Ah, the eternal questio​​n we get asked most often is: “Which tire changer should I choose?” 

Since we launched our first tire changer, the Dirt Bike Tire Changer, in 2012, we’ve been steadily expanding our collection with the iconic Street Bike Tire Changer, released in 2022, and our newest addition, the mighty Mini Tire Changer, released in 2024. Each of these tire changers is designed with a specific purpose in mind, so the best tool for the job is not a one-size-fits all deal. 

If you’ve read our previous blog, “Which Tire Changer to Choose?” you know we’ve gone into detail on the differences and advantages of each. If not, no worries – check it out for all the techy stuff. 

Bottom line: Every tool in our lineup is designed to make tire changing easier, faster and dare we say, almost enjoyable. Why? Because we know exactly how frustrating it can be wrestling with tires when you don't have the right gear. 

Let’s face it – if you’re changing motorcycle tires as much as we do (and if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you are), you’re probably on the lookout for anything that can make the process smoother. P.S. If you’re feeling lost in the tire changer maze, don’t hesitate to drop us a line at support@rabaconda.com – we’re here to help you choose the tool best for you.

But don’t just take our word for it. We reached out to a handful of our beloved Rabaconda influencers – from female off-road racers to dirt bike veterans, road racers and mini bike mechanics – basically anyone who knows the struggle of changing tires by hand. 

We asked them how their Rabaconda tire changers have been treating them in terms of: 

Time savings - We all have a million things to do.

Cost efficiency - Because time is money. 

Frustration reduction - Leave those tire-changing meltdowns in the past. 

We also asked them some important questions like: 

What’s the most common frustration you face when changing tires manually? And more importantly, how does Rabaconda come to the rescue? 

What features of the Street Bike Tire Changer, Dirt Bike Tire Changer and Mini Tire Changer are particularly effective at saving time, reducing hassle and ultimately putting more money back in your pocket in the long run?

Ready to find out which Rabaconda tire changer is for you? Read on, and let us help you – one tire change at a time! 

Let’s be real – tire changes are never exactly fun but they don’t have to be a huge hassle either. 

Enter the Street Bike Tire Changer – the versatile, all-round tire hero that makes swapping out tires on everything from spokes wheels to tubeless tires feel like a breeze. 

This bad boy can handle 12-21” wheels, including spoked, mag/cast, tube, tubeless, dirt, touring, adventure, cruisers and more–tires up to 250mm wide and wheel hub diameters between 15-32mm, as long as you’re not running mousse bib foam inserts.

German Supermoto stunt rider “Moto Nico” has been putting the Street Bike Tire Changer to the test on two different bikes: GasGas EC350 and KTM 500EXC, both supermotos.

“There are multiple features that make the product work perfectly,” Nico said. “The long lever, in combination with the ratchet function, makes switching tires so easy. And if you do it manually, it’s actually so much fun!”

You read that right – tire changing can be fun. If you’ve ever tried to wrestle a stubborn tire off a rim with nothing but brute strength, you know that’s a pretty bold statement. But with the Rabaconda, it can be a pretty smooth process. 

And here’s the kicker: Nico says the time and money savings are game-changing. “If you change your tire at home with a Rabaconda, after 5-10 minutes, depending if you have a tube in your rim or not, you’re finished and you are ready to go! No more driving to the tire shop, waiting around for hours and paying more than €20.00. You invest a lot of time driving around. That’s annoying.” 

In addition to cost savings, the portability and ease of a Rabaconda Street Bike Tire Changer is a massive advantage to some, especially track day riders like Ana Mata, who rides everything from a Kawasaki Ninja 400 to a Yamaha R6.

“The portability is a huge advantage of the tire changer,” she said, adding that her old, bulky non-portable tire changer used to take up space in her garage. “It took a lot of brute strength to change a tire, but the Rabaconda makes it easy to bring trackside and doesn't require a ton of strength to change the tire, which really helps me since I'm a petite girl.”

Ana says she sought out the Rabaconda to make tire changes possible without needing to rely on anyone. 

“The Rabaconda mechanism makes it a million times easier and requires so much less effort to break the bead, remove the tire from the rim and then mount the new tire,” she added. “I also really enjoy getting to help street riders in my local community learn how to change their own tires. Rabaconda has made that incredibly easy to do.”

Corinne Ott, a 22-year-old road racer from Zurich, is another big fan of the Rabaconda. When she’s not riding her dream bike, a Yamaha R1 RN49, or helping her boyfriend change tires on his Aprilia RSV4, she’s studying building technology at university and specializing in air conditioning systems or her other passion is show jumping her two horses. Yes, she’s that cool. 

“The operation of the Rabaconda is very simple and pleasant,” Corinne said. “I love that the work is carried out in the air and not on the ground.”

Corinne uses the tire changer at the track and at home, riding as many race tracks as possible, and she’s all about how it saves her time and money. “I can do it all myself now – no more trips to the mechanic or waiting for someone else to do it. In general, it's great to do something on a motorcycle yourself.”

Why Choose the Dirt Bike Tire Changer? 

For most of us, changing dirt bike tires has always been a hassle – especially when you’re running rim locks and mousse bib inserts, and you’re racing through tires every other weekend during the season. (Writing this, I can’t help but flash back to the countless times my childhood self watched my dad struggle with changing our dirt bike tires. He’d throw his back into it, using all sorts of wild body contortions, struggling with countless tire irons that never seemed to do the job. There were more than a few moments of frustration and more than one flying tire iron narrowly missing his face. It was a mix of grunts, cuss words and a whole lot of sweat—basically, a mini workout, and that was before we started running mousse bibs!)

That’s where our flagship product, the Rabaconda Dirt Bike Tire Changer comes in – the only tire changer that works with mousse bibs, making it a must-have for off-road enthusiasts, and it works with tubes as well. 

Plus, it’s officially approved by the American Motorcyclist Association as Team USA’s official tire changer for the International Six Days of Enduro. 

Developed in 2012 by two enduro riders, Jakob and Tõnu, Rabaconda’s Estonian founders, who wanted to waste less precious race time on tire changes. ISDE competitors have just 15 minutes after racing each day for bike work, such as oil and tire changes, before impounding their bike each night. (Read more about Rabaconda’s 10-year anniversary supporting Team USA, here.) This tight timeframe inspired the creation of the Dirt Bike Tire Changer.

At the 2024 ISDE in Spain last October – dozens of Rabaconda Dirt Bike Tire Changers were front and center, helping 31 Team USA racers secure some impressive results: 

• 1st in Women’s World Trophy 
• 2nd place in World Trophy
• 3rd in Junior Trophy
• 1st first in the inaugural Women’s Club category

Olivia Pugh, one of three gold medalists on the Eric Cleveland Memorial Women’s Club Team, credited her Rabaconda for helping her team win by over an hour in her 6DAYS® debut.

“I changed a front tire as well as a rear in under 10 minutes, all thanks to the Rabaconda. It’s super easy to use and makes tire changing a breeze,” Olivia said. She’s used the Rabaconda on a KTM 250 XC-F, a Husqvarna FC 250 and a KTM 150 XC-W.

Racing 744 miles in six days, Pugh said she saved probably about 10 minutes per tire, and during ISDE when you only have 15 minutes of allotted bike work time per day, is huge. 

“Having a spot to lock the rim lock in place built into the Rabaconda has been extremely helpful and made tire changing so much less stressful,” she said, adding that rim locks are what she still struggles with most.

For Blake Kehoe of Kehoe Racing, a Stark Future Race Team, the Rabaconda Dirt Bike Tire Changer is a must-have time-saving stress-reducing tool.

With the Rabaconda, Blake says he loves: “Ease of use, portability, durability, and no rim damage – our favorite things about the Rabaconda tire changing system. “

“We usually save about 10-15 minutes per tire change,” he said. “And save ourselves from a lot of stress! 

“The most common frustration is damaging the rim but Rabaconda prevents this with its design,” he said. “The Rabaconda reduces costs from frequent tire damage and saves us time. Time is money.”

Meet the Mini – The Portable Solution for Small Tires

Our latest innovative tool, the Mini Tire Changer, is your new best friend for swapping out small tires without the hassle, bruised knuckles or inevitable tantrums. 

Designed with the same benefits of the Dirt changer, the Mini can handle 10”-17” tires on smaller motorcycles and 50 to 85cc dirt bikes. Plus, weighing in at 27 lbs, the Mini breaks down into a small carrying bag – a hallmark of the Rabaconda brand. 

For Rabaconda’s co-founder Jakob, a father of boys who love to ride, the frustration of changing a small dirt bike tire – pinching several tubes while swapping his son’s Yamaha TTR 110 tires – was the inspiration behind launching the Mini.

“Having to put on studded 12” winter tires is also truly a nightmare,” Jakob said. “I’m no longer dreading having to swap tires on my kids' bikes.” 

Estonian motorcycle mechanic, Carl Mattias Rägel, aka @rendimehaanik, who changes mini tires constantly during race season and says he couldn’t be happier with the Mini. “The Mini Tire Changer will help you save on blisters, Band-Aids and future visits to the psychologist,” he said. “There is a time gain, but the main thing I save compared to manually changing a tire is nerves. And knuckles too.”

“With the mini, he also saves on the scattered levers,” he added. “Looking back after buying the Rabaconda Mini, it was all one big ordeal and an unpleasant experience. With Rabaconda, it's a real pleasure to change the 10" mousse.”

Quit Grunting and Swearing—Rabaconda Makes Tire Changes Almost Fun!

Choosing the right Rabaconda tire changer is like picking your favorite bike—there’s no one-size-fits-all. Whether you're wrestling with dirt bike tires or swapping out your street bike’s rubber, Rabaconda's lineup makes the whole ordeal faster, easier, and dare we say, almost fun (yes, we said fun).

Street Bike Tire Changer: Most versatile; aimed at tubeless, street and adventure bike tires up to 250mm wide, with wheels from 12” to 21” in diameter and hub sizes from 15mm to 32mm 

Dirt Bike Tire Changer: If you’re running mousse bib inserts on 16-21” wheels, the Rabaconda Dirt Bike Tire Changer is the only tool for the job. 

Mini Tire Changer: Perfect for 10-17” tires on smaller motorcycles and 50cc, 65cc and 85cc dirt bikes.

P.S. Don’t forget about our new Wheel Balancer and the Lift Kit, the most recent accessories in our tire-changing tool collections loved by thousands of pro racers, mechanics and weekend warriors. 

Happy tire changing!