[conquermike]

Installing Rear Motoz Tractionator. Been a bear. Contemplating murder (joke). I've emailed Motoz but am not optimistic, they don't include a phone number which shows they don't really want to communicate with people.

Thought about reaching out to Rocky Mtn where I bought the tires, but they did not know that Enduro tires don't always have heavy point marks so I'm not sure they're knowledge on tires is that great.

Any help is appreciated as we wait for the Motoz people to wake up in AUS, but even then who knows when they'll get it my email, if ever.

Thank you!

 

[Dado8]

there are steel cables in that inner belt, should be ok, inflate and monitor for leaks, if it's keeping you awake at night, get a new replacement tyre, and donate the damaged one to people doing burnouts

 

[Solarguy]

Tough call.

I bought a Harbor Fright machine and then modified it to take a duckbill attachment. Some motorcycle tires can be a bear if you don't have every possible advantage.

 

[richlandrick]

I suspect the tire was on the shoulder of the rim. You were likely fighting harder than you should have had to if the tire was positioned so that the point 180 degrees from where you were spooning was in the middle of the rim (i.e., off the bead).

I would also inflate the tire and see if it holds air. I suspect it will and afterward you will forget the "issue" until the next time to change the tire.

If it doesn't hold air you know the answer.

 

[John V Strom Jr.]

I see some moisture in one picture, but the one with the spoon looks pretty dry. Also, as Rick said, make sure the beads 180 opposite are in the valley of the rim to avoid further tearing. It might even be advisable to start over with the torn section put on first.

 

[ratbikerandy]

Tough tires to install due to stiffness. I rode with zero air in the rear for 140 miles unknowingly. Still looked pumped up.

 

[nvr2old]

As John Strom mentioned it doesn't look like you used a lubricant. Makes a big difference on any tire, much less a stiff one .

 

[enumclaw]

They should be okay. Lube is your friend, don't be cheap with it. Also, get the opposite side of the tire in the center of the rim during that last bit.

 

[stickerbush]

And use real tire lubricant, dish soap can cause pitting on some rims. It also helps a lot if the tire is warm, let it sit in the sun if possible.

 

[blaustrom]

You got all the correct answers. I would add. The tire needs to be as hot as possible to make it more pliable, especially for a very stiff one. Also helps to use C clamps and 2x4 pieces and force the beads together to soften up the stiffness a little.
There are numerus threads here about tire changing, what lube to use, what mounting bars if you use a changing machine.
A cold stiff tire without lubricant is the kiss of death. Put a hot air source inside the tire before mounting, better still a sunny hot day and put the tire into the sun for a while.

Conditioning of a Dunlop Trailmax, also fairly stiff:

 

[cpd419]

Dual sport tires suck to mount.

 

[conquermike]

Thank you to everybody for the replies! The tires are toast sadly, will be buying a new one.

Rick was bang-on, the bead of the tire was high on the rim and as soon as I lowered the bead of the tire to be in the valley of the rim, it went on like cake. Super easy.

I used Mothers Detailing Spray as lubricant which, while it isn't a tire Lube, it helped a lot and I used generous amounts. I used it on all parts of both sides the tire where it contacted the rim in hopes that my tire levers would create enough leverage to get the tire to slide where it needed, but alas. That's the pooled up running liquid in the picture. I used it on both sides of the tires and probably used 25% of the bottle, I sprayed a ton but alas, because of how the bread was positioned on the rim, it was only going to help so much.

I also heated up the tire with my Pocket rocket stove since it's something I'll be carrying with me on the upcoming trip. Heated it up many times and it helped a bit but not enough to overcome the poor positioning.

 

[PerazziMx14]

IF using tire irons stiff wall tires will go better if you have help.

3 short tire irons and a couple clamps to like below to squeeze the opposite side of the tire into the drop center while working very small bites of the tire bead that is properly lubed.

If you are using excessive force and are hearing or seeing ripping and/or tearing STOP and regroup as you are doing it wrong. Even stiff walled tired are not that much harder to install verses soft walled sport tires. It's all about the technique.

 

[conquermike]

IF using tire irons stiff wall tires will go better if you have help.

3 short tire irons and a couple clamps to like below to squeeze the opposite side of the tire into the drop center while working very small bites of the tire bead that is properly lubed.

If you are using excessive force and are hearing or seeing ripping and/or tearing STOP and regroup as you are doing it wrong. Even stiff walled tired are not that much harder to install verses soft walled sport tires. It's all about the technique.

View attachment 313743

I agree about technique, the process was super easy with the motionpro bead pro set until the bead problem surfaced, and once i shifted the portion of the tire 180 degrees from where i was working to be more towards the center of the rim, which again that was an easy adjustment, the rest of the job was painfully easy. Just took a few hours and the cost of a new Tractionator GPS from Motoz to learn

 

[blaustrom]

Not sure what detailing spray is but some of that stuff is corrosive for Al rims. Get proper tire mounting lube, you need only small amounts each time and it makes a huge difference, also seats the tire easier.

 

[Fanaticalkilla]

Everyone’s got good comments but I have one more. Maybe look at getting a set of tire spoons that have soft edges vs using a pry bar with a hard 90 degree edge.

 

[conquermike]

Everyone’s got good comments but I have one more. Maybe look at getting a set of tire spoons that have soft edges vs using a pry bar with a hard 90 degree edge.

I'm using Motion Pro Bead pro's, all of the edges are rounded on them 😉

 

[enumclaw]

Windex use a great lube too, I've been using it for years.

 

[RCinNC]

I've always used Ruglyde, which is made specifically for tire changing. It's around $20.00 for a gallon at places like NAPA. On a per ounce basis, it's about the same price as Windex.

 

[bwringer]

Windex use a great lube too, I've been using it for years.

I've always used Ruglyde, which is made specifically for tire changing. It's around $20.00 for a gallon at places like NAPA. On a per ounce basis, it's about the same price as Windex.

Windex and dish detergent are very corrosive. If there's a little nick or scratch in the powder coat, these can cause a surprising amount of corrosion in the aluminum. I see this a lot on vintage bikes; you can often still smell the Windex or dish detergent, and the inside surfaces of the wheels are crumbly and look like they've been chewed by badgers.

Just use a real, live tire mounting lubricant, not whatever slippery stuff you have lying around. Ru-Glyde is cheap, easy to find, safe, and very effective. It's a simple soap solution (NOT a detergent) with anti-corrosion additives.

The widespread resistance to using tire mounting lube has always been very puzzling to me. No one would dump, say, cooking oil into their engine, yet thousands of motorcyclists are absolutely dedicated to using anything but tire mounting lube when mounting tires.

If you're trapped in a cabin in the woods or something, a weak solution of Murphy's Oil Soap or saddle soap is probably a decent substitute if you absolutely must raid the cabinet under the sink.



Another point: use rim protectors (plastic pieces from a milk jug or shampoo bottle are the best and free). Metal tire levers are not compatible with your powder coated alloy wheels. Even if you don't care about the appearance, the coating is important for protecting the wheels.


Anyway, glad OP got it figured out. You have to learn about the drop center issue through experience, I guess. But like all other mechanical things, it's very important to STOP before applying excess force and damaging things. If a tire won't go on, you can't force it; stop and figure out what the problem is.

I just mounted tires on two of my bikes this weekend using tire irons. It's near freezing in my garage, but other than keeping the new tires in the house until I needed them, I didn't bother with heating the tires. Just take smaller bites and they'll go off and on just fine, even very stiff tires. In the summer I put new tires in the sun while removing the wheels, and it does make things a little easier, but it's not essential.