Triumphrat

RydRy · 05-19-2009, 07:57 AM

hey all- searched and didnt find much on this- got a new rear tire for my t-100- and just got a replacement metz- 230 for the tire and over 100 to mount it- 402 later I walked out feeling slightly taken- normal? I realize Im maybe missing some facts and hope you all can shed light so i feel better about that hole in my pocket- my x-terra car tire was 107 and 30 to mount and balance and last 60k while this one went 8k and is a whole lot smaller- waht gives?
thanks for listening to my ramblings

propforward · 05-19-2009, 08:17 AM

Whereabouts are you?

If you paid $230 US for a tire and $100 to mount it that's excessive.

RydRy · 05-19-2009, 08:26 AM

Im in Vermont- I like my dealer- in fact he taught me to ride- but it feels above and beyond normal

propforward · 05-19-2009, 08:44 AM

A stock rear tyre should run about 160 bucks. If you replace it with a metz lasertec rear instead of the MEZ2 you can pick them up for about 125 bucks I think. Check out www.denniskirk.com.

100 bucks to pull the rear wheel and mount and balance a tyre, and reinstall - yeah, I can see that, which is why I remove my own wheels. I get charged 35 bucks for fitting a tyre to a loose wheel, which includes balancing it. That price varies around the place.

Something to think about. I like supporting my dealer too, but their prices are way out of whack on tyres, so I buy them from Dennis Kirk, and pay my dealer to fit them. They are happy enough with that arrangement.

EDIT: Lasertec rear is 118.99 from dennis kirk, plus 5 bucks to ship it.

ohiorider · 05-19-2009, 09:03 AM

For several years, I'd purchased new tires thru mail order, then paid a local indy shop to mount and balance them (I remove the wheels and haul them to their shop). Fortunately, they are less than 20 minutes from home. Their current price is approx $40/tire to mount and balance, and dispose of the old tire. However, once I'd received a defective mail order tire, paid to have it mounted, unmounted, shipped back to the mail order house, I decided to ask the indy shop if they would be able to meet mail order price + their $40 a tire to mount and balance. Since mounting and balancing is a high profit service, they didn't have a problem with that price.

The last time I purchased front and rear Metzeler 880s for my T100, the total bill for front and rear tires, mounted and balanced, was $364.00, including Ohio sales tax of approx 6%/

I checked the current Dennis Kirk prices today for a set of 880s
100/90-19: $108
140/80-17: $145
These prices, plus an additional $80 to mount, works out to approx $360, including tax.

Hope this gives you some guidelines for the next time.

Bob

Calliway · 05-19-2009, 11:31 AM

Holy crap, even in Canadian funds that is brutal. The labour sounds right but the cost of the tire is a bit much.

SpeedyPete · 05-19-2009, 04:41 PM

I'm on my third rear. Still using OEM Battalax BT-045 and happy enough.

My latest rear replacement was in April and if I recall correctly it ran just over $200 for tire, valve, mount & balance. It kills me to pay this much everytime I see the BT-045s in the mags for about a buck and a quarter, but the reason I keep going to the dealer is the fear of an aged/defective tire like Ohiorider refers to. Who needs that grief?

So I drop a couple of beans about every 2.5 yrs and ride happy & safe.

If you got charged $400 for the same service, you'll want to compare prices at a few different shops next time around. If you're really bent out of shape about it, do the comparison shopping now. Betcha local prices and practices will vary so check locally before getting too ticked at your local shop.

P

RydRy · 05-19-2009, 10:08 PM

I apprecaite the advice-
all makes sense and good thoughts- thanks guys- a side note is it rides like a dream and handing is impressive as is my peace of mind!@

sbpark · 05-19-2009, 10:52 PM

i just put on a new sport demon in the back and paid about $140 for the tire and $25 U.S. for the dealer to mount and balance it. sounds like your dealer is a huge scam.

JimVonBaden · 05-20-2009, 11:07 AM

I do all my own tires now. My first set on an old BMW costing me $400 for two convinced me. $400 for one tire is crazy!

Here is a link to how I do it on a BMW: http://www.jimvonbaden.com/Tire_Change.html

Obviously you have a couple more steps for tube tires, but not significantly different.

I buy my tires here: www.swmototires.com and can get a pair of Distanzias for $240.

Jim