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Rabaconda Tire Changer Sale

2

2andblue

COG Executive Director
Member
See the Rabaconda Tire Changer Sale and details here.

SAVE up to $98 depending on model / kit.

I am now adding one to the garage. Been on the fence for purchasing with previous readily available access to competitive mounting. With our relocation and prices now going up, service availability becoming inconvenient and opportunity to offer mounting to others as well - just pulling the trigger.

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
FWIW, my only regret in buying a Rabaconda Street bike tire changer is not doing it sooner. It makes it so simple. No straining. No sweating. It's just a well thought out tire changer that breaks down when you're done to store in a bag out of the way.

Chris
 
Strawboss said:
That's a great price compared to what you get with a HF changer and the ease of operation.
Click to expand...
That’s what I thought - few more dollars and a fully functional tool.

I have paid good money for other properly designed motorcycle task specific tools that have served myself and others I’ve served very well.

So… let’s see if I’m once again impressed.

Also, I like the idea of being able to quickly swap out tires any time I choose. Many times I’ve swapped tires and chucked away good usable rubber just because the current set wouldn’t make it through an entire trip. Could have saved the tires for the last 30 - 40% but cost to remount was prohibitive.

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
Daboo said:
FWIW, my only regret in buying a Rabaconda Street bike tire changer is not doing it sooner. It makes it so simple. No straining. No sweating. It's just a well thought out tire changer that breaks down when you're done to store in a bag out of the way.

Chris
Click to expand...
Isn’t that the truth on so many items -

Quickshifter; suspension upgrade, LEDs, better tires, seat cushions, various other enhancements, tons of other tools - why didn’t I get this sooner!!

I look even more forward to trying this out this week when it arrives: simple, no sweat, no strain!

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 

Watch that video. It's not the tutorial videos, but a great video to show you what to watch out for.

My biggest "problem" initially with the tire changer was in breaking the bead. I tried to muscle it off. Patience is the key...and some kind of spray lube. Use the bead breaker and while you have it pressed down, spray some Windex in the gap between the bead and rim. Just keep doing it for about a third of the way around the rim and it'll break free.

It is so convenient to have the ability to change your tires on your schedule, not someone elses. And like you said earlier, to have it be so easy, you can put old rubber back on after a trip.

Chris
 
Saw this pop up on my fb feed around the same time of this post. So I decided to pull the trigger, because wrestling my rear tire with the cheap harbor freight changer a couple of weeks ago was not fun. Can never have enough tools, right?
 
I have been looking at the Rabaconda boxes sitting on the hearth of the fireplace for a couple of weeks - too busy to open, ride, maintain, etc...

So... I just used for the first time the Rabaconda Tire Changer and it made swift work of the C-14 Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart IV tires.

The product is delivered within a nicely prepared and protective packaging. Easy to follow color coded assembly instructions are within the provided user manual. The no tools needed assembly of the Rabaconda is under 2 minutes.

Tire dismount and mount processes were (in comparison to clamps, spoons, rim protectors, knees, ground and pound) enjoyable. Whole process required less than 15 minutes of actual work.
  • Bead breaking - No sweat, the adjustable bead breaker allows for provided leverage to quicken work. Flip wheel over and repeat
  • Tire removal - Good designed tool, easy to follow instructions. My tires were cold requiring some extra persuasion
  • Tire mount - Same good design; lube tire, lube accessories, and place tire onto tool. Follow directions. Again cold tire needed some extra push
  • Tool Quality
    • High grade tool, nothing cheap or subpar about the design, construction or materials used therein
    • Easy to use - minimum moving parts (less to break, lose or overly complicate the process)
    • Stores away in supplied heavy duty branded bag within 2 minutes
The time needed to swap your tires is far less than driving to the dealership, not to mention wait time, etc.

Benefits: I estimate no more than 3 tire changes and the Rabaconda is paid for. Not mentioning the convenience factor, the hard benefits are:
  • Saving gas (to/from dealer),
  • No more tossing out underused tires (swapping early for a ride)
  • No more paying dealer costs for tires
  • No dealer mounting fees
Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
2andblue said:
I have been looking at the Rabaconda boxes sitting on the hearth of the fireplace for a couple of weeks - too busy to open, ride, maintain, etc...

So... I just used for the first time the Rabaconda Tire Changer and it made swift work of the C-14 Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart IV tires.

The product is delivered within a nicely prepared and protective packaging. Easy to follow color coded assembly instructions are within the provided user manual. The no tools needed assembly of the Rabaconda is under 2 minutes.

Tire dismount and mount processes were (in comparison to clamps, spoons, rim protectors, knees, ground and pound) enjoyable. Whole process required less than 15 minutes of actual work.
  • Bead breaking - No sweat, the adjustable bead breaker allows for provided leverage to quicken work. Flip wheel over and repeat
  • Tire removal - Good designed tool, easy to follow instructions. My tires were cold requiring some extra persuasion
  • Tire mount - Same good design; lube tire, lube accessories, and place tire onto tool. Follow directions. Again cold tire needed some extra push
  • Tool Quality
    • High grade tool, nothing cheap or subpar about the design, construction or materials used therein
    • Easy to use - minimum moving parts (less to break, lose or overly complicate the process)
    • Stores away in supplied heavy duty branded bag within 2 minutes
The time needed to swap your tires is far less than driving to the dealership, not to mention wait time, etc.

Benefits: I estimate no more than 3 tire changes and the Rabaconda is paid for. Not mentioning the convenience factor, the hard benefits are:
  • Saving gas (to/from dealer),
  • No more tossing out underused tires (swapping early for a ride)
  • No more paying dealer costs for tires
  • No dealer mounting fees
Wayne, Carol & Blue
Click to expand...
Only 3 tire changes? Isn't the changer about 5-600 dollars?
 
kzz1king said:
Only 3 tire changes? Isn't the changer about 5-600 dollars?
Click to expand...
Yes sale for $599 right now.

Summary of savings for 3 sets of tires over a CHEAP dealer = $625. Note: This is for only wheels walked in, savings larger if having dealership remove from bike.

Below is a breakdown of the estimated $625 savings over 3 tire changes:
  • Tossing out >20% of the tire and tires @ $450/ set minimum = $270 (dealer purchased tire to get ‘cheap / discount’ mounting.)
  • Mounting is $50 a set = $150
  • Over paying for tires - same tires eBay or other for $390 = $180
  • Fuel to / from dealer 30 miles away $25
The hidden costs add up dramatically.

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
It'll be next week before I'll get the chance to break mine in by changing the tires on my Honda ctx700n. I'll be sure to report back on the experience.
 
In the video , there.s nothing that will protect those nice black powder coated rims from that tire iron
 
andydude said:
In the video , there.s nothing that will protect those nice black powder coated rims from that tire iron
Click to expand...
The tire iron rests against and uses as a fulcrum the accessory tool dubbed the ‘duck head’. The duck head is smooth plastic coated and will not scratch the rim.

No reason for the tire iron to touch much less pry against the rim.

There are some plastic protectors that come along with the kit that act as a sheath for the tire iron. I did not use the plastic protector either. And again there is no reason to pull against the rim.

Then, I too did notice in videos everyone just letting the tire iron fall free once the Rabaconda duck head tool is engaged with the tire. I chose to preemptively remove the tire iron to prevent any scratching from the now unneeded tool falling and sliding against the unprotected painted surface - as you can hear happening in the various videos online.

Hope that helps?

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
I absolutely love mine since my wife bought it for my birthday in January. Changing tires is a breeze now. I only suggest to get real tire paste lubricant and to be sure to heat up the rear tire before mounting. The thick sidewalls of the RS4 pop over the rim much easier with a 100 degree tire.😀

Enjoy the Rabaconda!

Rob from Zeeland, MI
 
I've been eyeing this Rabaconda tire changer for quite some time now. We're moving into a new house with a shop (dream come true!!!) in a couple of weeks, so I will have room for more tools. I ordered one of these to take advantage of the sale and won't lie, I am quite excited to change my first tire. I used to buy tires from RevZilla and have CycleGear mount them up for $25/tire, but now I'm hours away from a CycleGear and refuse to pay inflated dealer/shop prices for mount+balance unless it's an emergency.

I agree that this will pay for itself quickly since we have 6 bikes!
 
rlievenski4555 said:
I absolutely love mine since my wife bought it for my birthday in January. Changing tires is a breeze now. I only suggest to get real tire paste lubricant and to be sure to heat up the rear tire before mounting. The thick sidewalls of the RS4 pop over the rim much easier with a 100 degree tire.😀

Enjoy the Rabaconda!

Rob from Zeeland, MI
Click to expand...
I smoke mine 😉
 

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2andblue said:
Yes sale for $599 right now.

Summary of savings for 3 sets of tires over a CHEAP dealer = $625. Note: This is for only wheels walked in, savings larger if having dealership remove from bike.

Below is a breakdown of the estimated $625 savings over 3 tire changes:
  • Tossing out >20% of the tire and tires @ $450/ set minimum = $270 (dealer purchased tire to get ‘cheap / discount’ mounting.)
  • Mounting is $50 a set = $150
  • Over paying for tires - same tires eBay or other for $390 = $180
  • Fuel to / from dealer 30 miles away $25
The hidden costs add up dramatically.

Wayne, Carol & Blue
Click to expand...
I have been changing my own for a long time so I hadn't considered those. I always have an extra pair on hand. I think I will get another pair before tariffs come into play .
 
rlievenski4555 said:
I only suggest to get real tire paste lubricant and to be sure to heat up the rear tire before mounting. The thick sidewalls of the RS4 pop over the rim much easier with a 100 degree tire.😀

Enjoy the Rabaconda!

Rob from Zeeland, MI
Click to expand...
I found the Rabaconda bead grease needs to be used rather generously, it cleans up easily enough. Although it may have been just my non-pliable cold tires needing some extra lubrication.

For heating I will try my heat gun inside the new tire with a cover on it for a few minutes. Purpose made motorcycle tire heaters are crazy expensive.

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
fastenova said:
I've been eyeing this Rabaconda tire changer for quite some time now. We're moving into a new house with a shop (dream come true!!!) in a couple of weeks, so I will have room for more tools. I ordered one of these to take advantage of the sale and won't lie, I am quite excited to change my first tire. I used to buy tires from RevZilla and have CycleGear mount them up for $25/tire, but now I'm hours away from a CycleGear and refuse to pay inflated dealer/shop prices for mount+balance unless it's an emergency.

I agree that this will pay for itself quickly since we have 6 bikes!
Click to expand...
Yah - Glad to see you jumped on in and CONGRATS on the new house!

That is another great benefit of the Rabaconda Tire Changer - when not in use the tire changer stores in nicely constructed bag (similar in size to that of a large-sized canvas tent) FREEING SPACE in your new shop!

My above calculations were using the public pricing of Cycle Gear and the incentive to purchase through them to get mounting for $25. So the higher priced dealers offer even better savings!

6 - Bikes, depending on what they are you might need a couple adapters that Rabaconda has available. Or just get the Ultimate kit and you have it all...

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
The local dealership had me stopping in every 9 months for new tires. When they were charging $30 a wheel (on the bike), I didn't think twice about going there. They raised their prices to the point I started changing my own. At first it was with spoons. Then a bead breaker and spoons. Finally I saw an add for the Rabaconda tire changer, and bought one.

What people don't realize is dealerships will often use Revzilla prices. What you the curstomer don't realize is there are places that'll charge you as much as $150 less than Revzilla. That's a part of the savings.

My only regret...trying to be cheap and not buying one sooner. Even if I quit riding next year for some unknown reason, I still think this is a good deal.

BTW, I haven't been in that dealership in about 4 years now...for anything.

Chris
 
2andblue said:
I found the Rabaconda bead grease needs to be used rather generously, it cleans up easily enough. Although it may have been just my non-pliable cold tires needing some extra lubrication.

For heating I will try my heat gun inside the new tire with a cover on it for a few minutes. Purpose made motorcycle tire heaters are crazy expensive.

Wayne, Carol & Blu
Click to expand...
Be careful you don't melt the tire. I have used a heat gun to warm up the last few inches of bead. If the tip of mine touched the tire for a bit I am sure it would melt it. Maybe a cardboard box with something directing the heat in? I shoot for about 150 degrees in the smoker. When the whole tire is warm it goes on so much better.
 
kzz1king said:
Be careful you don't melt the tire. I have used a heat gun to warm up the last few inches of bead. If the tip of mine touched the tire for a bit I am sure it would melt it. Maybe a cardboard box with something directing the heat in? I shoot for about 150 degrees in the smoker. When the whole tire is warm it goes on so much better.
Click to expand...
Good tip 👍.

Indeed the source of heat will be a distance away and indirect.

I’ve always wanted a smoker… lol

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
I just prop my tire up on a metal folding chair in front of our gas fireplace. Care is taken to rotate every 5 minutes or so the get even heating. Not sure of the temp… but it is pretty hot on bare hands. Even at 100 degrees… the sidewalls are much more flexible.

The front tire does not need much to go on the rim easily. I love that the Rabaconda greatly reduces the chance of leaving deep scratches on the soft aluminum rims.
 
I don't smoke meat so.....


(I've found that these people that make YouTube videos get a little carried away by the sound of their own voice and get kinda wordy. So at the risk of telling you something that you already know click on the little gear icon and go to the speed setting and increase it to at least 1.5 to get through these faster.)

I'm thinking of making something like this. However it appears to me that it was designed (your thoughts?) only for heating up the new tires. I want to make one that I can put the whole back wheel into to warm up the old tires as well, so I think I'm going to make the lid with sides attached so it will telescope over the bottom piece to accept the whole wheel. Probably need some sort of stop/guard around the light bulb so it doesn't hit the middle of the wheel. My garage is packed, so I guess I'd have to store it in the attic in between tire changes....or maybe above the garage door but I don't have much clearance there (only 8''ceiling in garage).

I may end up with a Rabaconda someday, but for now I'm going to try improving on my Harbor Freight system by adding a duckbill thingy to it.
Not exactly like this, but sort of...

 
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I think you could get enough heat by making the box to set over the wheel as it lays on the floor rotor up. The floor could be the bottom. Pump hot air through a metal flex hose hooked to a hair dryer or heat gun may be ?

I have though about the duckhead on my HF also but I always get it done. I use the bar that Fred H uses in his videos. Heat was a game changer for me
 
You really don't need to overthink this. But of course, if there's a reason to play in the garage with your tools to do all this...that's why we're men. ;)

I had to remove the tires from my spare set of F800GT rims. I hadn't used my Rabaconda for about a year. I live in the Pacific Northwest where the temperature outside is now about 35F. This is not Texas. The tires came off the rims cold. No warming up. Just smooth and easy.

Chris
 
Unfortunately the Raconda isn't on my Christmas List this year.
I really like the Raconda, but other items are on the list that prevent it.
ie; I'm building a shop and my $$ are going to it...

In my case, I already have a Harbor Freight Tire changer and the video's {that were posted} have given me idea's that will improve my HF set up.
Lastly, I need a Tire machine to change Model T Ford Tires and I don't think the Raconda will accept a wheel of that diameter. The HF did a pretty good job on the T Tires.

I already have a Duckhead Tool for my HF (that hasn't been very successful)
The video's have shown me my mistakes in using it.
ie; I'll be modifying my HF similar to the Video (below) and will use the Duckhead tool.

Lastly; {All jokes aside about Texas heat} I think the biggest learning I've seen in the video's is pre-heating the tire.
I have used Texas heat to warm the tires and it makes a huge difference, but unfortunately I also had to do the tire change in that same heat,,, so my new shop is ""air conditioned"" and heated!

To pre-heat the tires in the future, I'm also going to build an ** oven ;) to warm them.
** (keeping it simple) I'll place the tires in a heavy Cardboard box and use a bigger light bulb.
No, the heat will not be hot e'nuff to cause a flash fire. :eek:
But' I'll keep an eye on it.

Ride safe, Ted

 
Daboo said:
You really don't need to overthink this. But of course, if there's a reason to play in the garage with your tools to do all this...that's why we're men. ;)

I had to remove the tires from my spare set of F800GT rims. I hadn't used my Rabaconda for about a year. I live in the Pacific Northwest where the temperature outside is now about 35F. This is not Texas. The tires came off the rims cold. No warming up. Just smooth and easy.

Chris
Click to expand...
The heat comments are more relevant to those if us not using the Rabconda. As normal we have gotten a bit off topic but great info non the less.
 
The heat would also/greatly help tire changes on the Rabaconda.

But, yer correct about getting off of topic.
(It's Marty's fault)

I really think the Rabaconda is better than the HF and anyone that can get one,,, should!

Ride safe, Ted
 
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2andblue said:
See the Rabaconda Tire Changer Sale and details here.

SAVE up to $98 depending on model / kit.

I am now adding one to the garage. Been on the fence for purchasing with previous readily available access to competitive mounting. With our relocation and prices now going up, service availability becoming inconvenient and opportunity to offer mounting to others as well - just pulling the trigger.

Wayne, Carol & Blue
Click to expand...
I was impressed by it, but i've all ready upgraded my No Mar, to this
 

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That's one of the things I really miss from my Western Auto days. A full shop with a tire changer and electronic spin balancer. Electronic spin balancers were a new thing back then and I absolutely loved ours.
 
Bud said:
That's one of the things I really miss from my Western Auto days. A full shop with a tire changer and electronic spin balancer. Electronic spin balancers were a new thing back then and I absolutely loved ours.
Click to expand...


What ever happened to “speed balancing?” I had a shop ask me once how fast I wanted my tires balanced to and I said 70. He replied, “you know the speed limit is (at the time) 55?” But he did it and it was the best balance job I ever had.
 
ron203 said:
What ever happened to “speed balancing?” I had a shop ask me once how fast I wanted my tires balanced to and I said 70. He replied, “you know the speed limit is (at the time) 55?” But he did it and it was the best balance job I ever had.
Click to expand...
They're using them. I can't remember what speed it ran at. I want to say 70 but that was decades ago.

A HD mechanic had a balancer that he spun by hand. Must be some magic software that makes that work.
 
Motorcycle tires of the size C10 and C14 use are narrow enough that static balancing is effective enough.
 
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