Tire Spoons

[Jim]

I've got a new tire on the way for the SG. Went to dust off my tire spoons in anticipation. They're gone. Best guess is I loaned 'em out years ago and they never came back.
So anyway.. tire irons, spoons... tools.... what does everybody like for 'em?
I know Harbor Freight has 'em cheap. So does Amazon, Ebay etc. I've grown to not trust the reviews from said places.
I do trust reviews and opinions here however.
What should I buy?

 

[Mailman]

I bought a 3 iron set like these, don’t remember if they were Motion Pro or not. They worked just fine on the relatively thin, biased ply tires that I was running on my XS2. They were inadequate when I tried to use them on modern stiff walled radial sport tires on my Suzuki V-Strom. Thought I was going to have a coronary trying to pry those bastards on!

 

[jpdevol]

Left one; near worthless, middle one is good, right one's the ticket.

 

[Jim]

You recall a brand name?

 

[jpdevol]

Had to search source:

Best - https://www.amazon.com/PIVOTRAX-Mount-Demount-Curved-Wrench/dp/B08QR8VCWS

Good - Motion Pro 16" https://www.ebay.com/itm/3624660819...MI2NKPl5b--AIVBQx9Ch2cnABsEAQYBiABEgJQ6PD_BwE

The tire "machine" is a No Mar brand

 

[WideAWAKE]

I think I got some cheap ones in a “kit” with rim savers from Amazon.

They got tires on my cb160. Don’t think they would do much else.

Have some from HF that someone gave me. They work great for knocking out steering head bearings but not much else. Although, I did successfully use em to change tires on my son’s stroller…

 

[Jim]

Thanks JP.

 

[bosco659]

Anyone had success dismounting or mounting tires with zip ties. Seems a bit goofy but I know people that swear it works (like MM said - for skinny boas ply tires).

 

[Mailman]

Anyone had success dismounting or mounting tires with zip ties. Seems a bit goofy but I know people that swear it works (like MM said - for skinny boas ply tires).

I tried it, but no joy. That was on a modern radial tire that had very stiff sidewalls.

 

[bosco659]

I tried it, but no joy. That was on a modern radial tire that had very stiff sidewalls.

Was going to try it on the rear tire on the Water Buffalo - 120/90-18 bias ply, tube tire.

 

[willis]

Easiest way for dismounting old junk tires IMO, is using a box cutter. Cut the sidewall all the way around so it just leaves two sidewall donuts. Much easier to spoon those off.

 

[Mailman]

Easiest way for dismounting old junk tires IMO, is using a box cutter. Cut the sidewall all the way around so it just leaves two sidewall donuts. Much easier to spoon those off.

Absolutely! I did the same thing when I removed the factory tires from my XS2. I think the zip tie trick is about squeezing the tire in an attempt to make it easier to mount.

 

[bosco659]

Not a bike tire swap story but… I had run flat tires on my Toyota Supra and when I tried to have them removed, several tire shops failed and one shop damaged one of my mags. I decided to tackle this myself. I drilled 1/2” holes in the sidewalls, had the beads broken from the rims and then got my jig saw and cut the sidewalls away from the tread of the tire. Ended up with a strip of tread about 5ft long and two donuts still on the rim. The donuts came off easily and if iirc, without tools. The sidewalls on the run flats were clise to 1/2” thick and they were 50 series tires. Installation of new tires was easy.

I was also looking for a good set of tire irons and will probably get the Amazon tools.

Is a pair of irons enough or better to have 3?

 

[jpdevol]

My vote is for 3! Spread the wealth; get the AMZN pair and 1 Motion Pro: the 16".

 

[gggGary]

All of this gets used, RuGlyde EVERY tire, every time. I keep a spray bottle of it handy. When the shed is warm the Coats 200 and it's tool do the heavy lifting but several of the other irons always get in the act. When possable, tires get heated in the sun. In the winter; on the floor by the wood stove and the three irons usually do the job. That long pry bar with a handle is handy on old tires. Two of the irons are marked Emgo, the longer one says made in Japan. All the tool ends get filed sanded buffed when new and again as needed. Haven't had to cut a tire in a long time but we don't get heat baked, desiccated tires like the desert guys. And yeah I've removed a significant # of original tires from XS650s. A C-clamp is handy to keep the far side of the bead down in the center part of the rim.

changed both skins on the beemer last week, about 2 hours start to finish?
Not that they were worn out.

 

[TX650A Van Islander]

I really like these Motion Pro aluminum spoons. They are compact and light so pack well. I've removed and installed two pair of tires with them, one set on my DR650 and one set on my Yamaha. More to come on my thread on that. Also not the Motion Pro bead buddy in the photo. It is so helpful in installing the new tires. There is a newer style which may be better. These spoons are available in longer sized steel for less loot. The end is sized to the wheel axle nut on my DR, plus valve nuts.

 

[Mailman]

I really like these Motion Pro aluminum spoons. They are compact and light so pack well. I've removed and installed two pair of tires with them, one set on my DR650 and one set on my Yamaha. More to come on my thread on that. Also not the Motion Pro bead buddy in the photo. It is so helpful in installing the new tires. There is a newer style which may be better. These spoons are available in longer sized steel for less loot. The end is sized to the wheel axle nut on my DR, plus valve nuts.
View attachment 219120

That looks like a nice set! Love that they also have box end wrenches built in.

 

[RustiePyles]

@Jim I have some motion pro irons if you need em.

https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-08-005-Tire-Iron/dp/B009D3E36W

 

[RC4MAN]

On alloy wheels stay away from ones with raised outer edges that go clear down to the spoon, they make nasty ridges on the rim. I've had to grind them back to smooth them out.

 

[Mailman]

On alloy wheels stay away from ones with raised outer edges that go clear down to the spoon, they make nasty ridges on the rim. I've had to grind them back to smooth them out.

Yeah on my alloy rims on my old Suzuki, I put a few nicks on em despite my best efforts. I even bought a set of plastic rim protectors that folded like a cheap suit the first time they came in contact with a tire iron. I think I wound up using a cut up plastic milk jug to use as rim protectors.