Tire Mounting?

I ordered new tires for the old Wing and they should arrive next week.

I've called around to several shops and am getting estimates of $32 to
$40 per wheel to mount and balance tires if I bring the wheels and
tires off the the bike. Double that per wheel for labor to replace the
bearings.

Is that about the going rate or anybody have a recommendation in the
DFW area that might be more reasonable? I'm trying to decide whether
to have a shop take care of it or attempting it myself.

Thanks
Jim
81 GL1100
http://ridedfw.com

 

That sounds about right to me.

....louie

 

I ordered new tires for the old Wing and they should arrive next week.
If you have never chaged tires and don't have the gear its a good
deal. Especially if you bought the tires online and want someone else
to change the. Some shops will not change tires if you did not
purchase them there.

Changing tires is not difficult but you need to be set up for it. On
Goldwings the rear is a real pain.

Randle Bain

 

Most of the time, you don't make out better going online and ordering
mail order tires. The amount you'll save will be eat up with shipping,
the gas to haul them to the dealer and the extra labor the dealer will
charge to mount them.

You're better off next time by haggling a deal with the dealer and
getting everything from them.

 

BRIANWalker knows;
''Most of the time, you don't make out better going online and ordering
mail order tires. The amount you'll save will be eat up with shipping,
the gas to haul them to the dealer and the extra labor the dealer will
charge to mount them.
You're better off next time by haggling a deal with the dealer and
getting everything from them.




That's the way I look at it. I've never ordered tires. Like Brian says,
I too, usually get my Honda store to compete, fairly close, and get em
the next day.
Not enough savings to matter, personally speaking.

I've heard of many folks, getting the wrong size, after all that
ordering and waiting .

B. Jay Kana--
NETexas
02 Valkyrie Cruiser--
( happy trails to you all)

 

I thought I'd get a good deal when it came time to mount new soles on
my Blackbird. I ordered the tires and waited. After a week, I called
them up only to find they were back ordered. I finally got them to
ship the tires sooner than they started saying at the start of the
conversation, and had to pay extra to have them shipped sooner. After
I got them, I loaded up and hauled them to the dealer to install. When
I got the final bill, they asked why I didn't just get the tires
there. When I told them the "big savings", they pointed out they had
those same tires on the shelf for about $10 total cheaper than
everything I'd spent. That was the first and last time I'll mail order
tires.

 

Metric Tech in McKinney:

1st do not pull your rotors as we will need them to computer balance
your wheel.
2nd we use a state off the art Snap Tire machine for mounting tires.
3rd the price will be $21.50 + tax and a $2.00 tire recycle fee.

http://www.metrictech.net/contact.htm

 

That is a bout right for cost. It is what I pay at Honda shop. Put a new
valve stem in. The Honda shops parts and Service depts are independent of
each other, so it don't matter where the tire comes from. Mounting charge is
the same.

 

That's why I no longer use Maxim for service. I don't even like trying
to buy parts there, but do at times when I'm in the area and need
something specific. I also don't use Central Yamaha for that same
reason....

Grapevine Kawasaki does good work, will remove/mount/install the wheel
so you don't have to carry the wheel around and charges around
$30per.

I don't know anything about your shop, but if it has "state of the
art" equipment, then it should also be able to remove and install a
wheel. You'd be surprised how much business you lose by not being able
to do a removal of a wheel. Most riders don't want to carry their
wheels around or remove their own wheels to just have a tire mounted.
I guess you're okay with it though.

 

I asked for a bring in my wheel price. I'm sure they would do the full
monty.

Yes...I always take off my own wheels on both bikes. And forks & valve
adjustments, etc... I use the dealer for very little. Just the way I
am. Until recently I used my own Harbor Freight tire changer. (what a
beating), but with 2 bikes & internet prices for tires...I saved a lot.
Nice to find a $21 place that I find to be a very fair price. In the
far past (probably in the 80's) I used to have Plano Honda mount my
tires.....twice they mounted them backward! Glad I noticed! I trust my
own skills and concern for doing it right (within reason... no breaking
into an engine). That may change as I get older!

 

Hell Mike, since you have a tire machine, you could mount tires for us at a
reduced price.

 

That's what I'm thinking!

I'm needing tire changes on the Hurricane and need it quick! I'll get
the tires and be over at Mike's place this week...tx.moto discount of
course!

 

Thanks everyone for your opinions.

I found Bates2 Discount Motorcycle in Farmers Branch that will mount
and balance for $20 each. http://www.bates2.net/

Nice folks, took the tires/wheels in today they had them done in about
30 minutes. With new valve stems, I walked out with both tires done
for $49.

Now on to pulling the tank to de-rust/seal and changing wheel
bearings.

Everyone should really thank me for the nice weather. Why is it when
the old Wing down for maintenance the weather improves dramatically!?

Thanks
Jim
81 GL1100 http://ridedfw.com

 

Changing tires that are not low profile, radial, tubeless sport tires
is not that difficult. I helped my friend Chuck put a new 130/90-18
rear Continental tire on his 1981 Sportster today. I have four tire
irons, two 14" curved ones and two 12" flat ones, and I use all four
when I change a tire. I also use either a bench vise or a giant C-
clamp to break the bead and to get the tire's bead down into the rim
well. Chuck's wheel was a mag, but not tubeless, so we had to be
careful not to pinch the tube. Took about 5 minutes to get the rear
wheel off the bike, another 10 minutes to get the tire off the rim, 10
more minutes to get the new tire on, and then we ran into problems
getting the last couple of inches of bead to pop up out of the rim
well and onto the seat. Chuck doesn't have an air compressor, just a
little lectric tire inflator, and it wasn't pumping enough air quickly
enough to pop the bead. Finally, I used silicone lubricant on both
the bead and the rim well, removed the valve core, and we pumped the
air directly through the hollow valve stem and the thing popped.
Wasted about 15 minutes on that little dance. We didn't balance the
thing, because the rear wheel on that bike weighs about 40 pounds with
the rotor and sprocket, plus another 12-13 pounds for the tire, and
Chuck rides r.e.a.l. slow. Plus, my homemade tire balancer bolts to
my workbench, and we were working at Chuck's house. Anyway, a little
over an hour, and he saved $40 or so. Plus we had fun, of course.

Afterwards, we installed new front rotors and brake pads on his 1993
Saturn SL2 sedan with 203,000 miles on it. That was *not* fun.

Needless to say, Chuck is a man who watches his budget!

 

That must've been the model they dramatically changed....I seem to
remember Honda doing a recall on the wheel bearings because owners had
to pull the tank to get to them....

 

Hell,I used the change the tires on my roadstar.I used to have to ruin over
the rear with my ford truck to break the bead on the rear tire.
Just my five dollas worth!

 

(Ed Hart)
--Hell,I used the change the tires on my roadstar.I used to have to ruin
over the rear with my ford truck to break the bead on the rear tire.
Just my five dollas worth!



Your version just didnt hit me like Harolds did, sorry. Just the way he
told it, I rectum.

B. Jay Kana--
NETexas
02 Valkyrie Cruiser--
( happy trails to you all)

 

Well,that is what i used to do.I will get Bill Walker to retell it.

--
Ed Hart
All My Imaginary Friends Are Gone.
I guess It Is Time To FInd Some New Ones.
(Ed Hart)
--Hell,I used the change the tires on my roadstar.I used to have to ruin
over the rear with my ford truck to break the bead on the rear tire.
Just my five dollas worth!



Your version just didnt hit me like Harolds did, sorry. Just the way he
told it, I rectum.

B. Jay Kana--
NETexas
02 Valkyrie Cruiser--
( happy trails to you all)

 

I HATE doing it. I bought the HF mounter for $39 on sale plus a couple
irons. Paid for it after about 2 tire changes. I don't do a perfect job
not slightly scarring my rims (use rim savers, etc...). GoldWing tires
are like doing car tires manually. UGH! Works best when u set the tires
in hot Texas sun for a while, but that's a different topic But still
HATE it.

 

Does that mean the discount tire mounting is out?

Shit, now I'll have to call and cancel that order on new tires...I
hope they don't charge a restock fee!