My Ninja 300 Tire Swap Adventure
So my Kawasaki Ninja 300 rear tire looked balder than my grandpa. Those chicken strips? Massive. Figured I’d try bigger tires like some forums suggested. Big mistake number one: trusting keyboard warriors.
Ordered a 140 section rear tire online – bigger than stock 130. Looked at that box thinking, “How hard could this be?” Spoiler: real hard.
Taking Stuff Apart
First, bungee-corded the bike to my garage rafters. Wobbled like crazy when I loosened bolts. Should’ve bought a proper stand. Fought with the rear axle nut for 20 minutes – thing was welded on tight.
- Dumb Moment: Forgot to put it in gear. Bike rolled forward when I yanked the chain off. Almost crushed my foot with the rear sprocket.
- Pro Tip Fail: WD-40 doesn’t magically dissolve 5 years of road grime. Needed a breaker bar and swearing.
Got the wheel off finally. Now the real fun started with the old tire…
Tire Wrestling Match
Bought cheap tire irons from the auto parts store. Bent the first one trying to pry the bead over the rim. Plastic milk crate “stand” collapsed. Tire juice (that slimy lube) got everywhere. Slipped and face-planted into the wheel.
- Dropped the wheel on my toe. Steel toes? Nah. Regular sneakers.
- Pinched the new tire tube twice. That hissing sound? My motivation leaking out.
Three hours later, sweaty and covered in grime, I get the new tire on the rim. Noticed something funky…
Bigger Isn’t Always Better
Tried mounting the wheel back on the bike. Surprise! That fat 140 tire rubbed the chain guard like sandpaper. Clearance? Non-existent.
- Measured with a playing card. Maybe 1mm gap when forcing it.
- Chain alignment looked wonky too. Sketchy.
Put everything back stock after wasting a whole Saturday. That bigger tire? Probably great for straight lines. My corners? Disaster waiting to happen. Ride feels crisp again with proper size tires.
Final tip? Don’t trust me – get a mechanic. My garage still smells like rubber and regret.
