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Having several bikes seems pretty sweet sometimes, but when it comes time to put new shoes on a couple of the babies, it doesn’t seem as quite so appealing. Tires and their installation is expensive and time consuming. I console myself with the realization that if I only had one bike, I’d be buying just as many tires, because I’d be riding that one all the time.

Motorcycle tire prices are outrageous compared to car tires and most places change extra fees to install them (car tire places typically don”t do that!) No matter what the manufacturers, distributors and dealers say, motorcycle tires are no more expensive to produce than car tires. It’s some kind of strange economics: low supply and low demand, that causes the astronomical prices. I can put a decent set of 4 tires that will last 50,000 miles on my car for about the same price a 2 motorcycle tires that might last 8000 miles! In fact, if you calculate the cost of gas per mile as compared to the cost of tires per mile on a motorcycle, the burn rates are comparable (that is unless the price of gas continues it’s current upward trend)

I typically get about 5000 miles out of rear tires (I buy the somewhat sticky stuff), so riding 15K-20K miles per year, I’m usually replacing about 4 sets of tires a year and at $25-$45 per wheel (off-bike) to mount and balance tires, I typically spend a couple hundred $ a year replacing rubber. I’ve considered buying a true professional machine but the expense would take a looooong time to recover. I guess I could have tried an in-depth search to find a well-kept, used example but I usually find better ways to spend my free time (like riding)..

While at the AMA races at VIR in 2006, I noticed a guy in the vendor area changing tires with a hand operated machine out on the back of a flatbed trailer. Of course I was interested but skeptical. So I hung around for about a half-hour and just watched and listened. I let him give his pitch, watched his technique and formulated questions. What impressed me the most was when he was asked to do a set of tires for a guy in the audience who rode to the race and didn’t have enough rubber left to make it home safely. He agreed to do it for free if the guy would buy his tires from one of the vendors and bring him just the wheels. Long story short; he knocked it out in just a little more time than his well rehearsed demo.

When the crowd died down, I pulled him aside and started asking some “tough” questions. While some of his answers seemed a bit rehearsed, most rang genuine and honest. He even volunteered a few shortcomings, which he assured me would be addressed in the future.  Never one to make such an expensive on-the-spot decision, I gathered as much verbal and published information as he would give me. This included a DVD with all the pricing, options and several how-to videos. He also mentioned that he’d give me free shipping if I ordered a changer within a couple weeks.

So I went home and started doing some web research. The company also had several excellent videos on the website, that covered just about any question you might have. Since it would be a substantial purchase (closing in on a grand), I started asking some of my riding buddies if they knew anything about it, I found out one of them already had one of these machines and liked it very much.

Here’s the website:

http://www.nomartirechanger.com/

So, fairly confident it would be a useful purchase, I bought their “Classic” model (they also have Pro,Classic and Jr. Pro models). And I recommend, getting one of the “kits” because they include all the stuff you need to do your first change.

So now the good, bad and the ugly:

GOOD -

Works as advertised

Won’t scratch your rims (if you do it right)

Can handle lots of different type tires/wheels

High quality and durable components

Will pay for itself after about 40 tire changes

Comes with replacement components for wear and tear parts

You can change your tires when you want (not when the shop has time) and you don’t have to drive somewhere (gas and time savings)

BAD -

Takes a while to get the hang of the technique and it varies a little between tire/wheel types

Pretty expensive up-front (around $1000)

Takes up a fair bit of space and you need to allow room to walk around it (at least 4 feet on all sides)

UGLY -

When your friends find out you’ve got one of these, they start wanting you to do theirs too. (This is where fees or bartering for other consideration comes into play)

RECOMMENDATIONS -

Make sure tires are “warm” (leaving them in sun works great, night/mid-winter not recommended as hard rubber is a lot more difficult to manipulate)

Get the stand (I bought the hitch mount, thinking I would use it off the back of my van, but I’ve done every set so far in the garage and I had to make a stand to bolt it into the floor. You’ll be using substantial leverage when using the machine, so a very strong attachment is critical)

Don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t go easily the first time (there are some techniques that take awhile to acquire and master, then it gets much easier)

Watch the “How to” videos many times (it tells you how to do single sided swingarm wheels, dirtbike tires (tubed), extra large tires (for custom cruiser freaks), ATV tires and even car tires)

Get a set of regular tire irons and rim protectors (some tires go on so tight that the tools that come with the machine still aren’t enough)

Get a balance stand (what good are wheels haven’t been balanced, they have a nice one that comes in most kits)

In conclusion, if you only ride about 5000 miles per year or only need a set of tires every other year (typical motorcyclist), it’s probably not a great investment (takes a long time to go through enough tires to break even). Of course, if convenience is your goal, the value is much better.

I give this product my highest recommendation

Rhino