First repair job on the 79 xs1100 special.

[bobobaggins]

Hey guys I am long time lurker on the forums and this is my first post saying hello to the great community that you guys have created here.
So I am preparing to embark on my first self 'repair', changing the front tire, and If anyone who has done this task on their own has any tips for completeing this I would be greatful. I have the original Clymers manual and I am just getting around to ordering the tire so right now.

[bikerphil]

There is an excelent tire change pictorial in the tech tips by TopCat. The pictures are missing though.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11700

[TopCatGr58]

The photos are still in this version of the tips in the drop down menus at the top of the page, follow this link:

http://www.xs11.com/xs11-info/tech-t...pictorial.html

I'll try to get the Forum Tip repaired soon!

T.C.

[CaptonZap]

And I wouldn't try it without THREE tire irons. And not screwdrivers.

CZ

[fredintoon]

Hey guys I am long time lurker on the forums and this is my first post saying hello to the great community that you guys have created here.
So I am preparing to embark on my first self 'repair', changing the front tire, and If anyone who has done this task on their own has any tips for completeing this I would be greatful. I have the original Clymers manual and I am just getting around to ordering the tire so right now.

Hi Zack and welcome, it's good that you step out of the shadows at last.
Tire changing is a bitch. Take the wheel out and take it to a bike shop.
Let them do the change and balance. Best ~$30 you'll ever spend.

[GLoweVA]

I've done the front tire on my G once by myself, the only setback I had was I didn't have a shop compressor, (just a little cigarette lighter one) so trying to get the tire to seat on the bead wasn't going to happen. I ended up taking it down the street to the tire place for some air.

I've done 3 tires over at TC's now and his compressor works just fine.
It helped to have 2 bodies instead of just one.

[LoHo]

A tip for getting the tire on the bead: take the valve stem core out to get a bigger dose of air in at once, then reinstall and reinflate. Although one time I had a tire that would seat, then come off when the pressure went down; I did it three times, then just put the core back in, and it has worked fine.

(Pot stirring): So, what kind of tires did you pick?

[crazy steve]

First, welcome to .com!

All the advice so far is useful; I'll add that if you plan to DIY, pick up a couple of sets of rim protectors also as the aluminum rims on these bikes can be marred/gouged rather easily. And having a second person available is highly recommended; they don't really need to do much, but having a third hand at a few points in the process can be a big help.

The front tire is the harder of the two to change IMO, if you can master that the rear is much easier....

[Yard Dogg]

I've done it before using 3 flat bars, but I will take them to a bike shop from now on. My shop charges 20 and balances to. And it is easy to dent the aluminum.

[crazy steve]

I've done it before using 3 flat bars, but I will take them to a bike shop from now on. My shop charges 20 and balances to. And it is easy to dent the aluminum.

Yeah, but when it's an hour or more round-trip to the nearest shop for some of us (plus the waiting time when you get there and fuel costs), the DIY option starts looking pretty good...

[Yard Dogg]

First, welcome to .com!

All the advice so far is useful; I'll add that if you plan to DIY, pick up a couple of sets of rim protectors also as the aluminum rims on these bikes can be marred/gouged rather easily. And having a second person available is highly recommended; they don't really need to do much, but having a third hand at a few points in the process can be a big help.

The front tire is the harder of the two to change IMO, if you can master that the rear is much easier....

When I did my tire change I had a harder time with the rear. This was on a Kawasaki Vulcan 850. The trouble I had was the tire I bought was so stiff I could hardly get enough flex in it to hold the tire lip in the rim channel while I worked the rest of it on. It just kept slipping off. I ended up taking it to the shop, I have ever since. These rear wheels may be easier though. That bike had steel wrie wheels and the center channel in the rim wasn't very wide.

[Rasputin]

A liberal spread of diluted soap helps immensely with the tire going off and back on. Tire shops use it on large truck tires too. Biggest trick is to get the tire positioned in the inside of the rim correctly before trying to pry it over the last bit. All rims are designed to have the tire in a certain position before it rolls nicely over the edge of the rim. It makes a three flat bar job into a two flat bar job in a hurry. I have even been able to push it on by hand if the soap and tire position is just right. I have personally had more issue with the rear tire, but everyone has differing experiences.

[bobobaggins]

I have come to the conclusion thanks in part, or in full of, to the wealth of knowledge that I just got schooled with, that I will be maybe purchasing the tire online, if after a little research I can save a few bucks by doing so, and then bringing the disassembled wheel and new online tire and having them mount the tire to the rim. Only problem I can forsee is maybe feeling like a bit of a jackass bringing a tire that I bought online into their shop instead of buying theirs. I don't think It will trouble me too too much though, but that is another story.

Little about my bike: All black 79 xs1100 that I bought a year ago from the son of the original owner. Lets just say that I got lucky and for the past year this xs has been nothing but a dream. And now it is up to me, accompanied by my clymer manuel, to continue to keep this machine in the condition that I bought it in. You guys on this forum are the beesknees and I am already indebted from all the info gained from my last years lurking.

[Rasputin]

You guys on this forum are the beesknees and I am already indebted from all the info gained from my last years lurking.

You have to be kidding us with the last years lurking thing ...right? Is it just a year or is it more years than you care to admit?
Glad to finally have you aboard...Welome to the site, and hope the site can help you with anything you want to know.
From what I know of this site...if the answer to your questions is not known then you have a different bike than our beloved XS's.

[bikerphil]

Tire changing is a bitch.

Yep Fred, only the first 10 or so, after that it becomes sooo easy.