Idiot changes front tire...
 

Hi all,

I finally got round to removing front wheel just to see if I could do it in my shed, rather than in a thunderstorm fifty miles from nowhere... Well I did, although I very cleverly tried it without putting the bike on a block first, and then couldnt get the axel out, presumably due to the pressure of the weight on the shocks. Then it got dramatic I as then figured I had to lay the bike down, but still couldnt get the wheel in. In the end, managed to find an old block of wood in the garden and with some difficulty managed to pick the bike up onto the block and then realised why you should do it like that in the first place... doh

My three questions be:

1. How do you change front tire on the roadside without handy block of wood?

2. After I put everything back together, the speedometer is not working, and yes I did connect it. Could it be somethnig to do with the way I attached the wheel?

3. When I put everything back together, wheel spins fine and freely but but something makes a whirring/light scraping sound, is this anything to be worried about? I think its the pads, yet the wheel spins freely enough...?

Any suggestions would, as always, be very welcome!

Many thanks!
Rtw

.............

Many thanks Bucket!

So true!

PS I edited 2 given that well, was probably just worrying and always asking daft questions on this forum so changed it to the more pressing matters of speedo not working :confused1:

Cheers,
Rtw

We have always managed to find something to prop the bike on; fallen tree, concrete bollard, couple of big stones, etc. I also carry some thin dyneema rope that has a breaking strain of erm, lots. I figure that worst case I can hoist one end of the bike off the ground. You can also put the bike on the sidestand and use a stick to prop the bike up or even lash it against a tree.

Most important thing is to have a good think before you start.

Am I in the most suitable place to do this or should I trundle the bike a few hundred yards under that tree for instance ?

Also, spread a rag out to put your bits on so they don't get covered in crap. I have an old tea-towel in my tool roll that does the trick

Not familiar with your particular bike, but on most bike with a mechanical speedo drive, the gearbox that drives the cable has pair of tangs that engage with the wheel hub. If you don't get these lined up right, it won't drive the cable, you can also ruin the gearbox when you tighten the axle bolt.

It's possible to repair the front tube without removing the wheel. Obviously much easier on 21" than smaller rims. We generally just drop the bike on the side, break the bead and pull one side over the rim, pull out the tube and patch. Re-assemble and pick up the bike.

Now amongst all the laser cut aluminium and assorted stuff to stop your bike blowing away in a hurricane was this


BestRest Products, LLC - Common Sense Kit


Made me smile


Andy

Or


Louis Rear Wheel Motorcycle Lifter


These also help with the wooden block thing if combined with a centre stand. I have also used one when taking both wheels to a tyre place at the same time, but a car jack under the sump is better for workshop stuff like that.


Andy

Update,

Thanks for all the responses! Yesterday I went down to the local hardware store and bought a proper amaznig set of socket wrenches. Wow, what a difference it makes, I had the wheel back off and on again in a few minutes, instead of nearly an hour with those useless tools that came with the bike. I love my new socket wrench, what a fabulous invention. I´d honestly have never thought that I´d get so excited about spanners and wrenches! Once it all went back together, everything working and now I know how a speedometer works :)

PMSL @ the excited spanner owner :rofl:
Glad you got it sorted fella :thumbup1:

Chances are if your on the road you will have panniers. This is where hard panniers can be better than soft luggage, because you can use them as props. Take one off and shove it underneath the engine.

I 've done it by placing the bike on the centre stand. As the centre stand takes the rear wheel off the ground, put something heavy or press down on the back end using the centre stand as the pivot, to bring the front wheel off the ground and shoved the pannier under the bash plate/sump ( with care) to wedge it up.

Job's a good 'un!