Tires ...

[ChuckS]

With 6500 on my 1200 RT time to rid myself of the tires. I am thinking Z6's. As I understand very good tires with good wet traction. Living and riding year round here thats important. My questions are: Is this the tire? What should I pay for them, and for mounting? Should I take to the BMW shop and have done at my 6000 mile service next week? Or??

[USAF1]

Hey Chuck....

 

I put the Z-6's on a while back.....can't say for sure how many miles I have right now...but they are an excellent tire in the rain....and at speed. I do believe that they are a softer wearing tire, and I don't expect that I'm going to get my usual 11-12,000+ miles out of them. Because I'm not a rabid speed fanatic like some folks out there, I think that I'm probably going to go back to the Z-4's as I don't think I'll ever use the full capability of the Z-6. I had the front replaced by the dealer...and paid way too much...but nobody else had a Z-6 that I could get my hands on in one day (the tread and steel belt had seperated on the Z-4).

 

Normally I pay $135 or less at the local independent...and the mounting is always free ( I take the wheel in to them). I have seen on here where the price is lower if you order via the internet, so maybe somebody else will holler here.

 

Good Luck

 

Pat

[David_S]

Can't comment on the 6's as my stock pilot roads are just about done at 5k miles and I have a pair of Avon's ready to spoon on.

The cheapest place I have found to buy tires is Southwest Mototire but you'll have to install them yourself of find some place to do it. I would check with your dealer first as a lot of them won't install carry in tires.

[Mike_F]

Chuck, Her are some options for you to digest.

The last time I took the bike to the dealer for tires, they charged me $331.00 for the whole enchalada. There are cheaper alternatatives, but you have to work for them. The other local shops that are not BMW may do a BMW, but from the phone calls I have made to the locals, it is not likely to happen but YMMV. If you choose to buy wheels online and TRY to have them mounted and balanced somewhere else, they will likley jack the price up, making it about the same cost as going to the dealer to begin with. But again YMMV. The third option is to buy the tires online, "SWMoto tire is where I shop" and mount and balance them yourself. The cost of the equipment will pay for it's self on the second tire change. You would need the Harbor Freight Tire Changer and Motorcycle tire adapter. Along with a good set of irons and a bottle of RuGLIDE from NAPA. The first time it will take about 2 hours, "give or take an hour" but you will get quicker after a few times. You will save about $100.00 every time you change them yourself. But if all this sounds like too much work, you will need to find the option that works best for you. If I were not changing my own tires, I would probably go to Cycle Gear and buy and have them mount and balanced there. You will have to pull the wheels from the bike yourself, but you can save a nice chunk of change doing it that way. BTW I have been using Pilot Roads for the last 4 sets, and have been getting over 10k each set.

 

Hope this helps,

[taters]

i just had the dealer put another pair of z6s on my 04 rt. cost $426.00 i had 7800 miles on them. the service manager told me i had another 3000 miles left at least. i changed them because i had some cupping on the front tire. and as this is my first bike and i am a complete novice, i chose to be conservative. still don't know if i should have waited or not

[Pictou]

In my book you can never go wrong by putting on new tires. The handling is gone from them long before they are worn out. I bet you'll notice a big difference in handling.

 

 

i just had the dealer put another pair of z6s on my 04 rt. cost $426.00 i had 7800 miles on them. the service manager told me i had another 3000 miles left at least. i changed them because i had some cupping on the front tire. and as this is my first bike and i am a complete novice, i chose to be conservative. still don't know if i should have waited or not