How to Change a Motorcycle Tire

If you're staring at your bike, asking yourself how to change a motorcycle tire, we've all been there. No matter if you have a flat or it's just time to change your motorcycle tire, you can easily remove your old tire, fit your new one, and ride it all in a single afternoon. You could always take it to your dealer or trusted mechanic, but some of us love maintaining our bikes, and if you're here, you probably enjoy it too.

Once you’ve acquired a replacement tire, you can start your motorcycle tire change by removing your rear wheel from your bike. Either jack it up or get it on some stands, just make sure it’s stable and the wheels are off the ground.

You’ve gotten the wheel off the bike, now mix up a 50/50 solution of warm water and dish soap. This is your lube and is your best friend. Spray it on the tire and rim before each step.

Deflate and break the bead on the motorcycle tire. You can accomplish this with a dedicated motorcycle tire bead breaker, tire irons, or by pushing down on the sidewall of the tire with your heel. Grunting during this step is optional, but recommended.

If you have motorcycle tire changing tools, then continue with this step. If you’re using zip ties, scroll down. Use your tire irons to lever one side of the tire up over the rim. Once you have one side of the tire done, flip the rim and lever the other side over. The tire should pull free from the rim at this point.

If you’re having trouble, or the tire doesn’t want to break free, stand the wheel vertically and put your knee on the tire, right behind where you inserted the tire iron and push. This extra force should help to push the sidewall over the lip of the rim.

Spray your lube and make sure to check the rotation marker on the tire and the rotation orientation on the rim. We don’t want you to have to do the same job twice. Push the first sidewall over the lip of the rim and grab your tire irons.

Take small “bites” and lever the second sidewall over the rim. You won’t get it all in one shot. Work slow and smart here. Also, plenty of lube helps, so keep spraying after every two “bites” taken. Finally, line the balance dot up with the valve stem on the rim, this will help when you balance your wheel.

Set your bead by inflating your tire, either at a gas station, using an air compressor, or one of those emergency tire inflators that connects to your car’s power. Warning: When your bead sets, it is loud and can pinch any stray objects near it. Do not have any loose wrenches, fingers, or toes near your rim. Don’t be the person who learns that lesson the hard way.

Next, check for leaks on your bead. Spray your water/detergent mixture along the edge of the rim and tire and watch for bubbles. If you see none, inflate or deflate your tire to the correct psi and install your wheel back on your bike.

You’re not changing your tire at a shop, so you are responsible for recycling your tire. Don’t throw it in your dumpster; go to your nearest recycling center and dispose of your tire properly.

If you don’t have a set of tire irons, you could always change your motorcycle tire with zip ties.

Another way to remove and install your motorcycle tire is to use zip ties instead of tire spoons. This method requires more muscle and a pack of heavy-duty zip ties more than 20 inches in length.

Once you’ve broken the bead, snake a zip tie between the bottom lip of the sidewall and the inside of the rim. Cinch the zip tie and push the two sidewalls closer together by standing on either side of the zip tie. Cinch it again until both sides of the sidewall are touching.

Working in a star pattern, do this until you are able to push the tire over the lip of the rim. You can either cut the zip ties off, or loosen them and reuse them for the tire install.

Motorcycle tire installation with zip ties works exactly the same. Feed a zip tie over the tire, tighten it, pinch the sidewalls together, and tighten again. Work in a star pattern and then heavily lube your rim and inside of your new tire. Push the tire over the rim and then cut or loosen the zip ties.

Set your bead, check for leaks, inflate or deflate to proper psi, and then install your wheel. You're ready to ride.

If you’re changing a motorcycle tire at home, we’ve compiled a list of tools that should help you complete the job:

If this is your first time changing your own motorcycle tire, it might seem like a hard task. It requires more muscle and finesse than brain power. If you’re worried about scratching your rims, make sure to place down cardboard or towels on your work surface. If you do scratch your rim, you haven’t damaged your bike, you’ve only added character to it.

Changing your own motorcycle tires is a skill that any at-home garage mechanic can pick up and complete with ease. The next step is balancing your motorcycle tires.