BOOM! $97 up in smoke

Sad day, decided to go darkside from the many good posts on here. Bought a General Altimax RT 205/70R15 and just got it in the mail today. Got it mounted, and tried to seat the bead, wouldnt seat with 120 lbs of air, so I deflated, recoated the beads with lots of dish detergent and tried again. Pop, one bead seated, and I was watching the other creep up to seat and BOOM!, the bead broke (125 psi), and the sidewall ripped clear from the bead to the tread. Beadwire is really strong stuff in my experience, cant believe that happened, but it really discouraged me from wanting to try this again. It was a beautiful tire too, damn-it!

99 VT1100C Spirit
General Altimax 205/70R15
Set tire in sun for 3 hours on black car hood to soften prior to mounting.

So sorry it turned out bad for you.

Sorry to hear of such a sad experience! I put the Altimax HP on my 94 VT1100C over 27,000 miles ago and have nothing but praise for it. It is 205 65 15 rather than the 70 you used, but from what I've read here the 70 should seat the bead even quicker than my 65. My tire seated at about 90 PSI. and I was thinking of going with the 70 when I need a new one.

Ron Bratcher

I'd sure like to see some more riders try tire shine on the beads. It worked great for me, but it could be the tires and rims- I'm
beading around 30 lbs. with the 175/75-80/16's.

I was refunded by the tire company for the blown tire (I am as amazed as you). I guess I will try this again. I purchased a 1992 Shadow rear rim and plan on putting a Falken 205/70R15 on it. This way if I have trouble mounting the tire I dont have to have the bike up on the lift (tree with straps) awaiting the new tire. I can have it mounted and quickly switch them out if it fits. I will let you guys know how it goes. Got a trip planned to the Ozarks later this month and a 2600 miler to CO next month. Heck my factory bike tire will be half gone by fall at the rate I am going.

Take a Scotch Brite pad to the inside lip of your rim first and make it shine. Use plenty of lube. You shouldn't need anywhere over 100 psi to make it seat.
 

I sanded my wheel with a scotchbrite pad and then polished it with car polish. It took a little over 60 lbs. to seat. The tire is a Nexen 165/80-15.

Bought a new rim for the Shadow so that I could give the car tire another go without having the bike out of commission while I struggle with the tire bead again. Got a Falken Sincera 205/70R15 and tried again to mount a CT on the Shadow VT1100 Spirit rim. No matter what I did or how much pressure I used the damn beads would not seat. I actually resorted to using Moly Grease on the tough spots this time and still no dice. The tire was in the sun and was so warm it was uncomfortable to handle. I am guessing that the ridges on the inside of the Spirit rim is the cause of all the trouble with the beads, it is over an 1/8 inch high and both sides would make it over 1/4 inch of extra diameter that the tire had to clear to bead up. I am going to put the tire on my truck and say the heck with it. If I ever wear out the shadow (not likely with the way I care for it), I may give this another go until then I am stuck with changing rear tires every season. Wish it would have worked out.

Oh and I did the scotchbrite polish until it was as shiny as it would get. Didnt seem to help at all.

Wow! I know I'm late to the party here, but this is the first instance of this I've heard. Sorry for your bad luck.

I'm on my 3rd tire now, and mine have always taken near 100 PSI to seat. I scotch brite the rim, and use pledge spray on the tire body and rim. I inflate it as high as my pancake compressor will go (100-110 PSI). I then take the tire that is not seated, and lay it out in the sun. (it just happened that I've always replaced the tire in summer). I put it on the hood of my old beater farm truck and just left for the day. When I came back in the afternoon, tire was seated.

Also ... there are some tires that just won't seat. I think Steve-O had trouble getting a Falkon to seat. Either way, sorry it didn't work for you.

One other note: you can also find a friend with a cheater-seater. This is a big tank of air, with a valve on it. When that valve is turned, it hits your tire with 125 PSI all at once instead of incrementally accumulating it.

Take your spare wheel to a machine shop and have them turn the wheel(cast wheels only) down 1/16" to 1/8" so the tire will seat with normal air pressure. Have done this to three wheels so far.

ROD

Had no problems with the 16" rim of my Concours, car tire seated with 50 or so pounds.
However, the 15" rim on my Kaw 900C was a big problem. Finally measured rim, was 15", and also measured 15" car and bike tires. All the 15" car tires I measured were 14 15/16" inside measurement, while all bike tires I measured were 15 1/16", a 1/8" difference with all car tires having a inside diameter less than the rim. I could not get the tire to seat with 100 PSI and would not go higher since I do not have a safety cage.

Polished the rim and used all different fluids to help set, did not work. Final solution was to grind off 1/16" rubber from all around inside edge of tire. This allowed the tire to seat with no issues and at a low pressure. Since that time, 2 years and 15,000 miles (It's my second bike), there is no air leak and if you know how well the 900C corners, there is no issues with scrapping pegs all day long.