Main Menu
|
Active Threads
|
Keep & Kill
Last Post: Crusty
Posted On: 1 Minute Ago
Replies: 38,347
Views: 2,496,175
|
Members Birthdays
|
lineberger, 39dan (65), FstPig (64), jmdajd (60), ironhead 74 (60), erjasn84, Bada Bing (59), ottchuck (58), OutlawTexan67 (56), RAJ (50), Wintersdark (47), robychopper (47), TnsporT (46), MotoSquirrel (39) |
|
View Poll Results: Do you change your Sportster's tires yourself? Or hire it out?
|
Yes, I change my own tires (with or without a friend's help).
|
  
|
147 |
43.62% |
No, I have a shop do it.
|
  
|
109 |
32.34% |
I've done both. Depends on my mood/circumstances.
|
  
|
73 |
21.66% |
I change attire every day. How's that a Sportster question?
|
  
|
8 |
2.37% |

10th April 2022
|
Chief Master Mechanic
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: California
Posts: 468 Sportster/Buell Model: XL1200R Roadster Sportster/Buell Year: 2008 Other Motorcycle Model: Norton 850 Commando Other Motorcycle Year: 1973
|
|
Another use for zip ties is for mounting tube tires...the tube is inflated just enough to round it out and placed in the tire then about 6 zip ties are used to force the beads together. Both beads are mounted at the same time and the valve stem is put through the rim hole and secured with a nut. The zip ties are then removed and there is no need to cut them, the locking tab can be released with a small screwdriver.
This method works great in my experience plus it is dang near impossible to pinch a tube this way.

|

11th April 2022
|
Flat Track Racer
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: People's Republic of Kalifornia
Posts: 241 Sportster/Buell Model: Ironhead XLS Sportster/Buell Year: 1979 Sportster/Buell Model #2: XLS Sportster/Buell Year #2: 1981 Other Motorcycle Model: Suzuki Norton BMW Yamaha Other Motorcycle Year: 70's
|
|
good plan, will try it next time I do a tire
|

20th September 2022
|
Greasemonkey
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Halifax, PA
Posts: 123 Sportster/Buell Model: Sportster XLH 1200 Sportster/Buell Year: 1989 Sportster/Buell Model #2: Sportster XLH 1200 Sportster/Buell Year #2: 1989
|
|
I let the shop do it. Change the oil myself though, insanely simple.
|

28th November 2022
|
 |
Master Custom Bike Builder
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Emilia, Italy
Posts: 3,000 Sportster/Buell Model: xl883n Iron (2019 engine) Sportster/Buell Year: 2017 Sportster/Buell Model #2: xl Hugger (sold) Sportster/Buell Year #2: 2001
|
|
I will... when retired... if still able to ride...
|

29th November 2022
|
 |
XL FORUM TEAM MEMBER
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Loxahatchee, FL (S. FL)
Posts: 2,216 Sportster/Buell Model: XLCH Sportster/Buell Year: 2003 Sportster/Buell Model #2: XL Sportster/Buell Year #2: 1981 Other Motorcycle Model: FXDC Other Motorcycle Year: 2013
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nibelungen
I will... when retired... if still able to ride...
|
I got the wheel balancer, do it sometimes
But usually let my indy, I'm getting lazy in my old age
__________________
Steve
bikes
|

23rd March 2023
|
XL FORUM TEAM MEMBER
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: West Newton, PA
Posts: 29 Sportster/Buell Model: Roadster Sportster/Buell Year: 2005 Other Motorcycle Model: Road King Other Motorcycle Year: 2017
Reputation: 10

|
|
Always do my own mounting and balancing. Have a Coats 220 tire machine with a No-Mar adapter (allows me to do Big Twin Harley wheels without removing sprocket or rotor). I keep track of how many tires I've changed on it. Somewhere above 180 at this point.
Neither the Coats 220 nor the No-Mar adapter for it are available any more, but sometimes the Coats manual tire machine turns up on Craig's List, used of course.
(I do my own car and truck tires as well, on a separate manual Coats machine. And I spin balance those on an old Coats 1001 balancer, which I received for free from a company who picked it up used from a Sears Tire and Auto Center years ago.)
If I do my own work, then it's done right. No scratched rims or tires mounted backwards.
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:20.
|