VFR1200 - Tire Change writeup

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Lockhart Phillips Front Stand difficult to use, the pin fits nicely in the head tube but the support bar presses against the headlight



I bought a Lockhart Phillips front head stand from a guy at work and it is easy to use but it pushes up on the headlight so I probably wont use it again, it did the job though, you can also lift the front end by using a rear stand and then jacking up the front headers its prefectly ok to do that.
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Front Fender unbolted 6 5mm hex bolts so it can be easily lifted out of the way to remove the front wheel

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Front wheel removed spacers removed from the wheel bearing dust covers

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Axle parts axle - 2 same size spacers - 22 mm axle bolt

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Towel and 2x4 block the block raises the disc brake off the ground to keep from damaging it and the towel protects the finish on the wheel

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Breaking the bead Harbor Freight bead breaker built into the side of the tool

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Harbor Freight Motorcycle attachment with teflon mojo clamps

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Teflon mojo clamp not standard equipment aftermarket bolt on peice for sale w/mojobars

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Unseating the top bead careful not to press the bar down onto the disc brake it can bend

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Unseating the lower bead for final tire removal again be cafeful with the disc brake

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lite spot line up the marker or dot with the heavy spot on the wheel - usually the valve

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Installing the new tire the mojo bar needs lube I used soapy water in a spray bottle

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Static Balancing balance stand purchased on ebay

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inserting the spacers back into the dust cover

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Line up the wheel correctly the abs sensor ring goes on the riders right side see the pickup at the bottom of the fork

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Carefully reinstall the brake calipers do not engage the brake during install - once installed the brakes will need to be pumped before riding of you will have no brakes at first when you try to ride it

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Torque the axle bolt 58 ft/lbs

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Torque the brake caliper bolts 14 mm 33 ft/lbs

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Torque the 4 front pinch bolts 10 mm 16 ft/lbs

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Remove the rear wheel requires you to get the exaust out of the way my Leo Vince had one 5mm bolt and 2 springs and it slips on and off

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Rear wheel removed you can see know why I purchased the rear stand for easy tire changes

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Breaking the bead on the old rear tire I used the higher setting for the rear tire on the bead breaker

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Rear tires are harder to work with then front tires I let this tire warm up in the sun for a long while thats why I always do the front tire beforehand


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Remove the brake calipers two 14 mm bolts hold the calipers on

Miguel, how tall is that pin for the front stand? I wonder if a washer or two would raise the bike enough to keep the headlight clear if the stand?
Just a thought...

KPerham, on 11 May 2011 - 04:34 AM, said:

Miguel, how tall is that pin for the front stand? I wonder if a washer or two would raise the bike enough to keep the headlight clear if the stand?
Just a thought...


Good idea , the stand came with several pins of different sizes and the vfr1200 has an indention that can accept the larger size pin - it has a 1/4 inch indention ring that goes around the head tube and then the head tube hole in the center - I was using the smaller pin and fitting it in the hole, seems the largest pin will fit into that cup and lift it a bit higher, might lift it enough so that its not sitting on the headlight. I will have to try it. I thought about it at first but wasnt sure if that lip indention was too shallow I did not want the pin slipping off.

If the tire is removed from the rim, put the nude rim on the balancing stand. Search the heavyist point in the rim. Mark the spot with a piece of tape. Place the tire bar code at this heavy point. Doing so will result in a minimum use of balancing weight add on the rim.

Hey another option with the stand is to take it to an exhaust shop and have them put a 10 or 15 deg bend in the vertical tubes so it will be well and clear of the bike's head light.

Nice write up!

Dutchgixxer, on 11 May 2011 - 06:53 AM, said:

If the tire is removed from the rim, put the nude rim on the balancing stand. Search the heaviest point in the rim. Mark the spot with a piece of tape. Place the tire bar code at this heavy point. Doing so will result in a minimum use of balancing weight add on the rim.

Mine is the valve it spun right to the valve when I first did this, of course you should remove any weights already attached when doing the Dutchgixxer procedure above. There where no weights on mine so they must have come off during riding I don't know? I remeber I put them on the first time I changed the tire so they must have come off. I did this procedure then when I first changed the OEM Dunlops, this is my third set of tires 9400 miles. I changed the OEM Dunlops at 3400 miles almost twice the mileage for the PR2 over the Roadsmarts! I rode the PR2s much harder too I rode the entire state of Wyoming at nearly 100 mph on the way home from Oregon, all day long on virtually abandoned roads in Wyoming. The wheel finish is a bit slippery so this time I cleaned the wheel and scrubbed with an alcohol wipe before I attached the weights the wheel wasn't so dirty the first time.

The front tire was down to the wear bar and pretty cupped on the sides, the rear wheel was past the wear bars and some of the center grooves were gone it was time for new tires, with a 3500 mile trip coming up next week its a must!!! Rode over to the gas station to fill up and it felt so much different. It always takes a few miles for me to get used to new tires, so I take it easy, that and they are a bit slick at first too.