03 1800 VTX R

OK guys here is the skinny on mine.

03 1800 VTX R 15 inch rear spoke wheel.
Installed a P205/65R-15 Goodyear Assurance TripleTred with tube. Fits like a glove. No Modifications.

I removed the rear wheel myself and contacted 3 different shops in person with wheel in hand before I found one that would mount the car tire on bike wheel.

The last shop that finally agreed to mount the tire asked me if it was for a motorcycle and I told them I was building a Trike. Guess somehow that made everything OK. OOH they thought that was cool so agreed to do the job.

They had quite a bit of trouble getting the tire to bead. It was close at 110lbs of air but no banana. I have to give them credit, they were determined. Finally as a last resort they took the tire and wheel over to their commercial department. That’s where they mount the big boy toys. (Semi Tires)

They told me in advance that the pressure they would be putting in it could destroy the tire and wheel as well. By now I really didn’t care. Figured if it went up like an atom bomb then I could buy a new non spoke wheel and make it bigger and maybe better.

They took wheel and tire and put it in a tire cage for safety and slammed the air to it. After some rather disturbing thoughts and moments and 149 lbs of pressure the lower bead popped into place. However there was still the top bead. The air kept flowing….
At 191lbs and a whole lot of sweat on my part, POP and the top bead slid right into place.

I paid the people and took my new Darkside tire home. I jacked the bike up as high as my jack would go, rolled the wheel under the fender then let all the air out of the tire so as to make it a little more pliable. I then lowered the jack very slowly down past the tire until the axel hole lined up with the frame hole. Carefully slid the axel in and pulled the wheel onto the spline. Bingo I had it back on.

Only had time to put about 15 miles on it before time to go to work. I’m running 40 lbs in it right now. That is what the tire calls for. Feels a bit squirmy. Will try it tomorrow at 44lbs. going to burn off the mold Sunday and Monday. (About 500 miles) Will get back to you then. I would put a picture of it on the site but don’t know how to do that. If someone can give me those instructions I would like to share. Slikdj

slikdj wrote:


At 191lbs and a whole lot of sweat on my part, POP and the top bead slid right into place.

Slikdj

That's some determination right there!

Take it easy and get used to the slight handling change.... let us know what you think after your "mold release"