How to Change a Dirt Bike Tire

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By Nathaniel Miller
eHow Contributing Writer

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A tire changer that can be bolted onto the rear bumper of a truck can make the tire changing process faster and easier.

Dirt bikes or off road motorcycles are rugged trail machines. Normally the only maintenance that these vehicles require is an oil change every now and then, routine fluid checks and minor fixes for whatever was broken on the last trail ride. Another aspect of routine maintenance for these bikes is tires. Trail riding is tough on tire compound and can fairly quickly wear your tires down to a point at which they need replaced. Also, if you do any road riding on your dirt bike you may want to have a road tire to swap out with the dirt tire you normally run. In most instances you could simply remove the wheels, take them to a shop, and let the technicians change the tires. However, you can change dirt bike tires at home with a little elbow grease and a few hand tools.

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Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Large tire levers (3) Helper Crescent wrench set Flat head screwdriver

Step 1

Use the crescent wrench set to loosen and remove the axle bolt from the wheel you are working on. Slide the wheel out of the stays and lay it flat on the ground in an open area. Use the screwdriver to let the air out of the tire by depressing the valve stem with the blade.
Step 2

Place the palm of your hand on the tire next to the very edge of the rim and forcefully push downward. If all of the air is out of the tire and you do this quickly enough, the edge of the tire or bead will break away from the rim. Do this all the way around the edge of the tire on both sides so that the tire is free on the rim.
Step 3

Slide the thin edge of one of the tire levers under the lip of the tire and pry the lip toward you. Have your helper do the same about 6 inches further along the tire with another lever. At this point the lip of the tire should pop off of the rim and you can slide the tire lever around the rim to release that edge of the tire from the rim. Repeat the process for the opposite side so that by the end you have fully separated the tire from the rim.
Step 4

Mount the new tire by reversing the removal process. Lay the new tire on the rim and then use the tire levers to maneuver one edge of the tire at a time back onto the rim. Use a compressor to quickly pump the tire up, creating a "rimlock." The bead of the tire will lock to the rim at the same time. Repeat steps 1-4 for the other tire.

Tips & Warnings

If you do not have access to tire levers or a compressor, it is worth the money to have a shop install your tires as the headache is usually not worth the hassle of trying to install them yourself without adequate tools.
When using the tire levers, be careful to not let go of them while they are under pressure. A flyback from one of these levers could cause serious bodily injury to you or your helper.

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