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Dealership Tire Install

5K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  CustomRider 
#1 ·
Just curious if anyone here works at a dealership. I contacted mine for a price on Bridgestone Exedra tires and the price to install them. They came back with a quote of $533 (tires, mount, balance, tax etc...) I had a price in my mind of what it should cost which is around $350. I can buy the tires on-line for just a bit over $200.

Anyway just ranting. I want to take my bike to them, but they make it nearly impossible for me to.
 
#2 ·
dealers around my area charge about 40- 50 dollars to remove rear wheel replace tire and install wheel , front are cheaper and if you buy tires from them they give somewhat a break

I always said the dealer is not your friend they are there to get as much money from you as you allow them to, and to sell you parts and service that you do not need
 
#3 ·
If you can, buy the tools to do it your self, you will save enough money to pay for the tools in a couple tire changes just in savings. For $500-$600 you can get a manual changer and $60-$100 on a jack. You got it made if you have the time and space to do it. Or you can go the cheaper route of $20-$30 on tire irons and grunt the tire on and off, if you are careful and use guards you wont scratch your rims. That is what I do.
 
#4 ·
Shop around. Smaller places especially. There are some GoldWing riders in the group I ride with who ride 2 and a half hours to get tires; they usually make a day of it- they all ride up there, whoever needs tires gets tires, and they go eat or whatever. That's because it's the cheapest place they've found and it's well worth the 2 and a half hour ride! (I've seen some places charge $350 just to change a rear tire; and that's WITHOUT the price of the tire. GoldWings are pricey to work on. I think at this place they get the tires changed, mounted, and balanced, INCLUDING the tire, for around $300.. on a GoldWing!)

In my case, there's a dealer out of town a ways- and I live out of town a ways, it happens to be the closest one to me! It's one of those 'dealers' with like 6 bikes in the showroom but a huge service department. I can get tires put on there for $50 if it's on the bike, $25 if it's off the bike. That's IF I buy the tire elsewhere. It's only $25 if I buy the tire from them (on the bike). Rear tires I think are like $75 or $45 if you buy from them, something like that.

The cheapest way is always to remove the wheel yourself and take it in. Otherwise, just shop around; especially smaller shops. The dealer I bought my bike from I'd NEVER take my bike to for service; they are outrageously expensive. But they are a huge dealer with a big marketing budget; so they get enough exposure to draw in folks willing to pay those prices. That's fine; good for them! But I'll spend a few minutes calling around to find that there are other places that do a great job at a much fairer price.

Working on a motorcycle, though, is always going to cost more than a car. A motorcycle shop will NEVER have the volume of customers a car shop will have. That's why we don't have any quick-oil-change or tire-and-lube places for motorcycles. That's also why it costs more. A tire-and-lube place can specialize their business, do it super quickly, and go through a huge volume of cars which is why they can afford to sell you the tires and mount/balance them for free or cheap. The MC dealers can't sustain a business like that!
 
#5 ·
I just got tires (front and back; Pirelli Route 66's) put on at a local shop. The cost, taxes, Ontario tire stewardship fee, and installation included - $399. (Canadian). This was me dropping my bike off to them. Turnaround time was about 2-3 days (including them ordering the tires).

I got quotes form 5 other places. This was the cheapest (all for the same tires) by almost $160.

Most places around here charge between $125 and $150 (or more) to change the tires, plus the cost of the tires themselves. Plus tax, plus the aforementioned stewardship fee (for disposal of the tires). You can get to down to about $50/tire if you bring them in off the bike.
 
#6 ·
I've found a place to do it cheaper. and by cheaper I mean about $200 cheaper. They are a preferred installer for motorcycle superstore. They charge $30 per wheel to install and I can ship directly to them.

I am due for maintenance so I wanted to go to the dealer for the maintenance and the tires but it's just too much money.
 
#7 ·
I've found a place to do it cheaper. and by cheaper I mean about $200 cheaper. They are a preferred installer for motorcycle superstore. They charge $30 per wheel to install and I can ship directly to them.
better double check to see if that is a on the bike price or a you remove the wheel yourself price ...
 
#9 ·
Dealer charges $65 per tire to install. It's the tire prices that are driving the price. They are crazy high. I found another guy that will do it $60 per tire if I buy my own tires and bring them to him. Motorcycle Super Store has some really good tire prices at the moment so ill probably go that route. Looking at the Pirelli MT 66 or the Michelin Commander.
 
#11 ·
About 4 months ago, I paid $238 for in independent dealer to put a new front tire (Dunlop wide whitewall) on my 2009 Vulcan 900 Classic LT. This included EVERYTHING.......... cost of the tire, cost of new inner tube, removal of old tire from bike, changing tire & tube, balancing, installation of new tire, taxes, and all.

While I don't consider that as a "cheap" price, I don't consider it as outrageous either. The work was done in a timely manner as I waited for it. I watched the guy do the work and he took good care of my bike..... treated it very carefully. In fact, I gave him a $5 tip for doing so.

All in all, I have no complaint paying that price for what I received.
 
#14 ·
My tires were about $240 (I can't remember the exact split between front and rear), and labour to install both (on my bike; I did not have to bring the rims to him) was $90. Ontario Tire stewardship (disposal fee) and taxes extra.

I thought that was a pretty good deal. Turn around time was fast too.
 
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