Author Topic: Tyres.........do ya or dontcha? (Read 4158 times)

sadlonelygit · « **on:** 06 January 2013, 07:55:27 pm »

fit them yourself i mean.
apart from the last pair of pirelli's (£90 new), i can't remember the last time i bought a new pair of tyres. just plopped on a strada rear with 6mm of tread for £13 delivered. usually in the summer i get a p/w set of diablos for £60 and spoon them on for the 2 days of dry weather we call summer.
am i alone in this penny pinching or do others here partake of the tyre levers?

Doddsie · « **Reply #1 on:** 06 January 2013, 08:01:57 pm »

What about balancing the wheel???

fireblake · « **Reply #2 on:** 06 January 2013, 09:03:49 pm »

I've got some truck tyre levers from an old Mercedes I used to drive and often wondered about doing it myself? The place I buy mine from have a roll in roll out service and is also the cheapest place around so always felt it was worth getting someone to change them for me?

sadlonelygit · « **Reply #3 on:** 06 January 2013, 09:14:45 pm »

Quote from: Doddsie on 06 January 2013, 08:01:57 pm

What about balancing the wheel???

mines a bit like this

Doddsie · « **Reply #4 on:** 06 January 2013, 09:29:08 pm »

so how does that work?

sadlonelygit · « **Reply #5 on:** 06 January 2013, 09:57:56 pm »

heavy point always goes to the bottom

bludclot · « **Reply #6 on:** 06 January 2013, 10:02:54 pm »

unless it's over the balance point at the top, of course...

Doddsie · « **Reply #7 on:** 06 January 2013, 10:21:14 pm »

Falcon 269 · « **Reply #8 on:** 07 January 2013, 06:49:50 am »

Quote from: Doddsie on 06 January 2013, 09:29:08 pm

so how does that work?

Watch how here.

pitternator · « **Reply #9 on:** 07 January 2013, 07:44:09 am »

I think this all depend son the cost of a swopover. I negotiated a price of £12 per tyre for fit and balance to a loose wheel..I buy new off the inetrnet.Its not worth my time for £12 a tyre to mess about doing it myslef , plus I get a dynamic wheel balance for the price...

No doubt someone will get it cheaper !

pitternator · « **Reply #10 on:** 07 January 2013, 07:51:02 am »

I also watched the vid...cool,and seems simple enuff ... but what about the friction of the axle/ stand itself, ....I wonder if this affects the accuracy of the method .??

The Male Whale · « **Reply #11 on:** 07 January 2013, 08:44:26 am »

We fit tyres at the shop and we often get chaps coming in with internet cheapies for us to fit to loose wheels.

8 times out of 10 we could have done them a cheaper deal - including the balance and tyre disposal. And they had to wait in for them to be delivered, drive down and then dispose of the old tyres on my home.....

We also usually charge more to fit a tyre we didn't supply cos we offset the (small) profit on the tyre against the labour rate. Most shops use their fitters to do tyres who are the same blokes you pay £50 an hour for to sort out your sticky Exup or such like - not like Kwik Fit who pay monkeys peanuts and make the money on volume.

To fit a pair of tyres on a Fazer "ride in ride out" is the best part of an hours work even with the proper tools...... We charge £40 rather than the £50.

Part worns are a decent price saver but postage cripples it most of the time.

It should be remembered that tyres DO go off on the shelf and a of of the cheapies have been hanging around a while......

Life is too short in my opinion...........

Whale

PaulSmith · « **Reply #12 on:** 07 January 2013, 10:41:34 am »

Quote from: The Male Whale on 07 January 2013, 08:44:26 am

Life is too short in my opinion...........

Completely and utterly agree. If you really, really want to save money that badly, sell your bike to someone who might enjoy riding it and get a Honda 50.

I always thought it was blindingly obvious but apparently I was wrong... Your tyres are the bit that connect you with the road. They have more influence over how good, or bad, how enjoyable, or scary, your ride is then any other single factor. A brand new set of 023's (or what ever your preference happens to be) fitted and balanced is going to cost you about 3 pence a mile. (£250 over 8000 miles). Your 2nd hand POS is costing you 2 pence an mile (£60 over 3000 miles). If you are really, really that desperate to save a penny a mile, consider skipping one pint of beer or one meat pie a week and the £3 you save (plus that better MPG you get by not being as fat) will easily allow you to afford a proper set of tyres...

DryRob · « **Reply #13 on:** 07 January 2013, 11:12:42 am »

I buy loose and get it fitted at a shop mainly because it gives me a chance to look over the bike closer than usual when I get the wheel off.

JayB · « **Reply #14 on:** 07 January 2013, 12:38:54 pm »

Not many options where I live, within a 30 mile radius, last time I used a bike shop, I got seen off - £125 for a front Metzeler on my R1 @ Yamaha dealer!

With the Fazer, I bought a slightly worn front Diablo for £28 delivered and a new old stock Diablo Strada rear for £76 delivered and paid a mobile trye fitter £20 to fit the pair.

I take wheels off, he turns up, fits, new valves, balances all in 20 minutes, I re-fit and save a packet. Sorted.

If I could afford or want to spend / waste money on using a dealership to service my 10yr old bike and fit tyres, I would, but DIY as much as I can, just can't be arsed with the stress of changing tyres / scratching my rims at home (no garage either)

sadlonelygit · « **Reply #15 on:** 07 January 2013, 01:40:59 pm »

None of the 2 local tyre shops do bikes. My local bike shop want £20 a tyre to loose wheels. The nearest supply and fit is 20 miles away.
8k from a set of tyres. . . . . . . .In my dreams
if you get that from a set of tyres perhaps you should sell your bike to someone who will ride it properly and get a batavus gogo

JayB · « **Reply #16 on:** 07 January 2013, 03:52:00 pm »

Quote from: sadlonelygit on 07 January 2013, 01:40:59 pm

None of the 2 local tyre shops do bikes. My local bike shop want £20 a tyre to loose wheels. The nearest supply and fit is 20 miles away.
8k from a set of tyres. . . . . . . .In my dreams
if you get that from a set of tyres perhaps you should sell your bike to someone who will ride it properly and get a batavus gogo

PaulSmith · « **Reply #17 on:** 08 January 2013, 12:20:33 pm »

Quote from: sadlonelygit on 07 January 2013, 01:40:59 pm

None of the 2 local tyre shops do bikes. My local bike shop want £20 a tyre to loose wheels. The nearest supply and fit is 20 miles away.

Oh..? My nearest trustworthy one is 90 miles. Good excuse to break the tyres in by taking the long way home. I have a local car place that will fit and balance on loose wheels for €20, even lets me use their tools to remove the wheels in their shop if they aren't busy.

Quote from: sadlonelygit on 07 January 2013, 01:40:59 pm

8k from a set of tyres. . . . . . . .In my dreams
if you get that from a set of tyres perhaps you should sell your bike to someone who will ride it properly and get a batavus gogo

The wonder of modern tyres is that they really are stickier and do last longer. You should try a pair someday.

sadlonelygit · « **Reply #18 on:** 08 January 2013, 01:48:54 pm »

Quote from: PaulSmith on 08 January 2013, 12:20:33 pm

The wonder of modern tyres is that they really are stickier and do last longer. You should try a pair someday.

i have, only got 4k from PR2's, 3.5k from roadsmarts and 3.8k from angels
i managed to kill a front 021 in 2k.....in winter.
i've ridden on every type of tyre from speedmaster to slicks/wets and ime longevity is a good thing, however most tyres (even old pirelli dragon stradas) offer far more grip than the average rider uses on the road.
however magazines have advertising to sell and the latest metchelopstone AZRTTTZZ 99 with added sugar is 1/10000ths of a second quicker than the 98 at phillip island.
also have you noticed the funny wear pattern on the rear D/C tyres where they go from hard centre to soft and chewy outers (armadillos...dime bars)
and i'm guessing the answer to my initial post is no then!

Doddsie · « **Reply #19 on:** 08 January 2013, 03:20:04 pm »

Handbags at dawn......Im gonna get me some popcorn!!!

sadlonelygit · « **Reply #20 on:** 08 January 2013, 05:18:18 pm »

Quote from: Doddsie on 08 January 2013, 03:20:04 pm

Handbags at dawn......Im gonna get me some popcorn!!!

nah, i argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience

Lawrence · « **Reply #21 on:** 08 January 2013, 10:00:02 pm »

I use part worns on the car, including a 300bhp red one that went on track using them, but not on the bike. Not yet at least. Only replaced one set and had 10k out of them (PR2s) so far

unfazed · « **Reply #22 on:** 08 January 2013, 11:31:51 pm »

I have been changing my own tyres and balancing the wheels for years. It gives me a chance to inspect the wheel and bearings for damage or wear. Found that the new Michelin PR3 rear was a pain to inflate until I discovered that it had to be inflated with the wheel vertical, still cannot figure out why.
The Sportec M5 is the best tyre I ever put on the Fazer 1000 and 600, the Michelin PR3 a close second, did not like the feel of the Dunlops or Bridgstones and did not think the Pirelis suited the bikes at all. Maybe it is just my riding style, but I ride all year round and enjoy a good trash when ever the rain stops.

I have always fitted new tyres for the simple reason that you do not know the history of a part worn tyre. I have seen to many people misusing and abusing their tyres to trust any part worn. I often wonder if some riders realise how much their lives depend on a such a small patch of rubber. Would not even use part worn tyres on the car.
Well thats my rant for the day

pitternator · « **Reply #23 on:** 11 January 2013, 04:37:39 pm »

somehow the thread got skewed to part worns. I dont tend to use them BTW ! I buy new tyres from big dealers on the net and even after paying for a fit to loose wheels, ALWAYS save money by doing it. If I didnt ( male whale) I would not do it ! ..FFS ... we aint stupid !....I check out the prices on all options, including tyre depots at a distance ( which usually are way too dear cos of time/ fuel to get there)....and act accordingly.

The only thing my local tyre depot gives me is convenience....but as I always like to fit the wheels back to the bike myself, if I save up to £35 a set by doing it my way , its like a no brainer!.. at one point my local place said they would price match with internet , but that didnt last that long. I use at least 4 tyres a year on my two bikes, so its worth doing.
Maybe a low miler sport rider who changes tyres cos they split and crack before they wear out will just stump up the fees, but us mileage guys need to consider economies !