How to change and balance rear tire

Should have mentioned "be sure to wear flip-flops". Jeez! Spend the $25 and get it mounted/balanced at a shop after taking the wheel off yourself. Heck you're already dropping $150 for the rubber. I'll save the knuckle skin, thanks.
We have no problem spending $12,000 on the bike then balk at $25 to get the tire mounted. Next we'll have photos of how to milk the latex from the rubber trees.....

 

Spending 12k is for you rich guys, some of us have to buy used. I know go figure, but if someone rather mount their own tire and use the money for a days ride and food....go for it! But if dropping 12k is not a problem....pull that 25 out of your change drawer.... :lever:

 

The first time I had my tires changed at the local Honda dealership they gouged my rear rim pretty bad in 2 spots on the lip. I have changed my own since. I have not added any gouges to the rim, because I care. I would never again pay someone $35 to ruin my rim. Yes it cost me $35 per tire plus tax and disposal fees.
Go ahead and pay for a tire change, I hope you get better results than I did!
Besides all of that, it's really easy to do. But, You will get your hands dirty.

 

I'm sure that for very short bucks I could get some one to sleep with my wife for me. I don't because, among many other reasons, I REALLY enjoy doing it myself.

 

Reg, I think you had the balls to do it yourself because thats what it's all about when you love, care, and spend quality time with your ride - not to mention that you spent the time to post it step by step with your expensive bead breaker for your fellow VFR's.

 

:biggrin: :biggrin: (hilarious response!)

 

Touchy today, aren't we?

Must have touched a few raw nerves out there. Didn't mean to; was trying to put things in perspective. Last time I bought a new bike was when they were affordable: 1977. Bike and helmet cost $1800. So get off my back about buying a new $12000 bike. Second, I do maintenance: just changed the oil/filter and air filter on my '00 VFR, and the $40 for the air filter didn't come out of my change drawer. Seems like it did when I replaced them on my '77 KZ650 but it was only $15 back then. Third, I know my limitations, and I'll spend the $25 or so to have a tire mounted since I don't have a pickup truck bumper handy for breaking tire beads and prefer to stay out of physical therapy after wrestling with tire spoons. Yes, I did change my own tire on the KZ. Finally, owning and operating a motorcycle is a luxury; it's expensive from start to finish whether talking about parts, insurance or riding gear (clothes, tank bags, you name it). I try to save where I can, but there are certain things with owning a bike that you gotta pay for, and if I have to shell out $25 or so every few years to get a tire mounted, it's a small percentage of the total expense of riding. Maybe I'll get a jacket off eBay for $50 instead of from the dealer for $200 and spend the difference on maintenance I'd rather not F*** with, ya know?:wink:

 

I just want you to know that I would never condemn anyone for not wanting to mess with their own bike maintenance. I just don't really trust anyone working on my bike anymore.
If you have someone who can do the work for a reasonable price, and not damage your bike when they are working on it, by all means use them. My problem is I haven't found that person. That, and I really do enjoy it. There is a certain satisfaction you get when you know that something is done right. With modern bikes though, you really had better be a capable wrench. You really don't want to hit the speeds these bikes are capable of and be unsure of whether you torqued that bolt down right. Or wonder if that "extra part" was really necessary for the safe operation of the bike.

 

It's not that you touched a few raw nerves, it's your choice of wording, hell I agree with you on getting the shop to put them on but I also do know there is a lot of people who enjoy working on there own bike. But I do enjoy reading these threads just to see if I have the balls to try it because I wish I was more talented on motorcycle maintenance...

 

It just boils down to if you don't have anything nice to say, STFU. Thanks for all the positive replies we get here we don't need to end up like some other forums were we need to hear condescending remarks. If you think you have a better way to do something by all means lets hear it. Otherwise I say see sentence #1.
IE: Qoute"We have no problem spending $12,000 on the bike then balk at $25 to get the tire mounted. Next we'll have photos of how to milk the latex from the rubber trees..... "

 

PERFECT! Great minds think alike

 

do-it-yourself joke

Time for a little humor on this thread regarding doing your own maintenance:

Oil Change instructions :

1) Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil,
filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, write a cheque for $95.00
2) Stop by Liquorland and buy a case of beer, write a cheque for $30.00, drive home.
3) Open a beer and drink it.
4) Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.
5) Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
6) In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
7) Place drain pan under engine.
Cool Look for 9/16 box end spanner.
9) Give up and use pliers.
10) Unscrew drain plug.
11) Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: ! splash hot oil on face and arms in process. Swear.
12) Crawl out from under car to wipe hot oil off face and arms. Throw kitty litter on spilled oil.
13) Have another beer while watching oil drain.
14) Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.
15) Give up, crawl under car and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.
16) Crawl out from under car with dripping oil filter splashing oil everywhere from holes.
Cleverly hide old oil filter among trash in trash can to avoid environmental penalties. Drink a beer.
17) A mate shows up, finish case of beer with him. Decide to finish oil change tomorrow so you can go see his new garage door opener work. 1 Sunday: Skip church because "I gotta finish the oil change." Drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car. Cleverly dump oil in hole in back yard instead of taking it to recycle.
19) Throw kitty litter on oil spilled during step 18.
20) Beer. No, drank it all yesterday.
21) Walk to Liquorland buy beer.
22) Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to
gasket surface.
23) Dump first Litre of fresh oil into engine.
24) Remember drain plug from step 11.
25) Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
26) Remember that the used oil is buried in a hole in the back
yard along with drain plug.
27) Drink beer.
2 Shovel out hole and sift oily mud for drain plug. Re-shovel oily patch of ground and avoid environmental penalties. Wash drain plug in lawn mower fuel.
29) Discover that first Litre of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw
kitty litter on oil spill.
30) Drink beer.
31) Crawl under car getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug. Slip with stupid pliers tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame.
32) Bang head on floorpan in reaction to step 31.
33) Begin swearing fit.
34) Throw stupid pliers.
35) Swear for additional 10 minutes because pliers hit Miss August (2002)
36) Beer.
37) Clean up hands and forehead and bandage as required to stop blood flow.
3 Beer.
39) Beer.
40) Dump in five fresh litres of oil.
41) Beer.
42) Lower car from jack stands.
43) Accidentally crush remaining case of new motor oil.
44) Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during steps 23-43.
45) Beer.
46) Test drive car.
47) Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.
4 Car gets impounded.
49) Call loving wife, make bail.
50) 12 hours later, get car from impound yard.

Money spent: Parts $95.00 DUI $2500.00 Impound fee $75.00 Bail $1500.00
Beer $60.00 Total-- $4230.00

--At least you know the job was done right--

 

Holy shiet..:rofl: that was good, thanks for the laugh, thing is, it's not so far off.

 

Yeah, you haven't lived until you've had to jam a screwdriver through an oil filter (auto) to get the darned thing off. How hard can it be to change the oil?? The way they place them these days, you may get a face-full of oil just taking off the filter since they can't be reached from above any more.

 

Some people should just stick to their day jobs..........

 

kinda harsh...lighten up

i got tired of givin someone else my money to change tires....did it the manual why you showed...got tired of doin it that way so i went to a local shop...40 bucks mount and balance...the local shops started saying that they'd start chargin double if i didnt start buyin from them...puck em...i bought my own tire changer...itll pay for it's self in about 18 months and im always sure its done right.:dance:

 

Holy tire, dig up and old thread Batman...... I was almost over this topic too...now Im all worked back up again ....