Most riders and racers love having that great traction you get with a new tire but hate changing it. Jay Clark at Dunlop assures us that if you follow his steps, use the proper tools and take your time, you will become the envy of your riding buddies, changing tires with minimal effort and without bloody knuckles. Clark let us know there are many effective ways to change tires; he has found that the professional Dunlop motocross staff have developed an especially efficient method. There is no reason to get worn out before you're even on the bike! The key point of this technique is that you don't try to work a tube into the tire and rim after you have one side of the tire already on. Start with the tube in the tire and with enough air to keep the tube round.
 Tools of the trade: a dead-blow...  Tools of the trade: a dead-blow hammer, valve stem remover, talc-based baby powder, 12mm wrench or socket (13mm for Euro bikes), tire spoons (two are mandatory, but three are nice to have), Bead Buddy from Motion Pro (www.motionpro.com), tire paste (from www.hunterengineering.com), pressure gauge and, hopefully, a good tire stand. Of course, you don't have to have a stand; having one just makes the job a lot easier. Wearing good work gloves will also help your grip and reduce those dreaded bloody knuckles. |  Start with the sprocket side...  Start with the sprocket side of the wheel up. Remove the valve core completely to make sure all air is out of the tube. If you don't have a tire stand, use a pad like a square of carpet or a double-folded towel to protect the disc and sprocket from the ground. |  Loosen the rim lock nut(s)...  Loosen the rim lock nut(s) and back it off until just a couple of threads hold it on. Note whether the nut feels bound on the threads in any fashion. If so, some corrosion may be forming. Use grease or anti-seize on the threads before you tighten up the rim lock. |
 With the sprocket side up,...  With the sprocket side up, use a tire spoon to break the bead of the used tire from the edge of the rim. Have the bend in the iron down, slide it under the edge of the rim and use the shape of the iron and the additional leverage available to force the bead down. Work all the way around the rim in this manner. |  Flip the wheel to the disc...  Flip the wheel to the disc side and break the second bead all the way around the tire. Push on the tire to ensure the bead is completely broken, then push the nut on the top of the lock bolt to force the rim lock into the well of the tire. That will allow you to break the bead loose at the rim lock. The lock may be jammed in place, and a flat tire iron across the top can help work the rim lock down. |  While you hold the tire bead...  While you hold the tire bead down off the inner shoulder of the rim with one hand, slide your spoon-style tire iron in and lever a section of the tire edge up and out of the rim. Push the iron under the disc to hold it while you work in the other two levers. |