E3's - Can tires look way narrower before installing?

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Jun 17, 2009 | 02:24 AM

#11

Dustball

Road Master

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 766

Likes: 3

From: SoCal Desert

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road Ranger

Nothing sick about that...My #1 wife refers to my scoot as my #2 wife...

It's a sickness. My wife recently told me "You care more about your mistress (the bike) than you do about me. Being quick on my feet I told her "Let's be fair here baby; I do ride her more than I ride you." She found it significantly less funny than I did...

I've been going back and forth on the Metzlers/Dunlops, but I finally decided on going with the E3s next tire change.

Jun 17, 2009 | 04:21 PM

#12

cybricon

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Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 156

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From: Frederick MD

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road Ranger

Nothing sick about that...My #1 wife refers to my scoot as my #2 wife...

Wait - I think you got your wife numbers (and priorities) backward!

Jun 17, 2009 | 04:46 PM

#13

Araba Shriner

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Joined: Aug 2005

Posts: 1,213

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From: Cape Coral, Fl.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iclick

E3's seem to be narrower unmounted than most, with the bead surfaces closer together than the D402's I've mounted in the past. When I purchased my first E3 I was concerned that this closeness might make inflation difficult since the bead may not touch the wheel, which is a worry since I mount my own tires. There are ways to spread it out with professional mounting equipment, but our hardware is fairly basic, so I've been stuffing cut sections of 2x4's between the beads to force them wider apart, leaving them in for a week or more. This works to train the beads farther apart and I've had no problems mounting these tires. Any other DIY'er notice this or had any problems?

My indy mounted mine, he fussed, cussed, said they were ricer tires, and he would never mount another one. He fussed and figitted several times before he managed to get them on the wheels.

But my side of the story is a happy one, I really like em !

Jun 19, 2009 | 03:47 PM

#14

cybricon

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Joined: Jul 2007

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From: Frederick MD

Quote:

Originally Posted by Araba Shriner

Well hopefully my local H-D shop won't have too much trouble with them. They'd better not complain too much - they charge me an extra half-hour labor per tire if I don't buy them from their shop (1.5 hrs instead of 1.0) , which cuts into my savings from buying them online.

Have any of the rest of you had the same experience, i.e. does the H-D dealer charge more for mounting when you supply the tires?

Last edited by cybricon; Jun 22, 2009 at 03:21 PM.

Jun 19, 2009 | 03:58 PM

#15

Andouille

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Joined: Feb 2008

Posts: 124

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From: Louisiana

Iclick, thanks for the tip. Have 2 new E-3's in the shop right now, will change them out next week, like you, I'm cheap and do as much as possible myself. I stuffed 2X4's in yesterday and hope it trains them before next week. Please keep the tips coming.

Jun 19, 2009 | 04:12 PM

#16

steveh326

Road Warrior

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 1,548

Likes: 163

From: Mt. Airy, MD

I just had the local Suzuki/Kawasaki dealer install mine... he charges $35 if I take my wheels to them (was just $25 not too long ago dang it)... HD wants > $60 for the same work. He mounted mine up while I waited and didn't have any complaints that he made to me anyway about them. Trying the E3's and also Dyna beads for balancing so I don't have any weights stuck on my wheels... we'll see how it goes...