A Beginner’s Guide to Changing Motorcycle Tires

Knowing how to change your tire can come in handy in a sticky situation! If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide on how to change your motorcycle's tires you can check out our helpful article below. Or, if you’re in the market for a new bike, feel free to stop by Cycles of Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida.

Getting Started

Changing a motorcycle tire can take a little bit of force! If possible, try to heat up your tire by leaving it out in the sun, or even doing a burnout while still on your bike. Once the tire is nice and warm, you can pop your bike up on its jacks and remove the wheel. Before you start prying off the tire you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a tire iron with a bead breaker on it, some motorcycle lube or Windex, a rim protector or two depending on your preference, and a valve core removal tool.

Removing the Tire

Now that the tire is removed you’ll want to deflate it, remove the valve core with your tool, and spray your lubricant where the rim and rubber meet. Then, lay the tire onto the ground and use your bead breaker to destroy the seal between the tire and rim. Still using the bead breaker, move around the entire tire till the edge of the rubber has fallen off the rim’s shoulder and into the center channel. Flip the tire over to repeat this process again, remembering to spray the lube down before you start. Once this side of the tire has been pulled off the shoulder, the rest of it should come off quite easily. 

Replacing Your Tire

To replace your tire you’ll need to spray the inner channel of the rim down with lubricant and place your wheel on top of the rim. Before you do this, be sure to pay close attention to the symbols on the side of the new tire. This dot and arrow should tell you where to place your valve core as well as in which direction the wheel should turn. Using just your hands and knees you should be able to push the first side of the tire over the shoulder of the rim and into the channel. Take your tire iron and rim protectors and use them to force the other side of the tire over the rim. This may be quite difficult, but you’ll know you’ve succeeded when you hear the loud pop of the rubber sliding into place. Afterward, you can reinsert your valve core with the same tool and inflate your tire.

While we believe this short guide will help you get a good grasp of how to change your motorcycle’s tires, we also advise looking up helpful instructional videos if this is your first time changing a tire. If you’re in need of replacement tires and are located nearby in Orlando or St. Augustine, Florida, we hope you’ll come to visit us here at Cycles of Jacksonville for all of your motorcycle needs!