Even though I can't ride during this recuperation period it doesn't stop me from doing needed repairs. The other day I was out checking over the bike collection when I noticed a hair raising item. The big scooter was showing cord on the rear tire. For those of you not versed in tire construction, a tire isn't just a large rubber donut. The outside is covered in rubber but under that are layers of nylon cords that reinforce the rubber and give the tire strength. If you use a tire too long if will wear through the rubber and the nylon cords will begin to show. This can cause a sudden deflation and loss of control. The big scooter has a very small back tire and it wears rapidly in comparison to a motorcycle. In this case a scant 6,150 had passed since I mounted the tire seventeen months ago and it was toast.
I have done this once already so I knew what to expect. Removing the wheel took all of an hour or so and I had a replacement tire "In Stock" and ready to go on. For many years I would then remove the tire from the wheel and mount a new one. In this age of tubeless tires this is a task right up there with walking on hot coals, barefoot. I now take the wheel and new tire to my local Kawasaki dealer and pay them to do it. Their tire machine does in five minutes what usually takes me an hour of severe strain or more. It's worth it to pay them.
Replacing the wheel took no time and once I'm back on the bikes the big scooter will be ready to go again. I heard before I bought this style of scooter that the tires were only good for around 5,000 miles. Facts are a terrible thing to live with and I guess I will be very familiar with tire changes on this scooter. The front will need replacing soon too, but it is still serviceable at 10,000 miles so I won't be quite as well versed there. Ah, the joys of riding. It keeps your tools in motion.