Work involved to replace rear tire.

[walther40]

2001 Kawasaki 1500 Nomad Fi with direct drive.
Is this a job better left for a dealer or can a novice (myself) figure it out?
Any special tools?
Thanks

[Gummiente]

Okay, how much damage did you do the bike after running over the road debris?

[walther40]

From what I can see no more than the muffler/resonator. While checking the damage from the road debris I looked at the rear tire. Last year the NY State inspection let me squeak by without replacing the rear tire. I can see very little tread and to get by inspection this year would be very unlikely. So as long as I'm ordering parts I may as well take care of this.
Do you think I could pass inspection with the muffler tape? The noise is not that bad at all.

[Gummiente]

If you're getting the bike ready for an annual inspection then, no, the muffler tape won't do and I highly doubt they'll let it slide. If the inspections are anything like the ones we have up here in Ontario, then the exhaust system is one of the things they look at to make sure there are no perforations or leaks.

As for the rear wheel, it's been awhile since I had my '99 Drifter 1500 - the same bike as yours except for the body parts and rear subframe - but I distinctly remember needing a bike lift to raise the rear wheel off the ground and to keep it there. Your bike does not have a centerstand, so you'll need to buy a bike lift (Costco usualy has them for a decent price) as well as a service manual for your bike so you do the job in the proper sequence and with the proper tools.

[slimcolo]

Not sure about NY but when we had a inspection here it was pretty much a joke. They would check lights and horn then look at tyres, and then charge you for it. (sometimes just fill out paperwork and give inspection sticker without even looking at bike, but would do an intensive inspection on a car, the state had no standard for MC inspections just for cars) Also our (Colorado) inspection could be done by any dealer (auto, farm EQ or bike, Back then there were no bike shops in Gunnison so got ours inspected by Ford, IH or any used car dealer)