The friendly "dumb" bike questions thread

[Onelastattempt]

I take it the small black part in the second picture is the insert, if so what is the hexagon on the bottom end for?
I have fitted various bar ends and bar end mirrors over the ( many ) years and usually they have a rubber insert with a captive nut in which expands to grip the inner diameter of the handlebar as you tighten the bolt / screw up.

[anonymous-user]

Brake lever guards are compulsory at most trackdays now. A friend got killed at Snetterton last year because he didn’t have one fitted and it seems MSV changed their policy shortly afterwards.

[Zarco]

The hexagonal end is so it can be wound into the tube with a spanner I think.

[Zarco]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Thanks guys. I'm still not convinced it's mandatory at Silverstone. It's not an MSV track. The track day is run by Silverstone themselves rather than a TDO such as No Limits.

These are the terms and conditions from Silverstone linked in my booking confirmation email:


https://www.silverstone.co.uk/terms-and-conditions...

None the less I am going to fit a lever guard. I've found one that has an M8 adapter to fit the insert in my handlebar. Bit fancier than I wanted (I'm not a fan of carbon fibre bits), but I'm not taking the risk of getting there and not being allowed out on track.

[Zarco]

It looks like it's a stance MSV took rather than a H&S regulation or whatever. MSV being the biggest player kind of made it that way I guess.

[DanGibsonRacing]

I have my first trackday on my own bike later this month. I know my rear tyre is starting to square off, but is the 150 miles of motorway to get to the track going to ruin it? I'm sure its just complete paranoia

[airsafari87]

No it won't ruin it.

But for me, I'd fit new tyres and scrub them in preparation for your trackday.

Square tyres are horrible to ride on and you will get more out of your trackday with a more rounded profile tyre than you will with a squared off one.

Thats not to say you can't ride on track with the tyres you have. It would just be my preference.

[Krikkit]

airsafari87 said:

No it won't ruin it.

But for me, I'd fit new tyres and scrub them in preparation for your trackday.

Square tyres are horrible to ride on and you will get more out of your trackday with a more rounded profile tyre than you will with a squared off one.

Thats not to say you can't ride on track with the tyres you have. It would just be my preference.

Sounds very sensible to me, I'd agree 100%

[Amused2death]

OK, as a "born again biker" who's returned to bikes after a 30 year break (And I'm legal this time......) I'm looking to save a few quid and do my own tyre replacements.

Question is what do I need? I know I'll need to break the bead, remove and replace , then balance. I'm ok with the balancing bit as that';s fairly obvious, but can anyone offer some advice as to what machine to purchase to aid removal and replacement of tyre. Budget of around £100 and I'm not a mechanical numpty.
Cheers all

[tvrolet]

Amused2death said:

OK, as a "born again biker" who's returned to bikes after a 30 year break (And I'm legal this time......) I'm looking to save a few quid and do my own tyre replacements.

Question is what do I need? I know I'll need to break the bead, remove and replace , then balance. I'm ok with the balancing bit as that';s fairly obvious, but can anyone offer some advice as to what machine to purchase to aid removal and replacement of tyre. Budget of around £100 and I'm not a mechanical numpty.
Cheers all

I depends very much on the bike/tyre. I do all my own tyre changing and on the older bikes it's a doddle with just 3 long tyre levers and a bit of swarfega (other slippery stuffs are available). I bought one of these 'two cones on a rod with bearings' tyre balances do-dahs and that seems accurate enough albeit I know it won'r to dynamic side-to-side balance. This method worked quite happily up to my late GPz1100. If the bead doesn't break jumping on it then plan B is wheel on ground next to car, block of wood on tyre, and long lever (bar off my jack) under the car jacking point and on the wooden block as the fulcrum on the tyre and push down.

Then came the Indian Chief - there is no way in Gods green earth you can change the tyres without bolting the rim down to a proper tyre changing table and hanging off the end of the bar to break the bead - luckily I have a mate with one of these but it's seen two of us hanging off the end of a 2 metre pole to break the bead. He's also had the same with big HDs and Japanese cruisers. So I don't know at which point DIY tyre changing goes out the window and you need a proper table thingy - but at the small/middleweight/old end of the spectrum it's no problemos but at the new heavyweight end it's a non-starter.

BTW if you're changing tubless you'll need an air-line set the bead again.

Edited - and these tyre changing table thingies need bolted to the ground given the amount of leverage you have to use to change the tyres on a heavyweight.

Edited by tvrolet on Monday 12th July 10:16

[Amused2death]

tvrolet said:

I depends very much on the bike/tyre. I do all my own tyre changing and on the older bikes it's a doddle with just 3 long tyre levers and a bit of swarfega (other slippery stuffs are available). I bought one of these 'two cones on a rod with bearings' tyre balances do-dahs and that seems accurate enough albeit I know it won'r to dynamic side-to-side balance. This method worked quite happily up to my late GPz1100. If the bead doesn't break jumping on it then plan B is wheel on ground next to car, block of wood on tyre, and long lever (bar off my jack) under the car jacking point and on the wooden block as the fulcrum on the tyre and push down.

Then came the Indian Chief - there is no way in Gods green earth you can change the tyres without bolting the rim down to a proper tyre changing table and hanging off the end of the bar to break the bead - luckily I have a mate with one of these but it's seen two of us hanging off the end of a 2 metre pole to break the bead. He's also had the same with big HDs and Japanese cruisers. So I don't know at which point DIY tyre changing goes out the window and you need a proper table thingy - but at the small/middleweight/old end of the spectrum it's no problemos but at the new heavyweight end it's a non-starter.

BTW if you're changing tubless you'll need an air-line set the bead again.

Edited - and these tyre changing table thingies need bolted to the ground given the amount of leverage you have to use to change the tyres on a heavyweight.

Edited by tvrolet on Monday 12th July 10:16

Thanks Tvrolet

I've got a compressor, and will be purchasing a "cone and rod" type balancer, I was more looking for recommendations as to what gizmo to get to remove, and possibly replace, tyres.

As for types of bike, currently a Fazer FZ6 and looking towards a larger all-rounder next year. Hoping to go out with the wife as a pillion, though I must admit I'm enjoying the solitary riding I'm doing now

[tvrolet]

Amused2death said:

tvrolet said:

I depends very much on the bike/tyre. I do all my own tyre changing and on the older bikes it's a doddle with just 3 long tyre levers and a bit of swarfega (other slippery stuffs are available). I bought one of these 'two cones on a rod with bearings' tyre balances do-dahs and that seems accurate enough albeit I know it won'r to dynamic side-to-side balance. This method worked quite happily up to my late GPz1100. If the bead doesn't break jumping on it then plan B is wheel on ground next to car, block of wood on tyre, and long lever (bar off my jack) under the car jacking point and on the wooden block as the fulcrum on the tyre and push down.

Then came the Indian Chief - there is no way in Gods green earth you can change the tyres without bolting the rim down to a proper tyre changing table and hanging off the end of the bar to break the bead - luckily I have a mate with one of these but it's seen two of us hanging off the end of a 2 metre pole to break the bead. He's also had the same with big HDs and Japanese cruisers. So I don't know at which point DIY tyre changing goes out the window and you need a proper table thingy - but at the small/middleweight/old end of the spectrum it's no problemos but at the new heavyweight end it's a non-starter.

BTW if you're changing tubless you'll need an air-line set the bead again.

Edited - and these tyre changing table thingies need bolted to the ground given the amount of leverage you have to use to change the tyres on a heavyweight.

Edited by tvrolet on Monday 12th July 10:16

Thanks Tvrolet

I've got a compressor, and will be purchasing a "cone and rod" type balancer, I was more looking for recommendations as to what gizmo to get to remove, and possibly replace, tyres.

As for types of bike, currently a Fazer FZ6 and looking towards a larger all-rounder next year. Hoping to go out with the wife as a pillion, though I must admit I'm enjoying the solitary riding I'm doing now

I'd speculate on a Fazer all you'd need is a garage floor, some tyre levers and some rim protectors. Beyond that you need something like this - it looks a lighter weight version of the one I use at a mate's for heavyweight tyres.
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/sealey-tc965-motor...
But unless you're regularly changing tyres I'd suggest setting to with just tyre levers and if you get nowhere than take the wheel to your local motorcycle emporium for them to swap the tyre. I'd guess most of the cost in a dealer motorcycle wheel change is taking the wheel off and putting it back on again. It's only breaking the bead you may struggle with I'd guess, and for that using a jacking point on a car as the end of the lever and a block of wood on the tyre works fine unless it's a real heavyweight tyre/

[Abdul Abulbul Amir]

Zarco said:

Sadly not. Original bar end has an M8 bolt. Lever guard comes with M6 and an insert.

How to get the insert inside the bar tube is what baffles me.

R&G website stated it would be compatible with my bike and take 'seconds'

Silverstone run trackdays are not currently insisting on a lever guard.

re your guard, are you sure you bought the right kit (the guards are the same but the fitting kits differ). Either way, just use a bolt that fits (can you use the one that bar weight used?) put some locktite on.

[the cueball]

Amused2death said:

Thanks Tvrolet

I've got a compressor, and will be purchasing a "cone and rod" type balancer, I was more looking for recommendations as to what gizmo to get to remove, and possibly replace, tyres.

As for types of bike, currently a Fazer FZ6 and looking towards a larger all-rounder next year. Hoping to go out with the wife as a pillion, though I must admit I'm enjoying the solitary riding I'm doing now

I currently use the ABBA tyre changer kit... well OK.. "use" is a bit of stretch, I'm useless with it.

https://abbastands.co.uk/product-detail.asp?item=t...

I've managed to get 1 out of 4 tyres done myself, and thankfully that was on my council daily Fazer as I mullered the wheel.

I've taken my few wheels from the good bikes to my normal garage to get the tyres changed.

I found it to be a lot of faff and hard work for very little reward... but it still annoys me that I can do it, so I'll be practicing again soon..

[Amused2death]

tvrolet said:

I'd speculate on a Fazer all you'd need is a garage floor, some tyre levers and some rim protectors. Beyond that you need something like this - it looks a lighter weight version of the one I use at a mate's for heavyweight tyres.
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/sealey-tc965-motor...
But unless you're regularly changing tyres I'd suggest setting to with just tyre levers and if you get nowhere than take the wheel to your local motorcycle emporium for them to swap the tyre. I'd guess most of the cost in a dealer motorcycle wheel change is taking the wheel off and putting it back on again. It's only breaking the bead you may struggle with I'd guess, and for that using a jacking point on a car as the end of the lever and a block of wood on the tyre works fine unless it's a real heavyweight tyre/

Cheers Tvrolet, appreciate your thoughts.

[KTMsm]

Amused2death said:

what gizmo to get to remove, and possibly replace, tyres.

I'm aware of people who simply drive a car / van over the tyre to break the bead

If you want a "machine" there are various on ebay from £50ish

As I do a lot of car tyres I bought an old tyre machine - the guy I bought it from used it for motorbikes, I just use the bead breaker for bike tyres as my dirt bike tyres the knobbles get in the way

[Ilikemotorbikes]

tvrolet said:

Amused2death said:

OK, as a "born again biker" who's returned to bikes after a 30 year break (And I'm legal this time......) I'm looking to save a few quid and do my own tyre replacements.

Question is what do I need? I know I'll need to break the bead, remove and replace , then balance. I'm ok with the balancing bit as that';s fairly obvious, but can anyone offer some advice as to what machine to purchase to aid removal and replacement of tyre. Budget of around £100 and I'm not a mechanical numpty.
Cheers all

I depends very much on the bike/tyre. I do all my own tyre changing and on the older bikes it's a doddle with just 3 long tyre levers and a bit of swarfega (other slippery stuffs are available). I bought one of these 'two cones on a rod with bearings' tyre balances do-dahs and that seems accurate enough albeit I know it won'r to dynamic side-to-side balance. This method worked quite happily up to my late GPz1100. If the bead doesn't break jumping on it then plan B is wheel on ground next to car, block of wood on tyre, and long lever (bar off my jack) under the car jacking point and on the wooden block as the fulcrum on the tyre and push down.

Then came the Indian Chief - there is no way in Gods green earth you can change the tyres without bolting the rim down to a proper tyre changing table and hanging off the end of the bar to break the bead - luckily I have a mate with one of these but it's seen two of us hanging off the end of a 2 metre pole to break the bead. He's also had the same with big HDs and Japanese cruisers. So I don't know at which point DIY tyre changing goes out the window and you need a proper table thingy - but at the small/middleweight/old end of the spectrum it's no problemos but at the new heavyweight end it's a non-starter.

BTW if you're changing tubless you'll need an air-line set the bead again.

Edited - and these tyre changing table thingies need bolted to the ground given the amount of leverage you have to use to change the tyres on a heavyweight.

Edited by tvrolet on Monday 12th July 10:16

Just to weigh in about seating the bead after changing. I had success recently with using a ratchet strap and a stand up bicycle pump to seat the bead on a front tyre

I was skeptical at the chances of it working but you ratchet the strap around the circumference (on the centre line) of the tyre and make sure its tight and compressing the carcass.
Then just pump! Only took approx 20psi of pressure to seat the bead on a supercorsa

Just to give you options if a compressor doesn't work/isn't available

Also for what it's worth, spend decent money on levers if you can and have at least 2 or 3.

And if you can afford an extra pair of hands in the garage it works wonders when changing tyres

[Pothole]

Mobile tyre fitters work for me

[SBDJ]

tvrolet said:

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/sealey-tc965-motor...

I use one of those with a decent tyre bar for both car and motorcycle tyres, eg:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234086427620?hash=item3...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174817332754?hash=item2...

I was changing tyres every 6 weeks for a few years so saved quite a bit of money this way, but for me it was the convenience of being able to change them as needed.

[talksthetorque]

Pothole said:

Mobile tyre fitters work for me

That's Handy!


Yes, one of those jobs I'd rather let someone do just because its something I wouldn't do often enough to remember any easy way to do it, or where I had put the weights for safekeeping until next time.