The joys of owning a bike.

[stevewharton]

Thought I'd take the front wheel out of FAB this morning, to get a new Bridgestone Battlax fitted and realised five minutes into the job that I'd forgotten what an absolute palaver this job is.
1). Weight the back end down so the front wheel's off the ground.
2). Remove the "R" pin and the spindle nut.
3). Remove the two fork bottom clamps.
4). Remove the four brake caliper retaining bolts so the calipers can be swung out of the way.
5). Remove the brake hose clamps to allow the tyre to squeeze through the gap.
6). Remove the speedo drive from the wheel.
7). Remove the front mudguard bracket bolts from the forks, so the mudguard can be raised enough for the wheel to be rolled out the front.
8). Remove the spindle from the wheel and re-assemble all spacers, washers and nut etc etc, for safe keeping and put all the other parts somewhere safe too.
9). Get the new tyre fitted.
10). Now put the whole lot back together again.
And then I can start all over again on the back wheel.
Or I could take the bike into the Suzuki dealers and let them do it for a tenner a wheel, but where's the fun in that?

[Roger Ackery]

Hi Steve.but would you trust just anybody with the care & Love that you have for FAB
I do the wheel removing with a rope & chain hoist over an RSJ in a mates garage...all nice & safe, two tyres rently fitted to my GT750A

[Alan H]

And according to haynes, the god of mischief, 'rebuilding is the reverse of stripdown'.
Yeh, riiiiiggght!!!!

[stevewharton]

You're right there Roger, how many garage mechanics could you trust in 2019 (all retired) unless they're a classic bike enthusiast? So better to do the job yourself, if only for peace of mind.
Got a good deal on the tyre though, £68 fitted at my local Suzuki dealers and I've seen a new rear 4.00 x 18 Battlax on Ebay for £49.99 with freepost, it'll cost me a tenner to get it fitted so £60 total. Would you trust a tyre off Ebay though?

[Roger Ackery]

Steve, that's the problem, how old are the tyres on EBay
At least at a dealer you can check the tyre s before fitting Dates etc

[lairdofsmoke]

Hi Steve.
Just read your bit about front wheel removal, have you ever considered using an axle jack under the rad crash bumper/bar.
I also took those orcward hose clamps off years ago, retain the hoses with stainless guides now, made from stainless bicycle spokes and attached to the back bolts in the form legs, looks better and saves a lot of time.

[stevewharton]

Hi John, I've got a luggage rack fitted on FAB, so I simply put a heavy toolbox on that and the weight keeps the front wheel off the ground.

Roger, I've asked the Ebay seller to confirm that the 4.00 x18 Battlax tyre has a good shelf life date before I buy it.

[stevewharton]

Got my wheel back this morning from the local Suzuki dealers, with a nice new Bridgestone Battlax fitted. Straight in the garage and hey presto, one hour later, wheel fitted back in the bike and all sorted. The most awkward part was getting the bolts back in that hold the mudguard and the hose clamps in place behind the forks, Mr Suzuki's crafty revenge for WW11 methinks
So £68 fitted for the front tyre, and as for the new rear tyre that I saw on ebay for £49.99, I messaged the dealer and asked what the date of manufacture was and didn't get a reply, so I'm gonna steer clear of that one, "If it seems to good to be true and all that".
Anyway I've been quoted £82 fitted from the Suzuki dealer, so I think that's probably my best bet.

[lairdofsmoke]

Hi Steve.
Noticed you twice put rear tyre size as 4.00/19... don't buy one of those, you,ll never get rid of it.
Unless some old Brit bike owner wants it.

4.00/18 is the right one as you should know by now.
Bad show that old boy after all your years of ownership

[stevewharton]

Well spotted John, I can assure you it was a simple slip of the index finger whilst typing, either that or Specsavers needs a visit. Now corrected.