Motorcycle Tires how old is too old?

WOW, that is a NICE tire setup! Is that the NO-Mar changer? I have a harbor freight manual tire changer that I use to pop the beads on both sides, then use tire tools with the wheel laying on a few 2X4's to prevent putting pressure on the brake disks. I mainly use the manual tire changer to mount and fix tires for my truck. To keep from taking up the floor space, I bolt it to a section of plywood to hold it still while in use, then unbolt it and store it again in a corner of my little workshop. (check out that back tire on my bike. lol)


After `5K miles, these Michelin Commander II tires still look great. The Dunlop D404 on the back in the pic also has ~5K miles.


I get lots of free nails with the free estimates. I know, you're jealous, but HEY, it's one of the perks!

I have been changing my own tires since back in the 70's. I put the wheel up on a 30 gallon drum with rags around the rim of the barrel to keep from scratching the paint on my mag wheels. Four good Michelin style tire irons and a bunch of Windex is all I use to mount my tires.

The hardest part is breaking the bead loose on the tire. I got this fancy tool with my KZ1000 S1 tool kit. It makes breaking the bead simple as hell!!!! Just had to put some duct tape on one edge of the jaws so in case it slipped off the rim edge it would not scratch it!!! The Kawa part number on this tool is 57001-1072.

I've been changing my own motorcycle tires since 1965 when I bought my first bike (BSA). Here's one thing that I found helpful if for some reason (like a very old stubborn tire) you cannot break the bead free from the rim. Just use a box knife and cut both sidewall sides all the way around as close to the rim as possible. Then remove the tread and sidewall section that you cut free. This leaves just the two beads around the rim, and I have found they are very easy to remove once the rest of the tire has been removed. Don't bother to try to cut the beads as that isn't something that can be done very easily since most or all of them have a steel cord inside them. Ed

I've had to cut tires off before and it works well, just one thing I would like to add, use a brand new blade not a rusty old dull one

Flat tires on my truck are a business expense so I let the pros do it and write it off.
I had 2 flats last year from job sites, one was a drywall screw and the other was a pc of slag from an I beam probably
both where close to the same spot as yours, Ford and farm n Fleet told me that they would not fix the tire because it was too close to the side wall so I had to replace a new tire :pinch:
I went to Pomp's for the second one and they didn't care, they patched it and it's holding fine .

bluej58 wrote: Flat tires on my truck are a business expense so I let the pros do it and write it off. I went to Pomp's for the second one and they didn't care, they patched it and it's holding fine .

I'll fix that one myself. I use a 3 /16" plug / patch I buy at NAPA. after I disassemble it grind off the inside. It's still sitting here waiting for summer. Holding air, since the nail is still in it.

Soo, I guess it's not the no-mar tire changer. lol

Yeah, a write off on top of the FREE consultation AND the flat tire to deal with. I can't find enough write-off's to spend money on, on top of doing the free services. Of course, if I don't leave with a check, I never hear from them again.. until they want another free service. I have also found that people that are serious about doing a job and not just wanting a free "look", have no problem with a $60.00 service call to look their project over.

Over half of the "estimates" are ~1 hour drive from me, then an +hour on the job site doing a serious assessment, then an hour drive home. hours spent driving +gas +truck wear averaging ~ 100 miles per estimate.. I need more write off's. :pinch:

Of course the constant expenses, licensing, insurance, permit fee's, etc, etc, people seem to think I print money. The licensing, insurance and bonding, and hence, the ability to pull permits is what separates the professionals from billy bob construction. The only thing that doesn't seem to go up, is what people are willing to pay to do their projects.



As "crazy eddie" would say..Buy high, sell low, then make it up in volume.

With prices like this I must be insane !!!
Sorry I don't mean to hijack the thread, last rant.

I gave up on advertising " FREE ESTIMATES " back in the 70's when Carter was in office and all I did was give free estimates, if I got a job it was because I screwed up bad on the price.
These days it's all referral work or new construction through a title company, although I do have one dick head that owes me some money from basement job about 8 months ago, I'll get it but it pisses me off that they get to use my 6 grand interest free and have the nerve to want to give it to me in January and take the tax break for last year I told them not to 1099 me for it on last year so now I will probably have to wait till Feb for the payout.
Can't tell them F. OFF because I get these title co jobs from them too.
Politics of doing busness.

We moved to the country, 60 miles away from the bulk of my work in the Chicago suburbs so I do my estimates when I'm out there.

Rant over..............

sorry

bluej58 wrote: With prices like this I must be insane !!!
Sorry I don't mean to hijack the thread, last rant.

I gave up on advertising " FREE ESTIMATES " back in the 70's when Carter was in office and all I did was give free estimates, if I got a job it was because I screwed up bad on the price. Rant over..............sorry

Yes, ditto on the hijack Bill
My rant is kinds bike related.. as to how I pay for my old kaw tires..

I never have advertised free estimates either, people just ass-u-me I do them, and some get upset when I refuse. I had one scream at me how it just cost me some work.. yeah right, just the type of customer that I want. duh

My best customers are repeats or referrals. I used to be a "preferred vendor" for Prudential select, and all I ever did was run around for FREE quoting work, yet NEVER saw ONE freakin job come out of them. I finally told them to loose my number and stop calling me! That didn't really register with them, until I was the one doing screaming.


Soooo, I guess that still not a no-mar tire changer, eh? lol

Yes it is a No-Mar, I went factory direct, the factory is somewhere down by you in Missouri

www.nomartirechanger.com/Cycle_Hill_Tire_Changer_p/tc-ch100.htm

The spoons I found on EB and I like them a lot

The yellow thing is from No-Mar

Also to take note on tires is how they are stored. The air and sun will harden the rubber over time. We have all seen tire shops, both motorcycle, and auto, display tires outside on a rack, or inside next to the window, with the sun beading down on them. If you are storing tires, I read where wrapping them up in dark plastic, like that of a trash bag, and sealing them from the air as best possible, will slow the aging process. That, or just ride year round, and wear them out. LOL!!!

Not to turn this into a "What tire do I use" thread, but I get about 10,000 miles on a rear, and twice that on a front, but commute 300 miles a week. Manufacture recommended air pressures, and not what it states in the original factory manual or what it says on the sidewall, is the key.

It might not be motorcycle tire related, but Tire Rack has a lot of good reading on tire information.
www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/tiretech.jsp

We get around 10,000 + on our tires too.
Last year was the first year since I got back on the road that I only did the back tire, so I think I have around 20 K on the front and fresh one ready to mount.
It still has tread but not much.