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Bikemaster Tire Change Stand with Bead Breaker

GregC

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So after getting up off the floor when the only local shop I found that would actually mount/balance tires wanted $75 (if you buy the tire from them, for about $10 more than I could get from Revzilla and others), I decided I was going to buy some tools to do this myself. Up till now, my brother has helped as he has spoons and a bead breaker - but a kind that you crank with a socket wrench. It's hard, time consuming, and now between my bad back and his rotator cuff injury, I need an alternative.

I've seen the BikeMaster rig and watched several YouTubes using it (and the same device under other brand names), and it looks reasonable. I know the No-Mar devices are the bomb, but I can't justify $500+ for this (based on my riding I change tires about every 18-24 months, and I don't have all that many years left), so please no responses that I should just buy a No-Mar ;)

The BikeMaster type rigs are under $100 and look relatively decent - but wanted to see if anyone here had used them and what you think. At this price, I'm not expecting super quality, but something I can put on a work table and use to more easily break the bead would be worth it.

Appreciate any user experiences.

Greg
 
I too went through this, and decided to do my own tire changes- but I just built my own bead breaker, from parts I had around here. If you’re not quite that handy, the bike master looks like a good alternative.
I use the tie wrap/ duct tape method of mounting ( see you tube). Works a treat! I got a Pit Posse tire balancer, and am very pleased with it. Make sure you have tire lube on hand- you Can mix up your own or buy it. Being frugal, I mixed up my own, and it worked quite well. With the tie wrap method, the tire required no spoons to slip on. I warmed it in the sun quite a bit. Almost fell on, and really surprised me.
Total outlay for me was 30$ or so- worth every penny.
 
I’m not too familiar with the Bikemaster stand, but from the photos I saw, it looks like pretty much just a stand. I guess it still requires the use tire levers to manually lever the tire on an off the rim.

I went with a product in a price between that and a NoMar. It is the Harbor Freight motorcycle changing stand along with Mojo bar and Mojo blocks, and a couple of the NoMar tools. What that all means is detailed in other threads. I might have $350 invested in all the tools and accessories, including a separate bead breaker, balancer stand, and a bead blaster pressure tank (for seating trailer tires). With this setup, I can change any motorcycle tire, from scooter to Goldwing. I also change trailer tires and car/van tires. Nothing but nylon ever touches the rim, and the long lever bar means less sweat and tears. I probably average changing something like 5 tires per year, so it’s worth every penny.

I think with tire changers, the more elaborate the machine, the more versatile it will be.
 
well, I pulled the trigger on this device, along with a new Pirelli Scorpion Trail II for the rear, some spoons, and No-Mar yellow thing to help. I'll report back once it's all in and I try to install the rear tire.

I really don't understand why regular car tire places don't offer motorcycle mounting -- I can see them requiring that you bring in your wheel so they don't get involved with removing and installing wheels on bikes (liability), but just removing and installing a tire, for $30 or so, seems to be a no brainer way to make a little more money. And why places like Tire Rack don't sell motorcycle tires.
 
Make your own lube:
> You can make your own tire lube if you want.
> (David Ryder's Recipe)
>
> 70% Murphy's oil soap
> 15% antifreeze (I use dexcool)
> 15% water
>
> This stuff is so slick it will slide up hill.
 
Make your own lube:
> You can make your own tire lube if you want.
> (David Ryder's Recipe)
>
> 70% Murphy's oil soap
> 15% antifreeze (I use dexcool)
> 15% water
>
> This stuff is so slick it will slide up hill.

Thank you for this. I may give this a try when I use up my current purchased product.
 
thanks for the recipe ... would dropping the antifreeze make the resulting solution no good? Hate to use antifreeze since it's poisonous to animals.
 
thanks for the recipe ... would dropping the antifreeze make the resulting solution no good? Hate to use antifreeze since it's poisonous to animals.
I am not sure. I made up one batch, and keep it in a closed mason jar, high up out of harm’s way. If your dog can get the lid off a mason jar, you have other things to worry about!
I am not a chemist, but I do think the ethylene glycol DOES make a difference in the recipe.
Should not be a problem as long as you keep it stoppered or out of reach.
 
The antifreeze has surfactants (and maybe other components) in it that will help make the mixture slippery and maybe more water-soluble(?), and anti-corrosion additives to help the wheels not oxidize. One could use a propylene glycol antifreeze instead (RV antifreeze and Sierra are two examples that are easily found). I think one could also use Red Line water-wetter, which is pretty much all the components in an antifreeze _except for_ the glycol.

I find dish soap, or dish soap cut modestly with water, to be a very good lube for rubber parts, but it lacks all anti-corrosion properties.
 
So I changed the rear tire today using the BikeMaster bead breaker. It worked as advertised and broke the bead on the old Scorpion Trail II pretty quickly and relatively easily. It was also pretty good at holding the tire to let you remove the old tire with spoons.
Mounting the new tire, was a royal PITA. The stand is not sturdy enough for the effort needed to get that new tire on the wheel. I thought I was going to have to give up and take it in somewhere. I finally used the zip tie trick and got the final 25% of the tire on the rim. But dear Lord it was a h&ll of a one man job. I’m getting to old for this sh!t, I’m realizing. I think I’m going to put some effort into finding a shop to do this somewhat reasonably.
Candidly, if I had 20+ years of riding left I’d probably invest in the No-Mar rig.
 
well, I pulled the trigger on this device, along with a new Pirelli Scorpion Trail II for the rear, some spoons, and No-Mar yellow thing to help. I'll report back once it's all in and I try to install the rear tire.

I really don't understand why regular car tire places don't offer motorcycle mounting -- I can see them requiring that you bring in your wheel so they don't get involved with removing and installing wheels on bikes (liability), but just removing and installing a tire, for $30 or so, seems to be a no brainer way to make a little more money. And why places like Tire Rack don't sell motorcycle tires.
Motorcycle wheels don't fit well on the machines they use for car tires and can be damaged if they try. I suspect that most shops don't feel the cost of another machine would be justified.
 
well, I pulled the trigger on this device, along with a new Pirelli Scorpion Trail II for the rear, some spoons, and No-Mar yellow thing to help. I'll report back once it's all in and I try to install the rear tire.

I really don't understand why regular car tire places don't offer motorcycle mounting -- I can see them requiring that you bring in your wheel so they don't get involved with removing and installing wheels on bikes (liability), but just removing and installing a tire, for $30 or so, seems to be a no brainer way to make a little more money. And why places like Tire Rack don't sell motorcycle tires.
From the experience‘s I’ve had at car tire shops, I wouldn’t want them changing my motorcycle tires. In fact, I no longer let them change my car tires, either (due to damaged wheels). I find car tires easier to mount than motorcycle tires.
 
From the experience‘s I’ve had at car tire shops, I wouldn’t want them changing my motorcycle tires. In fact, I no longer let them change my car tires, either (due to damaged wheels). I find car tires easier to mount than motorcycle tires.
I have been mounting and balancing my own tires for over 25 years and here is some of the equipment that has worked well for me. A 16 gallon oil drum (kind of hard to find now) with 8" of concrete and a 5/8 threaded rod.. A harbor freight tire bead breaker that I modified by notching the depress contact bar so it doesn't slip off the sidewall and motion pro 16" tire irons. The static balancer shafts were turned by a machinist friend to most all bike sizes. Napa "Ru-Glide" for tire lube, however I am almost out so I may try the anti-freeze formula. Lets see if I can find these pix:
 

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