Changing Tires Cost

[Calboy]

Got a nail in my rear tire so I am taking the bike to the dealership to have the tires replaced.
I ordered the tires already. I am going with the Metzlers Next this time around.
I am wondering how much were you guys charged by the dealership for mounting and balancing both tires.

 

[2112]

Locally it's around £30 a pair (about $45), but a lot of tyre fitters are getting reluctant to fit tyres not purchased from themselves. Obviously they are missing out on a bit of profit...

 

[tomatocity]

Got a nail in my rear tire so I am taking the bike to the dealership to have the tires replaced.
I ordered the tires already. I am going with the Metzlers Next this time around.
I am wondering how much were you guys charged by the dealership for mounting and balancing both tires.

Which dealership are you going to? I get good deals at PCP.

 

[Andylaser]

Depending on tyre condition and hole placement, a simple nail puncture might be repairable.

Got a nail in the Tiger and the local Yamaha dealer did a proper vulcanised repair to the tyre. Much cheaper than replacement. Especially as the tyre had only done 2K miles.

 

[Checkswrecks]

As much as the shop thinks they should.


Seriously, I find that labor to change tires is extremely variable, even within a small area. I know of a big Harley/BMW dealer nearby which charges $180 for the set if you ride the bike in with your own tires. There is a new shop within 5 minutes of that which will charge $40 for the set if you remove the wheels and carry them in.


For you in California, I'm sure it is just as variable.

 

[EricV]

Local cost for wheels off the bike is $25/per tire. One of the other shops used to charge me $9 plus a couple for disposal if I wasn't taking the old tire with me.

I strongly suggest you pull the wheel yourself. It's not uncommon for shops to charge an hour's labor for pulling a wheel off the bike, doing the tire change and putting it back on the bike. That often turns it into a $100+ event.

And as others have said, if it's just a nail hole, and not in the side wall, it's a lot cheaper to just plug the tire with a sticky string kit found at any auto parts store. That type of repair vulcanizes to the tire and becomes a permanent part of the rubber. Very safe to ride to the end of the tire life with it there. If you do this, buy a kit with T handles that has a reamer as well as the installation tool and a tube of rubber cement. Good kits come with everything you need for $15 or so. Consider a small 12V compressor like a slime pump while you're at it, if you don't already have one. Carrying flat repair on the bike when you ride can save you a lot of hassle. It typically takes me 10 minutes to fix a flat, never having to remove the wheel from the bike.

 

[OldRider]

If a customer brings in his wheels and tires I get $20ea. for mounting and balancing. If they bring in their wheels and buy the tires from me, I charge $15 ea. The extra $5 helps pay my liability insurance bill. If I mount the tires, I don't care what goes wrong, I will be the one that gets sued. If they bring in the bike, labor on most bikes is $40/front & $50/rear.

The rear labor price can be $10 to $50 higher, depending on the bike. For example big twin HD's are usually $10 higher and some early model Goldwings will run $75 to $100. Riders put trailer hitches on and exhaust systems that have to be removed and this can add up to an hour to a job.

I've seen a lot of Goldwings that the owner spent six hours putting lights all over the ass end of the bike and didn't bother to put plugs on any of the wiring. They start at the battery and wire 30 lights in a series with 3 rolls of black tape.

On most HD's the rear axle can be put in from either side. If they put the axle in from right to left and the pipes cover the end of the axle, the pipes have to come off to get the axle out. Put the axle in from left to right and all you have to do is take the nut off. One trick you can use on a lot of bikes to make the job easier is to jack it up just enough to take the weight off of the shocks and remove them. With the shocks off, you can lower the bike down far enough to drive the axle out over the pipes or raise it up far the wheel and axle drop down below the pipes.

Rusted axles are a whole different story. A little rust can add an hour to the job. So can one stripped bolt head.

 

[Tengai]

I change my own tires. One of the best things that I learned to do myself. Gets easier every time.
And when you think how quickly tires wear out, a Big saving, especially with multiple bikes.

 

[Lutsie]

I change my own tires. One of the best things that I learned to do myself. Gets easier every time.
And when you think how quickly tires wear out, a Big saving, especially with multiple bikes.

What do you use, no mar?

 

[ejy712]

I change my own tires. One of the best things that I learned to do myself. Gets easier every time.
And when you think how quickly tires wear out, a Big saving, especially with multiple bikes.

::026::

I use the zip tie method. Look it up on google. Lots of videos available.

 

[markjenn]

Charges for tire changing are all over the map. Some shops throw it in for free if you buy tires from them (but may charge higher for the tires to cover), some charge a nominal amount (less than $20/wheel) to attract business, others charge at their standard labor rate. Some refuse to mount tires purchased elsewhere, others do it grudgingly (and charge exorbitantly and/or throw in making you feel like a cheap-skate 2nd-class citizen for free), others do it cheaply to encourage you to consider buying tires from them in the future. No hard/fast rules on this one.

If the tires are competitively-priced and do not include a markup for changing, I see nothing wrong with charging $35 or so per wheel (if you bring the wheels in) as it does take some time, especially if they do a good job of balancing. If you're having them remove the wheels from the bike, it can be a somewhat more, especially for some bikes that have a complicated wheel-removal process (the S10 is reasonably straightforward).

I do my own, although as I get older, this sort of physical cave-man mechanics becomes more difficult. But the DIY savings are pretty significant. A fresh set of mail-order tires shipped to one's door that cost $250 and can be mounted/balanced for free could easily cost $500 all up at the dealer and the dealer's stock is often quite stale. There are some initial costs of getting setup for DIY tire changing, but you can make it pretty cheap if you're creative. Or you can spend a fortune if you want a top-end tire-changing machine like the dealers use. Or somewhere in-between (e.g., Harbor Freight, No-Mar, etc.).

This has been the bible on cheap DIY home-brew motorcycle tire changing for many years:

http://www.clarity.net/adam/tire-changing.html

- Mark

 

[mcrider007]

I do my own, although as I get older, this sort of physical cave-man mechanics becomes more difficult. But the DIY savings are pretty significant. A fresh set of mail-order tires shipped to one's door that cost $250 and can be mounted/balanced for free could easily cost $500 all up at the dealer and the dealer's stock is often quite stale. There are some initial costs of getting setup for DIY tire changing, but you can make it pretty cheap if you're creative. Or you can spend a fortune if you want a top-end tire-changing machine like the dealers use. Or somewhere in-between (e.g., Harbor Freight, No-Mar, etc.).

- Mark

Thanks for the insight Mark, you were my inspiration in 2006 when you posted on the FJR Forum how to DIY tire changes. I made a $300 investment for a Harbor Freight changer (which I modified to avoid scratching rims), a Mojolever (best investment I ever made), a Marc Parnes balancer, and 3 long tire changers (which I have rarely had to use since I had the Mojolever). The first set of tires didn't go on that smoothly because I didn't use the Mojolever correctly but the second set did and its been pretty much downhill since. I don't recommend changing tires with extremely stiff sidewalls (like a Goldwing rear tire) with a manual setup but it has worked great for about everything else. I quit counting at 100 tire changes but probably am somewhere around 150-175 tires to date and have friends who copied my setup and have also passed the 100 tire mark. It saves a lot of $$$ but also saves a lot of time (and driving) and gives a flexibility to manage tire usage that I never had before.

 

[snakebitten]

I have a good buddy that gives me a huge discount on tire changes. 8)
And it's a good thing since I'm a tire murderer. Serial killer, in fact.

I actually get drive in service too. And he carries on a pretty good conversation while I WATCH!

Too bad if you don't live close enough to Santa Fe Texas!

Thanks Combo! You're a true gent, my friend.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Thanks for the insight Mark, you were my inspiration in 2006 when you posted on the FJR Forum how to DIY tire changes. I made a $300 investment for a Harbor Freight changer (which I modified to avoid scratching rims), a Mojolever (best investment I ever made), a Marc Parnes balancer, and 3 long tire changers (which I have rarely had to use since I had the Mojolever). The first set of tires didn't go on that smoothly because I didn't use the Mojolever correctly but the second set did and its been pretty much downhill since. I don't recommend changing tires with extremely stiff sidewalls (like a Goldwing rear tire) with a manual setup but it has worked great for about everything else. I quit counting at 100 tire changes but probably am somewhere around 150-175 tires to date and have friends who copied my setup and have also passed the 100 tire mark. It saves a lot of $$$ but also saves a lot of time (and driving) and gives a flexibility to manage tire usage that I never had before.

Hmmm...I have the same set-up, wonder how that happened?!?

Easily over 100 tires now so DIY savings are definitely there and as '007 points out, you're not beholden to dealers anymore. Another side benefit...you make lots of new friends once the word gets out. ::003::

Local dealer pricing is all over the map. Rims off the bike are $20 each with tire purchase and $50 each w/o tire purchase. Removing rims is shop rates, figure an hour each end. By the time you mail order tires, any savings are eaten up with dealer mounting.

--G

 

[Zepfan]

50 pesos in TJ, complete.
$3.50 @ 14/1 I'm always a sport and tip 20p !

The only snag is getting new tires thru Aduana w/o then stopping you to pay import tax. ???

I remove all labels & rub mud all over them, works like a charm. 8)

I only got 6k from my Torance rear. Heidenau Scout is a 10k tire.

 

[Tengai]

No special machines for me, just 3 tire irons,rim protectors, an old tire for the rim to sit on while working on the tire. To break the bead I use old tech,, 6 foot 2 by4 short block, and use the fulcrum method under my trailer hitch , easy peasy.
Around these parts most bike shops charge 40 bucks per wheel off the bike. Not sure if you buy the the tire from them, but tire prices are way higher than online.

 

[Checkswrecks]

....I don't recommend changing tires with extremely stiff sidewalls (like a Goldwing rear tire) with a manual setup but it has worked great for about everything else.
....

Put the tire on the hot driveway for a half hour + before you change it. It is absolutely amazing how much easier stiff sidewalls go on with a little heat. If cold out, get yourself a Harbor Freight heat gun, put the tire in a big black plastic bag with a small hole for the air to get out past the tire, and use LOW heat. Do NOT create a hot spot on the tire and you can change the size of the outlet hole to change the heat in the bag.

 

[yz454]

I use my vice in the shop to break the bead , tire irons on a bucket for the rest .

 

[Calboy]

Local cost for wheels off the bike is $25/per tire. One of the other shops used to charge me $9 plus a couple for disposal if I wasn't taking the old tire with me.

I strongly suggest you pull the wheel yourself. It's not uncommon for shops to charge an hour's labor for pulling a wheel off the bike, doing the tire change and putting it back on the bike. That often turns it into a $100+ event.

And as others have said, if it's just a nail hole, and not in the side wall, it's a lot cheaper to just plug the tire with a sticky string kit found at any auto parts store. That type of repair vulcanizes to the tire and becomes a permanent part of the rubber. Very safe to ride to the end of the tire life with it there. If you do this, buy a kit with T handles that has a reamer as well as the installation tool and a tube of rubber cement. Good kits come with everything you need for $15 or so. Consider a small 12V compressor like a slime pump while you're at it, if you don't already have one. Carrying flat repair on the bike when you ride can save you a lot of hassle. It typically takes me 10 minutes to fix a flat, never having to remove the wheel from the bike.

Thanks for your reply but I am a seasoned rider with a lot of miles under my belt.
I have been carrying tire repair kits (different brands and configurations) and air compressors forever. They came in handy about two or three times, but always for the the guys I was riding with at that particular time.
This is the first time I had to use one for myself.
Somebody said that his local Yamaha dealer actually vulcanized/patched his tire. I am going to ask my local dealership this question tomorrow morning before I go in. In all honesty, I don't think they do that here in California. They don't want to be sued in this $hithole of a state where everybody sues everybody else.

 

[Calboy]

Which dealership are you going to? I get good deals at PCP.

It is Capitol Yamaha usually but I had gone to Roseville Yamaha as well.
My other two Yamaha bikes were two V-Maxes. One was the original 1985 model with Stage 7 and Supertrapp pipes that sounded like a Ferrari, the other one a 1989 model that I made no modifications to.
I have no loyalty whatsoever. It is where I can go in and out faster.