Where do you guys go for new tires? | Page 4 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Where do you guys go for new tires?

I am kinda hoping that anyone representing themselves as professional motorcycle technician, would have a better set of tools than a mastercraft beginner's set. Actually, MOST of the professional vehicle technicians I know have a tool fetish, and have a stupid amount of money wrapped up in their tools, and have realistically spent WAY too much money on tools and have tools they will never need/use. You have a flashy, late model bike, techs have toolboxes. I know several guys that have the value of a sizeable home downpayment wrapped up in tools. I know a guy that has about $100,000 in just boxes, not including the tools in them. A decent SnapOn box starts around $10,000 now... just the box, NOICE ones have a stereo, WIFI, groovy flashing lights and a refrigerator... you know... for your "in shop" discos

Sorry, I got "old" Ducs and they have smaller lugs. (37mm = 1 1/2"... you're right, it's probably bigger... what ever it is, I got a wrench for it... and if I didn't have one, I'd GET one and I am FAR from a professional tech)
My point was/is: Ted is a HACK. I've known him since he apprenticed for a buddy of mine, in the '80s... and my buddy fired him... for being a hack. He can do the work, but he does stuff like take the big nut off the rear wheel of a Ducati... with a pipe wrench. Job's done... BUT....
Did he apprentice for Keith?
Keith was a good friend of mine who told me that Ted apprenticed under him while at a Cycleworld or something.
 
After Cycle World, Ted worked for Johnny Bent
almost everybody of a "certain" era worked for Johnny at one time or another
 
...... I might get some license plate covers made up that say TED ROSE TOUCHED MY SHAFT. Anybody wanna do a group buy with me?

Only if you can get him to autograph them.
 
Just out of curiosity, what was the bike and how long ago was this
The bike was a 2003 Kawasaki Zr-71 and this was back in 2015 when I had my dispute with Ted Bundy Toes. Like I said, if you are a bike mechanic and you are only good at changing tires and oil filters, then you are as valuable as a gnat to me.
 
The bike was a 2003 Kawasaki Zr-71 and this was back in 2015 when I had my dispute with Ted Bundy Toes. Like I said, if you are a bike mechanic and you are only good at changing tires and oil filters, then you are as valuable as a gnat to me.
You would have been willing to pay to split the cases on a ZR-7?
 
You would have been willing to pay to split the cases on a ZR-7?
I was stupid for investing too much money on this piece of junk, bought it for $2900 and I spent another $3k on it, and it still wasn't running properly. And forget about trying to start this on a cold morning, it was carburated. I bought a recent model bike fuel-injected and have never looked back.
 
I was stupid for investing too much money on this piece of junk, bought it for $2900 and I spent another $3k on it, and it still wasn't running properly. And forget about trying to start this on a cold morning, it was carburated. I bought a recent model bike fuel-injected and have never looked back.
You just wrote those words yourself. I think you owe Ted some gratitude
 
If local dealers sell for the same price as on-line, sure, but that is never the case. I get them at FortNine or Pete's Superbike, usually Pete's.

I install them and balance them myself to avoid installation issues (gouges, scratches, etc).
Is it very difficult to install? What type of equipment is needed?
 
Is it very difficult to install? What type of equipment is needed?
Basic equipment consists of:
  • A sturdy workbench so you don't have to bend down
  • Some sort of support or stand on the workbench to hold the wheel in place so you aren't putting pressure on the brake rotors. An old car wheel with tape or rubber hose around the rim will work.
  • A length of threaded rod, a couple of wingnuts and washers run through the workbench/stand and through the hub of the wheel so it stays in place
  • A schrader valve tool to remove the valve and deflate the tire
  • A bead breaker. Can be something as simple as a 10" C-clamp, or integrated into your support/stand
  • 2 or 3 tire irons. Smaller 10" ones are fine
  • A couple of 12" bar clamps to squeeze the tire and keep it in the drop center of the wheel
  • Some pieces of heavy plastic cut from a laundry detergent jug to avoid scratching your rims with the tire irons
  • Lube. Dish soap works fine
  • A compressor to seat the bead, but a good inflator can work.

You can do it with much fancier equipment if you like, or less equipment if you already understand the technique and are working with soft tires (stiff-sidewalled Dunlops suck). I also balanced my wheels the first few times, but I don't bother anymore.

Difficulty ranges from absolute "screw this" for your first one to "hey, that was pretty easy" once you do a few and get the technique down.
  • The most important thing is to keep the opposite side of the tire in the drop center of the wheel when you're trying to lever the new tire on. This gives the tire on the near side an extra centimeter or two of space to slip over the rim easily. You probably won't remember this the first couple of times and will just reef on the tire irons really hard. Smaller irons make you focus on technique rather than brute strength and potentially damaging the tire bead.
  • The second most important thing is lube. Clean and lube both the tire bead and the wheel thoroughly everywhere the tire will touch it during the remounting process.
 
Is it very difficult to install? What type of equipment is needed?

It can be depending on the tire type and width and rim sections. I always used Melco Tire irons (the flat type) and 2" x 5" plastic strips I'd cut out of old windshield washer bottles to protect the rim. I did that for decades...since the mid-70s. I recently ordered a tire changer from Olmaxmotors in Poland. A heck of a lot easier and a heck of a lot less sweat.

I built my own tire balancer.
 
It can be depending on the tire type and width and rim sections. I always used Melco Tire irons (the flat type) and 2" x 5" plastic strips I'd cut out of old windshield washer bottles to protect the rim. I did that for decades...since the mid-70s. I recently ordered a tire changer from Olmaxmotors in Poland. A heck of a lot easier and a heck of a lot less sweat.

I built my own tire balancer.
Have you tried it yet?

I got myself a Rabaconda "Street bike tire changer" and love it for tubeless tires and hate it for tubed tires. It was also like $300 cheaper when I got it :oops:
 
Tubed tires are a lesson in patience and finesse. I did one a few years ago and so proud, front and back. Came in the morning an the rear was flat. I pinched the tube. Got to do it again. This was just with tire irons and dishwasher soap. If I had to do it again (rear is flat again). I would use real tire lube. The more you sweat the more you are doing it wrong. I sweat a lot.
 

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