No-Mar alternative

[Crash Cash]

Take it to a cycle shop, it's easier

Heck no, it isn't! It's a pain in the butt to pile the wheels & tires on the back of one of the bikes, drag it down to the dealership, wait a couple hours for it to be done, show the guy where he put it on the rim backwards, wait another hour for him to redo it (why so long?), then put it all on the back again and drag it back home. Then rebalance the tires because they appear to have just randomly stuck weights on and it drops like a rock when you put it on the balancer.

Now that I actually know what I'm doing, it's a lot easier to just pop the tire off, pop a new one on, balance it, and slap it back on the bike. DONE.

EDIT: oh yeah, and dig the great dane out from under the bed where he went after the beads set. BANG!

 

[Scab]

I am with you. I do not see the cost benefit when you figure in the cost of tools and your time.

For some of us, it is more necessity than anything else. My cost for the changer was nil, since it was a gift from another member. The upgrades to the equipment are less than $150. Also, in my area, there is only one dealership willing to mount/balance tires. If I remove the wheels, and bring them a tire that I purchased, they charge $80 to mount two tires. Not to mention that you are not considered a priority at all at this place. Now, we're talking a lot of expensive, non-productive personal time.

I am about to mount the third set of tires in just this year alone. That would have cost me $240. I only invested $150 to be able to do it myself, on MY schedule. For me, this works much better and is clearly a cost benefit.

Besides, I kinda enjoy it.

 

[JimLor]

That's why I got the HF and Marc P. Around here it cost $60/wheel, yup, per wheel for mount/balance. Giving it my first shot this week.

 

[CHRIS_D]

I am with you. I do not see the cost benefit when you figure in the cost of tools and your time.

For some of us, it is more necessity than anything else. My cost for the changer was nil, since it was a gift from another member. The upgrades to the equipment are less than $150. Also, in my area, there is only one dealership willing to mount/balance tires. If I remove the wheels, and bring them a tire that I purchased, they charge $80 to mount two tires. Not to mention that you are not considered a priority at all at this place. Now, we're talking a lot of expensive, non-productive personal time.

I am about to mount the third set of tires in just this year alone. That would have cost me $240. I only invested $150 to be able to do it myself, on MY schedule. For me, this works much better and is clearly a cost benefit.

Besides, I kinda enjoy it.

Boy you made out on that changer!!! :clapping: Well my No-Mar was ahhhh cost about 7 times more than yours :dribble: :dribble: However the dealers do charge $80 bucks to mount and balance two tires just on the rims. Plus I'm sick of their lousy work plus needing to do it around their store hours.

However the best thing about now owning a tire changer is that it will entitle me to FREE BEER :w00t: Anyone who wants their tires change must bring me a 12-pack per tire.

 

[airboss]

However the best thing about now owning a tire changer is that it will entitle me to FREE BEER :w00t: Anyone who wants their tires change must bring me a 12-pack per tire.

Now that the price has been established, I need to start advertising! :lol:

 

[Powerman]

I took out my buddies CBR1000 for a spirited test ride.

Nice power, puckered a few times, but it had a pretty bad imbalance.

100 miles on new dealer installed tires?

Took them off and balanced them with the MP balancer, way off.

Now smooth to 140 mph.

 

[Scab]

Oh, what a huge mistake I made in my calculations!!!!

I forgot to calculate the MP balancer. I purchased it here from another member for I think...$70 or $90. I can't remember for sure. Either way, I'm already at the break-even point just this year. Not even counting the tires changed for friends in exchange for a free lunch.

 

[CODan]

Well, I decided to take the easy route and just have the dealer do it. Yeah, I know it will cost me a lot more but right now life is just too busy and I'm too lazy.

When I was a kid I did street tires outside my apt using screwdrivers for levers, but I'm just not that motivated these days. I hate getting old.

 

[Danno]

but do you really need to do every little maintenance item on your bike???

Uh, yes.

And, we'll be needing your "man-card" back.

My wife's got it.....ask her for it. In the mean time, I'll be enjoying my bike, not "wrenching" on it.

I am not real confident with some of the work I have seen done at some dealers. I am interested in the dealer you use to do your work.

Thanks

Danno

 

[escapefjrtist]

I've got the HF changer, which didn't hold the best in the world, but I've recently added "MoJo" blocks for contact with the wheel. I will be trying those out for the first time this weekend. Remind me, and I'll tell you how that goes. If they function well, this will be another affordable option.Also, I have added a "MoJo" bar for mount/dismount. I'll also report on that.

I added the mojo blocks to my HF changer right off the bat. The work *ok* but on really stiff tires the rim will spin in the blocks. I've added a small piece of rubber on one block to minimize this problem. On the flip side...there is no risk of marring the rims with the blocks.

Take a look at the mojo lever instructions for usage. If used correctly, it is slick and makes the dismount and mount almost painless.

Good Luck Scab.

--G

 

[C&C]

I just purchased a Mojostand (includes the mojo lever/bar). Haven't used it yet, though I have a pair or PR2's in the garage waiting for my PR's to finally give up the ghost. Quality pieces for sure; hope the tire changing goes well but probably won't be changing tires for a couple weeks or so.

 

[Greb]

I just purchased a Mojostand (includes the mojo lever/bar). Haven't used it yet, though I have a pair or PR2's in the garage waiting for my PR's to finally give up the ghost. Quality pieces for sure; hope the tire changing goes well but probably won't be changing tires for a couple weeks or so.

Does he still sell the stand? his home page only advertises the blocks for the HF unit and his Mojo Lever. No stand

Mojo site

 

[C&C]

I just purchased a Mojostand (includes the mojo lever/bar). Haven't used it yet, though I have a pair or PR2's in the garage waiting for my PR's to finally give up the ghost. Quality pieces for sure; hope the tire changing goes well but probably won't be changing tires for a couple weeks or so.

Does he still sell the stand? his home page only advertises the blocks for the HF unit and his Mojo Lever. No stand

Mojo site

When I visited the site, it said there were limited quantities still available. I e-mailed Mitch and he said he still had some (of the last twenty that were built). I got mine about two weeks ago, so maybe yes, maybe no; drop him an e-mail (address is somewhere on the site). I got very prompt responses to my questions and concerns.

 

[ZOOOMM]

Our No-Mar paid for itself the first season. Couldn't be more pleased.

 

[Greb]

I just purchased a Mojostand (includes the mojo lever/bar). Haven't used it yet, though I have a pair or PR2's in the garage waiting for my PR's to finally give up the ghost. Quality pieces for sure; hope the tire changing goes well but probably won't be changing tires for a couple weeks or so.

Does he still sell the stand? his home page only advertises the blocks for the HF unit and his Mojo Lever. No stand

Mojo site

When I visited the site, it said there were limited quantities still available. I e-mailed Mitch and he said he still had some (of the last twenty that were built). I got mine about two weeks ago, so maybe yes, maybe no; drop him an e-mail (address is somewhere on the site). I got very prompt responses to my questions and concerns.

Thanks for the info

 

[TCMike]

Well, I decided to take the easy route and just have the dealer do it. Yeah, I know it will cost me a lot more but right now life is just too busy and I'm too lazy.
When I was a kid I did street tires outside my apt using screwdrivers for levers, but I'm just not that motivated these days. I hate getting old.

Some enjoy the do-it yourself approach, and some don't. Don't consider it laziness, I would just as well let some one else do it so there is one less project off "the list". I've got a wife, 2 young kids, so justifying taking the bike in for some of my maintenance items is easy. Now if I burned through 3 sets of tires a year it might be a different story.

 

[FJrider1]

Used the No-Mar tonight for a set of PR2's. Took us an hour and a half, most of the time was spent balancing the wheels.

Great machine plus we reset the rear tire 3x's to get to a balance point. You think your dealer would do that?

Three chipped in for it and it's paid for itself already, just leave a tip bucket for the line of bikes waiting for tires...

 

[motorcycle-ed]

Lots of folks approach tire changing in other ways. You can slip disposable rubber gloves over a Harbor Freight changer's locking arms and use three curved spoons. Excluding a No-Mar, it comes down to how to hold the wheel firmly while you use the tool/tools of your choice.
Even No-Mar shows how to use spoons and wooden blocks on GW wheels.

It probably comes down to how many miles you ride in a year, as to how much money you can justify on a tire changer.

I saw the No Mar at Daytona last Bike Week and it was a great tool, but way more than I would spend on it. I have a Harbor freight one, which I have modified a bit and bascially (like HaulinAshe) use it to hold the wheel while using tire irons. I will say this, however, those tire irons that No Mar sells are worth getting. they don't come with the machine anyway, so they are still "extra". Jeff's idea about using a rubber glove over each of the wheel locks is a good idea I had not thought of...thanks Jeff.

Ed

 

[HaulinAshe]

I must repeatedly do a poor job of expressing my opinions on this forum without coming off as condescending or critical. Must be my lovable nature.

IMHO, the No-Mar is a great piece of equipment and design. If I had the space to set one up and leave it there without cursing it every time I wham my elbow into it, I'd own one.

If I could afford a semi-automatic changer AND had space, I'd own one of those instead.

I was really just trying to "help a brother out" by pointing out that there are other alternatives if space and money are not available for the No-Mar. I thought that's what this thread intended to ask.

Now if I burned through 3 sets of tires a year it might be a different story.

I average seven, Yes-7! sets per year.

But the guy down the road mounts mine for $10 each (therefore I don't mind the occasional scratch). My changer sits idle most of the time unless he's closed and I have to use it.

 

[Crash Cash]

IMHO, the No-Mar is a great piece of equipment and design. If I had the space to set one up and leave it there without cursing it every time I wham my elbow into it, I'd own one.

Well, I have a 1-car garage with 2 bikes in it, plus toolbox, workbench, bike lift, shelving, etc. I drilled 8 holes (2 places) and capped them with little plastic caps. My No-Mar is disassembled into the center post, the Y, and the side post which unfolds and clips on the pegboard. No need to have something set up that I might need maybe once a month or so. It takes about 12 minutes to assemble and bolt down.