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Post By Grant Johnson
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Post By Wheelie
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Post By sushi2831
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29 Oct 2020
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Changin Tyres on XT660Z Tenere - how difficult?
I am conscidering buing this bike. I can't remember where, but I read somewhere on the HUBB that it is very difficult to change the tyre on the original rim. What do they mean? Is it true, and to what degree? What is required in terms of skills and tools.
It kind of defeats the purpose to ride with innertubes if I can't replace it in the boonies with a couple of tire irons. I don't want to spend time and money on wheel upgrades unless I really need to - and on a used bike, I might then find better value going for something else.
Changing the rubber on my F650GS Dakar was fairly easy even the first time. I've never had any problems on any other bike either.
What are your thoughts?
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30 Oct 2020
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can you put the link to that "somewhere in the HUBB"
sounds odd, so would like to read myself...
dont have direct experience with a 660 wheel, cant see why it would be harder
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30 Oct 2020
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wheelie
I am conscidering buing this bike. I can't remember where, but I read somewhere on the HUBB that it is very difficult to change the tyre on the original rim. What do they mean? Is it true, and to what degree? What is required in terms of skills and tools.
It kind of defeats the purpose to ride with innertubes if I can't replace it in the boonies with a couple of tire irons. I don't want to spend time and money on wheel upgrades unless I really need to - and on a used bike, I might then find better value going for something else.
Changing the rubber on my F650GS Dakar was fairly easy even the first time. I've never had any problems on any other bike either.
What are your thoughts?
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I used to have one - there's nothing more or less difficult about doing this on the 660Z.
Thanks
ED
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Where Next Barney? Buenos Aires to Lima 2015 | London to Sydney 2015/6 | Armenia, Georgia & the FYR 2022 | Algerian Sahara 2023.
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30 Oct 2020
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I've never changed tires on that particular bike.
My experience has been that some tire/wheel combinations are tougher to change than others. I've had tires pop easily onto my DR650 rims and other brands/models that were very difficult.
..........shu
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30 Oct 2020
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turboguzzi
can you put the link to that "somewhere in the HUBB"
sounds odd, so would like to read myself...
dont have direct experience with a 660 wheel, cant see why it would be harder
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Tim Cullins mentioned it in this thread:
https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...tenere-83688-2
And this
https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...rlanding-83304
I hold his knowledge in very high regard. I also believe he has lots of first hand knowledge on this bike.
Again, it might just be a bad combo between rim and favourite tyre?
I just want a second opinion.
I've also read that some think the original rims are weak and dent easy. Not that I believe that will be an issue for me with ok tyre pressure and taking it easy.
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30 Oct 2020
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I think Tim means "impossible" for a newby, but you've done lots of tires and should have no issue. Pick an easy tire too, not something super stiff, use a little soap and water, and it's not a problem.
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30 Oct 2020
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Of course you've seen my tire changing video?
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Grant Johnson
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31 Oct 2020
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interesting tidbit, ISDE riders are known to shave of a few mm from the rim flange to make those lightning quick tube swaps...
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1 Nov 2020
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grant Johnson
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I've got a nice stack of DVDs from HU and I eat up most of what you cook up.
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3 Aug 2021
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R.I.P. 25 November 2021
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Quote:
Originally Posted by joetuckeruj
When I changed the tires on my car, I experienced similar problems. Therefore, I decided to contact the service so as not to spoil anything when replacing.
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Are you kidding me? 
You are posting on a motorcycling forum, and most guys on here (Yamaha Tech) ride bikes & change their own tires, your first ever post is telling us to 'contact the service' 
Wrong forum buddy.
Mezo.
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3 Aug 2021
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 Give the bloke a break, you don't get to fix your flux capacitor with chewing gun wrappers and  bottle caps until you've heard about it/seen the video
Tim mentions deep rims? This seems backwards to me? usually a deep rim well gives you somewhere to put excess tyre while you lever the other side? I know about shallow rim wells, I've changed never lubed tyres on Moto Guzzi' s (use an angle grinder and/or go the petrol-matches-insurance-Honda route). Maybe Tim means a deep safety bead? Plenty of lube to get it off (and do it home first in case the PO did not lube it) then a compressor able to do serious pressure to reseat it. To use motio-pro style forked levers maybe add a small block of wood or plastic to the kit to increase the levers stroke?
Andy
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8 Aug 2021
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I do believe Chris Scott commented on the Tenere wheel rim depths as well. It's some years ago now but I think it was almost like it was intended to be tubeless, except it wasn't.
There's another issue with the rear wheel of the Tenere, which is trying to get it back into the swinging arm together with the spacers each side. The best position is to sit behind the bike and try to balance the spacers as you introduce the wheel, but of course they fall off.
The answer to this is to find a thick twig/thin branch, break it off to length and insert it through the space/wheel/spacer arrangement whilst lining it all up, balance the weight of the wheel on your legs and use your feet to get the height right (whilst sitting behind) and then take the twig/branch out at the last moment.
I didn't have problems on any other bikes, but it was the Tenere that pushed me to buying the KTM 790 with its tubeless wheels. On my KTM 690 I now run with mousses all the time.
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8 Aug 2021
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Cullis
... balance the weight of the wheel on your legs and use your feet to get the height right (whilst sitting behind) ...
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Hello
Don't bring the wheel to the bike, bring the bike to the wheel.
If you have a centerstand, but something under the front wheel to level the axis and just roll the wheel in.
Still some work with all the part, but swearing helps.
sushi
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10 Aug 2021
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Cullis
I do believe Chris Scott commented on the Tenere wheel rim depths as well. It's some years ago now but I think it was almost like it was intended to be tubeless, except it wasn't.
There's another issue with the rear wheel of the Tenere, which is trying to get it back into the swinging arm together with the spacers each side. The best position is to sit behind the bike and try to balance the spacers as you introduce the wheel, but of course they fall off.
The answer to this is to find a thick twig/thin branch, break it off to length and insert it through the space/wheel/spacer arrangement whilst lining it all up, balance the weight of the wheel on your legs and use your feet to get the height right (whilst sitting behind) and then take the twig/branch out at the last moment.
I didn't have problems on any other bikes, but it was the Tenere that pushed me to buying the KTM 790 with its tubeless wheels. On my KTM 690 I now run with mousses all the time.
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The other trick, if you've got a centre stand, is to sit down behind the bike holding the wheel upright in the right place and then pull the back of the bike down towards you, grabbing the rear rack.
Or something like that, if I recall - it's been 4 years since owned my 660Z! The main thing is you can use the centre stand in this way, one way or another.
Ed
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12 Aug 2021
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grant Johnson
Pick an easy tire too, not something super stiff.
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Difficult to pick an easy tyre when you're in the middle of nowhere and you only have the tyre you've just taken off 
I tend to favour Continental TKC80s. Like most knobbly adventure tyres these have a stiff carcass to help prevent punctures and several plies in the sidewall.
But yes, I've seen Morocco tyre fitters get TKC80s off and on with seemingly not much more than a couple of bent teaspoons.
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