Errr... How do I remove the front wheel

[Obiwavy 120]

Never done this before, so how do I remove the front wheel to get my new tyres fitted? Any help would be wildly appreciated. 

[trisaki 2,029]

If you sent sure get someone else to do it , great doing jobs on your bike yourself but a lot of things could go wrong

[Guest Hati]

I wouldn't touch something critical like front wheel if I was you, if you have no idea. You need the right tools including torque wrench and some know-how to fit it back correctly. Tyre fitters will do it for you anyway.

[PNE 96]

I'm sure the instructions are in the owners hand book.

[Slowboy 20,591]

Davy, unless your planning to fit the tyres yourself, tyre fitters will normally remove and refit the wheel when changing the tyres.

[Obiwavy 120]

So the general consensus is leave well alone. So should I take it to my Honda dealer? Brian where do you take yours? Thanks gentlemen.

[CFB 4,602]

You don't need to take it to your dealer, but make sure that the tyre shop you use has motorcycle specific equipment.

[Guest Lenp]

Davy, we met up at the railway cafe if you remember...bring the bike down to Plymouth,we can meet up ,I will take you to a well known car/bike tyre company I had a set of p4,,PM me to arrange.....Ride Safe..

[Trev 18,852]

I'm going to go against the advice here and suggest removing front wheel is a pretty straightforward task and most people will have the tools necessary to remove and replace. I have never paid a dealer to remove a wheel from a bike preferring to save their intervention for tasks beyond me or I can't be bothered with.

 

1. If you have a centre stand then obviously put bike on that in secure, level (preferably dry) area.If not then front and rear paddock stands but if you've never removed a wheel before then I'm guessing you won't have these so maybe stop here and visit dealer

 

2. Find something to hold the front off the ground, a car jack under a solid bit of the motor works well although I've made myself two chocks from 4 x 2 that are the correct length to fit under the NC fork bottoms.Don't jack/chock the bike at this stage.

 

3. Loosen the two small (i think 12mm heads) bolts on the bottom of the left (?)  fork leg - tip, when loosening the nuts this gives you a good feel as to how much effort you need to put into doing them back up if you don't have a torque wrench

 

4. Loosen the wheel spindle, you will need a 'special' tool for this, ( a spindle key) less than a tenner and will fit most modern bikes

 

5. loosen the brake caliper bolts (12mm again I think) 

 

6. place something between the front brake lever and the throttle grip to prevent inadvertent application of the front brake. Don't stand on the rear all you linked brake owners 

 

7. chock/jack the front of the bike up, your only looking to have the front wheel clear of the ground not compress the rear suspension 

 

8. remove brake caliper and cable tie out of the way

 

9. remove front wheel spindle noting position and way round of the spacers, I leave them on the spindle as they came of

 

10. I remove dust caps from front wheel bearings in case they drop out without noticing between tyre fitter and refitting front wheel

 

11. refitting (as they say) is reverse of removal but take the opportunity to check wheel bearingsfor notchinesm give the wheel a good clean and put a dab of grease on the wheel spindle as you push it through

 

12. may pay to have some help just line the front wheel u as you put the spindle through but can be done one handed pretty easily

 

13. hand tighten all bolts, remove chock/jack and then tighten bolts to correct torque if you have a torque wrench if not then use 'engineers feel', a correct length spanner rarely allows you to over-tighten a bolt nut but don't do front wheel spindle up as tight as you would a car wheel

 

14. write yourself a note to remind you to check all bolts again before you go for first ride, pop it in your helmet if not using the bike for a day or two after. Just in case you forgot to tighten one.

 

Will only save you a few quid (difference in being able to buy tyres online v dealer can be a fair bit) but give you the satisfaction of fettling your own bike and that can't be bought 

[Englishman 165]

Yes for me the satidfaction far outweighs the monetary saving

[Obiwavy 120]

Davy, we met up at the railway cafe if you remember...bring the bike down to Plymouth,we can meet up ,I will take you to a well known car/bike tyre company I had a set of p4,,PM me to arrange.....Ride Safe..

Hey Len. Thanks for the offer. I booked the bike in at Tremlets in Ashburton, so I will have to forgo the pleasure of your company this time.

[Obiwavy 120]

I'm going to go against the advice here and suggest removing front wheel is a pretty straightforward task and most people will have the tools necessary to remove and replace. I have never paid a dealer to remove a wheel from a bike preferring to save their intervention for tasks beyond me or I can't be bothered with.

 

1. If you have a centre stand then obviously put bike on that in secure, level (preferably dry) area.If not then front and rear paddock stands but if you've never removed a wheel before then I'm guessing you won't have these so maybe stop here and visit dealer

 

2. Find something to hold the front off the ground, a car jack under a solid bit of the motor works well although I've made myself two chocks from 4 x 2 that are the correct length to fit under the NC fork bottoms.Don't jack/chock the bike at this stage.

 

3. Loosen the two small (i think 12mm heads) bolts on the bottom of the left (?)  fork leg - tip, when loosening the nuts this gives you a good feel as to how much effort you need to put into doing them back up if you don't have a torque wrench

 

4. Loosen the wheel spindle, you will need a 'special' tool for this, ( a spindle key) less than a tenner and will fit most modern bikes

 

5. loosen the brake caliper bolts (12mm again I think) 

 

6. place something between the front brake lever and the throttle grip to prevent inadvertent application of the front brake. Don't stand on the rear all you linked brake owners 

 

7. chock/jack the front of the bike up, your only looking to have the front wheel clear of the ground not compress the rear suspension 

 

8. remove brake caliper and cable tie out of the way

 

9. remove front wheel spindle noting position and way round of the spacers, I leave them on the spindle as they came of

 

10. I remove dust caps from front wheel bearings in case they drop out without noticing between tyre fitter and refitting front wheel

 

11. refitting (as they say) is reverse of removal but take the opportunity to check wheel bearingsfor notchinesm give the wheel a good clean and put a dab of grease on the wheel spindle as you push it through

 

12. may pay to have some help just line the front wheel u as you put the spindle through but can be done one handed pretty easily

 

13. hand tighten all bolts, remove chock/jack and then tighten bolts to correct torque if you have a torque wrench if not then use 'engineers feel', a correct length spanner rarely allows you to over-tighten a bolt nut but don't do front wheel spindle up as tight as you would a car wheel

 

14. write yourself a note to remind you to check all bolts again before you go for first ride, pop it in your helmet if not using the bike for a day or two after. Just in case you forgot to tighten one.

 

Will only save you a few quid (difference in being able to buy tyres online v dealer can be a fair bit) but give you the satisfaction of fettling your own bike and that can't be bought 

Hey Trev. Thats awesome I will keep this for next time. I booked the bike in already so will be missing that fettling feeling. Shame

[Slowboy 20,591]

Davy, I've sent you a PM.

[Reckless_Rat 89]

I haven't had occasion to remove the front wheel of my NC yet, but in the past when a tyre has been rendered totally unrideable it makes sense to take the front wheel off and take it to a repair shop. (Via the tube last time if I recall). Not all punctures are slow ones. 

[sandalfarm 2,767]

its usually quite a bit cheaper to have a tyre fitted to a loose wheel and then you can clean all the crud off the front brake as well

[Trev 18,852]

Hey Trev. Thats awesome I will keep this for next time. I booked the bike in already so will be missing that fettling feeling. Shame

No worry and look forward to catching up again at Buckfastleigh in Feb

[Obiwavy 120]

No worry and look forward to catching up again at Buckfastleigh in Feb

 

Yea indeed... Hey it is Feb!

[bazza 3,629]

I'm going to go against the advice here and suggest removing front wheel is a pretty straightforward task and most people will have the tools necessary to remove and replace. I have never paid a dealer to remove a wheel from a bike preferring to save their intervention for tasks beyond me or I can't be bothered with.

 

1. If you have a centre stand then obviously put bike on that in secure, level (preferably dry) area.If not then front and rear paddock stands but if you've never removed a wheel before then I'm guessing you won't have these so maybe stop here and visit dealer

 

2. Find something to hold the front off the ground, a car jack under a solid bit of the motor works well although I've made myself two chocks from 4 x 2 that are the correct length to fit under the NC fork bottoms.Don't jack/chock the bike at this stage.

 

3. Loosen the two small (i think 12mm heads) bolts on the bottom of the left (?)  fork leg - tip, when loosening the nuts this gives you a good feel as to how much effort you need to put into doing them back up if you don't have a torque wrench

 

4. Loosen the wheel spindle, you will need a 'special' tool for this, ( a spindle key) less than a tenner and will fit most modern bikes

 

5. loosen the brake caliper bolts (12mm again I think) 

 

6. place something between the front brake lever and the throttle grip to prevent inadvertent application of the front brake. Don't stand on the rear all you linked brake owners 

 

7. chock/jack the front of the bike up, your only looking to have the front wheel clear of the ground not compress the rear suspension 

 

8. remove brake caliper and cable tie out of the way

 

9. remove front wheel spindle noting position and way round of the spacers, I leave them on the spindle as they came of

 

10. I remove dust caps from front wheel bearings in case they drop out without noticing between tyre fitter and refitting front wheel

 

11. refitting (as they say) is reverse of removal but take the opportunity to check wheel bearingsfor notchinesm give the wheel a good clean and put a dab of grease on the wheel spindle as you push it through

 

12. may pay to have some help just line the front wheel u as you put the spindle through but can be done one handed pretty easily

 

13. hand tighten all bolts, remove chock/jack and then tighten bolts to correct torque if you have a torque wrench if not then use 'engineers feel', a correct length spanner rarely allows you to over-tighten a bolt nut but don't do front wheel spindle up as tight as you would a car wheel

 

14. write yourself a note to remind you to check all bolts again before you go for first ride, pop it in your helmet if not using the bike for a day or two after. Just in case you forgot to tighten one.

 

Will only save you a few quid (difference in being able to buy tyres online v dealer can be a fair bit) but give you the satisfaction of fettling your own bike and that can't be bought 

spindle key - dont know what size the "hole" is do you as gotta buy that item!

[GunnerNC 69]

Just bought one myself off fleabay £6.90 delivered - It's 17mm

[embee 7,288]

FWIW, I use this set, always handy to have the other bigger sizes in a 1/2" drive. Just an alternative depending on your philosophy on tools (can never have too many!).

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/pro52-6-pce-12in-drive-hex-bit-set/

[CFB 4,602]

I got one of these...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Allen-Spindle-Driver-Motorcycle-Front/dp/B00LTEXCQA

You never know what size you will need for that new bike.