Saturday project

[old smokey]

Our project this morning was modifying my wife's recently purchased Ninja 250 with lowering links for the rear suspension and spacers to lower the front forks. This picture is before it was lowered.
I also bought some motorcycle tire irons so I can change the tires on my GTR soon (with hopefully no new scratches added to the rims).

[reed]

old smokey
Get your self some nylon rim protectors they are designed to protect the rims from getting scratched by tire levers.
While changing tires etc.you can get them from most motor cycles shops.
Thanks.
Steve.

[Toystoretom]

Something else that I do to ease tire installation is get tire bead lube and "paint" it on the bead before you install the tire. This makes the bead extremely slippery and many times I don't even need tire irons to put a tire on. When the bead lube drys it no longer is slippery and actually acts like a cement holding the tire in place on the rim. You may be able to beg, borrow or steal some of this from a local car tire dealer and you can probably buy a can from most car parts houses like NAPA.

Also, dust the inside of the tire and the tube itself with baby powder before the install, this will help the tube slide around in there when you inflate it. Also, the first time you inflate it only partially inflate the tire and then let the air back out so the tube relaxes in there and moves around to where it should go. This helps to keep the tube from snagging on something and tearing a hole in it.

Your wife's bike probably doesn't use tubes but your GTR does

[old smokey]

I changed the front tire on my little Honda MB5 last week and the problem was the prior tube installation (someone before me) left a kink in it which is where it eventually got a leak.
I didn't use any powders or liquids on the Honda, but I do inflate and deflate the tube a time or two before seating the tire on the rim.
I might check with NAPA for some bead lube before the GTR though.
My nearby Yamaha shop said they would have installed and balanced the tires for free if I had bought them there, but I forgot they sold Avon brand.
Later though I remembered how a co-worker told me how they screwed up the install of a rear tire on a fairly common Suzuki he owned.
They put the tire on for the wrong direction of rotation, and they misadjusted the back brake and when he applied it for the first time leaving their parking lot the back brake locked and it tipped over on him. I think I'll do it myself again after 30 years.

[reed]

Old smokey
If you lower the the Kawasaki 250 you will have to shorten the side stand or kick stand etc.
Thanks.
Steve.

[old smokey]

Steve,
You are definitely right about the side stand needing to be shortened.
I don't want to spend lots of money for an aftermarket one that is adjustable, and it looks aftermarket.
I will probably try to cut, modify and weld the original for starters. If that doesn't work, I can buy about 8 more on ebay for the cost of one adjustable one.