Change Rear Tire 2002 Honda Rebel 250 (CMX250C) | The Fixit shed

I bought a 2002 Honda Rebel 250 (CMX250C) that is 20 years old, but only has 1888 miles on it. It hasn't been on public streets for more than a decade. The previous owner did take it on the occasional spin around the development. The lack of use has taken a toll on this bike, though. The tires are old and dry rotted. The date code on the rear tire is 1401 which is the 14th week of 2001. It is more than 20 years old. Time to change the tire, tube and rim strip.
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TOOLS
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TIRE STUFF
FRONT AND REAR tire set - amzn.to/3ldufH0
FRONT
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Tube 2.75/3.00-18 - amzn.to/3ROM3E8
Rim Strip 18" - amzn.to/3vp1vNZ
REAR
Rear Tire 130/90-15 - amzn.to/3SPoKuq
IRC TR-4 Tube - 130/90-15/Black - amzn.to/3clbPAb
Rim Strip 15" - amzn.to/3dD1akD
CARB STUFF
Rebel 250 Carb Rebuild Kit - amzn.to/3IlnJ8O
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[@locopatojo2]

Thank you for showing all the complications and not skipping parts. It's hard to find videos where people resolved the issues.

[@TheFixitShed]

Glad you liked it!

[@TIDALFALL]

I can't thank you enough for this series. Just picked up my first bike, 96 Honda Rebel. These videos are gold

[@TheFixitShed]

Glad you like them!

[@jaimeskiebel]

Thanks!

[@TheFixitShed]

Whoa, that is very generous of you. I am glad you found the video helpful.

[@jaimeskiebel]

@@TheFixitShed You've saved me time and money with all your Honda Rebel videos!

[@sawyerramos3113]

oh man, i remember helping my father with his bike, when I was a kid, u learn a lot by just assisting.... fund memories.

[@TheFixitShed]

Yup. First work I ever did on a motorcycle was with my dad, changing the rear tire

[@tymartinez3166]

Thanks! Was looking everywhere trying to figure out where I went wrong getting my tire straight. You really helped me

[@TheFixitShed]

You are welcome, and thank you VERY much for the super thanks! Much appreciated.

[@edwinjiscoa5695]

I was able to change my rebel tires myself thanks to your video. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.

[@TheFixitShed]

Nice work! Glad the videos helped

[@user-yg7su6nk9z]

Wonderful Series. You give me the confidence to tackle these jobs armed with the skills that you so artfully explain. Thank you.

[@TheFixitShed]

You are very welcome! I do the same thing. If I run into a taks I am unfamiliar with, it helps to see someone else do it. Best of luck to you with your Rebel. They are a lot of fun!

[@arcadianrust]

I used a 10" 3/8 extension to push my axl out. Super easy.

[@TheFixitShed]

That works

[@ry491]

Once again your great videos have hrlped me. I need to replace the rear tyre on my Rebel because of age cracking . Now I know exactly what to do . I have found so many of your videos so helpful and have given me the confidence to do things myself . You're a top man and I thank you . Best regsrds from Thomas in the UK .

[@TheFixitShed]

I am so glad you are enyoring the videos. The tyre change video for the 2004 rebel might be better. I show a better way to get the rear axel out, using a 3/8th inch drive ratchet extension to drive the axel through. Thanks for the wonderful comment. Comments like that really make my day. Cheers!

[@ry491]

@@TheFixitShed You are welcome . Thanks I will remember the tip about the axle.

[@arcticgummibear4500]

Thanks for the video. My hat off to you for not swearing during the process. I'm in the process of buying a 2008 rebel and it needs new tires. Your video was just what I needed.

[@TheFixitShed]

Glad I could help. You really have to enjoy working on bikes for this to be worthwhile. It can be a struggle, and it is possible find bike shops with reasonable prices for mounting and balancing. Good luck with your Rebel!

[@marcinjanczak5473]

Thank you for great explanation with all details.

[@TheFixitShed]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Bolero_Guitar]

Great! Your video was just what I needed. Thank you so much 👍

[@TheFixitShed]

Thanks! Glad it helped

[@michaelgarrard3764]

I just got a Yamaha v star 250 and you just showed me pretty much how to do my rear tire!

[@TheFixitShed]

Glad it helped. Most chain drive bikes are going to be similar. Thanks!

[@kennethwimler8112]

Great job.

[@TheFixitShed]

Thanks!

[@ArmyMedic]

Thank you

[@baonhithach]

I wish you live near me so you can help my bike anything it get trouble,you are good job sir 👍😍

[@TheFixitShed]

Thanks 👍

[@MrNamdang2011]

Thanks for showing us how to change the front and rear wheels of Honda Rebel 250. I was able to remove the front tire and took it to the cycle shop to put in new tire and did balancing. I think it is best to remove wheels and let the shop doing tires installation and balancing. The shop didn't charge much, $25 for both installation and balacing. It's no safe to ride motorcycles with unbalanced wheels.

[@TheFixitShed]

You're welcome! That is a good deal for tire mounting and balancing

[@geraldscott4302]

I balance my own tires. It is easy, but can be a time consuming process. There is a lot of waiting involved. I put the axle back in the wheel, then put the wheel between two jackstands, with one end of the axle laying on each jackstand. Spin the wheel by hand, then wait until it stops (which may take several minutes) If it stops, then starts turning the other way, it is way out of balance. the heavy spot will be at the bottom after it stops turning. Mark it with a sharpie. Spin it again. If it stops in the same place, place some weight 180 degrees from the heavy spot and try again. It will take several times. When you have it so that it never stops in the same spot twice when you spin it, then it is balanced. But during the process, you may wind up sitting there for an hour while the wheel is spinning. Get a chair and something to drink. No shop will balance a tire/wheel this good. it is too time consuming. They get it somewhere close and leave it.

[@Monkeybongoes]

Reps from Revzilla, Heidenau and Midwesttraction all told me tires older than 10 yrs were safe to ride on if they were stored properly. I've heard the 5-10 yr life was true decades ago, but not now w improved rubber compounds and manufacturing.

[@TheFixitShed]

Yes, I rode a bit on the 20 year old tires, but I felt more comfortable on the new ones. The outside surface of the tread had become a little hard. It would eventually wear down to softer rubber underneath, but I was uneasy when cornering. I have a friend who changes the tires on his bike every other year. I think that is a bit extreme.

[@owenray2709]

great videos, super helpful since all these rebels are the same

[@TheFixitShed]

Thanks! I am glad you are enjoying them. Yeah, I love the simplicity of the air cooled single carb engines, and all pretty much the same from 1985 through 2016. A few design changes in 1996 (front brakes, carb...), but a lot of it stayed the same.

[@cristenarauz4786]

You have to align the rear wheel with the front tire. That can throw the back tire off if it's not in sync with the front tire. Even if the back tire is a little wire plus there's a chain spec tool to show you how much play should be in the chain

[@unebonnevie]

I don't have a bike or ride one, but thumbed up for the vid. Maybe someday I'll get a Honda Rebel 250. It's much harder to change the wheel on the Rebel than on a car 🙂

[@TheFixitShed]

The rear wheel definately has more involved than removing the wheel on a car. The front is easier on the rebel, though. Thanks for the thumbs up, and i am glad you are enjoying the videos!

[@jerrybay8108]

I am essentially doing everything you are doing to your bike, I am just waiting a day or two until your videos come out so I dont mess everything up lol. I have an 09 and its my first bike. Awesome bike just not great for highways lol

[@TheFixitShed]

Awesome, thank you! Yes, I keep off the highways, too.

[@geraldscott4302]

Not great for highways? Well I guess there are better bikes for highways, but the Rebel 250 does just fine. I have made a couple of coast to coast and back trips on them, mostly on freeways at full throttle. They did just fine. They will easily hold 75 mph and can hit 85-90 mph. On most freeways you will quickly find a semi truck doing about 65 in the right lane. Just fall in behind them and let them block traffic for you while you cruise along at 65.

[@TheFixitShed]

Interesting! Did you change the sprockets from stock 14/33 to something a little taller? My throttle seems to run out around 65, but I haven't driven it a lot of places where you can go faster than that. It has been drilled into my head that you should not run engines at WOT. Doing so burns them out. It is nice to hear that these Rebels can handle it. I would also worry about drafting a truck. With the air cooled engine, I would think it would reduce the air flow and cause the engine to overheat, but if it has been working for you, great!

[@geraldscott4302]

@@TheFixitShed I have always run stock gearing on Rebel 250s (I've had quite a few of them) Those little red marks on the speedometer show the redline. In top gear, the speed tops out right at redline, which is about as perfect as you can get. Trying to gear it higher will slow it down, and can cause engine lugging. The engine needs to spin freely. It is a short stroke twin, and can easily handle sustained full throttle. Honda could have gotten more power out of it, but doing so would have put more stress on the engine. The way it is, full throttle does not overstress it. The Rebel engine dates back to the late '70s, and uses technology older than that. It is seriously overbuilt for the power it makes, unlike todays computer designed engines that are built just strong enough to barely handle the power they make. Just don't cruise at full throttle in anything but top gear. But it is perfectly ok to accelerate at full throttle in all the gears. Just upshift just before the needle reaches the little red mark. The Rebel is one of the few bikes you can run up through the gears at full throttle in most places without breaking the speed limit. As for following trucks, don't follow too close. Just stay behind the truck at a normal following distance. The NASCAR wannabes are a lot less likely to get upset and do something stupid because you are riding under the speed limit (which is what the right lane is for) if there is a semi truck ahead of you also going under the speed limit. Unlike much larger bikes, the Rebel is pretty much topped out at freeway speeds, and while it won't hurt the bike to ride it that way, it doesn't have the power to rocket away from a dangerous situation if you need to, like a larger faster bike would. So you have to adopt a different style of riding than you would on a larger bike. I recommend this forum for the Rebel 250. It is the only forum I know of that still exists for the 250. I don't consider the 2017 and newer ones to even be Rebels. They have nothing in common with the real Rebels, which date back to 1985, which is when I bought my first one. www.hondarebelforum.com

[@TheFixitShed]

@@geraldscott4302 Yes, I am a member of the forum (TFS_Rebel). I love it. I wish I had more time to just sit and read through all the posts. Lots of good stuff there. I really appreciate your contributions to the comments on my videos. I know a lot of time goes into your posts. Thank you.

[@jaimeskiebel]

Also, your link to the IRC TR-4 Tube is actually the link to the MMG Rear tire.

[@TheFixitShed]

Fixed! Thanks

[@reneemiller4470]

Just curious -- when you remove a rear tire to change it like that-- how do the break wear indicator arrows get lined up like they're supposed to?

[@TheFixitShed]

When you reinstall the wheel and adjust the rear brakes, the arrows will be positioned correctly. They should not line up. If they do line up, then it is time to change the rear brakes.

[@margotk3498]

I am a brand new rider , got a Honda rebel and took it up and down the road 3 times, and then found my bike with a rear flat (nail)…. I took the wheel off today, and got the tube replaced, and THEN I found this wonderful video . I had to laugh because I had the same issues… trouble getting the wheel forward enough to get the chain off, and then a stuck axle . Interestingly I found my axle was installed backwards… and my cotter pin was missing . A few questions for you… can you give me the details on how you have your bike lifted and stabilized? I do have a hydraulic lift like yours, but I used a stand . Also, what kind of a cotter pin should I look for ? And did you just slide it through or do something else to it? Lastly… did you lubricate the axle before putting it back? Thank you so much! Great video .

[@TheFixitShed]

this is the stand I was using: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6OzqKCKi6d_h7M You can get the OEM cotter pin from partzilla or the Honda dealer, but anything that fits will work. It just keeps the nut from turning and ther isn't a lot of force that it has to stop. Slide it through and bend the ends in opposite directions so it doesn't fall out. I believe I did put a thin layer of greas on the axel, but it is just to prevent rust and so that it slides in and out a little easier. I have another video with a 2004 Rebel that I worked on with a better solution for a stuck rear axel -> kzbin.info/www/bejne/aF6VeJyrq6xphrM

[@margotk3498]

@@TheFixitShed do you ever put anything on the nuts and bolts when you're putting things back together, to prevent rust ? Like some silicone spray?

[@TheFixitShed]

Sorry I didn't see this reply sooner. I use anit-seize on threads I am concerned about corrosion.

[@sawyerramos3113]

hey, how would you recommend preserving the settings of the slack adjusters? thats the part I am nervous about removing my rear tire.

[@TheFixitShed]

You could try marking it with a sharpie, but I would just tighten it until you hear the brakes dragging on the drum and then loosen it one half turn at a time until it stops dragging.

[@sawyerramos3113]

@@TheFixitShed thats a great idea. thank you for all the videos and help! Is it too much to ask you to move to tampa FL?

[@soksavuth8092]

Hi! I have been watching your videos almost all episodes, I found that you have fixed many components of this Honda Rebel CMX250. I also have one the same as yours, I love it. I am living in Asia, I have a problem with the battery cover many times since I bought this bike. I have fixed it many times, but it keep broken again and again, because it a plastics. It keep breaking a support pole inside the cover (opposite side of the screw), I realized that because of my right thigh heavy touch the cover when I stop the bike. I wonder do you have an idea on how to fix it or replace a new design battery cover to make it stronger. Thanks

[@TheFixitShed]

I have a cover for my 2004 that is broken the same way. I just made a video that will go up in the next week or so asking if anyone has a good repair for it. I have heard epoxy might work, but also that it doesn't. Some have used fibre glass, but I don't know much about doing that. Stay tuned for the upcoming video, someone may post a good solution.

[@soksavuth8092]

@@TheFixitShed Thank you so much for reply, I appreciate, I will wait and see there should be someone have an idea on how to fix it nicely. I hope so.

[@Monkeybongoes]

JB Weld should work.

[@icecole3713]

Do you have to balance the wheels on these? Or are you not gonna go fast enough to notice? I am changing mine and am just curious.

[@TheFixitShed]

Balancing them is a good idea. That said, I did not balance mine and have put about 500 miles on them. I do not notice any balance related issues, but I rarely go above 55 mph. I did leave the original weights on the wheels. A long time ago, I heard that it is more likely for the rims to be out of balance than the tires, so I left the weights on to keep the rims in balance, maybe... If it was sport bike, or something capable of going quite a bit faster than the Rebel, balancing would be a higher priority.

[@PEDROORTIZ-ck6fq]

You have a great channel. I am hoping you can help me. I broke my chain adjuster. I need help replacing it.

[@TheFixitShed]

Thanks! Glad you like the videos. Check this one kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHypl2p6or19eas. I replace the adjuster in that video.

[@jaimeskiebel]

Question: how did you choose the replacement tires? I ask because I also need front and back tires. But the link that you gave for the replacement rear tire shows it is unavailable indefinitely. I've searched ebay, etc., but can't find it in stock. I want to get a matched set, like the ones you have, but I know absolutely nothing about motorcycle tires. When I search, I come up with so many options that it makes my head spin!😄 Any ideas?

[@TheFixitShed]

Well, that is unfortunate that it is not available. I chose based on price. I am not a high performance driver. I will not be pushing the tires to the limit. I am just driving back and forth to work on streets with 45 mph speed limits. So I went with the least expensive tires I could find. If I was driving a CBR1000RR, or if I was going to be taking long highway trips I may have chosen differently. I have read on the Honda Rebel Forum that people like Pirelli and/or Dunlop, but they cost about 50% more. So far I am really happy with what I got, but it has only been 100 miles or so.

[@jaimeskiebel]

@@TheFixitShed I ended up purchasing some Kenda K671 Cruiser Tires. They were similarly priced to the MMGs you suggested. Reviews were mixed, but the price was in my range.

[@mathewrichey578]

Amazon has them I ordered a new set Front and back for $123

[@robertlehnhoff9100]

Do you know what's the widest tire you can place on a Rebel? Back tire. Thank you.

[@TheFixitShed]

Here is a link to a great thread about this on the Honda Rebel forum www.hondarebelforum.com/threads/rear-tire-size-lets-go-wide.10634/

[@JG-fi9ub]

Always powder the tube first

[@retros1299]

Hi, I'm wondering if I can put a 130 tire on the back of my Honda CM 125, the factory tires were much narrower, the wider one looks nicer.

[@TheFixitShed]

I would be careful with a big jump in tire size. The tires and rims are a set. if you are going to use a wider tire, you should also use a wider rim. You can make a small change in size without too much concern. Fitting a wider tire on the stock rim changes the intended shape of the tire profile by pinching in the beads and sucking the side of the tread in. It is going to affect handling, and not in a good way over using a stock sized tire on the stock rim.

[@retros1299]

@@TheFixitShed OK thanks.

[@Monkeybongoes]

Is there a trick to getting the valve stem through the rim hole? I'm really struggling w that part. Using a Pirelli MT66, maybe it's stiffer than your tire. Not able to manhandle it the way you seemed to, and pretty sure my hands a smaller than yours.

[@TheFixitShed]

There isn't really a trick that I know of. I haven't tried this, but you might be able to: you only have one side of the tire on the rim, so start with the tube comletely separate from the tire and rim. lift the tire (or the rim, depending on which side is up) so that the center of the rim is visible. now you should be able to insert the valve stem through the hole. Put a nut on the valvestem to hold it in place. Now you need feed the tube under the bead of the tire. Like I said, haven't tried it. Hope it works, if you haven't already succeeded.

[@Monkeybongoes]

@@TheFixitShed Is there a reason you didn't do it that way? (inserting the valve stem first instead of last)

[@TheFixitShed]

@@Monkeybongoes I didn't think of it. I have always done it putting the tube inside the tire and then finding the hole for the valve. When you said you were having trouble, I just tried to think of a different way that might be easier (or maybe it won't, let me know).

[@Monkeybongoes]

@@TheFixitShed Got a Lang Valve Stem Fishing tool and still had a heck of a time. Hoping the Pirelli had something to do w that, maybe it's sidewalls are exceptionally stiff? Ended up threading the tool into the valve stem before putting the tube into the tire. Rest of the process went pretty smooth. Your video helped a lot.

[@TheFixitShed]

@@Monkeybongoes Glad you got it all worked out. Congrats! I'll have to check out the valve stem fishing tool. Thanks!

[@sawyerramos3113]

I sure as hell not doing this. I will take it to a mechanic.

[@TheFixitShed]

Always a good idea to watch the videos first. To make sure it is something you are comfortable with

[@sawyerramos3113]

@@TheFixitShed yup! You are right. this is not something I will take on. Well, maybe once I get more and more into it.

[@ThaddeusSnaith]

@TheFixitShed where did you purchase the nice tire levers you used to mount and dismount your tires? Thanks, Tad

[@onzer8080]

....

[@ArmyMedic]

Thanks!

[@TheFixitShed]

Much appreciated!

[@user-yg7su6nk9z]

Thanks!

[@TheFixitShed]

Thank you very much! I am glad you are enjoying the videos.

[@margotk3498]

Thanks!

[@TheFixitShed]

Thank you very much!