Changing Tires - Dunlop 606

[RiverRunner]

I am having a heck of a time getting new Dunlop 606's on my XRL. Replacing the old tires with same size, 130/90-18 and 90/90-21. I have to change them by hand on the garage floor...

The old tires, same size and model, where tough to get off too.

It's like the side walls are so still I cannot get both beads over the rim into the inside of the rim.

Any Ideas?

RiverRunner

[mitchn06]

its the nature of the beast.....

[RiverRunner]

Wow - finally got the new tires on my bike and a rear for my wife - the Dunlop 606 all. It was only about 60 degrees today and I'm wondering if the process would have been easier at 90 degrees?

The Dunlop sure seems to have a stiffer sidewall versus other tires I have changed. I had the last set put on the XRL at an independent shop - thought I'd save some bucks and do it on a rainy Saturday myself this time.

Going to buy some bigger spoons before I hit the desert again - probably spare tubes for both front and back too!

RiverRunner

[mitchn06]

i've found that the warmer the day, three spoons and about a 6pack will be able to put those tires on. when i was in Oregon visiting my sister, it went from sun to rain and back to sun to humid as hell all within about 4 hours. thats too dang unpredictable for this guy. beautiful country though.

[RiverRunner]

I grew up in Nebraska - right next door to you -

Tornado, hail, wind, flood, rivers running red, locusts, Hawkeyes -

That's too unpredictable for me!

I really do miss the people - really nice people in the midwest.

RiverRunner

[Ferdinand]

That's why I stick with kenda trackmasters most of the time.?

[Memnok]

I put the tube in the tire, then spray some Simple Green inside and out so both sides of the bead have some lube. Helps them slip onto the rim a lot better. And temperature makes a huge difference. If it's cold outside, toss them in a warm shower for about 5 minutes before the wife get's home. ?

[valvesrule]

I did a 130X17 606 last summer when it was hot and it still sucked. Took about a can of WD40, soap water and 20 inflate/deflate cycles to get it to bead up properly as well. Do they even need rimlocks?

Edited May 15, 2011 by valvesrule

[Old Dog]

The biggest thing you can do to help when changing tires, is to push down the opposite bead into the center of the rim (deepest part) when spooning the opposite side on. That, and using LOTS of soap on both the rim and bead. ?

[TE510jimmy]

I use baby powder.i keep a small bottle in my kit..rub it generously on both beads that way you dont rust up all your spoke nipples........ works like a charm!!!

[Srad600]

I've found the D606 sidewall varies a lot in stiffness. I've mounted a few that were tough but doable. The last set I bought, I mounted the front in about 20 min's, I spent over 1.5 hours working on the rear before I gave up and took it to my local shop to mount ?. The guy came out from the back of the shop 30min's later and said that this was the stiffest sidewall tire he'd ever mounted. He used one of those rim clamp air changers and said he still had to "work it" back and forth for that entire time to get the tire on the rim. And YES it was the correct size tire for the rim.

He actually told me that i'd have to cut the tire to get it back off...luckily it's been wearing well.

[TE510jimmy]

another great way to install em on is to get the giant zipties from harbor freight and zip em around the tire every 5-6 inches to where the beads on each side are almost touching each other... when that is done the tire will literally pop on the rim...then snip em off.... works like a charm for my trackday tires too.....

[Old Dog]

I tell ya what guys ... dirt bike tires (knobbies, Teraflex, etc.) are a piece of cake compared to Supermoto tires. Sumo tires have a very stiff sidewall that is also very short. A combination that makes it very difficult to mount. After basically wrecking the beads on a couple of tires, I discovered the proper way to mount any tire. As I mentioned previously, you absolutely need to have the opposite bead down in the rim valley where the spokes are ... if you do this, it makes it much easier to get the opposite bead on. Google it. ?

[-=Jughead=-]

another great way to install em on is to get the giant zipties from harbor freight and zip em around the tire every 5-6 inches to where the beads on each side are almost touching each other... when that is done the tire will literally pop on the rim...then snip em off.... works like a charm for my trackday tires too.....

Duuude... ?

Added to my bag of tricks.

[rboe]

I've found, via YouTube, the easiest way to unmount a tire is to pop the bead out on both sides, shove the tire down, then pull the now clear rim out like a pull tab on a pop can. Bada bing bada boom it comes out very slick. Both ways work, but I now prefer the counter-intuitive way of popping the bead off both sides first. If you see the video it makes much more sense.

I have yet to find an easy way to mount the damn things though. I try to do in reverse, this usually means spreading the beads and trying to slide the wheel into the now spread area. Takes a bit. Sometimes I give up and just pop on the bead one side at a time.

I use Dawn plus water in a small spray bottle to lube things up. Tube goes in after the wheel is in the tire as otherwise I find it is just in the way. The last tire I changed was quite stiff and trying to slide the loose bead into the center of the wheel was just impossible.

I also got one big spoon with about an 18" handle and large al. handle. Oh man that makes the job so much easier than little trail spoons.

[valvesrule]

I discovered the proper way to mount any tire. As I mentioned previously, you absolutely need to have the opposite bead down in the rim valley where the spokes are ... if you do this, it makes it much easier to get the opposite bead on. Google it. ?

I don't know how one would ever get even an easy tire on without getting the bead into the well. Always start removal at the rim lock and finish mounting at the same. But the 606 is a bastard even at that.