Tires, Tires, Tires

[Bud]

OK So I got the new tires today from SW Moto. Fast service and free shipping.

 

Now on to mounting.

 

Called my closest BMW dealer and asked price to mount and balance - off bike. $27.00 each.

 

Is this in the ballpark?

 

Seems high compared to a car tire which I can have done in town for $10.00 each.

 

Of course, the guy in town can not do MC tires.

 

What is the going rate around the country?

[russell_bynum]

The local Cycle Gear charges $30 per tire.

[smiller]

called my closest BMW dealer and asked price to mount and balance - off bike. $27.00 each.

That's not at all out of line these days and it's easy to pay more.

 

$60 labor per set pays off tire changing equipment pretty quickly.

[KeithS]

That sounds very reasonable considering that you did not buy the tires from them. I paid $25.00 at the local Honda shop. If I hadn't bought the tire from him, I'm not sure that he would have mounted it for me. Another Honda dealer had told me that he wouldn't touch it if I didn't buy the tire from him. Too busy , etc. I really don't have a problem with that.

[RichEdwards]

$40 per tire in Tampa. They remove the wheels.

[PhillyFlash]

I'd say that $25-30 off the bike, and $40-60 on the bike, is the typical going rate. You may find a few places for less off the bike, and if you buy tires regularly from the same dealer at the higher msrp, they may cut you a deal even when on the bike. But most often, tire changing is fairly pricey. Consider getting a changer if you go through a lot of them. If you only go through one set a year, or longer, it probably is just cheaper and easier to have them do it. For many of us who go through 2-4 sets a year, mail order and do it yourself is the way to go.

[Bud]

That sounds very reasonable considering that you did not buy the tires from them. I paid $25.00 at the local Honda shop. If I hadn't bought the tire from him, I'm not sure that he would have mounted it for me. Another Honda dealer had told me that he wouldn't touch it if I didn't buy the tire from him. Too busy , etc. I really don't have a problem with that.

 

That is one thing I have never understood. Someone is waving cash in front of a business to perform a service and they say get lost!

 

Sounds really stupid to me.

 

BTW The Honda dealer told me the same thing and I just laughed. He doesn't know that 100% of something is better than nothing.

[Bud]

I'd say that $25-30 off the bike, and $40-60 on the bike, is the typical going rate. You may find a few places for less off the bike, and if you buy tires regularly from the same dealer at the higher msrp, they may cut you a deal even when on the bike. But most often, tire changing is fairly pricey. Consider getting a changer if you go through a lot of them. If you only go through one set a year, or longer, it probably is just cheaper and easier to have them do it. For many of us who go through 2-4 sets a year, mail order and do it yourself is the way to go.

 

A quick lesson on do it yourself. What do I need, how much does it cost and where can I get it?

[Smoky]

Today I went into the restaurant where I usually have breakfast.

 

Only today I took 2 eggs with me, I handed them to the waitress and said I'd like them scrambled!

 

She came back out of the kitchen and told me they wouldn't cook the eggs I brought in, I'd have to order off the menu.

 

Sheesh. What's the matter with them?

[KDeline]

Today I went into the restaurant where I usually have breakfast.

 

Only today I took 2 eggs with me, I handed them to the waitress and said I'd like them scrambled!

 

She came back out of the kitchen and told me they wouldn't cook the eggs I brought in, I'd have to order off the menu.

 

Sheesh. What's the matter with them?

 

Yea but if she charged 2 bucks an egg that's money in there pocket.

[steve.foote]

He doesn't know that 100% of something is better than nothing.

 

Not always. Sometimes nothing is much better than 100% of a losing proposition. Everyone reading this, who is in business for themselves, is nodding their head right now.

 

Back to the subject, I get my tires mounted for $15 each, off the bike, at our local independent shop.

[leikam]

Someone is waving cash in front of a business to perform a service and they say get lost! Sounds really stupid to me.

 

Opportunity cost.

 

To the tire question, my local shop will swap rubber for $25 once tires off the bike so I say you're definitely in the ballpark.

[tomk99r11]

I started changing my own tires recently. The guy I had been using, who is a member of a club I belong to and runs a shop, charged $35 - $40 carry in. And, if you want him to dispose of the old tire he charged up to $5. So, I would say, you are getting a decent price. Changing tires is not hard to do at all. For me it got to be travel time to/from his shop, wait time, and a couple changes paid for all that I needed to do the job myself. FWIW.

[Bud]

He doesn't know that 100% of something is better than nothing.

 

Not always. Sometimes nothing is much better than 100% of a losing proposition . Everyone reading this, who is in business for themselves, is nodding their head right now.

 

Back to the subject, I get my tires mounted for $15 each, off the bike, at our local independent shop.

 

I'm not asking them to do it for free.

 

In fact, I'm willing to pay $12 more per tire than you pay.

 

Are you telling me that at $27.00 per tire carried in they are losing money by mounting and balancing them?

 

I don't believe it for a moment.

 

I'm sure you don't believe it either. How could your indy dealer stay in business if he was losing money at $15.00?

[Bud]

Today I went into the restaurant where I usually have breakfast.

 

Only today I took 2 eggs with me, I handed them to the waitress and said I'd like them scrambled!

 

She came back out of the kitchen and told me they wouldn't cook the eggs I brought in, I'd have to order off the menu.

 

Sheesh. What's the matter with them?

 

Maybe in Canada you can not bring in your own spark plugs to the car dealer and ask them to provide the LABOR to replace them.

 

My auto dealer (GM) charges $6.00 per plug. I can buy them at WW for $1.12 each. AC Delco plugs both places.

 

He is happy for me to pay the LABOR for the installation of the plugs I bought elsewhere. Why? Because he charges book rate for the LABOR and his mechanic can do it in 1/2 book time. Dealer makes good money. I save good money. Mechanic makes good money and we are all happy.

 

Now if he would say to me I only install plugs you buy here, guess what. He loses, the mechanic loses and I go elsewhere to someone who appreciates my business.

[Bud]

Here is another side of the coin.

 

I go into the BMW dealer and want a part.

 

Would you expect them to tell me they won't sell me the part unless I pay for the installation labor as well.

 

That makes about as much sense as insisting I buy the part or they won't install it.

[steve404]

"Are you telling me that at $27.00 per tire carried in they are losing money by mounting and balancing them?"

15% of customers are going to find fault in the service whether the dealer is at fault or not. Over time, a big blow or several is likely to hit the dealer from a perceived mal-service and he will truthfully say "it is just not worth it.”

[Penrod]

Not to start an argument, but perhpas as a business owner I can add another perspective here. Consider that the installer may be asked to assume responsibility for a damaged tire. Maybe it came in that way, maybe it was caused by the install, he has to either argue about it or make it right in the interest of "good customer service". Yet another angle, say he puts on a tire, the biker gets into an accident, the deep pocket attorney says the installer put the incorrect tire pressure (due to the fact the tire is not a brand he's familiar with) and that is a contributing factor in the accident. Trust me guys, I'm not trying to pick sides, but as a business owner, I have been down this road and as a result, I give a lot less free or discounted serive. A matter of survival in some cases.......

[keithb]

Bud

I go to a business in Costa Mesa (Orange Co. Ca.) where they charge $15 per tire to mount and balance with the wheels off the bike. My recommendation is to stay away from the dealers. They charge an arm and a leg. Search out the independent shop in your area and see what they charge. I am sure they would want your money.

[Bud]

Not to start an argument, but perhpas as a business owner I can add another perspective here. Consider that the installer may be asked to assume responsibility for a damaged tire. Maybe it came in that way, maybe it was caused by the install, he has to either argue about it or make it right in the interest of "good customer service". Yet another angle, say he puts on a tire, the biker gets into an accident, the deep pocket attorney says the installer put the incorrect tire pressure (due to the fact the tire is not a brand he's familiar with) and that is a contributing factor in the accident. Trust me guys, I'm not trying to pick sides, but as a business owner, I have been down this road and as a result, I give a lot less free or discounted serive. A matter of survival in some cases.......

 

No argument from me either.

 

I'm bringing in brand new METZLER tires. The installer can look at them prior to mounting and point out any defects. That way there can be no misunderstanding about the quality of the tires.

 

RE: Air pressure. I don't see how the owner is protected if he sells the tire and puts in the wrong pressure. Either way the pressure would be wrong. So how is he any better off liabililty wise?

 

Shop owners carry liablility insurance to cover them. How is their coverage affected if they don't sell me the part they install (in this instance tires)?

 

Still not arguing. Would like answers from a owners perspective.

[Bud]

"Are you telling me that at $27.00 per tire carried in they are losing money by mounting and balancing them?"

15% of customers are going to find fault in the service whether the dealer is at fault or not . Over time, a big blow or several is likely to hit the dealer from a perceived mal-service and he will truthfully say "it is just not worth it.”

 

Is the 15% only those who didn't buy the tire from the installer or is it 15% of all customers. If the latter then no one would stay in business. If the former, how do you know?

[philbytx]

Our local dealer, Destination CycleSports, is 5 minutes from the house and charges $19.95 per wheel, your tyres, wheels off the bike complete with balance, new stem and tyre disposal. Nice folks.....

 

Lone Star BMW is 2 hours away , so I didn't care to find out what they charged!!

[Bud]

“Is the 15% only those who didn't buy the tire from the installer or is it 15% of all customers. If the latter then no one would stay in business. If the former, how do you know?”

 

15/85 rule or 20/80 . These are generalizations of course, and not true and fast for all applications; but it is how things tend to work out in many service industries.

 

“I'm bringing in brand new METZLER tires. The installer can look at them prior to mounting and point out any defects. That way there can be no misunderstanding about the quality of the tires.”

 

The installer would probably pick up on gross defects, but he would unlikely spend more than a few seconds per tire inspecting them in a normal installation. And say there is a marginal nick on the tire somewhere, is the customer going to accuse the installer of trying to sell his own goods? The more expected problems would be where and when did nicks on the wheel develop, damaged rotors, a popped out valve stem ala BeniciaRT Torrey XI. When moving on to wheel removal and replacement, the liabilities grow.

 

“Shop owners carry liability insurance to cover them. How is their coverage affected if they don't sell me the part they install (in this instance tires)?”

 

General liability is a large enough expense when you haven’t used it. A few claims and that expense can grow huge.

The larger guys can go for volume and that evens things out as does making the customer go through all the hoops and loops wearing most of the complainers out.

 

Usually things work out well for all, but about 15% of the time something is going to come along to demand 85% of your resources to set straight.

 

While all the above may be true, it doesn't address the issue. How do any of these risks to the owner go away when I purchase the tire from him. Same tires, same risks.

[Alan D]

OK other business owners, jump in here.

 

My experience and gut feeling runs red flags up when I get "customers" that bought something somewhere else (because it was a little cheaper) and then want me to do something with it. They seem to always end up being the customer that complains about everything and anything and is never a satisfied customer. "They know the price of everything and the value of nothing" is a saying I have heard.

 

Suppose I start to put your tire on and I find a defect. You left my shop so I put the tire aside until you come back.

A) You tell me the tire is fine, go ahead and put it on and you are now mad because now you have to wait or come back later.

B) You thank me, tell me you will ship them back, and think you don't owe me anything because I didn't "do anything" My time is not worth anything to you.

 

I don't mean YOU, but this is the kind of stuff business owners deal with everyday.

 

Sometimes we have to fire "customers"

 

 

[smiller]

My experience and gut feeling runs red flags up when I get "customers" that bought something somewhere else (because it was a little cheaper) and then want me to do something with it. They seem to always end up being the customer that complains about everything and anything and is never a satisfied customer. "They know the price of everything and the value of nothing" is a saying I have heard.

All of the many shops that I've had install tires in the past seemed to be able to make a profit on the work, wanted my business and wanted additional traffic through their store. But yeah, if a motorcycle shop business owner can't figure out a way to do that then I guess the proper decision would be to refuse the work.

[Alan D]

I should clarify, I don't have a motorcycle business, I'm just demonstrating the kinds of scenerios we see.

[smiller]

I realized that, and I certainly wasn't referring to you personally. No offense meant.

[Bud]

OK other business owners, jump in here.

 

My experience and gut feeling runs red flags up when I get "customers" that bought something somewhere else (because it was a little cheaper) and then want me to do something with it. They seem to always end up being the customer that complains about everything and anything and is never a satisfied customer. "They know the price of everything and the value of nothing" is a saying I have heard.

 

Suppose I start to put your tire on and I find a defect. You left my shop so I put the tire aside until you come back.

A) You tell me the tire is fine, go ahead and put it on and you are now mad because now you have to wait or come back later.

B) You thank me, tell me you will ship them back, and think you don't owe me anything because I didn't "do anything" My time is not worth anything to you.

 

I don't mean YOU, but this is the kind of stuff business owners deal with everyday.

 

Sometimes we have to fire "customers "

 

 

 

LOL My mother's DR had to fire her because she wouldn't take his advice.

 

I didn't take anything you said to be personal.

 

Here is what I still don't understand. I'm willing to pay good money for service. I don't want you to do it for free. I don't expect you to put me to the head of the line. I'm willing to pay for excellent service. I will pay you right then. I will pay you enough to stay in business.

 

I just don't want to be forced to pay a higher prices for goods.

 

BTW It looks like I will walk in with my tires to a BMW dealer that wants my business, Grass Roots in Missouri, and let them make a profit for their time and labor. Looks like a win, win deal. I get tires mounted, they make a profit and we are both happy.

 

For those dealers who haven't figured out a way to make a profit on service I say let the marketplace work. Perhaps the number of BMW dealers going out of business is an indication of those who had a "buy it here or else" mentality.

[Alan D]

You have to make money to stay in business. I think you have to either own a business or be a accountant to appreciate how much money it takes to run a business and pay for expenses most people don't think about. The mortality rate for small business is high.

 

The Cincinnati BMW dealer went out of business. I think most of us here were shocked bcause he seemed to have a good service business and he seemed to sell lots of accessories and parts. I bought tires from him and and lots of other stuff.

 

I'm not saying you can't make money putting on tires you did not sell, I'm just saying there can be hidden costs. From previous posts you can see the cost to mount tires runs all over the place.

 

My last set I bought from a small mc shop. ( I wanted Pilot Roads and the BMW dealer was not selling those.) He's been in business for (I think) over 20 years. He used to have several people working for him, now he appears to run it alone. He gave me a price on tires that were very fair, installed. He charged less for installation if I bought the tires from him. I did not ask for that, it just was his deal. I have heard him on the phone and he knows which repair jobs he does not want to get involved with.

 

He has obviously learned what are profitable jobs for him and which ones are not and that may be THE secret to surviving as a small business person.

 

[Bud]

You have to make money to stay in business. I think you have to either own a business or be a accountant to appreciate how much money it takes to run a business and pay for expenses most people don't think about. The mortality rate for small business is high.

 

The Cincinnati BMW dealer went out of business. I think most of us here were shocked bcause he seemed to have a good service business and he seemed to sell lots of accessories and parts. I bought tires from him and and lots of other stuff.

 

I'm not saying you can't make money putting on tires you did not sell, I'm just saying there can be hidden costs. From previous posts you can see the cost to mount tires runs all over the place.

 

My last set I bought from a small mc shop. ( I wanted Pilot Roads and the BMW dealer was not selling those.) He's been in business for (I think) over 20 years. He used to have several people working for him, now he appears to run it alone. He gave me a price on tires that were very fair, installed. He charged less for installation if I bought the tires from him. I did not ask for that, it just was his deal. I have heard him on the phone and he knows which repair jobs he does not want to get involved with.

 

He has obviously learned what are profitable jobs for him and which ones are not and that may be THE secret to surviving as a small business person.

 

 

I agree. You need to make money to stay in business.

 

While many have pointed out "issues" that arise from providing service (see many posts above),no one has been able to explain how these same "issues" don't exist if I buy the tire there.

 

Notice that I never said I wasn't willing to pay a fair charge for mounting the tires.

 

I was only pointing out that some dealers have a "you didn't buy tires here so I won't mount them" attitude that only keeps them from making more money to stay in business.

 

Any business that thinks their customers "owe" them something will quickly go broke. With the internet, the business world has changed and it will never go back to the old days.

 

Customers can quickly and easily shop for the best price. And why shouldn't they?

 

It's my money I'm spending. No one is doing me a favor by selling me something. I'm doing them a favor by buying, thereby making it possible for them to continue to make more money. Isn't that why they are in business in the first place.

[johnt650]

$27.00 sounds reasonable compared to mine. I assume that if the price is high enough the dealer is telling me that he does not want that business. His reasons, insurance, liability cost, etc are his own concern. The fact that he does not want to mount tires that he doesn't sell are also his decision to make. On the other hand if the cost and convenience of the service are not competitive in the market, then it's my option to take my business to someone else.

[Alan D]

It's certainly a buyers decision on how much you are willing to spend.

If a business is not competitive it will go out of business. If a business does not charge enough it will go out of business.

So it's a buyers decision and a sellers decision.

 

We so often get focused on price when it's not the most important part of the process. There is another thread going on right now where people are complaining about Bobs BMW. They love the 20% discout, they hate the slow service.

If the service is too slow, the discount is not worth it.

[Hiawatha]

Sometimes you pay for service. My local BMW dealer charged me $176 for a tire I could buy online for $125 (delivered). Then charged me $40 for mounting and balancing. BUT He also did it on a rim off another identical bike and delivered it to a rally. Sure the price was high but well worth the service. I believe he is so busy at times he probably wouldn't changer a tire for a walk in who wasn't a customer?

[Alan D]

It's certainly a buyers decision on how much you are willing to spend.

If a business is not competitive it will go out of business. If a business does not charge enough it will go out of business.

So it's a buyers decision and a sellers decision.

 

We so often get focused on price when it's not the most important part of the process. There is another thread going on right now where people are complaining about Bobs BMW. They love the 20% discout, they hate the slow service.

If the service is too slow, the discount is not worth it.

 

Oops, it's Chicago BMW folks are complaining about. Sorry about that!

[Bud]

It's certainly a buyers decision on how much you are willing to spend.

If a business is not competitive it will go out of business. If a business does not charge enough it will go out of business.

So it's a buyers decision and a sellers decision.

 

We so often get focused on price when it's not the most important part of the process. There is another thread going on right now where people are complaining about Bobs BMW. They love the 20% discout, they hate the slow service.

If the service is too slow, the discount is not worth it.

 

Oops, it's Chicago BMW folks are complaining about. Sorry about that!

 

 

LOL - I always tell me wife "Don't listen to what I say, listen to what I mean."

 

We knew what you ment.

[Bud]

Well I just got back from Grass Roots BMW.

 

Had both tires mounted, balanced, taxed and out the door for $35.13 TOTAL!!!!

 

Call me a happy camper.

[wolcott]

Wow! What a deal- $35 for 2 tires mounted and balanced. I just remembered how i was a little peeved at the local harley shop on the price to mount and balance a new rear tire (loose) that I had brought in. I just dug out the receipt. Mount and balance 1 tire- $39.38 with .5 hours for labor. $40 to mount & balance 1 tire is too high in my opinion. Now, I recently got 2 brand new ME 880's and called around and the Honda/Yamaha shop said they would mount and balance each loose tire for $22 each, that's with a new valve stem. That is a fair price. If I had brought 2 looose tires into the harley shop, they would have charged me $80. I can see why more and more people are changing their own tires and working on their bikes. The shops must hate the do-it-yourself and factory manuals that customers can access along with the advent of the Net.

[X_BamaCop]

There are several places here to get them mounted around where I live. Off bike definatly pats here and 25 to 30 is the norm for mount and balance per tire! I was lucky and found a deal last time 35 for one 50 for two off bike.