Tire Spoons and Tire Irons: Lengths, Shapes and Sets for Motorcycle and Small Tires

Spoons are the oldest and cheapest way to change a tire by hand, and for motorcycle wheels they are still the standard tool. They are also where most marked rims and pinched tubes come from. The choice between sets is simple once three things are clear: how many levers, how long, and whether rim protectors are included.

Our pick

Our pick: tire spoonsAd

NEIKO

NEIKO 20601A Tire Spoon Set

Three 14.5 inch steel spoons with rim protectors and valve tools: what a first motorcycle or small-tire change needs.

Why here: Its maker lists the contents item by item: three 14.5 inch steel spoons, three rim protectors, a valve tool and six valve cores. That is everything a first motorcycle or small-tire change needs besides lubricant.

Best for: Motorcycle, dirt bike, lawn tractor and other small tires changed by hand.

Type

Tire spoon set

Length

14.5 in.

Set

3 spoons, 3 rim protectors, valve tool, 6 valve cores

Price class

Budget

What it does well

• Three 14.5 in. steel spoons, three rim protectors, valve tool and six valve cores (manufacturer)
• From a named tool brand that publishes the contents of the set
• Low price class

Where it falls short

• At 14.5 in. a shorter lever than the 19.5 in. irons in this comparison
• The maker names cars among the uses but states no tire or rim sizes; we recommend the set for motorcycle and small tires only

View on Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

According to NEIKO the spoons are hardened steel with curved tips and rubberized handles, and the rim protectors are flexible polypropylene. The set sits in the budget price class.

Which set for which job?

Which tool for which job

1. 1

   If you want a documented starter set for motorcycle, dirt bike or lawn tractor tires→ NEIKO 20601A Tire Spoon Set

   View*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon
2. 2

   If you change stiff dirt bike tires often and want forged irons→ Rabaconda Pro Tire Iron Set

   View*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon
3. 3

   If you would rather not lever by hand at all

   Motorcycle tire changers

Spoon, iron, lever: the terms

The three words overlap. “Motorcycle tire irons” and “motorcycle tire spoons” lead to the same products. Two other meanings cause confusion: a tire iron is also the lug wrench for wheel nuts, and tire levers are mostly the small plastic levers for bicycle tires. Neither is covered here.

The five sets compared

This selection covers only products sold on Amazon. It is not a market overview. Products are compared by manufacturer and listing data, not by hands-on testing. How we research

Comparison: NEIKO 20601A Tire Spoon Set, Rpeconu Spoon Kit, 29 pc., OMT Spoon Kit, 20 pc., Dr.Roc Tire Irons 19.5 in., Rabaconda Pro Tire Iron Set

Comparison	Our pick: tire spoonsNEIKO 20601A Tire Spoon Set	Seller data onlyRpeconu Spoon Kit, 29 pc.	Seller data onlyOMT Spoon Kit, 20 pc.	Seller data onlyDr.Roc Tire Irons 19.5 in.	Rabaconda Pro Tire Iron Set
Type	Tire spoon set	Tire spoon kit	Tire spoon kit	Tire iron set	Tire iron set
Stated size range	14.5 in.	15 in. (seller)	14.5 in. (seller)	19.5 in. (seller)	380 mm
Setup	3 spoons, 3 rim protectors, valve tool, 6 valve cores	29 pieces (seller)	20 pieces, 4 rim covers (seller)	3 irons, TR413 valve stems (seller)	5 forged irons, carry bag
Weight	–	–	–	–	–
Price class	Budget	Budget	Budget	Budget	Premium
Best for	Motorcycle, dirt bike, lawn tractor and other small tires changed by hand.	Occasional changes on motorcycles, dirt bikes and lawn mowers at the lowest price class.	Riders who want one more rim protector than the basic sets include.	Stiffer tires on ATVs, lawn tractors and dirt bikes, where a longer lever saves effort.	Riders who change stiff dirt bike tires often enough to justify premium irons.
	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon	On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

• Our pick: tire spoonsNEIKO 20601A Tire Spoon Set

  Type

  Tire spoon set

  Stated size range

  14.5 in.

  Setup

  3 spoons, 3 rim protectors, valve tool, 6 valve cores

  Weight

  –

  Price class

  Budget

  Best for

  Motorcycle, dirt bike, lawn tractor and other small tires changed by hand.

  On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon
• Seller data onlyRpeconu Spoon Kit, 29 pc.

  Type

  Tire spoon kit

  Stated size range

  15 in. (seller)

  Setup

  29 pieces (seller)

  Weight

  –

  Price class

  Budget

  Best for

  Occasional changes on motorcycles, dirt bikes and lawn mowers at the lowest price class.

  On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon
• Seller data onlyOMT Spoon Kit, 20 pc.

  Type

  Tire spoon kit

  Stated size range

  14.5 in. (seller)

  Setup

  20 pieces, 4 rim covers (seller)

  Weight

  –

  Price class

  Budget

  Best for

  Riders who want one more rim protector than the basic sets include.

  On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon
• Seller data onlyDr.Roc Tire Irons 19.5 in.

  Type

  Tire iron set

  Stated size range

  19.5 in. (seller)

  Setup

  3 irons, TR413 valve stems (seller)

  Weight

  –

  Price class

  Budget

  Best for

  Stiffer tires on ATVs, lawn tractors and dirt bikes, where a longer lever saves effort.

  On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon
• Rabaconda Pro Tire Iron Set

  Type

  Tire iron set

  Stated size range

  380 mm

  Setup

  5 forged irons, carry bag

  Weight

  –

  Price class

  Premium

  Best for

  Riders who change stiff dirt bike tires often enough to justify premium irons.

  On Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon

The columns labeled “Seller data only” rest on Amazon listings alone; they are shown for comparison, not as picks.

“(seller)” means the figure comes from the Amazon listing only.

AI-generated

NEIKO 20601A, 14.5 in. set

Three spoons, three rim protectors, a four-point valve tool and six brass valve cores, according to the manufacturer. NEIKO names motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs, lawn tractors and cars as uses. We recommend the set for motorcycle and small tires; for car tires the maker gives no sizes, and 14.5 in. is short for a stiff bead. That is also the one weakness: less leverage than longer irons.

Rpeconu 15 in. kit, 29 pieces

The Rpeconu kit^* (paid link) sits in the budget price class. According to the seller it has 15 in. spoons, rim protectors and small parts, 29 pieces in all. A piece count like that includes valve cores and caps; what matters is the number of spoons and protectors, so read the listing for those. No manufacturer page found.

OMT 14.5 in. kit, 20 pieces

The OMT kit^* (paid link) from Orion Motor Tech is listed with 14.5 in. spoons and four rim covers, according to the seller, one more than the basic sets. We have the listing data only; the brand's own product page was not checked.

Dr.Roc tire irons, 19.5 in.

The Dr.Roc irons^* (paid link) are three levers of 19.5 in., straight and curved, with TR413 valve stems in the set, according to the seller. The longer levers mean more leverage for stiffer tires on ATVs, lawn tractors and dirt bikes. More leverage also means more force on the rim edge, and rim protectors are not named in the listing title. Plan to add them.

Rabaconda Pro tire iron set, 5 pieces

The Rabaconda Pro set^* (paid link) is the premium option: five forged steel irons of 380 mm, with a carry bag and a lifetime warranty, according to the manufacturer. Rabaconda describes each lever as built for a specific role in the mounting sequence. It sits in the premium price class, well above the basic sets. It makes sense for riders who change stiff dirt bike tires often.

What to look for

• Number. Three spoons are the working minimum for most people.
• Length. 14.5 to 15 in. is the common size for motorcycle tires. Longer levers reduce hand force and raise the load on rim and bead.
• Tip shape. A wide, rounded, curved tip spreads the load on the bead. Sharp or narrow tips are how tubes get pinched.
• Rim protectors. One per spoon in use. They are the cheapest part of the kit and the first to be missing.
• Valve tools. The tire makers' bulletin calls for replacing snap-in valves whenever a new tire is mounted. A valve tool in the set saves a second order.

What spoons cannot do

They do not break the bead. A spoon lifts a bead that is already loose. Getting it off its seat is a separate step with a separate tool, from a lever set such as the Motion Pro BeadPro, which combines a bead breaker with two spoons, to the stands and clamps on the page about tire bead breakers.

They do not replace the drop center. The bead opposite the spoon has to sit in the well in the middle of the rim. Only then is there enough slack to lift the bead over the flange. If a spoon needs real force, the opposite side has climbed out of the well. The whole sequence is in the guide on how to remove a tire from a rim.

They do not work dry. Tire makers name commercially available bead lubricant first, and silicone, petroleum and solvent-based products must not be used. See tire mounting lube.

Typical mistakes

• Big bites. Short steps along the rim keep the force low. A big bite puts the full load on a short piece of bead and rim edge.
• Levering next to the tube. On tube-type tires the tip can catch the tube against the rim.
• No protectors on finished rims. Steel on a painted rim edge leaves marks.
• Inflating without a limit. Never more than 40 psi to seat beads. If the beads are not seated at 40 psi, deflate completely, reposition the tire on the rim, relubricate and reinflate. More on the page how to seat a tire bead.

When spoons are not enough

If you change tires several times a year, a stand brings the wheel to working height and a portable changer replaces most of the levering. Both types are explained on the overview of motorcycle tire changers. For car and light-truck wheels up to 16 in., the right tool is a floor-post stand; start at the overview of manual tire changers.

The bottom line

Buy three spoons with protectors before anything else. The NEIKO 20601A set^* (paid link) is our pick because its contents are documented by the maker and complete for a first change. Take longer irons for stiff tires, and forged ones only if you use them often. The guards that go under the irons have their own page, rim protectors, and a lever set that also breaks the bead is described under Motion Pro BeadPro. How we weigh manufacturer data against listings is explained on the page how we research.