Tire Question

[Fatherof2]

Hi Gang,

I have a question about the stock tires on my KDX.

I have the Dunlop Sports K695 on the back and the K490 on the front. These tires now have 450 miles on them. They are not cracked or dry rotted in any way. The rear is showing some signs of wear, but there is still plenty of beef on the tire. The front is in even better shape.

Anyway, a friend of mine gave me a brand new set of Pirelli MT16's. They are sitting in my basement.

I have been keeping an eye on Craigslist for a tire changer, and was able to score this for 50 bucks! (Came with tire irons and everything!)



So my question is, should I put the new tires on now? Will I have much better grip and traction vs the stock tires? I ride in New England, and am a novice rider.

Thanks for any input,

David

[frankenschwinn]

Yes change immediately...

[Julien D]

Agreed, change them out. The MT16 is a good tire.

Nice tire stand, btw!

[scheckaet]

the front tire is a POS, you'll see what we mean once you change it
Nice score on the tire changer

[Fatherof2]

Any idea if the MT-16's are directional?

I cant seem to find any markings that would indicate that they are.

[rbates9]

The stock is a pos and should be removed as soon as possible. The others will either be marked or it won't really matter.

[KarlP]

Nice tire changing rig! It sure beats a 5 gallon bucket.

I'd change them both now. The stock tires are pretty awful.

Do a search on tires on here, there is lots of good information.

You did not ask, but-
I like the super heavy tubes from Moose
I use a little RTV around the valve stem and the rimlock bolt to keep gritty water out from between the tube and tire.
Put a drop of penetrating oil in each spoke nipple from the tube side. let soak an hour and wipe up excess. Your spokes will thank you two years down the road.
Ditch the rubber rim liner for a narrow strip of duct tape.
Don't be afraid to try different tire pressures. I've been running 8.5 rear, 9 front for years with no problem.

New tires are like a new pair of sneakers!

[Fatherof2]

Thanks for the input everyone!

I mounted the rear tire last nite. It took me much longer than expected due to the fact that it was my first time. I think the front will go much more quickly. (Famous last words!)

I had the new tire on when I realized that the rim lock was not inside the tire. Woops! Start over!

The biggest help is the giant bar that comes with the changer. It made all the difference for me. That said, I am still going to get a bead buddy for my next attempt.

Karl, I did go with heavy duty tubes, but I did not oil the spokes. That sounds like a good tip. Wish I had known that beforehand. I will do it to the front rim.

Lastly, what is RTV?

Thanks again everyone,

David

[scheckaet]

RTV : silicone

[Fatherof2]

RTV : silicone

Thank you.

[Brian]

RTV stands for Room Temperature Vulcanizing. It's a silicone based adhesive.

[220ripper]

My friend has the bead buddy , we used it on my last tire change but it didnt work any better than a pair of locking needle nose pliers with electrical tape over the teeth...

[frankenschwinn]

My friend has the bead buddy , we used it on my last tire change but it didnt work any better than a pair of locking needle nose pliers with electrical tape over the teeth...

I love the bead buddy.