Breaking the bead with your sidestand - it works!
 

At least, it does with my 1150GS. And it's amazingly quick and easy. Put the bike on the centre stand, remove one wheel (either one), deploy side stand, place wheel beneath it, pull bike towards you so it's pivoting on the left leg of the centre stand, and aim the side stand foot carefully at the tyre wall, as close to the rim as you can. Bloody marvellous! My tyre fitting kit has now been reduced to just one tyre lever - with any old thing from the tool kit serving instead of a second lever.

Now, who wants to buy my redundant Pro Lev'r bead-breaking tool?? Maybe someone with one of those Jap bikes with weedy side stands?

What I want to know is where did you get the inspiration for this idea? The simple solutions are always the best but the hardest to find!

BTW - Didn't you have a weedy Jap AT at one time? get your point though.

Chris

hi
before you boys get too excited, try to get a tubeless BACK tyre off a tubeless rim (as on an old airhead bmw) after it has been on for a few 1000 miles. you might manage with somebody elses BIG bike on its centre stand, but otherwise good luck. you'll need it. (if there is a friendly passing car/truck, get them to drive over the edge of the tyre...)

take your bead breaker with you... i made mine out of a wood clamp with a big nut welded on it.

i defy you to get a tubeless tyre back on the bead (even with a tube inserted) without experience and practice.

also if you can somehow get a tyre wallah (called 'gomeria' in many parts of latin america) to do the work for you, you'll be glad to invest in the local economy.

every two hut hamlet anywhere will have a tyre man and a steel welder. (don't buy a bike with an alli frame!).

even better, for your trip, take some weedy (and more reliable) jap bike with tube tyres and normal (that is without that nasty lip to get over) rim.

enjoy,
ChrisB

Hmmm, a number of points!

First, forgive me for delighting in the teutonic over-engineering of my 1150 just this once. And let me add that I am also a proud Jap bike fan. I'm sure there will be plenty of occasions when I'll wish I was skimming the sand on an XLR rather than digging the GS out of it.

Second, the idea came from the late great John Hill of Bracken. (Anyone else going to his funeral on Thursday?)

Third, I agree with Chris, getting the back tyre off using this method definitely requires a very heavy bike. Can't imagine it working with the typical overlander's 600cc single. (Hint: buy my bead-breaker!)

Fourth, getting the rear tyre back on the bead is a piece of cake with the other tool I forgot to mention...my Porsche compressor. Deep Joy to use. No assistance from the locals required.

Fifth, no I won't do the trip on a little Jap bike! I love tubeless tyres, especially when it comes to puncture repairs - and more importantly, I need space for the glamorous assistant!

Have any of you tried using Ether to seat tubeless bike tires? I've done it on transport tires and it works really well. All you do is spray a bunch of ether in the tire and toss a match at the tire (from as far away as possible). The ether expands (explodes) fast enough to seat the tire. Ofcourse it is very dangerous to do it the first time so none of you should try it. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif

Steve