Marc Parnes Balancer	Mojo Tire tool                        Back To Reviews MAIN page
http://www.marcparnes.com/	http://mywebpages.comcast.net/prestondrake/mojoweb.htm
More photos of these tools can be found in this gallery. http://www.pbase.com/fredharmon/tirechange
I am always looking for tools to make tire mounting and balancing easier. Anyone who has ever tackled removing and reinstalling a tire on the GL1800 knows just how tough the job can be. It will put the best of tools to task, and even professionals will struggle with the rear tire for this bike on occasion. I have finished removing a GL1800 GoldWing D250 and mounting a new Metzler rear tire using the MoJo tool and the Marc Parnes balancer and have also used these tools to mount a set of tires on the Yamaha FJR. The MoJo lever worked fine until I tried to use it to remove the second bead of the rear GL1800 Dunlop. The removal end just is not strong enough to stand up to the stress and it started to bend. I had to stop and revert to my Harbor freight tool to get the second bead dismounted. This always seems to be the hardest part of the job for me, as getting the second bead off seems to really take a lot of force. Admitedly, Some of the problem may be in my technique but I feel that the removal end of this tool will need to be made stronger if it is to be used on GL1800 rear wheels. I had no problems with it on the FJR wheels and tires as they are not nearly as stiff and hard to dismount as the GL1800 tires are. However, in defense of the Mojo, even getting the tire off with the HF tool proved challenging and the bead actually ended up tearing at one point. I suspect this tool would work fine on any other wheel or bike than the GL1800.
UPDATE 5-21-07 The maker of the MoJo bar mailed me a new stronger bolt and nylon tip to try out to see how it would hold up to removing Gold Wing tires, and I am happy to report that the new bolt worked well, and did not bend like the earlier one did. I was able to remove both beads of a GL1800 tire with no problem using this new style bolt. This is also the first time I have been able to easily remove the second bead of a tire from this rim, as this always seems to be where I have problems. The new improved tip on the MoJo is just what I needed and it held up well.
Mojo Removing first bead	Mojo removing second bead
Mounting the new Metzler with the MoJo went fine. Though I am not sure it is any easier than using the Harbor Freight tool with a rim saver zip tied to it. The big advantage the MoJo has over the Harbor Frieght tool is the built in plastic protection it has on it on both ends. The plastic protector on the MoJo slides smoothly on the rim and allows you to install the tire with minimal tire lube. It also protects your rim from scratches and the length of the bar allows you to install the bead in one easy continuous motion.
Mojo installing Metzler on GL1800 rear	The length of the tool gives you lots of leverage
I removed and replaced the FJR tires with the MoJo and they were a piece of cake and I could use the tool to both dismount and mount them and it worked like a charm
The Marc Parnes balancer is an absolute joy to use and makes balancing the wheels so much easier. I should have gotten it years ago. It fits both the FJR and Wing wheels and all I need are a couple big oil jugs to support it on. This tool proved to be worth it's weight in gold, as it is small and easy to store, and is easy to use and fits just about any wheel. The GL1800 rear wheel does not have an axle, so it was always a challange to try to balance it. The design of the cones in the Marc Parnes balancer perfectly centers the rear wheel so you can easily balance it. All you need are a couple supporting jack stands or similar device to set the balancer on. The bearings turn easily and exert very low friction, which allows you to balance the tire to within a few grams. On a scale of one to ten, I would give this tool a solid ten for easy of use and reliability. My only regret is not getting one sooner.
NEW MoJo Blocks
Here are some photos of the new MoJo Blocks. These can be easily added to the Harbor freight stand to protect your rim from getting scratched from the wheel mounts.