I have changed some smaller motorcycle tires with no problems, but this is my first sport bike effort. It is a Buell 17” rear with a Dunlop 180/55x17 Sportmax. After breaking the bead, I got the MD bar under the bead, pulled it up and laid the bar over. After securing the center post, I proceeded to work my way around the tire, but the bead slips back down as I go. I used a spoon bar to hold it in place and successfully demounted the top bead. I know from watching your excellent videos that I should not have had to use the spoon bar. But, now I simply cannot get the MD bar under the lower bead. I’ve changed many tires by hand so I’m familiar with managing the bead’s position all around the tire, but I can’t get the tip of the MD bar under that bottom bead, no matter what I do. I might be able to squeeze the tire together at that point to allow me to pry outward on the MD bar, but I would need a helper, which I don’t have right now. I’m sure that it’s a technique issue, but I need a little help.Thanks,Bob Robert J. Robinson Alcatel-Lucent Project

Bob, Unfortunately, it probably is not a problem with the tool. We remove them all of the time. It is a Technique thing. I have worked with many people on this. I could lift the tires in most cases with two fingers and manipulate the bar with two other fingers and demount the most precarious tire. If you are puling or straining at all with that wheel and tire combo there is something you can be doing differently. Maybe the Valve stem is preventing the tire from moving into the optimum spot in the drop center of the rim, or maybe you are not bending the tire enough while keeping it elevated. When the top portion of the tire bends the bottom usually becomes accessible with the lobe of the bar. ?? Some people just don't have developed forearm strength. For those I recommend sliding one of our spoonbars up to lift the tire for access with the tip. Personally, I usually find this more difficult with most tires. You can see this technique in our Honda Goldwing video and the Monster 360 Video. Maybe that is what you should be doing?? Last week I flew to Atlanta to coach a guy with a FJR wheel. He had a lot of trouble at first until he "got it" then he was able to do it every time. The other tires you have successfully removed may have been lucky. Maybe your techinque can be refined further. I have had quite a few people who own our machine and love it come up to us at shows to demonstrate their skills and we had to intercept them before they did damage to our wheels. You may need to use a tire spoon or thin stick of wood to prevent the tire from creeping behind the removal tip of the bar. This is usually the case with some of the custom wheels like Carrozeria and Marchesini. They simply left very shallow drop centers not allowing adequate clearance for the tire to be removed easily in attempt to reduce mass. Watch where the valve stem is. If you have a Bolt In stem. It probably projects out farther than the rubber ones. Position the stem at 10:00 near where you are lifting the tire for the bar tips to fit in. This should allow you to work around it's interferance.