No Mar Tears in the Moto Grappa

I am now halfway through a tire change on the rear of the great GRiSO.

That may not sound like much, but it was an epochal event for me.  

Last year, I bought a No Mar tire changer for all the usual reasons, e.g., “Kathi, think how much money I’ll save by doing tire swaps here instead of taking the wheels to a shop!”  

Then, I realized that this was lots harder than the vids made it seem.  At least for me.  

I did watch some friends use it here on my tires and theirs, but I was always intimidated.

Then came the inevitable “put up or shut up” … even tho Kathi is too sweet a wife   to say what she likely had been thinking about the reality thus far.

On the way to the September 2021 Mutton Run — Mutton Run Sept 2021 — I realized along the way (yes, doh) that I needed a new rear tire on the GRiSO.  Was able to find a (very fine) YamaHonSuzKaw dealer in Lexington, Ky., to do the swap.

They did not have a Michelin Road 4 GT in stock, but did have a Power 4.  OK.  Within a few miles of cording the mounted tire, I was in no position to say anything but, “Yes, please.”  

What a stupendous tire that was, at least from a handling perspective.  It made it back from that fall mutton run and, with a few local fun miles after that, also made it to the spring mutton run, Mutton Run May 2022.

But the return from that trip included some very long, multi-mile, high-speed straights in Ohio.  Those made me ache as I knew they were squaring off that magnificent round thing.

It was time to confront my fears and, well, just do it.  N.J. Nick was here to help with the removal, but couldn’t stay to do the R&R.  I think he wanted to “help” me screw up my courage.


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Mr. Brown delivers the new Road 4 GT.


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Time for excuses and sniveling ends; let’s get it off!


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Vittoria!


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Yes, only half done as, obviously, I need to put the new tire on that rim.  That said, I am pretty pleased that I was able to get that far.  

A set of our grands and kids comes in tomorrow, and I have an air-compressor issue that needs attention before I can seat the bead even if I can mount the tire on the rim.  So, it’ll be a few days before I can get back to that task, but I actually look forward to it.

Oh, time to celebrate another event … Happy Independence Day from the Moto Grappa!


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Bill

Hi Bill. I've been using my No-Mar for quite a few years now and it gets easier and easier the more tires you do. I Love It and the freedom of being able to mount your own tires cant be matched.

One thing that really helps the most. Get those tires Nice and Hot!! Let them bake in the sun. Put them in the Hot Vehicle .... Mount and Dismount on the Hottest Day of the week. The hotter the tires are, the easier it is. Get that machine out of the AC and into the Hot Sun!

PilotJet wrote:

Hi Bill. I've been using my No-Mar for quite a few years now and it gets easier and easier the more tires you do. I Love It and the freedom of being able to mount your own tires cant be matched.

One thing that really helps the most. Get those tires Nice and Hot!! Let them bake in the sun. Put them in the Hot Vehicle .... Mount and Dismount on the Hottest Day of the week. The hotter the tires are, the easier it is. Get that machine out of the AC and into the Hot Sun!

You are absolutely right!  

I should have added -- tho I am too wordy as it is -- that I failed at first attempt to get bead over the rim.  Then recalled one vid that said what a difference that can make.  Bingo.

The machine is going to stay put, but the wheels will get a sunburn before I put them on the No Mar!

BTW, in that first attempt I managed to break one of the No Mar tips.  Glad I bought extras.  I now know the self-inflicted wound that caused that, so I expect that to be the last (he says hopefully ).

Thanks for mentioning the sun as an assistant.  

Bill

Best advice is to use a lot of tyre grease! But you probably already know...
And try to keep the "edge" of the tyre on the opposite side of where your're working, in the middle of the rim...

In all honesty Bill, it’s much easier than most people make it out. It’s really all about technique and process. When I come visit you for Moto Grappa Tech Days, I’ll show you technique that will change everything for the better.

For example, you will never break a tip again because you will never use that much force ever.   Also, when I’m done with you, you could mount a tire left in the snow all night long easy as pie. Heating the tire is completely unnecessary.

The gauntlet has been thrown.

Not at all…Bill knows me better than that.

I mount more tires in a week than most of you have done in your lifetime. No big deal.

scottmastrocinque wrote:

Not at all…Bill knows me better than that.

I mount more tires in a week than most of you have done in your lifetime.  No big deal.

Scott, I can count the tires I have mounted in a lifetime on one finger!

Actually, upon reflection and this photo ...


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... I've haven't done any completely solo yet!    

Frustrated with the GRiSO's tire, I asked Kathi to come down to the Moto Grappa and help by holding the (fornicating) tire place while I ran the bar around the greased bead.  

I had her watch a Y/T vid first so she would understand what was at play.

Then, based on the video, she made an (annoying) suggestion about a point that I had missed in my haste and now, naturally, didn't want to hear because she had caught it.

This also illustrates why she is, e.g., a better shot than I am: she listens to instructions by those who know how to do something instead of thinking, as I do, "I can do that; let's go."    

On the bright side, I think I can now do this all by my lonesome, but it was humbling to have my Polish Princess & Perfect Pillion point out a step I had missed.  

Anyway, Scott, as you note, you can conduct a tire-mounting seminar at the next Moto Grappa Tech Days.  

Heck, Kathi -- who usually leaves town for good reason during those bench-racing and belching events, might stick around to listen.  

Bill

She’s definitely a Peach and you are a good man Sir!

We will have fun!

Did I also mention that I was raised by my Italian mother and grandmother, and literally tied to their apron strings?  I can operate a kitchen better than I can anything else.

You will want to lend me access to yours…

 

Only 6 posts and I already love this guy!

Steak wrote:

Only 6 posts and I already love this guy!

But keep in mind, he's one of those people who associate with Bill. Just say'n.....

rick pope wrote:

Steak wrote:

Only 6 posts and I already love this guy!

But keep in mind, he's one of those people who associate with Bill.  Just say'n.....

It an honor that someone of his character would even give someone like me, the time of the day.

I've only met Bill once, but would agree that he's a "character."