Time for new tire?

[Neil82]

Hello,
I don't have prior experience with scooter tires or any other rec vehicle. How does this back tire look? This is the stock tire at 3k miles. I have a pair of Kenda K329 tires ready to install, when needed.

Thanks for taking a look and providing your input.

Happy scooting!
Neil

[tenders]

It’s time - that tire doesn’t owe you anything more at this point.

3k seems a little quick, though not unprecedented - was it properly and regularly inflated?

[DeeDee]

You can squeeze a few more miles out of that, but you are rolling the dice against being left stranded. There is so little beef in the center, you are much more likely to pick up a shard of safety glass or a stiff thorn. I get about 6,000 +/- out of the rear, and 2.5X out of the front as a rule.

[scootERIK]

Change it. New tires ride so much better than bald old tires.

[350kmi]

I agree it's about time to change it. 3000 miles is about average for what I get out the rear tire on my Buddy 170 and Buddy Kick. A lot the roads I ride on are chip sealed (crushed gravel glued to the road with tar) which is a pretty rough surface for the tire to roll over.

[Neil82]

3k seems a little quick, though not unprecedented - was it properly and regularly inflated?

I was hoping to get more miles out of it but, alas, it's time to change it. I did check tire pressure regularly and kept around 28-30 psi.

[Neil82]

Thanks for the responses. I'll get the tire swapped out soon. Maybe the tire wore down faster from riding on rural county roads, as they tend to have a rough surface. These were the original Prima whitewall tires.

I'm planning to order some tire spoons and try doing the job myself. I'm fairly handy with wrenching on things. From what I've read, this is not an easy job. Is it a terrible idea to try tackling the tire change?

[scootERIK]

There are a lot of variable that affect tire wear, weight, heat, road surface, riding style, tire pressure, rear storage box, etc. Also, those could just be fast wearing tires.

As for changing your own tires it can be a challenging task, at least until you learn all the tricks. My first suggestion is to get three of these- https://www.motionpro.com/product/08-0005 You can do it with two but the third makes it much easier. And get some soapy water, I use an old water bottle with a good squirt of dish soap in it(probably a tablespoon of soap in 16.9 oz water.)

Also, start with the rear wheel. It's a little easier than the front(the disc brake makes it a little harder.)

How I break the bead loose- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5eSSidQgRc

How I remove a tire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB2iHYXJTzc

How I install a tire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEsfnXMZUJw This isn't a typical install. Usually you can only get one side on at a time.

Here's a slower removal video so you can see a little better what I am doing to get the tire off - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYqWSF5MVxw

I still need to make a slow installation video.

[sc00ter]

When I owned rocket bikes and a Honda Helix I would burn thru tires. Paying a shop started to add up so I started doing it myself. What a tedious job! Now that I have the Buddy I just pull the wheel and carry it in. My local Honda dealer will charge $20 to mount (off the bike) if you buy the new tire thru them BUT lately they've had a bad habit of beating the poo outta the rim lip, as in BEND it! I have a co-worker who owns a No-Mar tire changer and he claims it goes down to 10" wheel size so I might try to use his tire changing machine next time I need a tire.

Like mentioned above you can do it yourself. It's not impossible by any stretch. My extra tips if you choose to attempt it yourself are 1) By a good pair of those Impact Mechanix gloves. 2) Buy GOOD rim lip protectors. Avoid the Cycle Gear cheap-o ones, they'll crack apart. 3) Let the new tire sit in the sun for awhile before installing. Anything that can soften up the tire helps. 4) Make sure you line up the balance "dot" or related markings to manufacturer recommendations.

[tenders]

Little tires don’t stretch much and are really difficult to deal with. I cut the old tires off with an oscillating saw, which takes 1 minute, and bring the new tire and the rim to a shop. Happy to pay them for this service since I do almost everything else myself.

[Neil82]

I'm going to check around with local tire shops to see if they are equipped to handle a 10 inch wheel. I'll likely still attempt the tire change myself, and I can take wheels in to the shop if I can't get it done.

Thanks for the great feedback and @scootERIK for the video links. You make it look easy! I'm fully prepared for it to NOT be easy..

[DeeDee]

Bring the wheel to me. I'll do it while you wait... $20

[scootERIK]

Bring the wheel to me. I'll do it while you wait... $20

Neil82 - Offer $30 for a tire change and a hands-on lesson in tire changing.

[Neil82]

I did the back tire yesterday and found a local repair shop to do the front tire today. I checked with the chain tire shops in town, and they all said the wheel was too small for their machine. The small repair shop I found to do the job works on autos, ATVs, motorcycles and the guy said he would do it by hand without a tire machine. I brought him the wheel along with cold Gatorade and a donut. He had it done in 20 minutes and charged $20.

It was good experience doing the back tire myself. I probably sweat off a couple pounds yesterday in our 98 degree garage. And after that, I was ready to hand over some cash to get the front tire done and put the bike back together. Took it for a test ride this afternoon and the new tires feel great.

Thanks for all the tips and to DeeDee for offering your services. Much appreciated!

[sc00ter]

We have heat indexes in the 110's and I was working in the garage on a bicycle. I wimped out and brought the bike in the house! I have 2 industrial floor dryers (my garage gets water in it when it rains) and with both dryers pointed at me it was still too hot, so I feel your pain on working in a hot garage.

Harbor Freight sells a cheap mounting table for tire changing. I've never used one and was actually offered one for free from a friend when he moved. His garage had more open space than mine and he had it mounted to a sheet on thick plywood for leverage. You stand on the plywood while manhandling the tire. He did a few tires but I still took mine to a shop.

You did great doing one tire, and seeing whats involved.

[Neil82]

It's been hot here too. Heading for 100 again today.

The harbor freight mounting tool was also mentioned by a guy at bicycle shop that I called. I might check that out. My main concern is size and storage when not in use.

Now I have a set of tire spoons, rim protectors, valve stem cores, and a general idea how to do the job. If I'm in a pinch and need to swap a tire, I'm equipped to do it. I also learned that birkenstock sandals are not the preferred footwear while changing a tire.

The whitewalls are gone, and I'm OK with that!

[DeeDee]

You DO NOT need any type of machine to remove and mount 10' tires. Do you really want to store some piece of Chinese kit that you use once very 2 years?

[sc00ter]

That's the same reason I passed on the free Harbor Freight one! Big and clunky. I still wanna try my co-workers No-Mar tire changer though.

[DeeDee]

I've passed up on two motorcycle lifts for that reason. Something that takes up 1/4 of the floor space in my shop. I've made 7 different variator holders over the years. I hate spending money on a tool unless I use it daily.

[tenders]

I sold off my HF motorcycle lift, used twice, and HF small tire changer, new in box, and HF motorcycle wheel balancer, never used, for the exact same reasons. Too much square footage occupied for the value they added and the frequency they were used.

[Neil82]

I would have to be changing a lot more tires to justify buying and storing additional tools. Heck, for $20 a wheel, I'll likely be paying for this service.

[sc00ter]

Hey Neil, where did you get that seat for your Buddy? I really like it!

[Neil82]

Hey Neil, where did you get that seat for your Buddy? I really like it!

Thanks! It's a 'Cheeky Seats' cover. The color is distressed whiskey and it's the tuck and roll design with double line stitching. Matching backrest cover.