As it turns out, replacing motorcycle tires is a very physical activity. It took me quite a few hours to get it right. I learned a few things:
- Don’t be too gentle with the tire irons
- Be generous with the tire lubricant
Trying to get the tire over the rims was by far the most difficult part. And getting a tube stuck requiring me to get them off and on an extra time added to the difficulty. Applying copious amounts of lubricant to the tire made this easier the last time around.
I also managed to install the chain tension spacer upside down, which wasn’t a problem as far as I could tell, beyond the notch that is apparently used to get the two sides equidistant from the frame being unusable. It bothered me enough and since I had just got the wheel back on, I took it off and righted the thing.
Given that this is an activity every 5-6 thousand miles, I’m glad to learn it.