Tire changer

[faffi]

Anybody heard of this from Rabaconda, and perhaps used it? Looks brilliant.

https://rabaconda.com/

[Dirk_S]

It is indeed the hip, new invention. It’s almost small enough that I considered buying one and offering up service locally for a few bucks. So far, I still enjoy building wheels and changing tires. YammyNoob (can’t believe I’m referencing his channel) showed it off in one of his videos, and it looks pretty dang good.

[twowheeladdict]

It is indeed the hip, new invention. It’s almost small enough that I considered buying one and offering up service locally for a few bucks. So far, I still enjoy building wheels and changing tires. YammyNoob (can’t believe I’m referencing his channel) showed it off in one of his videos, and it looks pretty dang good.

Did he actually change a tire with it?

[Dirk_S]

Did he actually change a tire with it?

Pretty successfully. Video in the link below:

https://youtu.be/J8b9OrBBJJA?si=TlfJB0dylrfX9T9C

[guzziart]

Yeah, I like the looks of the Rabaconda but too much bending over for my 71yo a$$ and I know once I get into it it would be scootin' all over the floor with me chasing it.  Sorta the same with the Max2H tire changer.  Although my beemer riding bud does his tires on the tailgate of his pu truck with the Max2H.   I bought a nomar several years ago and was successful changing tires once I got rid of their tire bar and bought a Mojolever to replace it. 

On another note, after I bought my tire changing set up, honed my tire changing and wheel balancing skills, a small motorcycle shop opened up in the neighborhood and charges $30 a wheel off the bike for mount & balance.  And, Cycle Gear (revzilla/jp cycle) do mount & balance for $30 a wheel if you buy their rubber....they'll even sell you a road hazard policy for another $10.  Anyway, sometimes I wonder if I'll ever use my nomar again but always do because of convenience.

I imagine any of these changers work well once you get the hang of using them.  I'd rather use my changer than try to use spoons at this stage of the game but there are plenty of folks that have no problem spooning tires off and on....I guess they're the real men here

[Craig in Alabama]

Regarding Cycle Gear, I recently purchased a rear tire from RevZilla for my V85 and took the wheel to Cycle Gear to have it mounted. They looked at it and said they were no longer allowed to mount tires on this type of wheel per corporate policy. They said they had damaged some of these wheels and couldn't do them anymore. I don't know if that includes all wheels like this (BMW, etc.) but you may want to call before taking your tubeless spoke wheel to CG.
This same CG has been mounting tires on my V11 wheels for years without any problem. I don't know if this is just my local CG (Huntsville, AL) or what.
I know the V85 wheel is a little different, but I don't see the problem. The local conglomerate wanted about $100 to do it and they would call me some time in the near future when it was ready.
Luckily, I have a friend with a tire mounting and balancing machine and he did it for me. No problem there either.
Cheers!
Craig

[Perazzimx14]

The reason I picked a NoMar was the bead breaker was at the same level as wheel when changing the tire, aka not on the floor.

My days of crawling around the floor to work on a motorcycle are far behind me.

To the comment on CG not working on that type of wheel they are doing you a favor. More than one horror story of CG’s inability.

[Moparnut72]

I would suspect the CG isn't able to hire the most competent staff for the workshop. I built a tire changing stand with a bead breaker but have to spoon tires on and off. I will use it to change tires on my V7 but when it comes to the expensive and good looking wheels on my Mandello, nope. I have a very competent independent shop a stones throw away. I just feel obligated to buy tires from him but not an issue because his prices are comparable or even lower than internet discounters. He gets them from Drag Specialties from the nearby Reno warehouse, overnight delivery. If I bring the wheel in, $25.
kk

[guzziart]

Yeah, $25/wheel - mount & balance is definitely Guzzi content.   I'd give that shop my business.

Also, I was told the CG employee that performs the mount & balance chore get $2/wheel in addition to their hourly rate...fwiw

Rabaconda video....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_NqbdvRRKQ
That guy is half my age and twice my size, I'll take my my GL1800 rear wheel in for $30 each

[Dave Swanson]

I bought a Rabaconda this year.  It is just as slick as the videos.  Easiest tire changes ever.  Well worth the $$ IMO.

[guzziart]

I bought a Rabaconda this year.  It is just as slick as the videos.  Easiest tire changes ever.  Well worth the $$ IMO.

When I first spotted the Rabaconda they were under $400, it looks like they're well over $600 now.  Of course my nomar was was under $400 when I got it in '18 at the Intl Bike show in Cleveland....if anyone remembers those shows.     Anyway, good luck with your new Rabaconda!
The video of the fellow doing the Wing rear tire on it proves to me it definitely works but I'll state again that he's half my age and twice my size

[Perazzimx14]

When I first spotted the Rabaconda they were under $400, it looks like they're well over $600 now.  Of course my nomar was was under $400 when I got it in '18 at the Intl Bike show in Cleveland....if anyone remembers those shows.     Anyway, good luck with your new Rabaconda!
The video of the fellow doing the Wing rear tire on it proves to me it definitely works but I'll state again that he's half my age and twice my size

I've done several GW tires sets with my NoMar and while they are not sport compound tires they are nothing special to change or at least they have posed no more issue than any other heavy walled Adventure/cruiser tire. Tire changing is all technique and of you are having to use excessive force you are doing something wrong. My 1st few tires changes we much more of a struggle than they had to be. 1st I tried to do it as fast as possible to prove how quickly it could be done. Not sure who I was proving oi too but I was. I also used poor technique and chose force or finesse. Once I got a few changed under my belt and developed the proper technique tire changes became much easier. While the Rabaconda is billed as the 3 minute tire changer its no faster than my NoMar but who cares. The reality is its not a race and it more important to not damage the wheel, tire, TPMS or yourself and if that takes an additional minute to get the job done right, I'm good with it. Kind of like the story of the old bull and young bull standing atop a hill look down at a herd of cows in the pasture below. The young bull say to the old bull let's run down there and get one of the cows. The old bull says to the young bull lets walk down and get'em all.

The Rabaconda is certainly another way to skin the cat.  My dislike is the center pin sticks up so if you slip while breaking the bead you can bust your knuckles or harpoon yourself in the chest.  I also don't like the wheel stop. Its okay for cast wheels but I'm not comfortable side loading spokes. I also don't like the bead breaker blade dangling around the wheel as you use i as the ratchet extension.

[faffi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr0ZIp1iXoc

[Perazzimx14]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr0ZIp1iXoc

Wonder how he removed the old tire

[michaell32]

I have a harbor freight tire changer.  Just looking at the price of that thing makes me say no.  I could pay my local tire guy to change my tires for the next 10 years before I would break even.

[Dirk_S]

Wonder how he removed the old tire

In the video he says he hacksaws the worn tire off.

[Perazzimx14]

In the video he says he hacksaws the worn tire off.

I once tried to cut a tire up and used a Milwaukee Port-A-Band and as soon as the blade touched the steel belting every tooth sheared off the blade. I then broke out the 4" grinder with a .040 cut wheel and it threw molten rubber every where.

[blackcat]

At $60 bucks a set it would take twelve sets to break even on the tire changer. Seems reasonable to me but I'm still changing my tires by hand.

[Perazzimx14]

At $60 bucks a set it would take twelve sets to break even on the tire changer. Seems reasonable to me but I'm still changing my tires by hand.

For me the time saving of not having to deal with a shop and the cost saving of buying tires online and having them shipped to my house are far more than $60. Then there is the added savings of getting to use a tire until its worn out. We all had a tire on our bike that still have significant thread left on it but was not enough thread for an up coming trip. So you pay the shop to remove and dispose of a tire with 20 to 40% of it life left to make room for new rubber for the trip. Quite possibly throwing away a couple hundred dollars worth of usable tires. Changing mine at home I can spoon off the old tires and reserve them to use up at a later date and not waste a bunch of thread. Then there is the tire machines make beer. I do not know how many times I changed tires for friends and a day or so later I walk out and there is a case or 2 of beer setting at the garage door.

My machine was around $500 8 or 10 years ago and it paid for itself in around 3 sets of tires and has made beer ever since 

[faffi]

I once tried to cut a tire up and used a Milwaukee Port-A-Band and as soon as the blade touched the steel belting every tooth sheared off the blade. I then broke out the 4" grinder with a .040 cut wheel and it threw molten rubber every where.

I have never cut all the way through - would be very difficult to not damage the beads on the rim, at least for me - but I have cut down the beads with a hacksaw a few times on decades old, utterly stiff tires that I could not get to budge with my tire irons. The cut weakened the structure enough that I could get them off the rim.

[larrys]

Looks like a cool tool, but at the frequency that I change tires on my bikes it is not worth the money to me. I made a bead breaker that is hefty enough to do light truck tires and I have nice spoons with rim protectors.
Larry

[guzziart]

I once tried to cut a tire up and used a Milwaukee Port-A-Band and as soon as the blade touched the steel belting every tooth sheared off the blade. I then broke out the 4" grinder with a .040 cut wheel and it threw molten rubber every where.

  someone once said  "It's all technique"

[guzziart]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr0ZIp1iXoc

Now we need the Youtube of the dude that uses Ty-Raps to mount a tire

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

I use zip-ties to mount tubed tires on mini motos and dirt bikes all the time. It's an easy way to get those on without exposing the tube to a spoon for pinching.

More recently I picked up a Kauritmoto TMT (Tire Mounting Tool), it is the same tool that the Baja NoPinch copies, and that has been great for mounting tubed and tubeless tires. Unmounting street tubeless tires still gives me a hassle though. MotionPro sell well engineered bead breaker tire spoons that at least help with that part.

[guzzi ride]

I acquired an Olmax Motors tire changer earlier this year. I have removed and mounted 4 tires so far. The Olmax works great, but I need to build a stand 
build a stand for it as crawling about is no fun. Here is a link if anyone is interested.
https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjg-IyWoaqIAxVTRP8BHXs_KE8YABARGgJtZA&co=1&ase=2&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiuC2BhDSARIsALOVfBKcrxacv9a-4bwWipRmOsecRnnt1sdyTjEQbBiU_jXYWVTTZrkIGW8aAkdoEALw_wcB&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESV-D2v7dAz7DtkxJoq4YGfq86-9zWJkXDLLvpkP3kO975P5_AHKs8JlWfwR5Qp9Lqc853TxeM6BdNRQi28nWKF-XE12BC7QfGcWGocAnspwiHg6ENkiiL2g&sig=AOD64_2pdKpM-Nm3Qjluqx0v3_K4AO5PMw&ctype=5&q=&nis=4&ved=2ahUKEwiIhYiWoaqIAxUTjIkEHWrCCxYQ9aACKAB6BAgHEBw&adurl=