Getting a Pilit Activ to seat on a snow flake

[mrclubike]

I don't want to discuss what tire is best.  
There is enough of that on the webs already.

But I have heard Michelin PA's can be difficult to get seated on a snow flake rear wheel.
Is this true and is it possible to get them to seat.

Also was wondering what size Bridgestone BT45 is equal in size to the 400-18 that will fit the R65 without the wide tire axle spacer installed.
110/90-18 is what I am thinking
Would like to hear from some one that has actually had them mounted and on the bike   

[Barry]

There are some tales of woe trying to fit Pilot Activs on snow flakes although getting the tyre on and off the rear should be much easier than the front due to the wider well. Seating the beads may be another thing.

On width I compiled this table a few years back. From my experience I don't see any chance of fitting any tyre that's 120 mm wide or more without the wider spacer and it going to be a bear to get past the brake shoes.  

I just fitted Michelin M45's which were an absolute breeze to fit and seat.  At 116 mm wide the 4.00 rear still wouldn't go in without being deflated and I have no more than 3 or 4 mm clearance to the swinging arm.

[D Mann]

I could not even get my pilot actives mounted on the rims, they are way to stiff for my skill set. I took them to a local shop and they mounted them for me. Never heard if they were hard to seat or not but they got them ok.

[Barry]

After experience with several different tires I'm sticking with the ones I know are easy to fit. Meztlers were a pig as were Continentals but that might have been age (which reminds me to mention they are always harder to get off than to fit especially if they have hardened with age). Pirelli City Demons and Michelin M45's were a breeze to the extent that with a bit a thought they can be walked on without using levers and the beads seat under 40 PSI. Strange that Michelin make one tire that's a pig and another that's as easy as it gets although the M45 is a tube type.  

I guess tubeless tires are always going to be harder to fit which makes nonsense of using them with tubes as if they are a pig to fit you are not likely to be able to patch the tube at the side of the road.

Anyone know of a tubeless tire that's easy to fit ?

[mrclubike]

Thanks for the info
I don't see city Demons or M45 for sale in the USA on Ebay anyway.
I do have a NoMar tire machine but Metzelers are still difficult to mount and don't seat very easy.
The local independent BMW shop does recommend the Mich Pilot's.
I need to try something different. I am only getting about 4500 miles out of the rear Lasertec. I have about 9000 miles on the front and it still has a bit of tread on it.
I am still thinking about the Heidenau's but they are pricey.  

[Bob_Roller]

What pressures ae you running on the rear tire, I easily get 8-10,000 miles on a Lazertec rear .

[mrclubike]

What pressures ae you running on the rear tire, I easily get 8-10,000 miles on a Lazertec rear .

I run around 30psi
I ride almost entirely on asphalt back roads that are very curvy and hilly.
That is a lot of hard slowing down and accelerating
Just did 820 miles in Southern MO and Northern ARK this last weekend.
I also  use  the rear brake a lot

[jjwithers]

I've had good performance with Avon Roadriders on my 70's BMW's.  Good traction and they don't get stuck in the rhythm of the rain grooved freeways.    I don't see much discussion about using them with the R65.  I recently bought a set for my newly acquired 1980 R65 and they are getting mounted tomorrow.  
I went with a 4.00 rear but it was a rough decision for a 90/90 or 100/90 front. I could not find an 18" front in a 3.25 size.  I went with a 90/90.  

[nhmaf]

I run BT45s on my R65LS, and 110/90x18 fits decently on the rear wheel, and if I put a plank under the centerstand I can easily take the rear wheel off and put it back on without any fuss or deflating.   Trying that with the 120x90 tire size (same model) is a bit of a different story.

These tires stick very well.  They don't want to be run soft.  I run 34-36 PSI in mine and can get about 7K miles on the rear that way.   If my front tire gets down to around 25 PSI with these tires I get a very disturbing wobble at 40-45MPH.    These are plenty sticky and do much better to have  enough air in them to support the sidewalls - don't try to run them like 1970s tires and you'll be A-OK!

[mrclubike]

Got a set of Avon Roadriders 90/90-18 and 400-18
mounted them up tubeless
And for those of us who care where stuff is made They are made in England  
Goodbye inner tubes!!!!
Of course I have researched the subject deeply
 Over 30years experience as a mobile industrial equipment mechanic with 40000 miles on a bicycle and over a 1,000,000 miles in a car or truck  I have   made a educated decision to go tubeless.
 What a pain in the butt tubes are compared to going tubeless.
They were very easy to mount without having to fight the tubes.
Without the tube in there the tire can drop into the center of the rim allowing easy installation with a standard set of tire irons.
Their was no issue at all getting them to take air and after being mounted I am sure I could even remount them and air them up with the frame pump.
I tried using a thread and nut type valve stem but I could not get the frame pump to go on because the stem comes out to close  to spoke. With a snap in type stem it has enough flex to let the pump head onto the valve. The frame pump was one o the things that drew me to the air head being a vintage bicycle guy back when I still had enough energy to pedal.

[mrclubike]

Just got back from a 70 mile ride.
I had to add  a ounce of Dyna beads to the front and are riding good now
They also DO not rain grove like the Lasertecs do.

[mrclubike]

After riding a little more at the slower speeds I noticed the Dyna beads weren't working so well.
So I removed the Dyna beads and ordered this wheel balancer http://www.marcparnes.com/BME.JPG
Really nice tool and he shipped very quickly. I had it in 4 days after ordering it.
Had to add 20grams opposite the valve stem
Running much better now

[mrclubike]

 I used these. They have the widest grip range of the snap in type stems.
I could have used a metal screw in type but they did not allow space for the frame mounted  hand pump to work. 
I also used a rotary file mounted in a drill press to machine down a flat surface inside the rim to give the valve a flat surface to seat against and drill the hole out to 29/64
Best upgrade I ever did.
As of 10-22-15 700 trouble free miles


Xtra Seal - Tire Valves TR600HP
Line: XTS | Part # 15-4600

 

[decorn33]

It sounds like you used your drill press as sort of a milling machine.  How did you manage to clamp the rim to get a machined flat surface on the inside?

[mrclubike]

I just stood the rim up and plunged the rotary file down and locked the spindle and then rocked the rim back and forth.
Taking just a little at a time  
It doesn't need to be super accurate
If you have a full size free standing  drill press you could turn the table 90 deg and clamp the rim to it