Ok, the time has come to change my tyres

[chippyzip]

OK, It's now time to change my tyres. I was going to ask my local Piaggio dealer, along with a service, but I think that'll be way out of my pocket at the moment.
So, now the weather is starting to get better (yeah, right) I might have a go removing both the front and rear wheel, take them to a bike dealer, and get them to change the tyres.
The Scooter has been laid up since early December, and at the moment it's got those Sava tyres that came with the scooter. I've only covered 5.600 miles, and already the rear has lost some tread.

Is there any step by step guide in removing the wheels on a X10 500cc? It looks like I might have to remove the exhaust, just like I did with my GTS, but apart from that what else?

Graham 

[Expat47]

I watched the rear tire (tyre) come off my 350 and, yes, the muffler comes off first. You might want to look into Michlen City tires (tyres).

[Mike H]

Silencer off, brake caliper off, parking caliper off, disconnect bottom of right shock (dunno how that works on the 500?) and move back out of the way. Remove right side spindle nut, this is locked by a hex 'cage' and a split pin through the end of the spindle. THEN you can pull off the right side plate (remove 2 bolts at the front first) that holds the outer support bearing race (can't remember what this plate is normally called?). Much further than that I haven't been. But pretty much wheel ready to come off I would have thought.

EDIT: based on 350, exact component parts / sequence on 500 may be different.


.

[Mike H]

+1 for Michelin City Grip.

[chippyzip]

Yeah, I've already bought two Michelin grip tyres ( front and rear for £109.60) just need to get them fitted now!

Graham!

[Mike H]

If you want to remove the wheels search Internet for Piaggio X10 service manual, PDF file to download, not too bad for instructions and photos. Some things still vague until you actually look at it for real, then makes more sense. Is translated from Italian after all.

Be aware tho mine (350 Executive) is 95 MB so not a small file to download.

[Expat47]

Here's a link: http://www.wotmeworry.org.uk/manuals/Piaggio%20X10/X10%20350ie%20Exec/

[chippyzip]

If you want to remove the wheels search Internet for Piaggio X10 service manual, PDF file to download, not too bad for instructions and photos. Some things still vague until you actually look at it for real, then makes more sense. Is translated from Italian after all.

Be aware tho mine (350 Executive) is 95 MB so not a small file to download.

Cheers for that, I forgot about those manuals! I'll have a go with the front wheel first!
Graham

[Mike H]

Certainly the front wheel is a more familiar forks and spindle arrangement.

Not sure if tyre will go through calipers. so one of both might have to come off, not personally done it so not sure.

.

[Dave Milnes]

It probably will come out, but you'd never get it back in without removing the callipers so may as well remove them right at the beginning.

[JohnF]

Seems most X10's in the uk are 350. This is the manual for the 500.

http://www.wotmeworry.org.uk/manuals/Piaggio%20X10/X10%20500/

It is different. Hope it helps

John

[chippyzip]

I think your right about the X10 500cc being a rare breed, I only know 2 in my area so far, although I've come across a few on rallies around the UK. I bought the 500, 3 years ago, as I ride a lot round Europe, when I can, and two up with a top box and side panniers can add to a lot of weight! I've since noticed on servicing the scoot, there are a few design differences in the engine, compared to the 350cc version, such as the location of the oil filter for example.

Graham 

[Noggin the Nog]

Looks like I need a new rear tyre too. There's a worn band on the RHS all round the tyre. Centre of the tread is fine, as is the tread nearest the wall , which is a bit weird. Must be the camber (& me cranking it over, of course ;-) ).

The workshop manual is definitely vague as always, with the right hand support plate being nowhere in sight in the section on removing the rear wheel. Think it must be somewhere else, in the engine section, probably. Might take some photos when I do it.

[Mike H]

Basically everything off right hand side, make a note what came off where.

Not complicated, just time consuming.

[Noggin the Nog]

Basically everything off right hand side, make a note what came off where.

Not complicated, just time consuming.

Yup. That's about it. I couldn't get the fixing for the wheel sensor out but I was able to free the cable from it's other fixings to give me enough free play to get the side plate out of the way with the sensor still in it's socket.
Undoing the fixing for the brake line hose clip, where the rigid hose meets the flexi hose gives you enough flexibility to get the calipers out of the way once the bolts have been removed.
I hadn't got a metric socket for the spindle nut but a 15/16 AF was a perfect fit.
I just need to get a new tyre now.
I did some of the X10 specific jobs while the wheel is out, including fitting an extender to the mudguard & a shield under the gaping hole to the fuse box.

I took note of previous advice given on here to get an allen key/torx key socket set and cracked the brake pad pins in the calipers quite easily. Unfortunately the set didn't go down to an H3 size for the fixing pin holding the wheel sensor or I suspect that would've come out easily too. Anyway that pin is soaking in penetrating fluid so it may free off by the time I put the side plate back on.

[Mike H]

All fun and games by the sound of it! 

[Noggin the Nog]

All fun and games by the sound of it! 

Oh, yeah. That pin is well and truly beggared now so will need drilling out some time. And there also appears to be a Michelin shortage in the midlands atm

[Dave Milnes]

Try Oponeo.com or co.uk and take loose wheels to any fitter.

[Noggin the Nog]

Having one of the biggest m/c tyre stores down the road (Wheel House Tyres, Coleshill, Birmingham), I didn't think there would be a problem but they had a load of Michelin tyres on back order, which must be frustrating for them too.

Oponeo don't list a rear tyre (150/70-113) for the X10. How good is that?

W.H.T. have come through this morning and say that they have phoned round &will have a tyre for me after lunch. Yay!

btw: can I mention how much I hate the guy who came up with the idea of mushroom head allen bolts? The reduced size of the head means uses smaller size allen socket which can't take the torque for the thread size. I can't imagine why they get used really.
Anyway that sensor fixing is out and has been replaced with a proper cheese head bolt. And a little grease.

[Noggin the Nog]

Correction, the Oponeo website is er, not so good.

Just had another look and going by the drop downs at the top it came up with nothing.
 
Looking further down the side menu (initially I was using my small screened phone) the tyre is there.

[Mike H]

I mail ordered my city grip winters from tyreleader.co.uk, albeit couple of years ago now.

Looking on their site again it looks like the rear 150/70-13 is DIS or out of stock - a general famine?

The city grip summer version is still there.

[Dave Milnes]

I forget the X10 uses a 13" rear, can't understand why manufacturers don't stay with common standard sizes. The nexus was the same having a 15" front wheel which was unique when it was launched, especially being a radial.

[Noggin the Nog]

After finishing the rear end, I though doing a service on the calipers on the front was going to be a doddle. Unfortunately a couple of those caliper pins disagree.
Even using a long 5mm socket extension thru the wheel from the other side.
Fortunately I have a guy who's a whizz with all things Italian (primarily Moto Guzzi) who is not far away. As I recognise my limitations when it comes to a complete strip down of calipers & bleeding etc, and I get him to do anything on the Guzzi that is beyond me, I make take it round to him.

Q: Why is the one front caliper £100 more than the other? Seems a bit extreme.

[Dave Milnes]

Probably one is in greater demand for some reason.

[Noggin the Nog]

Probably one is in greater demand for some reason.

............. and yet it's the cheap one which is out of stock at both Fowlers & Suttons. Maybe no-one can afford the other one :-)