Tire Replacement!

[Bob_Roller]

I'm having the tires replaced on the 1150R tomorrow, $290 US for the tires including mounting and balancing. I  spent a little more than that much on replacing the tires on my Honda Civic CRX! That's driving 200 miles round trip, to Tucson to  Southwest Mototires to have the work done, locally the cost would have been close to $400! It's times like this that I question the sanity of motorcycling!

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I knew there was a reason I like bikes with skinny tires!

[alkay191]

$290? I'd love to get away that cheap for my race tires. Try spending $390 2 or 3 times a year.
Sometimes I think my chrystal meth addiction back in early 80's was cheaper.

[nhmaf]

Even up here in New Hampshire, I have often ordered my tires from Southwest moto - their
prices are often the best - or close to it - and generally beat any of the local shops around my area, too.
I found one guy who will mount and balance the tires for me for a little less than an arm (as opposed to
an arm and a leg) so it works out fairly well.

[Ed Miller]

I knew there was a reason I like bikes with skinny tires!

Yah beat me to it!  

[Bob_Roller]

It was a nice rainy drive to Tucson to get my new tires, dropped them off, did a little sight seeing for about 2 hours. Got them back and for a total of $293 US including mounting, balancing and new valve stems (tubeless tires) and the applicable sales tax. So I'm good for another 10-11,000 miles. They only charge $20 for mounting and balancing the last tire that I had changed by the local dealer was $55 and they gouged the rim in 6 places. It's pretty sad that I will drive 200 miles to get my tires changed, to avoid the lousy service that I've gotten here in Phoenix.

[Bob_Roller]

I knew there was a reason I like bikes with skinny tires!

Actually, I just looked up what a set of Metzeler Lazertec tires, 2 Metzeler tubes, mounting and balancing, and sales tax comes out to $316. About $23 more than the Michelin radials that I just purchased for the oilhead!

[Ed Miller]

Wow.  Bridgestone Spitfires are much less expensive.  I forgot to add up how many miles I got off the front one I just replaced.  My dealer gives me a 10% discount off their normal price and mounts and balances the tire for 10 dollars.  Another 10 or so for a tube.

[Bob_Roller]

I've been using Metzeler tires since 1988, ME33 front and ME99 rear, and I am getting about 11-13,000 miles on the front, and 8-9,000 miles on the rear. The last rear tire, I tried an ME88 to see if I could get more life out it, as far as I can tell, maybe 1,000 miles more, so not much of an improvement. I noticed the Lazertec rear is a different tread design. Anybody have any experience with the Lazertec rear tire? I'm due a new rear tire on the R65 in about a 1,000 miles or so, the wear bars are close to being exposed.

[Semper Gumby]

I really like the French tires (Mich. Macadams).   8-)