Interesting Front Tire Change

JeffSSmith

0
Joined
Jun 20, 2013
Messages
30
Location
Colorado
Bike
2010 NT RED
The rear tire for the Kawasaki EX500 arrived on Friday. UPS delivered it about 4:00. I started changing the tire soon after that. FYI, even with a chain and drum break the rear tire removal was a breeze compared to the NT. The new tire went on without any problems.

The front tire arrived on Monday. I started the install after dinner on Monday night. The removal of the tire and wheel was easy enough, the removal of the tire from the wheel had the expected struggles. When I installed the new front tire on the wheel it went on easy enough. When I aired it up, I didn't get the expected POP when the bead seats. I increased the pressure 20lbs above the recommended pressure. Still no POP. I check the bead visually and it look seated. I felt around the rim and it felt seated, so I installed it on the bike.

After the install, I took it out for a test ride. Down the block, around the block, max speed about 35mph. Everything seemed fine. I decided to ride to the gas station to get some gas. On the way, I felt a vibration. I was thinking I could pull the wheel and tire and get it balanced. Before I got to the gas station the vibration got worse. I started to worry. I turned around and headed for home. About 2 miles from home at 35mph the front tire broke loose from the bead. Holy Crap!! I almost lost it right then and there. I applied the breaks to slow. The handle bars did not cooperate at all. Wanted to turn left and right. Took all my strength to go straight. Learned right away not to use the front break. Don't use the rear break to hard either, the weight shift to the front making a bad situation worse. I finally got it stopped and to the side of the road. Called my wife to come and get me, and bring the portable air compressor. After much struggle, I could not seat the bead with the little air compressor. So I rode/walked the bike back to the house with a flat not seated front tire. Once I was home, I aired up the front tire with a larger air compressor, had to put close to 70lbs in it before the POP seating the bead.

Rode the bike today and everything was fine. I was a little nervous, but good. About 4 blocks from the house ? I ran out of gas. Switched to res and make it to the gas station. The bike ran kinda of bad after the fill up, but is fine this afternoon. Carburetors bowls empty??

This makes you understand the importance of good tires. Would not want to experience that again at any speed.
 
Did you use any lube on the tire beads when trying to seat them? The beads on the NT seem to seat very easily but I used to struggle with a Connie (C10). The Connie came with radials but I mostly used bias tires. I don't know if that is why it was hard to seat them or not but I had trouble several times.
Your story will make me double check when swapping tires. Glad it came out OK for you.

Brad
 
One other option that I don't think I'd use is to squirt starting fluid into the tire and then light it.

Glad you managed to keep the bike upright. I had a rear valve stem break on my Connie at 75mph and I thought I was going to die. One of the things I learned from Connie and Carolyn's crash is to use no brakes and to pull in the clutch when a tire goes flat. That helps if a rear goes, I'd guess it would help with a front tire flat, too.
 
NAPA stores sell a liquid solution to ease tire installation called RuGlyde. It comes in gallon jugs and seems to last forever since you use so little for each tire installation. The cost eons ago was around $10 and I found it worked much better than soap & water to help ease the tire bead over the safety lip on the rim. It also helps to clean the seating area on the rim with one of those green fuzzy pads before mounting the tire.

ps. WD-40 is a petroleum-based, solvent/lubricant. Most would say it isn't a good idea to use it on tires.
 
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Soap and water? Yup, that's a problem. It works but introduces moisture into the tire that can cause rim oxidation and doesn't stick to the surface very well (runs off). The better/correct solution is to use a product like the one DirtFlier suggested. If you have the drop center and the back side of the rim's bead well lubed as well as the tire's bead, it should seat with less than 40lbs. If you don't hear 2 pops, it isn't fully seated. If you need more than 40lbs, you did something wrong or the tire isn't meant for the rim.

I really like the tire paste designed for run flat tire installs as it sticks to the surface much better than the more liquid products. It also dries and introduces minimal moisture inside the tire. It's also less messy and easily applied with an angle brush.

Glad you weren't hurt! That could have been a really bad day.
 
Phil Tarman said:
I'd guess it would help with a front tire flat, too.
Click to expand...
Years ago ('71 or so), I had a front tire go flat very suddenly (not quite a blowout). I pulled the clutch in and got on the rear brake. I was all over my side of the road. I still remember thinking, "Next time I am on the right side of the road, I'm going to bail off into the weeds."

I finally came to a stop and probably sat there shaking on the bike for about 5 minutes.
 
Hand cleaner is my choice as well. I also let the tyre sit out in the sun a couple of hours if it is sunny. They go on a lot easier when they are warm.
 
My boss put a tire on the back of my Intruder for me once. He lubed the tire with Go-Jo and that worked great...besides which, once we were done we rinsed the exces go-jo off with water
 
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