I didn't want to invest in a tire changer but did spring for a bead breaker. Wanted to see if I could salvage the Dyna Beads in it. The breaker worked fine but couldn't get to the beads. I went down to a shop that I used on the rear wheel of the 1200, kid remembered me. Told him I'd like to reclaim the beads so he was cautious when removing the old rubber and sure enough, there they were all pooled in side the old carcass. He had dropped what he was doing to do the job for me, removing the old tire and mounting the new. Before I went in to pay his boss the $20, I slipped the kid a $2 bill I had rec'd. as change a couple days ago. He grinned from ear to ear. When I paid his boss, I asked about mounting a car tire....not a problem, just bring it in when you're ready. Nice to know.
Went home, retrieved the beads from the old tire and weighed up 2 ounces in an old diet scale Rita has. Put them in the applicator bottle, slipped a piece of clear tube over the valve stem, laid the tire back about 45 degrees with the stem at the bottom. Commenced pouring while tapping the bottle, I use about 15" of tubing, works better than the short piece that comes with the kit. Got that all done, put in the valve core and aired it up to 40PSI.
Now for the bearings....what a PITA. Neither would move so I went inside for supper and some growling. After eating, went back out and remembered and old SS roller that was used on an old Xerox machine. I worked for them in the 60's in Chicago and overhauled about a dozen machines, mostly microfiche, out at the Argonne Nat'l. Labs southwest of the city. The roller just fits in the bearing opening, and one end has a reduced diameter that worked real good as a guide. I was able to catch a bit of the backside of one bearing with the roller(about 15" long) and 3-4 good licks with a hammer and out it came. Removed the center spacer and next comes an old bridge bolt/pin for a driver, has one end beveled on my grinder. Three good licks and out comes the second bearing. Tomorrow I dress the bearing housing and seat area then in goes the new. Next will be cleaning the rotors and mounting them, then mounting the wheel. Front wheel doesn't get a good cleaning until the tire needs replacing, back wheel gets it about every 10-12k when I service it.
I've had the Honda bearing removal tool for a number of years and have yet to have it work for me. I even knurled the surface that grabs the bearing, thinking it would help. Worthless, they need to design something that you insert from the inside that will spread and push it out rather than try to pull it out the way it's designed. Last time I tried a bearing puller with an impact slider, I just broke off the hooked ends, glad it was only a rental.
While the bike is on the centerstand, I'm tempted to pull the tank and airbox. I want to replace the inline fuel filter and all the small hoses used on my cruise control. Then if I'm really ambitious, pull the rear end and service it, along with a new c/t. That all should make the old girl good for a few more miles.
