I am a rookie to motorcycles. I wanted to save gas so I got my license and bought a sportsbike. It has been about a year since I‘ve had it and the tread on the front tire is done. I bought a new tire and have it with me however, all the mechanics around here are jipping me for sure. I really don‘t want to overpay for a tire change but I don‘t want a low quality job from some drive around mechanic off of craigslist. Unfortunately i do not have any acquaintances that deal with motorcycles so I am clueless on what to do. My question is if there is a website or a set of rules and safety measures I can follow so that I can personally replace the tire. I have all the time and patience in the world. As someone who changes tires, do you think I can accomplish this. If possible, can any of you provide a link to a step by step process.I own a 2004 yamaha r6. tire size 120/60 ZR17.
Take the wheel off the bike and take both to a tyre change place. If, by some miracle you managed to get the old tyre off, you won't get the new one on without damaging the rim. You need a good compressor to set the bead on the new tyre and then you have to balance the wheel. Any tyre place place shouldn't charge more than $30 to change it for you. If you call that amount of money being jipped, then you can't afford to ride a sportsbike. Don't scrimp on bike tyres. They are all that is holding to the ground. As for the other answers. trying to change your own tyre and stuffing it up does not make you a man. It makes you an idiot. And it would be a long time since bike toolkits came with tyre changing tools. And gasoline? WTF? Roger might be a nice guy but he seems to be about 30 years behind when it comes to tyres Ring around all the tyre places in your area. It doesn't have to be a motorcycle specific place, many car tyre places can also change bike tyres. Just ask them if they can and how much it will cost. The added cost that can be incurred is from the having to remove the wheel and re install it. If you can get the wheel off yourself, it should cost buggerall
Although it is relatively easy for an experienced mechanic to change a tyre, it is just as easy to get it wrong or only be able to do half the job if you do it yourself when you are clueless. So man up and accept that some things are worth paying for, it is very annoying to wrestle a tyre onto the rim and then discover you have damaged the disc and scratched the rim. Removing the wheel from the bike will make the job cheaper. And an R6 is not a great choice to save fuel, they are designed to convert fuel into fast forward motion.
motorcycle tool kits used to come with tire change kits that you could use. Its halpfull to have the right gear for changing a tire and you have to be carefull. The big problem you have is tubeless tires are a ***** and you either need gasoline and have experience or a good compressor. My bikes were spokes which have to have a tube anyway. As long as you dont pinch the tube and rupture it and you can get the tire and the tube on the bike and tighten it all down right your in like flynn. Its hard on the fingers and you need two decent tire bars made for motorcycle tires the longer the better.you do most of the tire and rim by hand its the llast part thats a pain in the butt. I alwayd had some pretty strong wrists and that really helped.
