How to Change a Honda Motorcycle Tire

You can change a Honda motorcycle tire yourself with a few simple tools. Almost all Honda motorcycle tires are tubeless and a quick check with your Honda shop or owner's manual before purchasing a new tire will insure that you are installing the correct one. You don't have to have a set a official tire tools to change a Honda motorcycle tire or be an expert mechanic. Anyone working carefully with a few simple tools can do this.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 tire irons
• 2-by-4 (12 inches long)
• 4 2-by-4s (2 inches long)
• Nails
• Valve core tool
• Compressed air
• Dish soap
• Water
• Spray bottle
• New tire
• New valve stem

1. Nail two of the 2-foot long 2-by-4s together on top of each other so they form a 4-by-4. Do this with the remaining 2-foot long 2-by-4s.

2. Place the 4-by-4s you just made so that you can lay the tire flat across them and the tire is balanced. Make sure that the hub of the rim is not touching the ground.

3. Unscrew the valve stem on the tire and let all the air out (you may have to use a valve core tool to do this). Press on the tire to make sure all the air is out.

4. Mix dishsoap and water in your spray bottle. Use about three to four squeezes of dishsoap per half bottle of water.

5. Use your 12-inch long 2-by-4 to break the bead of the tire around the rim. The bead of the tire is the lip of the actual tire that has holds it onto the rim under pressure of the air. Place the edge of the wood near the rim and press with down. Your weight will be enough to "break the bead." As you are breaking the bead, spray some of the dishsoap and water solution on the rubber of the bead as it pulls away from the rim, this will prevent the rubber from sealing to the rim when you release it.

6. Once the bead is broken around one side of the rim, take one of the tire irons and insert the flat, spatula-like end between the tire and the rim. Push the handle away from you, over the rim so the flat end goes under the rim and into the tire. As you press down on the handle, the tire will lift up and expose a gap into the inside if the tire. Insert the other tire iron into the tire a few inches a way. With the tire iron that is lifting the tire, push the handle down and pull it slightly towards you and this will "pop" it over the outside of the rim. Repeat this step using the second tire iron, popping the tire over the rim and inserting the iron a few inches away until one side of the rim is now in the tire with the bead edge of the tire over it.

7. Turn the tire over and push the tire off the rim. You may have to use the tire irons to lift the opposite edge over the rim but it will usually push easily off.

8. Place your new tire on your 4-by-4s and spray the bead of the tire with the dishsoap and water solution.

9. Line up your rim so the valve stem of your new tire is aligned with the valve stem hole in the rim. Using your tire irons, gently pry the bead of the tire over the entire rim.

10. Turn the tire over and spray the bead that is facing up with the dishsoap solution again. Push the rim down until it is caught on the rim. Starting with the area of the tire that has the valve stem, use the tire irons to gently pry the bead under the rim, pulling the valve stem through the rim hole before moving around the entire rim and "tucking" the bead of the tire in.

11. Check the tire to make sure is completely on the rim and that the valve stem feel straight and not bent through the rim hole. Inflate to the manufacturer's specification and re-install on your Honda Motorcycle.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have access to tire irons, you can use two large, flat head screw drivers instead.
• If you used any type of emergency tire inflating foam in your tire be cautious about when breaking the bead for the first time as the foam may explode outward, wear safety goggles when working on the tire.

Resources

• Wikco Professional Tire Changing Tools
• Find the Right Tire for Your Honda Motorcycle