Thanks for sharing this. I was really interested all the way through. Your instructions were easy to follow. I haven’t had a bike since 1980. The Himalayan 411 has rekindled my interest. My first bike was a 1978 XT500 and then I had a CB750. I loved both bikes and rode them both for thousands of miles before returning to England. I’ve hardly ridden since. But I have my heart set on a 411 next year. One thing I really want to do is learn as much maintenance as I possibly can. Funds aren’t unlimited and I can’t afford to do a proper apprenticeship. So unless I can find myself a teacher, watching videos like yours are my best bet. I just want to say that I do watch a lot of people on here, but this video was/is one of the best. I’m a novice, but I want to learn. Some people baffle me. I’ve no idea what they’re trying to explain and often their video technique is poor. Your video was clear and I could see what you were doing. But mostly, you kept it interesting . I enjoyed watching, so thank you vey much. I will subscribe when I finish writing. I’m looking forward to more videos like this and I will investigate the email. Regards, Ian Stewart.
I to have had a few years off and wanted a Himalayan (Itchy boots fanboy) but could not justify an adventure bike in Scotland as we have NO green lanes. Got a Scam 411 and it is fantastic. Could add to your options.
Had slime in my Africa Twin. Pin hole slow puncture in front wheel from green lanes caused the slime to create a hard glob in the tube throwing the balance out. Just spin your wheels again if you suffer any wobble in the future. When I had a new tyre fitted it was an obvious gloopy lump where the puncture was .
Nice tyres, nice vid. I'd be quite happy to see your cleaning process from, preferably off-road filthy, to sparkling. I've just picked up a new himalayan and, although I've been historically slack on the maintenance front with other bikes, want to keep it well maintained
Great video Ian. That Slime product looks damn good. My brother and I are planning a trip through Spain in the next year or so on our Himalayan's and our only major concern are punctures. This will be a significant weight lifted from our minds. Great idea to do a regular blog too. Some bloggers seem too concerned about not annoying certain manufacturers and so limit themselves. You are independent and have loads more practical knowledge and experience as well.
G'day Ian. Good instructional video mate. I try to get offroad every weekend so don't wash my himmy very often. The less moisture I introduce into my headstock bearings and my electrical plugs the better. Just my thoughts. I love the slime. Run it in the himmy and the bonneville bobber. Like you I spin and check my tyres after every ride. I found a fat clout (nail) in the bobber rear. Pulled it out and spun the wheel and it instantly sealed the hole. I put another few hundred km on the bike before I pulled out the tube and patched it. Slime is good insurance. Easy to perform a repair at home. Horrible to do out on the highway in in the middle of the scrub. Thanks again.
I’ve had a K60 on the rear of my DR650 for almost 2 years so far. They’re a little slick in the rain for the first month and do excellent on fire roads. If they were a 7,000 mile tire rather than a 10,000 mile I think they would be the perfect 50/50 tire.
Hello Ian. Not making ad but I buy my tires from 'Adi 95' in Sofia /they have online catalog + can find tires if are asked outside the catalog/ .. They have both scouts front and rear + they are making balance on bike tires. I bought the same tires for my old Transalp, felt weird on the road, did not like them for full on road riding but brilliant on the gravel to light mud.
A better investment than slime in the tyres could be a Bluetooth tyre pressure monitor system. It also means that you never have to mess around checking pressures with a gauge. They are pretty cheap and the one I have has a small battery plus a little solar panel to keep it charged. No wiring required. Mine detected a loss of pressure in time for me to turn back to a nearby town and get the puncture fixed. I had picked up a roofing nail. On longer runs I carry my own repair kit and a lightweight jack.
Checking tyres pressures when using Slime. Face the valve Up. Valve at the bottom of the wheel. There's only 100-150ml of Slime in your tube. It will be in the bottom of your tube well away from the valve. I have a compressor and garage style tyre pressure gauge. I hit the trigger before putting it onto the valve. Any slime in the valve stem gets forced out of the valve stem. I can then add or remove air without ruining my gauge or getting the valve clogged with Slime. 👍
Keen to see how you go with the K60s. Just got some for my 450.Still running them in, so hard to get a feel for them at this point. Good looking tyres !
i ran slime in my bmx tyres for years - the good thing is even if you get a puncture and leave the bike and the tyre goes down, once inflated and spun the slime heats up again and seals again - great stuff, heavy but great - my bmx rear has had a slow puncture for over 20 years and i often leave it unridden for weeks/month at at time but each time i simply re-inflate and ride it is fine
Similar thing here in Kosovo, had to go to Macedonia to get tyres for my f650gs which i sold 2 weeks ago, put Mitas Terra Force tyres on it, always carried tubes and tools in the 5.5 years i owned it but never had a puncture. My local bike shop does balance them. Have you ever ridden the Lorgara pass in Albania, awesome ride. I buy the Slime tubes for my mountain bike, never been stranded yet.
My last rear K60 lasted about 10000 km om my 250 Rally. The medium compound m+s version. Switching to a more knobbly maxxis 6006 tire for an upcoming adventure. Cheers from Norway😊
Great mileage for adventure tyres. If I was getting that type of distance , was happy with the brand, you can buy them where you are and they were a good price I would have stuck with them. Now to start some fun. Have you checked out the Shinko( Yokohama ) tyres? They are made in South Korea and I've always found them very good. After the tidal wave in Japan they moved their factory to there. The 705 are about 70 road 30 dirt and the 804 and 805 are about 50 road 50 dirt.
The problem I have in Bulgaria is a very limited choice on tyre availability. I had Yokohama tyres on sports bikes year ago and they were great. Sue has them on her car and they wear very well.
Hi Ian, did you consider keeping the Slime in your pannier and using it when you get a puncture? As long as the puncture isn’t too big, then the slime should work in sealing it. This way, one could continue using their tire gauges and not worry about an undetected puncture. Just a thought and thanks for great content.
@@AlexMcCarthy-zd7dw yes I did till I put the new tyres on then put it in. I was getting into the habit of .....I take this and take that just in case and ended up with a pannier full of things I might need tools ect ,it was just adding weight and did not even have room for my flask of coffee and a sandwich lol
Wow, 11,500km on the original tyres. Mine started to tramline at 80000km, had a nail puncture at 9,300km and decided to change the rear then. The front is still stock until now at 10,500km.
I used Slime twenty years ago in my Bonneville. It was awkward pumping the tyres up because the stuff would try to ooze out under pressure as I was trying to put the air in. Tyre garages hated it in tubeless tyres because it made such a mess inside the wheel which they had to clean up before fitting a new tyre. I never did get a puncture whilst using Slime so I can't say if it works or not. The jury's out on this one.
Super chunky sexy tires Ian and the tread are aggressive. I have never ever heard of balancing motorcycle tires. You have all the necessary details good friend. I tryed the slime a few years ago in a bicycle tire. The tube blew blowing it up and made a colossal mess. If it works for you, then you are a trendsetter. I check the tire pressure every time I ride. Question for your blog: Do we need to regrease wheel bearings or anything else with the wheels when the wheel is off.? Always sharing your knowledge ✨️ 💪👍
Hi Ian, will be interested to see how the bike handles with the slime added. Ive heard mixed reports that it affects cornering stability. Maybe do a follow up video with your thoughts
I used SLIME in the 90`s I personally thought , the wheels felt balanced at all times like it balanced them ?. I didnt get a puncture (As you pointed out how would you know ?) and ok this wasn't scientific but, To the touch the rear tire ran a little cooler and they also lasted longer. I didn't drive, so I was using a minimum of 3 rears and 2 fronts a year commuting.
I don't know if it is true but I was told that my favourite commie-block company "Pneumant" had reinvented itself as Heidenau after the wall came down. I absolutely loved the old Pneumants and they were grippy enough and lasted forever (year-round commuting involving a couple of sections of greasy cobbles and manhole covers). I absolutely hate the tyres of today as they are far too soft and square-off in no time in addition to costing a fortune. Being a very reluctant mechanic I asked my local (and only) bike shop how much they would charge to fit tyres on my bike. I got a very abrupt and indignant reply equating to 2 hours labour charge. I just laughed and left. I think 1 hours labour would have been reasonable but not 2. If I am reluctantly doing the tyres for the first time in almost 20 years then I may as well restart doing the oil, filter, chain and sprockets as well. I will probably also take the bike to my local car garage for the MOT test as well and keep the bike shop for things I cannot do myself.
Great informative video, the new tires look very sexy 😊 What condition are the spokes on each wheel? Mine are a little tarnished & won't clean as new, regardless what i use. I only wish RE would use stainless steel spokes, jnstead of galvanised steel. The cost to buy new spokes from a UK supplier in stainless are £190 the pair & fit yourself. I'm thinking on it.
All my off road bikes never had stainless spokes. When I raced enduros the guys used to say that stainless spokes could snap as they are more brittle. I am obsessive with my cleaning though so mine still look like new. I do understand though that once they start to tarnish you struggle to get them back to new looking.
@@iantoy7778 Thanks Ian, it's bizarre because I've read & heard mixed reports on the Himalayan spoke quality. Some saying there's are great & others saying poor. I'm wondering if it's more than how they're looked after. Like you, I'm fastidious with mine & the overall bike is as new looking, but the darn spokes let it down. It's either I replace the spokes or fit some of those 'spoke wraps' that many enduro/cross riders fit on their bikes these days. My bike is black, so black wraps also...or go white for contrast.
Good video Ian. I hadn't seen brass tyre weights before . I'll have to get some , better than stick-ons no doubt . Tyre country of manufacture ? Yep that is a concern , a friend fitted some Dunlop 404 to his bike and barely got 4000km out of them ( he rides slow ) they were made in Indonesia . But made in Germany does not always mean good either ,the OEM Metzlers on my Triumph wore very strangely and I took the front off long before it was wore out because of very bad vibration . I don't want to trust my life to Chinese tyres either , so what's a guy to do ?
@@iantoy7778 . I just watched a Big Bear review of the new Mahindra BSA 650 , they were critical of the Pirelli Phantom tyres . The rear was made in China , the front was from Indonesia ! Yikes , I rushed out to look at my Pirelli Scorpion Trails , made in Germany ? [ Pirelli also has a tyre plant in Romania . ] I used to buy Avons because they were Made in England , I think I'm a dinosaur !
Thanks for sharing this. I was really interested all the way through. Your instructions were easy to follow. I haven’t had a bike since 1980. The Himalayan 411 has rekindled my interest. My first bike was a 1978 XT500 and then I had a CB750. I loved both bikes and rode them both for thousands of miles before returning to England. I’ve hardly ridden since. But I have my heart set on a 411 next year. One thing I really want to do is learn as much maintenance as I possibly can. Funds aren’t unlimited and I can’t afford to do a proper apprenticeship. So unless I can find myself a teacher, watching videos like yours are my best bet. I just want to say that I do watch a lot of people on here, but this video was/is one of the best. I’m a novice, but I want to learn. Some people baffle me. I’ve no idea what they’re trying to explain and often their video technique is poor. Your video was clear and I could see what you were doing. But mostly, you kept it interesting . I enjoyed watching, so thank you vey much. I will subscribe when I finish writing. I’m looking forward to more videos like this and I will investigate the email. Regards, Ian Stewart.
I to have had a few years off and wanted a Himalayan (Itchy boots fanboy) but could not justify an adventure bike in Scotland as we have NO green lanes. Got a Scam 411 and it is fantastic. Could add to your options.
Both 411's are great bikes & full of character.
Oh & old school maintenance, which brings the owner to grow very fond of his/her bike.
Had slime in my Africa Twin. Pin hole slow puncture in front wheel from green lanes caused the slime to create a hard glob in the tube throwing the balance out. Just spin your wheels again if you suffer any wobble in the future. When I had a new tyre fitted it was an obvious gloopy lump where the puncture was .
Nice tyres, nice vid. I'd be quite happy to see your cleaning process from, preferably off-road filthy, to sparkling. I've just picked up a new himalayan and, although I've been historically slack on the maintenance front with other bikes, want to keep it well maintained
Great video Ian. That Slime product looks damn good. My brother and I are planning a trip through Spain in the next year or so on our Himalayan's and our only major concern are punctures. This will be a significant weight lifted from our minds. Great idea to do a regular blog too. Some bloggers seem too concerned about not annoying certain manufacturers and so limit themselves. You are independent and have loads more practical knowledge and experience as well.
Enjoy your trip. It should be a great ride on the Himalayans
G'day Ian.
Good instructional video mate.
I try to get offroad every weekend so don't wash my himmy very often. The less moisture I introduce into my headstock bearings and my electrical plugs the better. Just my thoughts.
I love the slime. Run it in the himmy and the bonneville bobber. Like you I spin and check my tyres after every ride. I found a fat clout (nail) in the bobber rear. Pulled it out and spun the wheel and it instantly sealed the hole.
I put another few hundred km on the bike before I pulled out the tube and patched it.
Slime is good insurance. Easy to perform a repair at home. Horrible to do out on the highway in in the middle of the scrub.
Thanks again.
Very interesting video, i'm looking forward to your blog.
Thank you! If you have any suggestions on topics you would like me to discuss let me know.
I’ve had a K60 on the rear of my DR650 for almost 2 years so far. They’re a little slick in the rain for the first month and do excellent on fire roads. If they were a 7,000 mile tire rather than a 10,000 mile I think they would be the perfect 50/50 tire.
Hello Ian. Not making ad but I buy my tires from 'Adi 95' in Sofia /they have online catalog + can find tires if are asked outside the catalog/ .. They have both scouts front and rear + they are making balance on bike tires. I bought the same tires for my old Transalp, felt weird on the road, did not like them for full on road riding but brilliant on the gravel to light mud.
Thanks for the info!
A better investment than slime in the tyres could be a Bluetooth tyre pressure monitor system. It also means that you never have to mess around checking pressures with a gauge. They are pretty cheap and the one I have has a small battery plus a little solar panel to keep it charged. No wiring required. Mine detected a loss of pressure in time for me to turn back to a nearby town and get the puncture fixed. I had picked up a roofing nail. On longer runs I carry my own repair kit and a lightweight jack.
Checking tyres pressures when using Slime.
Face the valve Up. Valve at the bottom of the wheel. There's only 100-150ml of Slime in your tube. It will be in the bottom of your tube well away from the valve.
I have a compressor and garage style tyre pressure gauge.
I hit the trigger before putting it onto the valve. Any slime in the valve stem gets forced out of the valve stem.
I can then add or remove air without ruining my gauge or getting the valve clogged with Slime. 👍
Keen to see how you go with the K60s. Just got some for my 450.Still running them in, so hard to get a feel for them at this point. Good looking tyres !
i ran slime in my bmx tyres for years - the good thing is even if you get a puncture and leave the bike and the tyre goes down, once inflated and spun the slime heats up again and seals again - great stuff, heavy but great - my bmx rear has had a slow puncture for over 20 years and i often leave it unridden for weeks/month at at time but each time i simply re-inflate and ride it is fine
Hi Ian looking forward to see the tubeless conversion on the interceptor tbh , take care & ride safe
You and me both!
Great ed/how to video Ian, your channel just gets better and better.. cheers mate.. Phil 🇦🇺
Thanks 👍
Similar thing here in Kosovo, had to go to Macedonia to get tyres for my f650gs which i sold 2 weeks ago, put Mitas Terra Force tyres on it, always carried tubes and tools in the 5.5 years i owned it but never had a puncture. My local bike shop does balance them. Have you ever ridden the Lorgara pass in Albania, awesome ride. I buy the Slime tubes for my mountain bike, never been stranded yet.
Not heard of the Lorgara Pass. Will have a look and maybe next year.
My last rear K60 lasted about 10000 km om my 250 Rally. The medium compound m+s version. Switching to a more knobbly maxxis 6006 tire for an upcoming adventure. Cheers from Norway😊
Great mileage for adventure tyres. If I was getting that type of distance , was happy with the brand, you can buy them where you are and they were a good price I would have stuck with them. Now to start some fun. Have you checked out the Shinko( Yokohama ) tyres? They are made in South Korea and I've always found them very good. After the tidal wave in Japan they moved their factory to there. The 705 are about 70 road 30 dirt and the 804 and 805 are about 50 road 50 dirt.
The problem I have in Bulgaria is a very limited choice on tyre availability. I had Yokohama tyres on sports bikes year ago and they were great. Sue has them on her car and they wear very well.
Hi Ian, did you consider keeping the Slime in your pannier and using it when you get a puncture? As long as the puncture isn’t too big, then the slime should work in sealing it. This way, one could continue using their tire gauges and not worry about an undetected puncture. Just a thought and thanks for great content.
@@AlexMcCarthy-zd7dw yes I did till I put the new tyres on then put it in. I was getting into the habit of .....I take this and take that just in case and ended up with a pannier full of things I might need tools ect ,it was just adding weight and did not even have room for my flask of coffee and a sandwich lol
Excellent once again 👍.
Thanks a lot 😊
Wow, 11,500km on the original tyres. Mine started to tramline at 80000km, had a nail puncture at 9,300km and decided to change the rear then. The front is still stock until now at 10,500km.
Good vid as usual m8 have you gone up one size on the rear tyre it looks chunkier or to use your description SEXIER 😂
I used Slime twenty years ago in my Bonneville. It was awkward pumping the tyres up because the stuff would try to ooze out under pressure as I was trying to put the air in. Tyre garages hated it in tubeless tyres because it made such a mess inside the wheel which they had to clean up before fitting a new tyre. I never did get a puncture whilst using Slime so I can't say if it works or not. The jury's out on this one.
Super chunky sexy tires Ian and the tread are aggressive.
I have never ever heard of balancing motorcycle tires.
You have all the necessary details good friend. I tryed the slime a few years ago in a bicycle tire. The tube blew blowing it up and made a colossal mess. If it works for you, then you are a trendsetter. I check the tire pressure every time I ride.
Question for your blog: Do we need to regrease wheel bearings or anything else with the wheels when the wheel is off.?
Always sharing your knowledge ✨️ 💪👍
Noted ready for next weeks blog.
Hi Ian, will be interested to see how the bike handles with the slime added. Ive heard mixed reports that it affects cornering stability. Maybe do a follow up video with your thoughts
Will do when I get a few miles on them.
I used SLIME in the 90`s I personally thought , the wheels felt balanced at all times like it balanced them ?. I didnt get a puncture (As you pointed out how would you know ?) and ok this wasn't scientific but, To the touch the rear tire ran a little cooler and they also lasted longer. I didn't drive, so I was using a minimum of 3 rears and 2 fronts a year commuting.
I don't know if it is true but I was told that my favourite commie-block company "Pneumant" had reinvented itself as Heidenau after the wall came down. I absolutely loved the old Pneumants and they were grippy enough and lasted forever (year-round commuting involving a couple of sections of greasy cobbles and manhole covers). I absolutely hate the tyres of today as they are far too soft and square-off in no time in addition to costing a fortune.
Being a very reluctant mechanic I asked my local (and only) bike shop how much they would charge to fit tyres on my bike. I got a very abrupt and indignant reply equating to 2 hours labour charge. I just laughed and left. I think 1 hours labour would have been reasonable but not 2. If I am reluctantly doing the tyres for the first time in almost 20 years then I may as well restart doing the oil, filter, chain and sprockets as well. I will probably also take the bike to my local car garage for the MOT test as well and keep the bike shop for things I cannot do myself.
That's the way to go
I was just looking at those exact tires for my Himalayan.
I'm telling my wife that it's your fault that I've ordered them. 🙂
😂
I usually clean my bike’s headlight when I finish a ride. Does that count?
Well it's a start lol
Great informative video, the new tires look very sexy 😊
What condition are the spokes on each wheel?
Mine are a little tarnished & won't clean as new, regardless what i use.
I only wish RE would use stainless steel spokes, jnstead of galvanised steel.
The cost to buy new spokes from a UK supplier in stainless are £190 the pair & fit yourself.
I'm thinking on it.
All my off road bikes never had stainless spokes. When I raced enduros the guys used to say that stainless spokes could snap as they are more brittle. I am obsessive with my cleaning though so mine still look like new. I do understand though that once they start to tarnish you struggle to get them back to new looking.
@@iantoy7778
Thanks Ian, it's bizarre because I've read & heard mixed reports on the Himalayan spoke quality. Some saying there's are great & others saying poor.
I'm wondering if it's more than how they're looked after. Like you, I'm fastidious with mine & the overall bike is as new looking, but the darn spokes let it down.
It's either I replace the spokes or fit some of those 'spoke wraps' that many enduro/cross riders fit on their bikes these days.
My bike is black, so black wraps also...or go white for contrast.
@@iantoy7778
Thinking more about it, bikes in garages in the cold damp British winters, don't help.
Good video Ian.
I hadn't seen brass tyre weights before . I'll have to get some , better than stick-ons no doubt .
Tyre country of manufacture ?
Yep that is a concern , a friend fitted some Dunlop 404 to his bike and barely got 4000km out of them ( he rides slow ) they were made in Indonesia .
But made in Germany does not always mean good either ,the OEM Metzlers on my Triumph wore very strangely and I took the front off long before it was wore out because of very bad vibration .
I don't want to trust my life to Chinese tyres either , so what's a guy to do ?
I get my tyre weights off Ali Express.
@@iantoy7778 . I just watched a Big Bear review of the new Mahindra BSA 650 , they were critical of the Pirelli Phantom tyres . The rear was made in China , the front was from Indonesia ! Yikes , I rushed out to look at my Pirelli Scorpion Trails , made in Germany ? [ Pirelli also has a tyre plant in Romania . ]
I used to buy Avons because they were Made in England , I think I'm a dinosaur !
@@dungspreader me to lol
Ooooo….im a Michelin man…good luck🤣