Customizing your motorcycle is a great way to have your bike reflect your personal sense of style. One of the easiest ways to alter the factory appearance of your motorcycle is by swapping out the wheel color. In order to upgrade to a custom wheel design, you will need to remove the existing spokes from your bike.

Here are three tips you can use to help make the spoke removal process a lot easier.

1. Document everything before you begin.

There are few things more frustrating than trying to replace your motorcycle's wheel spokes after upgrading to a new color only to find that you cannot make the spokes intertwine as they should. Having a visual reference to look at while reinstalling your motorcycle's wheel spokes can be beneficial.

Be sure that you use your cell phone or a camera to document the way in which the spokes are sitting before you start tearing your bike apart. These photographs will serve as a visual road map to help you get the spokes in the right location once your wheel upgrade is complete.

2. Differentiate between outer and inner spokes.

The way in which the spokes are oriented on the hub cap plays a critical role when it comes to ensuring that you are able to lace your motorcycle spokes correctly after upgrading the wheel color on your bike.

You should take the time to differentiate between outer spokes (that attach on the outside of the hub cap) and inner spokes (that attach along the interior surface of the hub cap). Use two different colors of tape that can wrap around each spoke—one for the outer spokes and one for the inner spokes. Having the spokes clearly marked will make it easier to insert them into the proper location once you are ready to lace your spokes.

3. Have spare spokes available.

Lacing new spokes takes time and effort, and there is the possibility that you will damage some of your existing spokes in the process. Before you try to upgrade your motorcycle's wheel color, you should ensure that you have a few spare spokes available for the lacing process.

These spares will ensure that you can quickly and easily get your bike put back together without making a last minute run to the automotive store.

Changing the color of your motorcycle's wheels allows you to personalize your bike. Be sure that you can successfully complete this upgrade by knowing how to lace the wheel's spokes correctly.

For help with a project like this, contact a company like Monarch Honda.