stressing over tires/taking internet tires to local shop to mount

[emzdogz]

The tires I want, I can get both online for like...hmm....$150, shipped. PLus there would need to be tubes purchased and strips.

I have never taken tires purchased elsewhere to a shop to install. I only ever had a shop install tires THEY sold me.

So I'm wondering, do most indie shops these days consider it pretty normal for somebody to bring in a couple of rims and the tires too?
If I did that, would I need to remove the brake rotors, or would they do that?

I guess I should just GO there and talk to them (but I don't feel like it). My favorite local indie shop closed down...seriously bummed about that. They always had cool used bikes. (the ONLY SR500 I have ever seen was at that shop)

I know we have lots of tire threads on here and I've decided to not attempt mounting them myself - my strength just ain't what it used to be.

Was just wondering what experiences any of you may have had doing a similar thing. i.e. taking tires bought elsewhere to a shop to get mounted. I would even buy the tire FROM them...but I don't want to pay double the online price. I would be paying them for shop time, plus purchasing the tubes and strips from them, too, though.

Here's another thing: wondering if any of you have been able to get the vintage style tires, like the high wall Shinko's at regular bike shops?

thx

 

[weekendrider]

If you had a service business and you knew you had missed mark up on a product, would your labor prices be as cheap?
The last two I purchased the labor was a flat rate. The same if I carried the tire in or they removed it. Some shops WON'T install a tire they haven't sold. They always state it is a liability issue.

 

[AirsoftNY]

I took my tires bought online to my local bike shop, they charged me $50 per tire for mounting and balancing. I bought the tubes and rim strips there. They said it would be only $20 install fee if I bought the tires from them. In my area (Northern NJ) I don't have any other local place that mounts MC tires, so I had little choice.

The guy also was grumbling about why I chose the tires I did (Shinko 240 rear and avon speedmaster up front) and how a more modern tire would have better contact patch and corner better and all that, trying to sell me other tires. I told him I was after a certain look for my bike, and he mumbled something along the lines of "Oh well, it's your ass on the road not mine..." In the end I don't think he minded mounting the tires but nevertheless he did seem intent on convincing me out of my tire choice for tires purchased from him.

Yet another reason I try to learn to work on as much as my bike as I can.

 

[emzdogz]

If you had a service business and you knew you had missed mark up on a product, would your labor prices be as cheap?
The last two I purchased the labor was a flat rate. The same if I carried the tire in or they removed it. Some shops WON'T install a tire they haven't sold. They always state it is a liability issue.

well, at my work, we actually DO do that pretty often. We are a high-end stationery manufacturer, and it's pretty common for customers to want to supply their own paper.
We're just happy to have the work either way. I wouldn't mind pa
I guess the thing to do is get on the phone and call around.
Seems the shops I am familiar with have closed down, and the new ones seem to mostly sell Chinese scooters, etc., or be Harley-ish.

yeah "flat rate" is what I'm hoping to find.... although I don't mind paying a higher rate, if they don't sell me all the stuff.

Sadly enough, the closest indie bike shop has an insane owner...who thinks his crap is worth 1,000,000$ - as evidenced for the whole world to see on an episode of the series Cafe Racer last season.

 

[emzdogz]

The guy also was grumbling about why I chose the tires I did (Shinko 240 rear and avon speedmaster up front) and how a more modern tire would have better contact patch and corner better and all that, trying to sell me other tires. I told him I was after a certain look for my bike, and he mumbled something along the lines of "Oh well, it's your ass on the road not mine..."

See, that's exactly what I want to NOT have happen. (and btw those are the exact tires I want, lol)

That kind of thing is even worse for me, being a female, they always ALWAYS have to tell me something.

Wondering what kind of muscle power is involved in pulling the old tubeless tires off and putting new tubes and tires on. Have looked at a couple of videos on Youtube, but for the most part they had tire mounting equipment.

Question: are bike tire mounters the same as car ones? like the machines they use to put them on the rims? My 'hood is overflowing with car tire places, including used tire places, and they all have "the machine".
hmmmm...might be worthwhile to see if I can get them to pop them off and on for me.

 

[RFLIVES]

My local shop welcomes a quick 40 bucks for a dismount/remount. He only charges 20 in the old tire is all ready off.

 

[retiredgentleman]

emzdogz;

I can't speak for other locations, but here in Calgary I had no problem at all, when I bought tires a few years ago. Local shops here have very high prices for motorcycle parts. They wanted around $120 per tire, and installation extra.

I bought tires on line from criusercustomizing.com. Only $65.00 per tire and they had a special with free shipping to Canada.

A local motorcycle shop installed them for $25.00 per tire. I just removed my wheels and took then into their shop. I left my brake rotors on the wheels, no reason to remove them.

You should just drop by a local shop and chat with them. If they are looking for business, then they will be receptive.

 

[AirsoftNY]

I was annoyed at the time, but looking back it was only a minor hassle. I did call ahead and the guy was OK on the phone, I think they just don't get "retro" style tires in the shop often.

I called around to my local car tire places and none of them said they could do motorcycle tires.

Oh, and I did have to keep the brake discs on, they said they needed to be on for the balancing.

 

[emzdogz]

ok, thanks guys - I guess I need to be a bit more sociable as far as communicating with the shops around here.
I've had bad experiences though. The last tire I had mounted, the guy threw the rim at me when I picked it up, as I made them get it done when promised. He was trying to leave for the weekend even though he'd promised it for that afternoon, and I kind of made him do it and like I said he freakin threw it at me.
(obviously he had a burr under his saddle)

Just one example of why I do most of my own work.

 

[pamcopete]

I have always bought my motorcycle tires on line to save money, especially with free shipping. My local shop will install the tires off the bike for a flat rate, including balancing for $35, no questions asked. I usually buy new tubes from them as a courtesy for their service.

If in doubt, then visit the shop and look for a posted list of services. For additional assurance that you are not imposing on them, just ask.

The other factor is that most dealers do not stock tires for bikes as old as ours anyway, so they are happy to get the service business without the hassle of stocking low volume tires!

 

[emzdogz]

just found this place - evidently a chain of shops, called Biker's Bay and if the wheels are brought in off the bike, it is $30 to mount, plus I will buy tubes and strips from them.
May as well give 'em try!

Anybody heard of Biker's Bay?

 

[sreimer]

Wonder why your favorite shop closed hmmmmm. Maybe since you like to support e stores you could take your bike to them and have them mounted since you don't care to support your local shops or businesses. Just a thought sorry post mortum if I have offended

 

[emzdogz]

Wonder why your favorite shop closed hmmmmm. Maybe since you like to support e stores you could take your bike to them and have them mounted since you don't care to support your local shops or businesses. Just a thought sorry post mortum if I have offended

lmao!! you know you're not sorry you offended! you MEANT to offend and take a poke - but I don't care - I get your point.

Look, I've never mounted a tire myself, and have had several bikes here in this area for going on 15 years (so, several tires). Have never purchased a tire online. This will be the 1st time.....so go off and offend your own self, k?

And if the local shops are owned/run/staffed by asswipes, no, I don't choose to support them.

otoh, if the local shops are good and reasonable people, heck yeah I love to support them. Right now the only good ones I know of are Harley-centric, though, unfortunately.

 

[pamcopete]

sreimer,

Well, if you really wanted to support your local shop you would buy a new motorcycle from them because that is where they make their profit. Most motorcycle dealers / shops will not even work on a motorcycle that is more than 10 years old, so that makes it difficult to support them with your service business. As for the independent shops that don't sell new bikes, the good ones are booked solid for the entire riding season and most of the winter and very few of them stock tires.

 

[emzdogz]

That's true. I had a perfectly box-stock 1987 Honda Magna that needed a drive shaft seal. The only Honda dealer in town wouldn't work on it, due to its age.
So I had to do the job myself, and it was really really hard, due to the assy being spring loaded...but there was no choice.
Oh wait! there was another choice, buy a used entire assembly from a used parts place for quite a lot of $$. For all I knew, that used assembly would have needed that seal replaced too. That's what the indie shop wanted to do. Rather than put the new seal in my assy, they wanted to install a used unit.

Just saying there are lots of considerations, unless you want to be a victim or have really deep pockets.

 

[HooliganCycles]

I work at a Harley davidson dealership as a mechanic and we mount and balance tires every day that people supplied their own tires and don't think anything of it, also I don't know if it's just us or all hd dealers but if people brim in the wheels off the bike we will do it for free regardless of where they bought the tires. Like I said I don't know of that's just us but u might try callin a Harley dealer and ask. Good luck

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[Cafe-Dave]

I have an Indian Dealership just down the road from me. Their Service department is top notch, cheapest and easiest for tire replacement. Bring them wheels with tires-rotors on them, and the new tires. Last time they dismounted, mounted, installed new valve stems, and balance for $50 for my SV1000N. Other indie shops, plus the local Powersports Dealer/service wouldn't touch my Motorcycle Superstore purchased Shinko tires.

I think you'll find American V-twin service departments to be the best. The mechanics are used to Spoke wheels and Air Cooled motors with carburetors. Plus the Techs probably have a UJM chopper or bobber at home.

Just saying.

 

[willyguzzi53]

Just my 2 cents worth. The mounting of a tire is alot easier than actually taking it off and putting it on. I've mounted dozens over the years right on the garage floor with tire irons and dish soap. Be sure to use motorcycle tire irons as some car and truck irons are too wide at the spoon and it is super easy to pinch a tube. If you're running tubeless tires it is really easy peasy. If your rims are super nice put down a piece of old carpet or something and use a rag or something between the iron and the rim. Oh yeah, if you're as old as I am get the longest motorcycle tire iron you can. Leverage you know.

 

[5twins]

I pried them off and on for years, then progressed to a tool called the Breezer that you hit with a hammer (sadly NLA). Recently I did the ultimate upgrade and got me a HF tire changer. For what places charge now, that thing has already payed for itself 10 fold.

 

[Chito]

Yeah, I understand your situation. It usually breaks down to 6 of one and half a dozen of the other... so I ended up going with the people that treated me best and I liked... even though it cost a few bucks more and was furthest away. You could always get 7 or 8 of your friends together, throw in $100 and buy a no mar tire changing system. They make tire changes look really easy.... then you can have a side business on the weekend. Now the guys at No Mar are really awesome.