Switching between street tires and knobbies

[Afan]

I was thinking to buy additional set of rims and put knobbies on. And then, if I decide to make a trip with some off-road riding, simply swap rims instead tires. Looks much faster and easier to me. And I don't have tire changer.
I use my NC for daily commuting, 120 miles a day. So, keeping the knobbies on the bike and commuting - I would loose them in a couple months...

Anybody is doing this?

 

[SleepyC]

Lots of super Motard guys do that quite a bit and a ton of BMW guys with tons of cash do it. The thing to do would be to find salvage wheels, maybe with a few scratches and save loot. Offroad is not kind to rims so no need for brand new ones!
If you have the cash no reason not to have 2 sets of shoes!

 

[Red NC]

In order to make the wheels/tires truly easy to swap, you would need a tire, wheel, disc, collar, etc. The front wheel assembly alone is nearly $500, then add $300 ish for the front disc. The rear is a bit less. By the time you add tires, you'd put about $2000 into this setup.

 

[670cc]

In order to make the wheels/tires truly easy to swap, you would need a tire, wheel, disc, collar, etc. The front wheel assembly alone is nearly $500, then add $300 ish for the front disc. The rear is a bit less. By the time you add tires, you'd put about $2000 into this setup.

At that price you'd be better off to buy a second NC700X.

Which is what I did.

 

[Red NC]

At that price you'd be better off to buy a second NC700X.

Which is what I did.

Or maybe a fun little CB500X

 

[DirtFlier]

As previous posters have commented, it's a bit more involved then having a set of "winter tires" for your car mounted on inexpensive steel wheels.

 

[showkey]

As previous posters have commented, it's a bit more involved then having a set of "winter tires" for your car mounted on inexpensive steel wheels.

And even that's not as easy as the good old days with TPMS ...............

 

[Deleted member 5383]

Rather than making extra expense and setting yourself up for a pain in the keister swapping wheel sets all the time, just --

Use a good hybrid like the 50/50 Mitas E-07 on back and say a Conti TKC80 if you think you'll see a fair amount of off-road. If mainly just running composite gravel/hardpack when not on pavement, the Avon TrailRider is a good choice (I'd call it a 80/20) -- and it's superb on pavement wet or dry. On the basis of that tire I might try the Avon TrekRider as a potential substitute for the long-lasting Mitas E-07.

 

[Red NC]

This would make a nice "second" NC.
https://www.nc700-forum.com/forum/sell-your-bike-car-truck/13309-2014-honda-nc700x-only-777-miles-extras-$4600.html#post190020

 

[Hank]

Do you ride to the dirt? If not, a dedicated lightweight dirt bike like a Honda 250 might be more fun.

I live in the country and have considered one of these as a "just tear it up" bike. $400.

Monster Moto Classic Mini Bike 80cc Black - For Life Out Here

 

[Nofear2trek]

I was thinking to buy additional set of rims and put knobbies on.

Anybody is doing this?

I went through this dilemma last year and finally just decided to do it.

I ordered a new rear wheel complete from procaliber.com and took it and my moto-mule trailer back to Mike at Moto-Mule.com to have him make a swingarm on the trailer to fit my complete rear wheel. Now I keep knobbies on my front wheel and on the moto-mule duplicate rear wheel, and I put a Shinko 705 on the NC's rear drive wheel as my street configuration.



Whenever I wish to change to the off road configuration, the NC' goes up on its center stand and the moto-mule up on its rear stand. I then just pull the axles and swap the rear and trailer wheel. Both wheels keep the same size sprockets so it's an easy peasy 15 minutes to swap em.

It also provides me an emergency spare tire in case my rear tire goes flat at a bad time to fix it.

Yes, a new rear wheel is expensive, $900ish, but the convenience it provides me is priceless.

Ray

 

[670cc]

The rear wheel swap would be WAY, WAY easier if this was a single side swing arm shaft drive with automotive style lug nuts.

I originally had the idea that "simply" swapping wheels would be the answer. The front wheel is fairly easy, the back not so much. It's too bad the NC's chain adjusters are so sloppy and cheesy. I'd think too, that if you did this often, the self locking rear axle nut should be replaced from time to time, as there is no secondary capture device like a cotter pin.

In the end, as I said before, I just bought another bike to have different tires. Used NCs are not expensive.

 

[drdubb]

After the dealer screwed up my rear brakes 2x while changing tires, I pull the wheels and take them in for tire swaps. I think putting the wheels back on is a PITA for both wheels, but especially the rear. Am I missing a little secret?

 

[rippin209]

After the dealer screwed up my rear brakes 2x while changing tires, I pull the wheels and take them in for tire swaps. I think putting the wheels back on is a PITA for both wheels, but especially the rear. Am I missing a little secret?

everything tire related is easier with a center stand. If I remember correctly you've got one already though.

The tool that made it easy for me was a cheap diamond jack out of a small car. With the bike on the center stand you put the jack under the engine /transmission and you can raise the front so the forks are sitting exactly the same height as the axle hole on the rim. Continue raising it and you'll have the swing arm sitting the exact height as the rear axle hole. Especially for the rear it makes putting the brakes and spacers and all that together much easier.

Front and back with the chain tension and rear alignment correct takes about 20 minutes now

 

[Deleted member 5383]

i'd rather be riding than playing around with swaps ; }

 

[rippin209]

i'd rather be riding than playing around with swaps ; }

Between the price of a set of rims and sharing that sentiment, yeah I'll go find a cheap XR600L instead

 

[fiestcr]

look just put Shinko 705's on and call it done. works great off road, and i can still scrub a knee on pavement with them as well. Cheap tire and last forever.

 

[Afan]

Or maybe a fun little CB500X

That's true. But somehow I had much less money in my head. And, they don't need to be new rims, used are just fine as any...

 

[Afan]

Yes, but only so the bike is never down for tire changes; no real off road riding. Bought a new rim when I dinged the front on a large rock, but had the front fixed by MCWheels; I think it was $150 plus shipping. Picked up used front and rear brake rotors on eBay for about another $200. Now looking for a rear rim that is advertised as straight on eBay; they are there for under $200; might still send it to MCWheels just to be sure. Probably new bearings also would be a good idea. So you can do it for $600-$700 if you are good with used pieces.

This is more what I was thinking about...

 

[Afan]

This would make a nice "second" NC.
https://www.nc700-forum.com/forum/sell-your-bike-car-truck/13309-2014-honda-nc700x-only-777-miles-extras-$4600.html#post190020

Ha ha ha ha...