If you’re like me, you dread having to get your tires changed. Once they start squaring off on the road or shredding on the track the idea of taking the wheels off and going to the garage seems like a waste of time. At AllAboutBikes, we decided to get a No-Mar Motorcycle (Scratch Proof) do-it yourself tire changer to see if we could save time and money this riding season.
Do it yourself wheel changing is synonymous with scratching and gouging of wheels, and with the cost of rims that’s the last thing you want. Let me put your mind at ease; this system didn’t make a single scratch or mark on any of the wheels we changed. We tested the Classic system, with its high bead breaker mechanism and patented wheel locking system for tires from 10” to 21”. Its portable hitch on a tow bar enables you to use it wherever you are. For a more permanent fixture, bolt the No-Mar down to the floor in your home workshop or pit.
The first things you notice when working with the No-Mar is how easy it is to put together since there is no complicated machinery to deal with. It really did take only half-an-hour to assemble, and since it sits at waist height you don’t get any back aches. There were however, a couple of screws that were not essential missing.
Once assembled on the back of the car it was time to remove the old Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tires. With very little effort, the old and worn out tires came off easily. To replace them is the new model from Avon, the Xtreme VP2 a soft, radial track day tire. With the help of the tire changer, the new tires went on without any hassle.
To remove the tire from the wheel, we put the leaver in place to squeeze the removal bar between the tire and rim. After flipping the tire over, we did the same procedure to the other side. A Polyethylene locking system has three clamping heads that you maneuver to take into account the wheel size and type and to protect the tires from getting damaged. Once in place we could put as much pressure on the wheel to install the Ducati T9 tire with very little movement. Then, we put air into the tire until the tire sat on the rim and inflated to the desired pressure. The whole experience with the Avon tires was easy, quick, and efficient. 
For our in house Yamaha R6, we installed a set of the new Shinko Apex Radial tires. I have to say, they weren’t as easy as the Avon’s. Even though the installation of the tire was much tougher, the No-Mar was not at fault. These new tires had a steel radial belt in the wall of the tires which made them very tough to get over the rim, and it took two of us to get the final half inch of the tire onto the rim.
One thing we did learn here is that No-Mar supplies you with all of the tools to get the job done, even a tough one like this set. We had to use every tool supplied including the hand grips to help install the Shinko tires and the wedges to slowly move the tire across the rim. Physical strength, grease, and soap were applied in abundance in comparison to the last set.
It was with the Shinko Apex Radial that we saw how difficult it can be putting a tire on without hydraulic help; there is a huge difference in the installation process depending on the tire.
We also balanced both tires with the No-Mar manual balancer, using the larger cone for the larger back wheel. The cone holds in place as you spin the wheel to find out where the weight should be placed on the heaviest point of the wheel. The No-Mar and the Classic Model Ultimate Package supply you with enough weight to last a considerable amount of changes, again another huge time saver.
All in all, I would say the first experience of using this changer was very effective and user-friendly. It was relatively easy on the softer tires and did not scratch the wheels. Just make sure you have a compressor on hand to fill them up and that you are prepared to use brute strength if your tires are of a harder compound or have steel radial walls. The Classic Model Ultimate Package costs around $795.00 so if you intend on changing all of your tires in a race season, you could cover your cost quite efficiently.
We will keep you updated as we go through the season using the tire changer to see how it fairs up to the wear and tear of track life.
