[2968]

Yes and Yes.

The No Mar setup is expensive and not necessary IMHO. Go cheap and buy the Harbor Freight tire changer. If you're careful and use duct tape in key spots on the changer you won't damage your wheels at all, and at $90 out the door when it's on sale (almost always) it's a steal. The going rate where I live is $30-$40 per tire at the dealership, so mine has paid for itself over and over. Not to mention some shops won't install tires that you didn't purchase from them--usually another 10-20% markup over what you can pay online. I like to support my local dealership, but I'm not going to spend $100 extra per tire in their support.

Yes, you'll be changing your buddies tires--just make them bring beer.

 

[The_AirHawk]

Consider as above, but additionally purchasing either the NoMar Bar, or the Mojo-bar. Both are excellent bars, well worth the coin.

If you HAVE to own the Best of everything, the NoMar changer is The Shizznit. But, you'd have to be a shop - OR go through an Assload of tyres every year to make it worth the added expense. I only go through the tyre-changing process three or four times a year - I've got the Harbor Freight changer. It's acceptable, BUT if you ever use the NoMar stuff......... you'll be ruined forevermore and curse the H-F........

 

[obandoj]

You shoud also use the K&L rim protectors, how do you balance them after mounting?

 

[SpeedwayRN]

I came accross the harbor freight one but wasn't sure about the quality. At my current rate with two bikes, (ducatis) I change tires every two months. Yes I ride year round. There is quite a bit of diffrence in $ between the No Mar and the Harbor Freight one ..... seems like you two have had some good luck with it.

 

[Schoon]

Mo did an article, http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mccontrib/04_Tire_Changing/

 

[2968]

Agreed...rim protectors are a must. There are 2 types of protectors, soft plastic and hard plastic. The soft plastic (Motion Pro) type stay in place better, but they don't last long at all. Here's my complete tool list:

-Harbor Freight tire changing system

-Valve core tool (available at any auto parts store for $2, or Motion Pro has a really nice $3 one)

-3 Hard Plastic rim protectors (can't remember the supplier)

-2 long tire irons (Motion Pro)

-2 short tire irons (Motion Pro)

-Marc Parnes balancing system http://www.marcparnes.com/

-Jack stands for using the balancer

Of course, as someone said below you get what you pay for with tire changers. I'm sure the NoMar setup is awesome, but the Harbor Freight tool gets the job done for me...I'll avoid trying the NoMar setup, ignorance is bliss. And cheap in this case.

 

[pplassm]

I have the Marc Parnes balancer, too. Works great! I went on a balancing binge and balanced all my dirt bike wheels.

 

[longride]

Quick question. Are Boeing coders really better than Microsoft coders? Or are Microsoft engineers better than Boeing engineers? Can somebody help me here? Anyone?

 

[seruzawa]

Microsoft and Boeing people are of equal quality, I think.

 

[50682]

I'll second this. Getting the NoMar Bar and a cheap tire changer has been the sweet spot on price for me. The Bar comes with extra tips and tire lube too.

 

[56119]

spoilsport.

there is also the "rock and a stick" method for practically nothing; .

a dedicated station probably saves 5-10 minutes/tire, but for 2-4 changes a year, a stick works just fine for breaking the bead, and even some friends with a machine end up sitting on the floor for working the bead on and off.

 

[longride]

What do you know? You are a nobody, and you aren't an engineer. I need one of the really smart people to help me with this.

 

[seruzawa]

You've come to the right place. Here we have some of the most successful geniuses the world has ever seen that nobody ever heard of.

 

[bbtowns]

I have the harbor freight unit and use it about once a month. It really saves you a lot of money if you can use it with that frequency. Yes you'll have to change tires for your friends, but you can extract a price of beer and beef.

 

[1747]

what's wrong with a couple tar irons and a 40-ouncer lads?

 

[mscuddy]

I prefer rounded off screwdrivers.

 

[The_AirHawk]

Oh yeah - almost forgot!



When you get the H-F "rim-clamp" setup, you'll have to turn the clamp "hooks" around the proper way - they come bass-ackwards for some reason (and having talked with several people who bought one, this seems to be Universal with these changers).



It's no biggie - a few bolts and you're good to go.

 

[1747]

really what's in that? orange juice and ??

 

[mscuddy]

...dilauded, 5mg. After a few minutes you could care less about the tire, or anything else. Where's my cup of ice chips?

 

[1747]

u recovering? what bike you get hit on? You need to spend more time in the garage anyway Ms cuddy. Never get off the boat.