I am a firm believer in checking and if necessary, inflating tires at least once a week. But with my large, ham-fisted hands I have difficulty reaching the valve stem on our FLHTC (standard wheels) between the rims and disk brake rotors.

Are there any tips or tools to make this easier?

Thanks
jack

 

I have installed 45* angeled valve stems. They make it much easier, especially in the rear, to get the air in and an accurate air check done. Hope this helps. Ride safe.

 

There was an idea on the board that I used.

Go to Walmart and purchase a manual air pump from the automotive section @ $8. Then go over to the tire section and purchase a long tubeless tire stem.
Cut the hose off of the manual pump, at the base, and then strip back the valve stem to remove the bulb end until you get to bare metal. Insert the stipped piece into the air hose and place a small hose clamp on it.
Works like a charm and I keep it in my saddle bag to check and inflate my tires. Can pretty much attach the inflation end to the valve stem at almost any position without having to roll the bike around.

 

While it can be a pain in the a$$, I just use Black & Decker ASI300 Air Station. It has a flexible hose and pressure guage built-in.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-A.../dp/B000IE0YIQ

 

I have a Limited which has those chrome rims that makes it really difficult to check air because there is very little room around the air valve.
Stop and go makes a 90 degree valve extension that can be used to put air in tires, then you remove it when done. I loose a lot of air putting the extension on and taking it back off. Stop and go makes a foot pump that works really well. It has a screw in chuck and has a guage that is accurate. It is light and packs small and I keep it in the bike. This is the only pump that has a screw in chuck that I was able to find searching on the net. I have several bike pumps that will not work for me because the chuck is too big. Stop and Go also has an electric pump, but I choose the foot pump because of past experience with battery air pumps. They work, but they took a long time to pump air. http://www.stopngo.com/atv.asp

 

I use a tire gauge with a 15 inch flexible hose and a 90° fitting on the end. It holds the pressure till you release it. I also put the bike on the jack so I can rotate the tires to get to the value stems.

 

I use Chek-a-spare. Simply screw it on/off. Makes it a lot easier.

http://www.getagauge.com/accessories.cfm

 

+1 on that and with the ez gauge it's a lot easier

 

I've put accupressure caps on my bike to visually check the pressure easily before I ride. Third bike I've had them on. Displays green when pressure is okay, yellow when getting low, red if too low. I don't know how others have experienced them, but I've checked the pressure to "double check" the caps, and they've been reliable.

 

Here's another thread about it: https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...and-check.html

You will need these, but the tire has to be off or at least the bead broken down: http://www.motorcycleanchor.com/tire_valves/index.htm