| Author | Message | ||
     Ryker77 |
Local HD shop with a Buell sign but no buells wanted 90.00 "about 90.00 ....." wouldn't even give me a decent quote for the tire change and brake pads. Labor only. Funny part. "Buell with the dual disc brakes"..... Didn't think buell ever made a bike with dual front brakes. Another indy shop wanted 75.00 just to do the tire. Cheapest place was 50.00 but only if you buy the tire at their prices! Has the motorcycle industry turned in thinking everybody is a dumb RUB? | ||
| Xb9ser |
my local indepente shop does free mounting if you by the tire there.bought a conti road attack for front $86 plus $9 to blance plus sales tax. good deal i think. | ||
| Ryker77 |
Living in eastern KY I don't have many options. Local HD shop wanted 40.00 more on the tire than internet prices plus no free install. Crazy how your shop can charge 9.00 plus a few dollars profit on the tire and the idiots around here want 3-4 times more than that. I hope they heard me laugh when they quoted me a price! I can just buy the tools and DIY minus the balance which shouldn't be an issue. | ||
| Swampy |
Jugallo94... Your front tire arrived today..... Learn to do it yourself, it is not rocket science, its tire changing, probably the job that they give to the least experienced mechanic in the shop. Buy a cheap static tire balancer or have one made, tire irons are very reasonable. When all is said and done, $100 will get you everything you need and will pay for itself the first tire you change, plus you will get the satisfaction of scraping up the wheels all by yourself! It is much more rewarding than picking it up at the shop and finding them scratched by someone who doesn't care as much as you do.... | ||
| Lake_bueller |
Ditto what Swampy said. It takes me about 45 minutes (max) to do a complete tire change. Most of the time is spent getting the wheel on/off the bike. I bought everything I need for just under $125 (tire changer & static balancer). | ||
| Djkaplan |
The local Harley shop quoted me a price of $286 to replace just the rear tire on my M2. I gave the service manager such a look of disdain, he only charged me $25 to mount and balance a tire when I offered to bring my own with the wheel off the bike. I think I am the only off-the-street customer they do that for (I am the only Buell owner that ever sets foot in there so they always remember me). The last time I was there to pick up a set of newly mounted tires, they said they didn't mount tires off the bike to a guy that walked in behind me.... while they were giving me my wheels with new tires obviously spooned on them. I could see steam rising off that back of that guys neck. I doubt he ever came back... for anything. I don't think they'll keep doing it for me, though... I refused to fill out a questionaire they gave me because I said I didn't have anything good to say except for the fact that they change tires for me relatively cheap. Other than that, I only get oil filters there. I should have kept my stupid mouth shut... cause now I'll probably have to buy a tire changer and cheap balance. No way I'm paying someone more than $25 to mount and balance a motorcycle tire. | ||
| Ryker77 |
Sold my house and am in the process of finding another house. So living in an Apartment with the bike in a storage unit.... Makes for hard DIY service. I'd need buy a stand to hold the bike up and buy the bead breaker/irons. Wouldn;t bother with the balance since i'm using corsaIII that are supposed to be factory balanced. --- Called another HD stealership and was quoted 1 hour of labor at 55.00 | ||
| Mikej |
Someone makes a receiver mount tire changer, at least I think someone does, seen pics of one with someone using one at a track day. Pretty sure a CenterStand or generic sportbike swingarm lift will work for your bike, and they're useful for lots of maintenance needs and don't take up much room in a coat closet if that's the only place you have to store it. Worst case is to hoist the bike vertical with a makeshift lift of some sort, chainfall, ratchet straps, and use bare tire irons on the storage unit floor with the wheel sitting on a pile of used thrift shop blankets for padding and scratch resistance. A bead breaker can be nothing more than a screwtype scissor jack or small bottle jack under the bumper of a car with the other end on the tire sidewall to break it free. If you don't got the cash to pay the asking price then find another way and use the money saved for dinner or more parts. | ||
| Ryker77 |
I think the landlord would let me use his garage and he should have a cherry picker.. I've used that method before on the Buell. | ||
| Ducxl |
My Harley dealer charges $45 to mount each tire provided i buy the tire from them.They cannot even properly balance even though they charge for it,but acknowledge they can't balance.They will not touch a tire i bring in.They tell me the charge is to bank money for the occasional rim they mar up and have to replace.My Duc dealer..same thing except $20 per tire to mount,and has no problem with Buell wheels. But the best deal of all is from my fellow Badwebber Firebolteric_Ma who mounts any tire i bring essentially free.Except for the favor he'll need in the future.We should all mount our own and save hundreds | ||
| Mikef5000 |
The shop I go to (Iron Pony) charges $12 for mounting, and $12 for balancing, but you have to buy the tires from them. Luckily they tend to have low prices. | ||
| Bartimus |
"plus you will get the satisfaction of scraping up the wheels all by yourself! It is much more rewarding than picking it up at the shop and finding them scratched by someone who doesn't care as much as you do...." That is NOT an option. I treat my bikes like they were my kids, and expect the shops I take them to, to do the same. I had a rear rim on my S1W scratched while a tire was mounted at a shop in Phoenix. I pushed the issue and ended up having both rims powdercoated for free. That is the only way to run a shop. If THEY damage it, THEY fix it... Plain and simple. And I WILL take my bikes back to that shop, they have proven time and time again, that they will stand behind their work, and they will listen to the customer. | ||
| Tombo |
Everyone I rode dirt bikes with changed their own tires, but when I began riding street bikes I started bringing it into the shop for tire changes, until I couldn't find anyone to mount tires when I needed them and did not want to go without the bike. I bought a manual tire changer and learned to static balance and will never bring it in to a shop for tires again. I can't remember why I ever stopped changing my own tires, but it takes less time to do it myself than it does to leave the bike off and pick it up again. If you decide to do it yourself and don't have experience with this, do yourself a favor and google a few tire changing sites (there are a few tricks that can make it a lot easier). I use the Harbor Freight manual changer. | ||
| Ryker77 |
thanks.. for the tips. I've done car tires both on a machine and the hard way with irons. Just break the bead and walk the lip off. Warm tire helps, soapy water also. Just note sure how I can DIY seat the new tire bead. Don't like the starting fluid bomb method... Brings back bad childhood emergency room visit. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
I thought you just pumped air into it to seat the tires. | ||
| Xb9ser |
I have seen the starter fluid metead on tractortrailer tires and it scared the hell out of me. Know a guy whow put a rim through his ceiling. | ||
| Ulywife |
Someone makes a receiver mount tire changer, at least I think someone does, seen pics of one with someone using one at a track day. NoMar make a receiver hitch tire changer. Webethumpin has one (and the tire balancer) and they've changed Uly, Blast, M2 and S2 tires on it. Webe has been very pleased with the CS he's received from NoMar as well. Each time they get more proficient at their technique. Reading tips here on BadWeB has helped as well. | ||
| Teeps |
I tried mounting a from tire on a chrome steel rim for my cruiser. Once was enough. I'd go with the NoMar dismount/mount bar and the Harbor Freight MOTORCYCLE TIRE CHANGER. Looks like $100 + shipping for both Harbor Freight pieces, and $100 for the nomar bar. Lucky me, I have access to a pneumatic changer at work. | ||
| Ryker77 |
broke down and 1/2 DIY. Cargo strap to the roof beam of the storage unit. lol Removed front rim and took it to the HD dealer. 28.00 for the mount, balance and new valve stem. Then got asked about how to fix a customers x1??!!! The tech didn't even know if it had the race ECM or not. All he knew was it had NGK plugs and they drained the gas thinking it had water in it. Tried to help but I think I was talking over his head about TPS reset.. | ||
| Sjh |
I will second the No Mar unit, but I found that even with mods to the harbor freight unit, it is still very easy to scratch wheels. The No Mar unit does not have any metal contact during the complete change, plus they have the hitch mount available for those going to the track or garage-less. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
My local shop requires this for tire swaps:  And it ain't to help the tire onto the rim.  I love my local servicing dealer, but $180 to swap out tires (that I brought in) is a little ridiculous. | ||
| Jlnance |
Fatty, is that on or off the bike? Mine would charge that if you brought in the bike. I think it's $30/tire if you bring in the wheels. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
That is on the bike, but it ain't like it takes more than just a few minutes either way. If I'm gonna take them off the bike anyway, I might as well have someone with a NoMar swap 'em out. At the time, I didn't have a floor jack, so I didn't have a choice. Having taken them off the bike, it ain't worth 2+ shop hours. | ||
| Gtmg |
Got to say I was impressed with Bumpus the other day when I dropped by after driving to as part of 700 mile weekend. They actually had Buell accessories but they also had some 2006 bikes on the floor as well. I thought their price point were high but that is a little steep 2 hours labor to change out tires wow. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I have nothing bad to say about Bumpus. They are great folks. I just can't justify the cost when I can drop by a buddies house with $25-30 bucks and get the job done. Steve in service is excellent! |
