Swapping out the Trailwings on a DR650

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aheath73

New member
All right, so I struggled with changing my tires today! I picked up a set on Kenda TrackMasters and tried to mount them today...

So the front I managed to get done, but I can't get the bead to seat properly on the new tire. Anyone have any tips??

As for the rear, I can't even break the friggin bead on the Trailwing!! Again, any suggestions?

On a positive note, I did stop working before I bloodied any knuckles or starting throwing tire levers across the room :D
 
ktmken

ktmken

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For the front tire......let all the air out again, lube the bead liberally with some lubricant ( I use dish soap and water) Put air back in. Sometimes you have to go as high as 60 or 70 pounds (KTM950 with safety bead). If it doesn't work, repeat the process. It will happen.

As for breaking the rear bead

Put on your stiffest riding boots and use the heal of the boot to break the bead.
doesn't work?
Get a large c-clamp and break the bead with that.
don't have a clamp?
Take the jack out of your wifes car and put the base of the jack as close to the rim as you can get on the tire. Now put the jack and rim and tire under your truck bumper and apply pressure slowly.
Don't like that idea.
Let all the air out of the rear tire and ride down the driveway and back a few times, until the bead comes off.

For what it is worth, I have used all of the above methods over the years to break a bead.

If none of these work or you still can't break the bead, most motorcycle shops will change a tire for you for around 20 dollars if you bring the wheel to them off the bike.

Good luck

KTMKen
 
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franhoser

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two sec solution for each:

1) run the psi as high as you need to get proper seeding to set. You may need 100psi. It will pop into place.

2) It's a hunderd times easier to take off a hot tire than cold. Let most of the air out of the rear and go ride around the block till you heat the tire up. It will pop off like butter.
 
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sueandal

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that would be cool if we could have some tire stickers like the video (dsbc of course)

add to that two alternate colors a red and a blue. that makes purple when the tire is spinning.

if you stick with yellow we could add the other color that makes green but i dont remember that color.

its been awhile since i put the alternating colors on the lego wheels and spun them like a top.
 
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aheath73

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Okay...its a new day, so I'm heading back out to work on the tire change again. First I need to take the dog for a :f:, then it's all tires! I'll keep y'all posted on the progress.

c337b, thanks for the vid link. That guy makes it look so ridiculously easy...I guess the bead on a Trailwing is a little stiffer than a typical motocross tire...
 
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aheath73

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Woohoo! The tires are changed! I couldn't get the front bead to pop, so I brought it to the shop where they used their high pressure line and a bit of soap and water...Done.

That was a mission and a half!...Only one little knuckle tear, no pinched tubes and two awesome new knobbies for the DR! Now I'm just gonna go take it for a test ride to make sure everything's good...
 
joker650

joker650

Active member
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aheath73 wrote:
Woohoo! The tires are changed! I couldn't get the front bead to pop, so I brought it to the shop where they used their high pressure line and a bit of soap and water...Done.

That was a mission and a half!...Only one little knuckle tear, no pinched tubes and two awesome new knobbies for the DR! Now I'm just gonna go take it for a test ride to make sure everything's good...
Click to expand...

TAKE IT EASY ON THE PAVEMENT FOR THE FIRST 100K OR SO.

THE TIRES WILL BE VERRY SKIDISH...VERRY !





Even better yet. Go hit the dirt /mud and rocks for a day..get the WAX off the rubber.:hb:
 
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aheath73

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So I went and took the bike out for a test ride last night. The Kendas are such a different tire than the Trailwings! The slow turn-in rate on the Kendas took me by surprise. I was accelerating into a left hand turn off a stop sign...you gotta WORK to get those things to roll over!

The DR is definitely a different beast now. I haven't taken it up to full highway speed yet; I figure I'll scrub the tires a bit more around town and on some local gravel. The Kendas are definitely nicer on the loose stuff. Any recommendations for tire pressure on a tire like the Trackmasters?

On the downside, the bike's about another inch higher! Great for clearance, but now I'm literally on my tiptoes! It was already bordering on too high for me, and now...:shock:... I might have to lower the bike. Or maybe shave down the seat in order to not lose any travel in the suspension. I'm only 150 lbs, though, and I have yet to bottom out the shock. Anyone have any suggestions?

joker650: thanks for the heads-up...You can definitely tell that these tires will be a handful until they're properly broken in...until then, mellow highway cruising sounds like a good idea!
 
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