[Peter Goldwing]

Thus far I never bought tires other then from the dealer who installed it.
The advantage is that you dont have to store till you need it and if you still have like 1000 miles worth of thread on it you dont have to carry a tire on a long trip.
That being said I need a new front tire( E4) The dealer wants about $200 installed. Since I wont ride anyplace far this year is it worth to order it from a tire place and have it installed locally. How much would I save?

 

[AZgl1800]

I ordered my E4 from Dennis Kirk,

then when I needed it put on, a local tire store did the job for 20 or 30 bucks?
can't remember now, been too long. I just carried in the wheels when I need them done.

you save bucks by not paying the labor charge for them dismounting/mounting the wheels.

front wheel comes off in about 1 minute, same for the rear if you just lay the bike over on the right side as I do.

 

[Peter Goldwing]

I went to the site but dont know which ones I need

Dont even know what a bias regarding tire is. Why all these sizes. whats a good front tire on Dunlop E4
https://www.denniskirk.com/dunlop/elite-4-touring-tire.pfp545008.prdf#rev-cont?fs=545012

 

[joe in calif]

• Front: 130/70R-18
• Rear: 180/60R-16

I used a 180/70R 16 on the rear to correct the speedo error.

 

[DaveO430]

That tire is $181.46 from DK + $5 fee so if the dealer will do it for $200 it's a good deal. Not likely you will get someone to put it on for $14 even if you take it off yourself.

 

[snowmoer]

Unless you are going to install it yourself, do your homework first. Make sure you have someone that will install it. A lot of dealers will not install a tire that you did not buy from them. Even the small independent shops that can get tires are doing this.

 

[AZgl1800]

Unless you are going to install it yourself, do your homework first. Make sure you have someone that will install it. A lot of dealers will not install a tire that you did not buy from them. Even the small independent shops that can get tires are doing this.

yup,
the guys I used to change the tire is a regular car tire shop, the owners are M/C folks and used to be Dirt Track racers.....
they don't handle M/C tires so they did not feel like I was short changing them.

I used them for wheel alignments, etc..... so in that respect I was already a customer they just wanted to keep happy.

the nearest Honda M/C shop is 40 miles away and I don't especially like them.

 

[Peter Goldwing]

I dont mind the dealer is making a buck. Just didnt want to get robbed. After all these comments it seems a fair price.
Thanks.

 

[Peter Goldwing]

Well, that $200 tire was more like $280.00 They charged for the stem and $70 for install.
.Maybe its the result of Jim Walker Motorcycle being bought out by Power Sports.
Next time Ill do a bit more work before Ill decide which shop gets my dough

 

[DaveO430]

Well, that $200 tire was more like $280.00 They charged for the stem and $70 for install.
.Maybe its the result of Jim Walker Motorcycle being bought out by Power Sports.
Next time Ill do a bit more work before Ill decide which shop gets my dough

Your original post said $200 installed. You didn't get that in writing I guess?

 

[Peter Goldwing]

Sometime thats what you get for trying to keep the local guy in business. I could swear I paid like $180 in Flagstaff, installed

 

[SMEDEN(=the blacksmith)]

Well, that $200 tire was more like $280.00 They charged for the stem and $70 for install.
.Maybe its the result of Jim Walker Motorcycle being bought out by Power Sports.
Next time Ill do a bit more work before Ill decide which shop gets my dough

Well , - that price dosnt seem unfair to me !
The tire itself is around $185 , a valve stem (Honda oem) is around $10 , balancing weigths (Honda oem) are $8 to $16 EA (dont know how many , if any , they have used ) .
Yes , it could be done cheaper , but that could involve dirty hands (yours ? )>

 

[LarryC]

No one in NW AR will mount a tire bought somewhere else, at least none I could find. I mount my own tires now. I have a harbor freight tire tool. Went blank on what you call it. Getting old I guess.

 

[ceasefire49]

Bought both front and rear e4s from motorcycle super store good deal.

 

[CrystalPistol]

For motorcycle type tires, I have almost always done my own … but there was that one time I took my 1200's rear wheel to a Honda shop, they did it for like $15, but they dropped it too. Now, having sold my bikes and just having the trike, I'll still do my own.


I have the HF changer & adapter for MC tires, but spoons & a used 15 gallon grease drum work with padding on the4 rolled edge top lip. I have a MC tire balancer stand too, but Air-Soft BBs alone work well. For the trike P215/70R15 rears, I'll do them two too, but then I'll use HF changer & bubble balancer &/or A-S plastic BBs (being 70 series, they work well).


I did just buy 4 new P275/55R20 truck tires (low profile with stiff sidewalls) and have installed on my '07 F150, tires alone weigh 47 or so pounds each, 6 lug wheels each @ 150 ft lbs, (they installed nuts finger tight then used torque stick on air wrench to snug up, then a fellow went around and did all 24 nuts by hand with a long clicker) reset TPMSs as the wheels got mixed up by position. Discount Tire Direct even gave me $100 off, only charged $19 each to mount & road-force balance using new stick on weights out of view behind the wheel spoke area. Smooth too.

 

[flogler]

Seminole in sanford charges 45 for carry in. But 280 to buy from them and install.

 

[CrystalPistol]

Seminole in sanford charges 45 for carry in.

Dollars? Maybe I should set up shop at that rate?

 

[ceasefire49]

Wrong store
Bought the combo e4s from motor sport for 285 no tax

 

[AZgl1800]

I like Discount Tire, stores "almost" everywhere.

and their Road Hazard Tire Warranty can't be beat.
good for the life of the tread, not how long you own it.