Changing tires

8/11/2014 6:02am Edited Date/Time 8/13/2014 9:28am
It's been 10+ years since I've changed a tire on a dirt bike. The last time was on my old RM80 and I used screw drivers instead of tire irons. (I also got very good at patching tubes.)

Last night after an hour of skinned knuckles I managed to put a Dunlop MX31 (80/120-21) on my CR250.

I found that once the tire is seated properly, there is supposed to be a line that runs around the bead, about 1/8" from the rim.

However, this line went "under" the rim for a distance of about 6".

I finally fixed it by clamping some oversize "reach around" vice grips to the tire and pounding them "up" with a hammer.

Whats the proper way to avoid / fix this situation?

I wasn't using any "dish soap" on the rim like tire shops use - maybe that would have helped.
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scooter5002
Posts
4761
Joined
6/6/2010
Location
Nanton Alberta CA
8/11/2014 6:21am
You put that tire on dry? Hell, I'm impressed. Lol Lube, Steph, always use lube, and dish soap works fine, it's all I use. No way installing a front tire should EVER take an hour. Don't even ATTEMPT a rear without lube, and lots of patience. If you thought a 21" front was a battle, a 19" rear will be WW3.
bsm121
Posts
1834
Joined
10/5/2006
Location
New Braunfels, TX US
8/11/2014 1:23pm
Changing rear tires on xr70 was enough to make me sell 'em.
8/12/2014 7:54pm
I got a Knobby Knife, on Cygnus' recommendation, to delay the inevitable rear tire change.

Thanks for the warnings, I will probably just take the rear wheel in to a shop when the time comes.
DoctorJD
Posts
2921
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Somewhere in..., GA US
8/13/2014 9:28am
I use Windex...a lot of Windex. And the right tools make the job SOOOOOO much easier. I use three tire spoons, a "bead buddy" and a valve stem guide (the little cable that fishes the valve stem through the rim). Just changed two tires last week and it probably took me 10 minutes per tire.

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