Member Contributer Alien VFR Posted February 26, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted February 26, 2007 So, I'm down in Naples, and I found a nice bike dealership that's having a good sale on tires. As it turns out, I'm in need of a new rear tire. They told me that they normally charge $85 to change a tire, but since they're having a sale, the fee for a tire change is now $45. Doesn't that seem a little unreasonable? I mean $45 isn't too bad, but to normally charge $85, especially on the VFR rear which takes the whole chain tension / wheel straightening out of the equation seems a bit high. What do you guys normally pay to get a tire changed (not including cost of the tire itself). If I was back in PA, my buddy Jim and I would change our own tires as he has a tire changing machine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyminds Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Its expensive down here. I went to the dealership here and they told me 56 on the bike, 48 if i brought it in. So.... I decided it was about time to buy a tire changer. Ask them what they will charge if you bring the wheel in off the bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Local Honda shop charges $30 for both tires if I bring in my own tires and remove the wheels from the bike. This does not include balancing. I bought a static balancer from Marc Parnes for this reason. I've tried to change my own tires and always wind up scratching up the rims and cursing at the tires. My time and sanity are worth more than $30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyminds Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Local Honda shop charges $30 for both tires if I bring in my own tires and remove the wheels from the bike. This does not include balancing. I bought a static balancer from Marc Parnes for this reason. I've tried to change my own tires and always wind up scratching up the rims and cursing at the tires. My time and sanity are worth more than $30. Yeah when I was in Kentucky, it was $26 a set and they took them off the bike for me, but a couple times I just changed my own in there shop and they didn't charge me anything. Florida's expensive when it comes to labor charges. Like you said, I do it myself now because I won't pay $100 to have my tires changed. Thats enough to buy another rear tire! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rice Posted February 27, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted February 27, 2007 I changed my last set myself. Bought some tire irons and some rim protectors. Used ceramic beeds for balansing and my cage for a bead breaker. Will never pay for this again. NYC shops charge $170 for 2 tires regardless on or off bike! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer jeremy556 Posted February 27, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted February 27, 2007 I pay for stick on weights and a new valve stem every half dozen or so tires. You can get a tire changing machine and static balancer for about $200. If you don't want to do it yourself, find some independent motorcycle shops and call them. A lot of them change tires real cheap, and usually have better tire prices than the dealerships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer jeremy556 Posted February 27, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted February 27, 2007 I changed my last set myself.Bought some tire irons and some rim protectors. Used ceramic beeds for balansing and my cage for a bead breaker. Will never pay for this again. NYC shops charge $170 for 2 tires regardless on or off bike! Holy crap You should buy a tire changer and balancer and start doing other peoples' tires for $100 a set and make a fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyminds Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 wow I should move to NYC and change tires for a living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 So, I'm down in Naples, and I found a nice bike dealership that's having a good sale on tires. As it turns out, I'm in need of a new rear tire. They told me that they normally charge $85 to change a tire, but since they're having a sale, the fee for a tire change is now $45. Doesn't that seem a little unreasonable? I mean $45 isn't too bad, but to normally charge $85, especially on the VFR rear which takes the whole chain tension / wheel straightening out of the equation seems a bit high.What do you guys normally pay to get a tire changed (not including cost of the tire itself). If I was back in PA, my buddy Jim and I would change our own tires as he has a tire changing machine... I pay 26 to 33 dollars carrying the wheel in , so taking the wheel off another 10 dollars seems not too bad, you could always do it your self saving the $10 some places though if you by the tire from them, only charge 15 dollars for carryin mount, but you paid more for the tire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 NYC shops charge $170 for 2 tires regardless on or off bike! Now thats what I call price control , maybe cycle gear will open a shop up there, they change tires on sunday too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rice Posted February 27, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted February 27, 2007 wow I should move to NYC and change tires for a living. There aren't enough bikes in NYC to make a living of I guess. Although, I sometimes wonder if I should start a bike dealership myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve.ski Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I pay $20.00 mount & balance per tire here in SoCal. I hope the service manager of the shop I frequent does NOT see this thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLO97VFR Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 The M/C shop I get my tires from mounts and balance them for free (included in his mark up) But I only paid $150.00 for my rear tire and 125.00 for my front, both Dunlop Qualifiers and I took him the wheels. The local Honda dealer qouted that same price plus $19.00 more for M/B with the tires off the bike or $48.00 with them on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I'm on Long Island in NY and was just recently told $55.00 for the front and $85.00 for the rear....thats for them removing and reinstalling on a 2000 with them supplying the tires at a premium price. They refuse to install customer supplied tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyminds Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I'm on Long Island in NY and was just recently told $55.00 for the front and $85.00 for the rear....thats for them removing and reinstalling on a 2000 with them supplying the tires at a premium price. They refuse to install customer supplied tires. Haha they want more for the rear than the front? Do they know what kinda bike you have. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Bent Posted February 27, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted February 27, 2007 Local Honda shop charges $67 labor if you ride the bike in, they take the wheels off and pay their too high tire prices. So, I take the wheels off and take them to an independent shop that will mount and balance for $20 each. Their tire prices are low enough that it isn't worth mail ordering tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vfrbart Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Cycle Gear here in Northern Cal. charges $30 per tire if not purchased there....$10 discount per tire if purchased there Not sure about the local dealer.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer The mailman Posted February 27, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted February 27, 2007 I just take the wheels to the shop and they charge $25 each and my knuckles have never bled a drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer eastbowl2 Posted February 27, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted February 27, 2007 $10 a tire with balancing at a local guy here. He's been around forever and it ain't a fancy shop, but he does it right and right on the spot, so it really can't be beat. For anybody in the T.O. area, it's Rosy Toes motorcycle shop. He's a good honest guy. Local dealers around here charge a lot more, but I can't remember how much as it's been a long time since I've frequented them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 My local dealer charges a flat rate of $25 per whell to mount and balance. That's if you buy the tires from them. If you bring your own tires, they charge $45 per wheel. Also add an hour of labor @ $58 per hour if you ride in. I found the best possible solution: I buy tires online, saving over $100 every time, then take them to a guy's car shop and pay $10 per for mounting, but he does not balance bike wheels, so I then take them to the bike shop and tell them I spooned them on myself, and pay another $10 per wheel for them to balance them. $40 total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rice Posted February 27, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted February 27, 2007 OK it's official... NYC bike dealers suck! Not that I didn't know this before. In addition to being overpriced, they are also arrogant and treat customers like shite. There are only 2 or 3 of them and they can pretty much do what they want... And they do :idea3: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer The mailman Posted February 27, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted February 27, 2007 I just take the wheels to the shop and they charge $25 each and my knuckles have never bled a drop. Hey look. I'm quoting myself! I've never done that to myself before. sorry.... Just one more tid-bit here on the issue. My closest Honda dealer would not let me bring my wheels in for the tire swap. They demanded the whole bike which in turn gave them the hour of labor to add to your bill in the end. I started taking the wheels to another giant all-brand dealer just three miles away to save that labor cost. Guess what local Honda dealer just shuttered their doors this past week. It is exactly that type of business practice that drove them into the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer skuuter Posted February 27, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted February 27, 2007 My local Honda dealer treats me like the royalty that I am.....I'm their "poster boy".....really special rates and a lot of "freebies".....dealer loyalty for years has it's perks.................... :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Bent Posted March 1, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted March 1, 2007 My local Honda dealer treats me like the royalty that I am.....I'm their "poster boy".....really special rates and a lot of "freebies".....dealer loyalty for years has it's perks.................... :goofy: As does customer loyalty and service from the dealer. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be much of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Bent Posted March 1, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted March 1, 2007 I just take the wheels to the shop and they charge $25 each and my knuckles have never bled a drop. Hey look. I'm quoting myself! I've never done that to myself before. sorry.... Just one more tid-bit here on the issue. My closest Honda dealer would not let me bring my wheels in for the tire swap. They demanded the whole bike which in turn gave them the hour of labor to add to your bill in the end. I started taking the wheels to another giant all-brand dealer just three miles away to save that labor cost. Guess what local Honda dealer just shuttered their doors this past week. It is exactly that type of business practice that drove them into the ground. In a word....GOOD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.