Rabaconda Tire Changer

Did some more looking and my dollar figures are wrong. No-Mar has a special holder needed for the big bike wheels and spoke wheels like my GS that bumps the cost by $130. So neither seems to have a cost advantage for me, but I still like the idea of doing it myself. Besides, I find I can always sell things like tools for at least half the original cost, so the investment in my mind is not as much as the initial price tag should I lose interest in doing my own work.
 
ST1100Y said:
Dunno, I'd need to take a full day off work, drop the MC off there in the morning, argue about what tires they (don't) have, get a rental to get home, wait for their call some-when in the afternoon, ride the rental back, drop it off, get my receipt sorted, pay a small fortune, complain about scratches on wheels and other parts, pray silently that they've done all properly (incl the Moly issue)...
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I buy and bring my own tires, I can wait or arrange a ride, and I bring my own Loctite for them to use.

If I carry in the wheels, the mount and balance is $37.50 per wheel; if I bring the bike, it's $50 each.

I'm an electrical contractor. I can work for one hour to pay and not have to do the hard work myself.

To me, having it done for $100 is a bargain. I can do (most) electrical work while standing upright.

Got sick of the routine, having your own shed/shop with proper tools is priceless...
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If I had a garage, many things would be very different, and my bike wouldn't live under a Dowco.
 
Since buying the No-Mar right after moving up here

2021-08-18-tirechange.jpg,

(I sold my old No-Mar [one I bought from Mike Brown], to my oldest son)

cycle-hill-motorcycle-tire-changer.jpg Similar to this one.

I've mounted 6 tires on the three ST1300s. It's all I need, but that ratchet looks like would work nicely on the No-Mar! :think1:
 
I have a Rabaconda - the Three Minute Tire Changer they make. It is well made. I got it because the Adventure tires for the Africa Twin have very stiff sidewalls and it was difficult in my old age to mount and dismount them. It works really well and breaks down into a duffle bag. I use it on street tires too.

us.rabaconda.com

Rabaconda Dirt Bike Tire Changer #1 Tire Changer In The World

Are bloody knuckles, stress, and back and knee pain supposed to be part of the tire changing experience? It may seem that way - until you use a Rabaconda. The Rabaconda tire changer makes changing tires in under 3 minutes a reality for professional and home mechanics alike. This is the best tire...
us.rabaconda.com us.rabaconda.com
 
Not available in Canada.
I’m seriously considering acquiring a tire changer, I go through two sets of tires per season. My dealer charges me $50 per tire plus another $10 to balance plus 13% HST.
My front tires last almost twice as long as the rear. I too like a fresh set of tires for my long trips. I have two sets of rims now, and would like to keep one set ready for the long trips and then mount the semi used ones on the other set of rims for local trips. Being able to swap the tires on my own instead of someone local would be a little more cost effective.
 
I have a guy 30 minutes away who does tire change and balance for $20 / wheel carry in (which is what I do), $40 / wheel if you ride in. I have no space for a tire changer + not worth the hassle for me as I do about 2 - 3 sets of tires every 3 years. $40 a set, all in no tax, is a great deal IMHO.
 
Around here the shops want to charge you a premium for the tires (full retail and they won't let you bring your own tires) and then a premium to install them - if you bring in the wheels.
I paid for my Harbor Freight machine with the first tire change (and I have the garage space).
When I looked into the NoMar Pro, I found I could buy an air machine for a couple hundred dollars more and change car tires, lawn mower tires, etc. also.
Nothing like hitting the pedal and letting the machine do the work! :biggrin:
I've even used the air powered bead breaker to break down a very large RV tire so I could replace a leaking stem.
But the Rabaconda does look like a step up from most manual machines I have seen.
I like the idea of the ratchet business if it is sturdy enough to handle really stiff sidewalls.
 
Larry Fine said:
I don't ride enough to even consider changing tires myself. I don't even take wheels off the bike to take them in anymore. It's just not worth the time and effort to me.

Just curious, though, what is the cost range of tire changers? I want to see how many changes at the shop the same money would cover. And that's without my labor.
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I paid 140 for my HF. It paid for itself in two and a half tires. I change tires 2-3 times a year. I can do a set in about 2 hrs. Off and back on the bike.
 
oude geit said:
I paid 140 for my HF. It paid for itself in two and a half tires. I change tires 2-3 times a year. I can do a set in about 2 hrs. Off and back on the bike.
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I change tires once every two or three years. It would take years for me to break even.

I have no garage. Where would such a machine sit the rest of the time?

And that's if I were able to get on the ground and back up to do the work myself.

When I was young, I did my own tires with tubes on the ground with spoons.

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Larry Fine said:
I'm an electrical contractor. I can work for one hour to pay and not have to do the hard work myself.
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I'm in A/C, guess the rates charged & salary are equally... ;)

But it ain't about costs or being affordable, it's about peace of mind, cause I'm checking on a lot more while in there...
head-bearings, forks, wheel-bearings & seals, hub dampers & bushings, drive spline, brake pads & calipers, swing-arm bearings, shock mounts, gear linkage and brake pedal pivot, treating the exhaust clamps with copper-spray, brake and clutch lever, visual inspection for leaks, discoloration or any unusual sounds...
That every MC shop here is under some gag contract, hence simply refuses to order Bridgestone (G547/548) or any BelRay consumables just adds to the dilemma...
The numberless culprits I've encountered on "dealer serviced" motorcycles just enforce OCD and trust issues... (and I'm not referring to an occasional mixed up fairing bolt... ;))
Besides that it ain't hard work for me, the (peacefull, calm) times in the hangar are relaxing and help to decompress...

And I just won't start any long tour (like Scotland or Norway) with half worn tires...
I only keep a used set around in case of a puncture mid/end season...

 
I bought a used NoMar a couple of years back, from a rider that was giving up racing. He changed tires on his race bike every couple of weeks, and he said it worked well for him. It came with the balancer and a large plastic tote, full of extra parts, clamps, lube, and tire weights. I installed 5/8” threaded inserts in the garage floor to bolt it down, so it doesn’t take much space. It’s also handy for mower and ATV tires.

If I had the Rabacobda, I’d have to bolt it down. I didn’t like the idea of having to stand on it to keep it from moving, but that’s just me.

John
 
Larry Fine said:
I'm an electrical contractor. I can work for one hour to pay and not have to do the hard work myself.
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This is the equation I struggle with as well. I can do work around the house or on the bike myself but if I put that time towards actual work-work, at my hourly rate, the economic equation balances out in my favour. But it's not quite that simple, I also have to balance the enjoyment and pride I get in doing something with the fact that letting a pro do it, means it gets done right (generally), quicker, without unsolicited advice and with less expletives. The last two are sometimes connected.....
 
The Rabaconda is interesting, but not about to trade it for my Cycle Hill...... I think I'd devise a way to mount it to a wall perhaps.
 
Nice looking machine , If forty years of mechanics hadn't screwed up my hands I would get one. Any hard work and the hands hurt for three days ,so I have a good relationship with a bike shop and just pay them to install the tires. Yeah one of the reasons I became a mechanic ,it's hard to find a "good and honest one".
 
The TIRX one is intended to be mounted to the wall. I like the concept because of the space saving afforded by its design because I have a very small garage and space is a problem. It works by having the duck arm remain stationary and rotating the wheel and tire. I have to wonder how well that would work with a really stiff walled tire. People who use the No-Mar type complain about how difficult it is to get some tire brand beads over the rim, and they have the advantage of a 4 or 5 foot long lever to do it with. Trying to rotate the rim/tire against the same level of resistance can't be easy.
 
Looked at it but I wouldn't get a TIRX... too many steps and yes stiffy walls would be a problem. The secret to stiffy ones is warming them up and be sure to lube the center well of the wheel as well as the rim.
 
No-Mar is having a BEAT THE COLD sale at the moment.
I didn't check any of the pricing to see if there were any good deals. Just an FYI for tire changing enthusiasts
 
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