If you’re anything like us, you get through motorcycle tyres like some people go through cartons of milk – fast and occasionally leaving it slightly too long before picking up a replacement.
It’s a job that most people will let the professionals sort out – but if you’ve got the space and the inclination, changing your motorcycle tyres is a piece of cake, as long as you’ve got the right equipment.
Once your bike’s up in the air – either on the centre stand or raised on a paddock stand – it’s just a matter of whipping off the wheel and then getting to work with a bead breaker or tyre lever to remove the old tyre, ahead of slipping on your shiny new one.
Read on for our top picks for tools to jimmy off your old tyre in a flash.
Sealey TC965 Motorcycle and Mini Tyre Changer
Professional level kit
The Sealey has everything you need to quickly and efficiently change out all sorts of tyres with minimal fuss.
Bike It Deluxe Tyre Lever
Simple, strong, cheap
If you’re happy working on the floor – nature’s workbench – the Bike It Tyre Lever can’t be beaten. This will prise your tyres off, and not much else, for a few quid.
Top Motorcycle Tyre Changers Reviewed
These are our top six tyre changers to suit every rider.
Sealey TC965 Motorcycle Tyre Changer
A manual type tyre changer that works on bearing or hub-centred wheels and comes with two centre posts, plus its own bead breaker and tyre bar.
Pros
Has everything you need- Fits into a relatively small space
- Works out at around the same price as paying someone to change two tyres
Has everything you needCons
- Relatively expensive
- Needs secure bolting to the floor before it will work properly
- Tyre bars have a soft feel as if they won’t take much pressure
Relatively expensiveBike It Deluxe Tyre Lever
These tyre levers have a hook-shaped head, perfect for prising off tyres – as long as you don’t need a bead breaker.
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Pros
- Cheap and cheerful
- Forged steel can take a tremendous amount of force
Cons
- Might not be able to do everything you need – big rear motorbike tyres will be a struggle
- Can leave rims scratched unless you have protectors
Rabaconda Motorcycle Tyre Changer
Another complete set with all you need to change yours – and every bike-riding mate you have’s – tyres. The brand even claims to have set the world speed record of 44 seconds for changing a tyre with it.
Pros
- It’s got all you need for professional-level work
- Can be dissembled and bagged for easy transport
- Has a really comfortable height setting
Cons
- Incredibly expensive
- Garish paint job might not be to everyone’s taste
Bike It Tyre Crush / Bead Breaker Tool
If you’ve got a tyre lever but nothing to unsnap a tyre from around a rim, you’ll need a specialised bead breaker. This one has super-long handles, giving excellent leverage.
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Pros
- Easy to use no matter your size or strength
- Fits any size wheel/tyre combo
Cons
- You might not always need it
- Quite expensive for what it is
Rim Protectors
Not something that will help change your tyre, but it will protect your rims when you’re using levers or bead breakers – it’s well worth having a few of these around your garage.
Pros
- For the price, you’d be mad not to have some around
- Replacing these is much cheaper than replacing entire wheels
Cons
- Durable, but don’t last forever
What kind of motorcycle tyre changers can you get?
Getting a motorcycle tyre off a rim needs one thing – pressure applied and forced outwards.
However, it’s not that simple – fortunately, motorcycle tyres have a lot of safeguards in place to keep them attached to the rim unless very specific forces are applied.
The inner diameter of the tire that connects with a wheel is called the bead, which is often made of a thicker rubber or braided steel reinforcement.
This creates a tight air seal between the tyre and the rim, which can also become ‘frozen’ to the rim in the event of rust or corrosion. In this instance, you’ll have to use a hell of a lot of elbow grease or a bead breaker.
Usually, what you’ll buy to remove motorcycle tyres is a straightforward set of tyre levers or a more complicated set-up that includes clamps, bead breakers and levers.
How much do they cost?
This is one of those bits of motorcycle kit where the price can vary wildly.
If you’re looking for a metal bar with a narrow end, you could probably fashion one for yourself or buy it cheaply.
However, if you want a bit of kit to hold the tyre in place at a convenient height and without the risk of damaging your rim, you could easily spend a lot of money on professional-level equipment.
More on motorcycle maintenance