Mefos were a mofo to put on the KLR last night

[sagerat]

My Anakees were getting close to the wear bars after 11,000 miles, so decided it was time to put on the Mefo Explorers I had bought last year.  (Long story, don't ask.)

Royce, my KLR riding buddy and all-around good guy and wrencher, moseyed over to help and of course he ended up being lead and I was assistant.  The back tire took like three hours to get on and yes we were using tire lube.  Luckily, we had pinched a tube so we got to break the bead and pull out the now flat tube and do it all over again.  

At one point we had Royce, me, Ural Ballast Babe, and RC (stepson) along with every Motion Pro tire iron within (4!) working in tandem.  Gawd, I hope I never have a flat as this tire would be quite the challenge in the field.  

The front was a snap.

With Dad's impending ankle surgery I can only get away for a short ride, so no saddletime reports, yet.

[1moreroad]

My buddy put Mefos on his Sherpa and, according to him, he could just about break the bead with the back of his hand.

When we installed Distanzias on my WR (17" wheels) it took my weight + weight of a full 4' tool chest to break the bead on the original BT-090s.

Why the difference in effort?

[sagerat]

Your buddy is Chuck Norris?  

[R.Markus]

My buddy put Mefos on his Sherpa and, according to him, he could just about break the bead with the back of his hand.

Why the difference in effort?

Probably rim width.

[1moreroad]

Probably rim width.

Narrower rim = easier?

[R.Markus]

Narrower rim = easier?

A narrower rim should be harder.

The other difference might be the person doing it. It still takes me about 30-45 minutes to take a tire off and put on a new one...sometimes longer depending on how stiff the sidewall is. I know guys that can do it in five minutes.

[sagerat]

Took a 20-mile spin after work to scrub tires in and get a feel for them.  Spongy, but comfy on street, riding on sides still feels odd, back stepped out twice due to new tires.

BIG NEWS THOUGH:  Go to ride the KLR to work this morn and my rear tire is as flat as Kansas.  

[R.Markus]

BIG NEWS THOUGH:  Go to ride the KLR to work this morn and my rear tire is as flat as Kansas.  

More tire changing practice!    

[stainlesscycle1]

i can change just about any tire in about 5 minutes or less.  i've changed literally hundreds in the last year or so.. it's all about practice...  - i've watched the videos of the guys doing them trail side in under 2 minutes..that's amazing..  the biggest hassle for me is usually refitting the wheel back in bike - the spacers always flop around..

[kurtw]

More tire changing practice!    

Yep. Call the neighbors over for some more help  

FWIW, Motoshop on 3rd down past Fred Meyers will change it on their machine (or in this case change, change the tube) for cheap if you bring the the wheel in. They usually stock HD tubes also. I can't recommend those guys highly enough if you don't know about them.

[stainlesscycle1]

do yourself a favor and buy the bridgestone Ultra HD Tube - weighs like 4 lbs, but you will never get a flat.  i run less than 10 lbs at times and still no flats...

[sagerat]

I'm stubborn enough that I want to do it myself, rather than take it to a shop.

I do reserve the right to backtrack on that aspiration, though.  

[sagerat]

Got the rear one back on Thurs. night and blitzed some favorite area twisties today.

WOW.  The Mefos rock on the pavement, once I got used to the slight squirming of the knobs.  Tomorrow we're off to ride USFS #370 between Todd Lake and Sisters, which can e quite the challenge.

[marc11]

Three words, Heavy Duty Tubes....no more pinched tubes during rubber swaps.

[sagerat]

Ahem, not true.    

Managed to pinch the first one, which was a heavy duty tube.  Hey, we all have our talents...  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

I was always happy with the Mefos and yes, they are a bitch to get on! They're also a bitch to get in stock - enjoy 'em while you have 'em!

[sagerat]

DD!  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

DD!  

Peter!!!  

[KenH]

A couple years ago I attended a rally in the Hill Country with about 125. Ride-On was one of the sponsors and provided free product to anyone who wanted some. About half the bikes took on Ride-On. After 2 days of dualsport riding there was a big dinner. The Ride-On rep did a sales pitch:

"How many of you had flats?" 6 hands went up.
"How many of you had Ride-On?" 6 hands went down.
One hand came back up. "I had a flat before putting Ride-On in. I plugged the hole, but that just slowed the leak enough I could get back to town. I put Ride-On in and the leak has stopped."

I haven't had a flat since I started using Ride-On. I pulled a roofing nail and a wood screw out of the tubeless Nighthawk tires. *pffft* and silence both times. I pulled a piece of wire out of the tube TW rear tire. *pfft* and silence. I've put several thousand miles on that tire since.  

http://www.ride-on.com/