Did I trash my new BT-46 tire?

[Quick Cal]

I'm trying to double darkside my 1500 Goldwing. Can not get the bead to seat. I've tried everything. I may have trashed my tire.

I bought a leading link front end from a guy for use with my sidecar. He had a 140/70/18 Shinko REAR tire on the front. I did not get that tire and wheel with my purchase. The OEM size on the front is 130/70/18. I've had more than one person tell me I could go up a size on the front, especially with the room a leading link has. So I ordered a 140/70/18 BT-46. The same size he had.

I had a hell of a time getting the tire on the rim. I have a harbor freight tire machine and a mojo lever. I've never had any trouble getting a tire on. I had to call a friend over for an extra hand. This might be where my trouble began,,,,lol.
We got the tire on but I could not get the bead to seal and take air. I took it to a bike shop. He was back there a long time, but he got it. He said he had a hard time.

I went to put balance beads in, they would not go. There was something broke off in the valve stem. I ordered new valve stems and installed them. Same deal as before. Could not get it to seal. Bike shop was closed so I took it to a car tire shop. He fought it and fought it. Used starting fluid several times. Used an air cannon. He used grease all around it. Still could not get it to seat and take air.

I brought it home and took it off to clean it up and see what I could see. There is tear marks on the inside the horizontal surface of the tire. I don't know if this is a sealing surface or not. I found a pic of a rim and it's called a safety lip on this rim. Not a Goldwing rim. The actual vertical bead sealing surface looks ok. I don't know who did the damage. Don't care. Is the tire trash?

I think the reason I'm having issues is because I'm trying to mount too wide of a REAR tire on the front. But that's just a guess.
So IF this tire is trash, do I just order a proper size front tire, or stay with a proper size rear tire. Or go for the bigger size and just let a shop do it from the start. Will a shop give you any grief about mounting it backwards and a rear tire on the front?

The pic is not a Goldwing rim. But the damage on the tire is where it would seat on what says the safety lip. The gouge in the tire is right where the arrow is touching. It might be too hard to see the tire damage.
The plan right now is to take it back to the bike shop and see what they say, and have them re-seat it.

[Rambozo]

No, it doesn't seal on the flat, but on the sides. Maybe some bead sealer/lubricant might be in order. If you look up the tire, you can see what the recommended rim width is. You never want to stray too far from that, or you will have troubles.
Measure the rim diameter and width and make sure you are even working with what you think you are. Back in high school auto shop, I fought and fought with a tire and when I finally got it on and aired up, I realized I had mounted a 14" tire to a 15" rim. I had no idea that was even possible.

[Quick Cal]

No, it doesn't seal on the flat, but on the sides. Maybe some bead sealer/lubricant might be in order. If you look up the tire, you can see what the recommended rim width is. You never want to stray too far from that, or you will have troubles.
Measure the rim diameter and width and make sure you are even working with what you think you are. Back in high school auto shop, I fought and fought with a tire and when I finally got it on and aired up, I realized I had mounted a 14" tire to a 15" rim. I had no idea that was even possible.

The tire shop wanted to use that black gooey sealer but I didn't want them to because I was going to use balancing beads. I think they would just get stuck in there wouldn't they? But if the back shop can't get it on again I may end up going that way and balancing a different way?

[Rambozo]

You only need a thin film of bead sealer. Definitely not a case of the bigger the gob the better the job. Shouldn't have any issue with balance beads.

[Quick Cal]

You only need a thin film of bead sealer. Definitely not a case of the bigger the gob the better the job. Shouldn't have any issue with balance beads.

Does the excess dry up on the inside of the tire I wonder?

[Rambozo]

There shouldn't be any inside the tire, you only apply it to the outside, and if exposed to air it will dry.

What is the width of your rim?

[Quick Cal]

What is the width of your rim?

I don't know. The tire is on it right now. It's what ever a 96 1500 rim is.

Here's a pic of this leading link on the sellers 95 1500. If you blow it up you can see he has a 140/70/18 on there.

[Rambozo]

Oh, I thought you had an aftermarket wheel. The stock Honda rim is 3.00" wide, so that is a bit under what the BT-46 would like. So I would expect a little trouble with mounting. I think Honda already upsized the front tire a little.

[Sassy]

I think your going to have to lube it up good.
I used an automotive spray wax last time to mount for the same balance bead reason.

[Quick Cal]

SUCCESS!! I was actually on my way to the bike shop to let them do it. I stopped by an old flat tracker buddies house to pick him up to ride along. He said let him try. He FAILED with many different ways that I all ready tried. He tried 3 times with lighting either. NOPE!!

I was just getting ready to put it back in the truck and a friend of his showed up. He said "Let me show you boys how to do that". He did basically the same thing we did with the either. But it popped right on HIS first try,,,,lol. I now have a nice even line around the rim. It's held air sitting in the back of my truck all day. So I'm going to change the wheel bearing, new seals, and INSTALL!!

I guess I'll be all right as long as the damage to the bead doesn't give me any trouble down the road. Is that something that if it was going to be an issue it just wouldn't hold air now?

[tamathumper]

It's hard for a bunch of old guys on the Internet to say what the tire will do once it starts bouncing down the road and heating up.

[WingAdmin]

Watch that tire very carefully. When it has had the bead damaged like that, it can often fail by air pushing past, into the bead itself, and making its way to the OUTSIDE of the tire reinforcement bands. When this happens, you will see a "bubble" on the tire like this:

Tire bulge

[NDAna]

LOL! DDS is not 2 car tires. It IS CT on the rear and a rear MC tire (usually reversed rotation) on the front.

[Quintin]

With all the problem mounting and sealing a tire on a too small motorcycle rim. And having some little tear marks on the bead I would be concerned. What's wrong with putting a front tire on the front and a back tire on the back? I've heard all the theories on front, back, reversed, even using a car tire from when I started riding in the late 60s till now. I'm guessing the tire companies know more than I do.

[MikeB]

With all the problem mounting and sealing a tire on a too small motorcycle rim. And having some little tear marks on the bead I would be concerned. What's wrong with putting a front tire on the front and a back tire on the back? I've heard all the theories on front, back, reversed, even using a car tire from when I started riding in the late 60s till now. I'm guessing the tire companies know more than I do.

I would tend to agree.

[Quick Cal]

LOL! DDS is not 2 car tires. It IS CT on the rear and a rear MC tire (usually reversed rotation) on the front.

Who are you directing that comment to? A BT-46 is a REAR MOTORCYCLE tire,,,,lol.

[Rambozo]

There are still tires that are not front/rear specific, as well. Many specify a rotation depending on mounting.

[bkscoutmaster]

Just mounted 2 Bt 46 in reverse direction on 2 different 94s with stock honda rims so far no problems. Both on the front of trikes.

[FM-USA]

I've dismounted many of my used car tires which had bead issues. Was surprised they held air and/or didn't outer skin balloon.

this pix has SCARY issues. Fingers crossed you don't have any.

.

[klook]

It's hard for a bunch of old guys on the Internet to say what the tire will do once it starts bouncing down the road and heating up.

Even harder for some to admit a car tire works fine and lasts longer.