[Dmoon64]

Well damn.

The dealer now want $60.00 a wheel to replace tires. They want $50.00 if I buy the tires from them. That seems like an awful lot of money.

I'm about due, and want to try the Pilot Road 3's but doesn't that seem like a lot of money?

 

[mcdstrom]

Yes, that does seem expensive for a tire swap. If you've got other dealers in the area, check with them.

 

[BobA]

Does that include removing the wheels? Most shops will charge you less if you take the wheels off youself and bring them in just to have the new tires put on.

$60/wheel or even $50/wheel is a lot, but not surprising. Pretty much anything a dealer does is way expensive. Don't forget labor rates at most shops will run in the $50-$100/hr range these days depending on the shop. You'll likely pay more in downtown LA than in rural Nebraska.

 

[garandman]

Any local rider forums?

New England Street Rider has all kinds of folks willing to do tire swaps inexpensively.

Any race tracks in your area? The track day vendors at NHMS have great deals on tires and will mount them up on the spot. They usually specialize in one brand, though, usually Pirelli or Dunlop around here.

 

[Savvyvoter]

Do it yourself

Build a box out of 2X6's to hold the wheel, get 3 tire irons from Harbor Freight, some rim protectors, and some soapy water. Watch the youtube videos on wheel removal and tire removal. Check this site for even more info. At $50 a wheel you will be making money after the first tire. I really is not all that hard. Try the tires without balancing. Then go with beads or Ride On if you need to. I find most tires are fine without balancing.

 

[BobbyLee666]

Depending on the type of tire you are looking for, Motorcycle Superstore has some decent prices. They also have arrangements with local service centers that will provide a discount if you use them to install the tires.

Street Bike Tires and Sportbike Tires at Motorcycle Tire Superstore

 

[richw]

You need

A compressor with a tank to seat the bead HF as cheap as $50

3 tire irons bent ones are better

2x4 stud and a hinge to build a bead breaker

a pair off saw horses for a balance stand and tape weights

something to hold up the bike when a wheel is off.

Been doing this for 30 years. I will have the new tire back in less time then a drive to the dealer.


I use spray lube to help get the old tire off. Soapy water to get it back on

a couple of boards so rim is off ground and not brake disk is helpful

 

[PTRider]

Many metro areas have motorcycle tire specialty shops that will beat that dealership price. Check your regional Yellow Pages.

 

[mullerjd]

That's why I bought all my own stuff, Coats/No-Mar changer and Coats balancer... I couldn't afford to pay someone to do all my bikes.

 

[viper522]

If you have a place to store a bike, you have a place to change its tires. I'll never pay anyone to do it for me.

 

[RichardD]

Tires

Cycle Gear charges $30 or $15 a tire if you buy them there. They even balance for freee if you bring them in mounted.

 

[biggyfries]

I use spray lube to help get the old tire off. Soapy water to get it back on

Lets hear a little more about this--are you saying to use something like WD40 in removing the old tire? I don't have much trouble taking off the old one, getting the new one on is tougher for me, but I use lots of lube and helping hands keeping the bead in the 'well' of the wheel while levering it on.

 

[farmerlou]

The shop that changes my tires charges about $22 to $23 dollars per tire if the tires are bought elsewhere. I pull the wheels one at a time off the bike and they pull the old tire, mount new tire, balance and replace valve stem. I trash the old tire when there is a free day at the dump.

 

[xDownSetx]

The shop that changes my tires charges about $22 to $23 dollars per tire if the tires are bought elsewhere. I pull the wheels one at a time off the bike and they pull the old tire, mount new tire, balance and replace valve stem. I trash the old tire when there is a free day at the dump.

Call your local dealers or bikeshops. One of the larger local ones(Chaparral Motorsports) told me they take old tires for free.


I usually do the tire changes myself but the last one was impossible for me. The Vee came with a rear battlewing that was on so tight I tried sitting a jack on the sidewall and jacking up the car, it lifted up the dang car! Luckily the bike came with a center stand so I could pull the wheel in the parking lot of a bike shop.

 

[Scott E. Bonds]

$50 a wheel is a fair price if you take them the bike. But they are not going to clean out the seals lips and stuff you "should" do because you are anal like me. They will not clean out the crappy grease from the cush drive and will not replace the cush drive shims rubbers with inner tubes for you when they get old. But its still fair per labor rates.

$25 is fair if you take them the wheels off the bike. Thats what I do. I set mine up on the service stand and block the front forks and take both in at the same time.

Yes, you can spoon them on but it takes a while and is hard to do alone. Its easy to fark up the paint on a rim and my strom rims are unmarked so far. I do spoon on my dirt bikes wheels since the rocks have skinned these wheels up already.

Remember, at most shops a mechanic will do this not a grunt like the car tire places have. So, they get paid a little more.

 

[richw]

I am guilty of chipping the rim paint

Yes we or even Vees should examine the cush drive every time the rear is off
I am convinced that the cush bearing is miss applied and as such is a real wear part.

Breaking a bead. Sometimes you need to work an area over like 1/4 of the circumference. Eventually it will pop.

Break the bead around. Spray lube the rubber on both sides and you usually can push the tire off... then clean the rim but spray lube helps with old lube anyway.

There is also a way where they take some straps and strap the tire and that gets the new bead to seat and low flow air will get her to go.

If the bead / tire does not go on evenly. Let out the air start again with a little more lube and beat it to death with a rubber mallet will get it up.

I use tape weights and move then around with masking tape until there right.

 

[Dread7]

And don't forget. If you can heat the new tire it goes on much easier. If possible just throw it on hot asphalt for like 30 min. That little extra helps

 

[J Car]

Thanks for the discussion. I'll be using this advice soon.

 

[saturn 5]

TYRES

You do not have to make up a special balancing piece of equipment if you do it your self tyre change. Providing your wheel bearings are in good condition just use your bikes axle. Check the finished balanced wheel a couple of times before you tighten it all up. You'll find it all spins easily and will do the job just fine. There will of course be the expected nay-sayers!!

 

[ianbh]

Harbor Freight has an auto tire machine and sells a motorcycle attachment. There are 20% discount coupons in many of the mags. The machine is almost worth it for the bead breaker alone.

Put some sort of protectant on the lower rim holders. Some use leather scraps, I coated with the rubbery stuff put on pliers handles.

I tried the HF bar and didn't like it, bought another and didn't like it. Then bought three 16" MotionPro tire irons. Work great.

Used NAPA tire lube for a few years but now think a liberal spray with Pledge works best. Be sure to block the opposite bead into the center of the rim to give more bead slack.

Never used to balance-no problems but now put 5mm (I think) air pellets in, works fine. Ian, Iowa