Even better if I can find something that would fit into my tool pouch.

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0003/

Nice and small, but big enough.

they have bigger ones too, which I haven't used but I assume they're good too.

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/tools/category/tire/

[Denn10]

I just used my old 'Motion Pro' tire irons to change tires on my SCAG mower... tiny 6" rims... what a PITA !!!!!

Those irons made an 'impossible' job pretty easy. (screwdrivers would not work... I tried ! )

Buy the right tools, you'll have them forever. Mine are from the 80s.

i have a few of these in 8" and a like 15" iron too for the house, the smaller ones are good to take on the trail if you need to fix/swap a tube out.

[HeadTrauma]

I have a pair of Motion Pro 8" irons, but I think three is the comfortable minimum for changing a tire. I used them and a big screwdriver to install the Maxxis Cross IT rear and Dunlop D606 front on my bike. I use lots of talc on the tube and and a little soapy water on the bead. It involves a bit of wrestling, but not worth paying $55 for IMO.

The videos making it look easy use a soft carcass MX tire, not the heavy offroad things a lot of us typically run.

[XRandWRRider]

I agree with the posts that suggest you should be equipped and able to do this yourself. Now, with that said, I don't bother with rear tires anymore unless I am in the middle of a ride. The big desert tires that I use, have really stiff sidewalls and can be a real biatch! . . . Then again, my local guy only charges $20, not $55.

[paul246]

I have a pair of Motion Pro 8" irons, but I think three is the comfortable minimum for changing a tire. I used them and a big screwdriver to install the Maxxis Cross IT rear and Dunlop D606 front on my bike. I use lots of talc on the tube and and a little soapy water on the bead. It involves a bit of wrestling, but not worth paying $55 for IMO.

The videos making it look easy use a soft carcass MX tire, not the heavy offroad things a lot of us typically run.

+1 on the need for 3 tire irons to make the job a lot easier.

I got the Motion Pro "spoons".

The youtube video really helped as well.

[Ocaptainmycaptain]

I don't want to go against the grain here, but if you have a good reliable shop nearby, it might be worth it to drop them off and let them do it.

Now, that being said, I agree that it is good to know how to do this yourself. If you don't mind investing some $$ for a couple of spoons (get 3), and you want to give it a go for yourself, it's always a good idea. I tried it and got very frustrated when I couldn't get the second side of the tire over the lip of the wheel. Maybe it's because I had two rim locks on the wheel and space was tight or maybe my technique just sucked. But, I ended up giving it to my local shop (a sole proprietor who has been around for years) and he did both my front and rear tires for $20 each. Money well spent for the time and effort I would have had to put into it. I'll say it again, though, it is good to know how to do it yourself in case you have to do it on your own someday.

[Jon-D]

sort of related - I installed a tubeless system and installing a tire has become much easer and I don’t have to worry about pinching the tube.

several years ago when I did my first tire change it took me about two hours and I pinched the tube 4 times but I eventually got it in so don’t give up if it does not go well for you. I find the task allot easer now, and even easer with the tubliss.