[FotoMoto]

I've had the harbor freight bottom bead breaker unit bolted to a crating pallet for about 5 years and did the rest of the tire change by hand with tire spoons with lots of physical effort. Last year, I finally got the m/c tire upper unit when it went on sale but was disappointed with its lack of grip and how easy it would scratch the rims. I tried a couple of possible solutions posted on the interweb but without success. After getting a set of carrozzeria wheels for my RC51, I knew I'd have to find a better way. I went with a set of mojo blocks and the No-Mar bar. While drooling on the no-mar site, I also ordered some of their tire lube paste and spray.

Over the past nearly 30 years of street riding, I've only had a couple of flats but the gremlins came back a couple of weekends ago. While at our lunch stop at a secluded spot, the rear tire on my '51 went completely flat. Amazingly the bike somehow did not fall over in the windy conditions as it was sitting vertical on the sidestand after the 190 completely deflated to zero psi. Side note: we parked right next to a group of hardleys who left a few minutes before us but not one of them came back in to tell us......

To keep a long story short, I didn't have my usual tire repair kit and the ducati hypermotard rider with me couldn't store a bobby-pin on his bike. One bottle of goop and two cans of fix-a-flat from the closest store got it to seal and pressure up to 25psi which got me to the nearest air supply 20 miles away. YEAH!

But here are the results. YUCK.







At least it's water based and washed off easily.

And the bastard culprit:



Back to the tire changer story. The mojo blocks are easy to install; just drill the appropriate size hole into the HF changer mounts for the bolts and install. 5-10 minutes, tops.





The no-mar bar came with a DVD of the same videos used on their site which is handy as a refresher but after you do one tire change, it becomes second nature. Highly, highly recommended. Sorry, I was by myself and couldn't take pics during the process but their website vids show you the same process on their stand.



So after a very easy tire change with, more importantly, zero scratches on my pricey rim, I had to go do a quick 100 mile tire test this afternoon along the coast in the "chilly" 60 degree temps. Yeah, I know; the sacrifices I make for you guys!

[vfrcapn]

Can you add a link for the blocks and bar? I've got the same HF setup but the duct tape on the rim holders doesn't work too well. Not good to spend a bunch of money having your rims powdercoated only to be scratched up. Bike looks great, I really want to have one of those RC's in the garage one of these days.

[FotoMoto]

mojoblocks and he has own version of a lever too:

http://home.comcast..../mojoblocks.htm


No-Mar bar:

http://www.nomartire.../product/show/6

[FotoMoto]

Another thing: put the new tires in the sun for at least an hour (flip 'em too) and they will be more pliable and much easier to mount.

[dutchinterceptor]

Yuck!! I filled a car tire with that stuff one time and neglected to tell the guy at the shop about it when he demounted it. He came out of the shop covered in that green stuff and was NOT happy.

I made my own blocks but found that the rim would slip sometimes on the slick plastic. A small piece of inner tube helped to keep it in place.

Also, the No-Mar bar works beautifully but the Mojo lever is actually a lot easier. I currently have both.

[spud786]

FotoMoto, on Dec 6 2008, 11:04 PM, said:

Another thing: put the new tires in the sun for at least an hour (flip 'em too) and they will be more pliable and much easier to mount.

I had a tire mounted the other day, and they didnt even clean the slime off the rim, new tire had slime on it , like when they blew the tire up forced it out around the rim bead. Just cant get good work these days.

I've thought about a tire changer, but seems to be to be worth the $25, to let somebody else do it, assuming they do a good job. I stopped using cyclegear to mount tires, even if I buy the tire from them. I go to shops with the automatic changer machines. Less likely of bead damage

[Sondance]

Mitch is a good guy, I've had his mojo lever for years, got some extra parts for it and also picked up another lever from him as well.

Didn't know he had made some of these blocks, so great post... I've been using those plastic rim strips as a guard and holding the rim down on the HF stand with a couple of ratchet tie downs.... seems to work ok, but I'd like to give these blocks a ride now...

[Tightwad]

I have and love the bar, still need to get the blocks. Scratched the crap out of my rim last time because I was using the bar wrong....amazing how much easier it is to use correctly.

[BonusVFR]

I have had the blocks for a few changes. Good mod! Before I used old cut up bicycle tires, which worked great but the blocks are easier. Have some new NoMar tire iron levers but have not got the technique yet. May have to get the mojo lever one of these days.

[mznyc]

Got the mojo blocks,and also had problems with the wheel slipping.Used torn up tubes,helped somewhat.Also found that the Mojo bar didn't really work for me when getting the second bead on.Found the No-Mar bar to be a better design.
Think for the money,one of the No-Mar packages is the best value over time if you do a change or two a year.Superior quality over the HF.

[FotoMoto]

mznyc, on Dec 7 2008, 08:54 PM, said:

Got the mojo blocks,and also had problems with the wheel slipping.Used torn up tubes,helped somewhat.Also found that the Mojo bar didn't really work for me when getting the second bead on.Found the No-Mar bar to be a better design.
Think for the money,one of the No-Mar packages is the best value over time if you do a change or two a year.Superior quality over the HF.

I forgot to mention that with the new mojo blocks I, too, did run into minor slipping of the rim (no scratching tho') when trying to install the final bead which is usually the toughest part of any tire installation. I haven't tried the inner tube idea as this is how I solved the occasional slip. I use a "cheater bar" (i.e., more leverage) on the HF clamping lever (arrow) to gain more turning force since you simply can't get it tight enough by hand (or at least I can't) when locking the rim down. On more rigid sport touring tires, I will also use my "free" hand one of the wheel spokes as additional bracing against slippage while getting that last final section of tire to set in.




I don't no know about the mojo bar but the no-mar bar comes with 3 additional replacement tips for the dismount end (not seen in the above pic). I've done 6 tire changes with it so far and see zero wear so I'm not sure why they included them but that's cool with me!

[VFR4Lee]

A guy was mounting and dismounting a tire with the no mar setup at the MC show today.
Man that looked easy. Way better than tire irons and elbow grease.

[FotoMoto]

VFR4Lee, on Dec 7 2008, 09:42 PM, said:

A guy was mounting and dismounting a tire with the no mar setup at the MC show today.
Man that looked easy. Way better than tire irons and elbow grease.

Yup, just like this hybrid concoction. Every time that last bead slips right on, I comment to myself: "$30, just went back into my pocket." That is the cheapest I can find locally (bring wheel in myself) and by locally I mean a 100 mile round trip so there's an even greater savings in gas AND time.

Except for the removing/installation on the bike part, I now actually look forward to tire changes.

[VFR4Lee]

Looks like you solved the shortcomings of the HF changer, which is much less money than the $600 base nomar setup.
I like the mounting it to a pallet idea, if you don't want to put holes in your concrete garage floor.
I'm almost sold on it.

[FotoMoto]

VFR4Lee, on Dec 7 2008, 10:23 PM, said:

I like the mounting it to a pallet idea, if you don't want to put holes in your concrete garage floor.

A pallet (or very thick plywood) a foot or so larger in each direction than mine will make it more stable and you would then be able to stand on it while doing the procedures. OTOH, the smaller foot print makes storing and moving it much easier.

[BonusVFR]

VFR4Lee, on Dec 8 2008, 04:23 AM, said:

Looks like you solved the shortcomings of the HF changer, which is much less money than the $600 base nomar setup.
I like the mounting it to a pallet idea, if you don't want to put holes in your concrete garage floor.
I'm almost sold on it.

I wonder about all the torque on the HF .......what stops the HF from moving even with the pallet. I put/mount the HF on a piece of plywood and stand on that which keeps the HF from moving. I pull the HF in and out of the garage with some tie downs and stow stuff on the plywood when I am not using the tire changer.

Sorry about this but I always mount outside ................it is a San Diego thing. SUN on the tire helps too.

[dutchinterceptor]

FotoMoto, on Dec 7 2008, 09:40 PM, said:

I don't no know about the mojo bar but the no-mar bar comes with 3 additional replacement tips for the dismount end (not seen in the above pic). I've done 6 tire changes with it so far and see zero wear so I'm not sure why they included them but that's cool with me!

The Mojo bar has the same tips as the NoMar. I've changed over 35 tires with my NoMar and the tip has got some serious dents in it but not bad enough to replace it yet.

[VFR4Lee]

Good point. When I've participated in changing tires (have not done it by myself)
The thing was bolted to the floor and I got a step stool to be able get weight and leverage on it.
It would have to be fixed in place securely.

[vfrcapn]

VFR4Lee, on Dec 7 2008, 08:23 PM, said:

I like the mounting it to a pallet idea, if you don't want to put holes in your concrete garage floor.

A couple anchors sunk in the concrete and two bolts is all it needs to hold it down. I got the MC adapter thing but never use it anymore.

[KPerham]

vfrcapn, on Dec 7 2008, 11:50 PM, said:

VFR4Lee, on Dec 7 2008, 08:23 PM, said:

I like the mounting it to a pallet idea, if you don't want to put holes in your concrete garage floor.

A couple anchors sunk in the concrete and two bolts is all it needs to hold it down. I got the MC adapter thing but never use it anymore.

I barely ride much lately, and I've spent $90 on tire m&b since Oct... I'm thinking its time to start doing my own and probably going with something like Doug's setup.
Since vfrcapn doesn't use the motorcycle wheel adapter, what does it do for the whole process?
Oh, and I got Marvics with my RC51. So I'd prefer to not have racer dude not scratch my rims anymore.