Deferred tire replacement...now I know why!

[pnaberhaus]

Well, spring is one month away, and I thought I'd get some new Sport Demons put on the old GS! The local 'zuki shop is just 4 miles from my house and 2 miles from work, so they are convenient in the extreme. BUT, they want $350+ for the tires and mounting.   I'm willing to let the local guys make a profit, but, is it me, or does that seem a bit pricey?   

[scratch]

Quite a bit pricey.  How much are the tires alone?  And, how much does the shop charge for 1 hour labor?  Or, just tire changes alone?  I allow $100 per tire (less for front, more for rear; I usually spend ~$180), and I'm guessing today's labor rate is about $85/hr. (it was $65 back in '90), but most shops charge $15-30 for tire changes (that's $15-30 per tire, with the rims off the bike).

[hhgsm31]

local shop here wanted about the same for a set of BT45's. check to see how much they charge to install if you buy them somewhere else. prolly come out better buying online and having them do it, or do it yerself
most places round here say between $40-$50 a tire just to mount if you didn't get the rubber from them

[pnaberhaus]

The dealer wants $240 for the tires, front and rear. At $60/hr labor, they want $120 to R&R both tires. The labor cost doesn't trouble me as much as the tire cost does. On the 'net, I've seen the tires priced at $160/set, BUT I'm a little leary as to how old the tires might be or what "hidden" costs might be added.

[dgyver]

Take the wheels off the bike yourself and then take them to the dealer. That is where most of the money is, removal and reinstalling. M&B is usually $20-30 per wheel. To me it is not worth the hassle of removing the tire without a machine. A competent tire guy can have a set mounted and balanced in about 10 minutes.

[Trwhouse]

Hi there,
I'm with dgyver.
Buy tires online from Dennis Kirk (I always get great prices there, they MATCH the lowest prices you get elsewhere -- good prices at Chapparral or Competition Accessories, check out the latest ads in Cycle World and Motorcyclist) and then pull your wheels and take the wheels and tires to an independent shop.
My local independent shop charged me $10 per wheel, mounted and balanced, and did a great job.
Check previous tire threads, where I have posted voluminous comments on how happy I am with the Michelin Macadam 50s I mounted on my 1991 GS 500E. They work great and are reasonable priced, at about $90 each. Great traction wet or dry and confidence inspring on the road. Highly recommended.
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=22069.0
I stayed with stock sizes, 110/70-17 front and 130/70-17 rear, because higher aspect ratio tires led to the bike falling inward big time in turns --- not a good feeling.
And don't bother trying to save a few bucks and mounting them yourself, a MAJOR pain in the neck and not worth the few dollars you save. See past postings on that subject, too.   Here are those previous posts:
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=23607.0
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=20738.0
Good luck,
Todd

[FearedGS500]

price is a bit high . you should try some other shops .  when i say shops i mean indapendent and stealrships . dont go to just your suz. dealer try yamahahahaha ,honda any one that sales tires is willing to get them for you . its who gets it the cheapest . the local yamhahahaha shop here can get me a rear tire for 120+tax that includes the  M&B easyer said . if you buy the tire they will M&B free ( we all know they just add it in on the price of the tire ) i'v seent he rear deamon run for about 80-90 bucks . by the time you spend  having it shiped then M&B your eather spending more or the same

[gsmetal]

Here in Wisconsin (I don't know about other parts of the country) I can usually get a tire and mounting for about $130.00 - sometimes it's less but it's rarely more than that.

Having said that, I have been going to the same dealer for the last 20 some odd years so I have a nice relationship with him and he gets most, if not all, of my business.

Last week I asked him what I could get a tank bag for and he calmly said "Just take 20% off of what's listed."

I also refer a good chunk of business his way so it works both ways.