Rabaconda street tire changer: initial review

[pdedse]

A good story, pdedse. Look forward to hearing about tyre 2.

Thanks! I'll probably just go in "most worn" order: CB1100 rear, then back to W front, then CB front. But maybe one every month over the winter closing in.

[pdedse]

Round 2...this time with the CB1100, rear. Last night I went slow as this is my first time with wheel removal on the Honda. Came off nicely thanks to some tire removal suggestions from the forums. Cleaned the chain and sprocket, then went all crazy clean and scoured all accessible areas with the wheel removed.

Tonight, I re-assembled the Rabaconda and went to work. Had the tire inside all day and with a little extra help from the space heater the tire was nice and warm.

Breaking the bead is frightfully easy. I mean, I barely pushed around the rim one entire turn and by the second it just peeled off.



The contact point of the wedge is easily adjustable to accomodate thin and wide tires.


But I was little too aggressive as I did the other side and forgot where the valve stem was and stripped it from the tube. Oh well, better to go with another.

And then on to tire removal:


Rabaconda has a new tutorial video out that's more clear than the original, and the new info makes it easier to understand. So the first side came off easier than when I did the rear on the W800. I was hand holding the phone, so not the best video, but it gives you an idea how little effort is needed to get it over the rim:

[url=https://i.imgur.com/uzqMkwn.mp4]Video


I messed up when doing the other side. I thought I had to flip the tire over, but you can get to the back side by pulling the tire forward. So I had the tire bead outside the rims on both sides and pulling the rim through was a a bit of a chore, but once I pulled the tube out then the rim slid through ok.

So far, so good; tomorrow I'll see if I can get the new tire on.

[Cormanus]

Good for you pdedse. That wheel looks sparkly clean!

[Lord Popgun]

Good for you pdedse. That wheel looks sparkly clean!

Said no one ever to the Ferret

[Cormanus]

Nor to me, my lord.

[pdedse]

Part of the wheel cleaning is per instructions...especialy the side and top of the rim where contact is made with the hard, plastic head that runs around the rim--it's what makes contact and if the rim is dirty it can drag that around and scuff/scratch the rim, and also rough up the plastic part itself...which can then scratch the rim on the next change.

Plus...I didn't have anything better to do. : )

[the Ferret]

uggghhh cleaning wheels...well cleaning anything on a motorcycle really

[pdedse]

uggghhh cleaning wheels...well cleaning anything on a motorcycle really

It's fun! In a saddistic kind of way.

My son's cat is a heat-seaker. Warming up the tire to install and she goes wherever this heater is.

[Lord Popgun]

I had a cat like that once. She would even lay by it when it wasn’t even on!

[Cormanus]

uggghhh cleaning wheels...well cleaning anything on a motorcycle really

Why did you insert the superfluous words ‘on a motorcycle’?