Dealer or independent for tyre fitting?

Hamslay

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I'm in need of some new tyres for the GS LC. My dealer quoted me £331 for a pair of Tourance NEXT, but my local independent is only asking £260. I can't help thinking that using my local tyre place that I'm more likely to get scratched rims, damaged pressure sensors, randomly torqued fasteners etc.

What do you reckon, pay through the nose at the dealers but have peace of mind, or save £71 and hope for the best at the indie?
 
Independant tyre dealers are used to fitting tyres to shiny and painted alloy wheels on cars.
Take your wheels off yourself and it'll cost even less.

:rob
 
Unfortunately, if there's anyone potentially more inept than even the most junior tyre fitter, it's me. I would have zero idea where to start to get either wheel off of a GS. I suspect the bike would be laying on its side in a pool of fluids long before I got the wheels in the boot of the car.

I'm sure the tyre guys would figure out whether they needed to remove exhausts, fenders etc., but would they know how much to torque things back up? I don't know where anyone would get that info outside of the dealer. :nenau

I could be being paranoid, but I can't help thinking having the wheels properly secured is fundamental when it comes to road safety. :D
 
I order mine to be delivered to an independent. Usually costs £25 a tyre to fit on average. 4 Sets so far. No damage to rims, Or sensors. Most times I sit around and watch anyway. BMW quoted me £60 to fit my own tyre supplied, or lumps more to buy and fit. Independent.
 
My local BMW dealer quoted £260 for a pair of Next fitted, so it looks like yours is adding a significant margin!
 
Motoscott independant is close to you, he's recommended on here. I know what you mean, i've done both over
the last 38 years, price or time scale with me. Tourance Next excellent tyre better, than the Conti orginals.
 
Hamslay said:
Unfortunately, if there's anyone potentially more inept than even the most junior tyre fitter, it's me. I would have zero idea where to start to get either wheel off of a GS. I suspect the bike would be laying on its side in a pool of fluids long before I got the wheels in the boot of the car.

I'm sure the tyre guys would figure out whether they needed to remove exhausts, fenders etc., but would they know how much to torque things back up? I don't know where anyone would get that info outside of the dealer. :nenau

I could be being paranoid, but I can't help thinking having the wheels properly secured is fundamental when it comes to road safety. :D
Click to expand...

Buy your tyres online......either have them sent to me direct, or just strap them on the back of your bike and bring them over.

PM me, we will arrange a time for you to have a nice ride out from home to Harwich (and yes, it's Essex but there are some lovely roads out this way) and I will show you how to remove your wheels, take your tyres off, fit the new ones, balance them, then how to put your wheels back on and check them over*

The cost is zero, but if you bring a nice bottle of a decent Scotch, I will let you ram a nail into one of the tyres on my own bike, then I'll show you how to repair it.


Genuine offer.......


*I'll show you, but you'll be doing it......the best way to learn :)
 
Why would a BMW dealer be better at fitting tyres than an independent?

I'm guessing a local tyre fitter relies on his reputation to an extent that means he'll take more care than a BMW dealer who knows the sheep will keep returning whatever they do.
 
Toddmeister said:
My local BMW dealer quoted £260 for a pair of Next fitted, so it looks like yours is adding a significant margin!
Click to expand...

I think you're right. Demon Tweeks sell the tyres for about £200 so there's a healthy mark-up at £331! I did ask about supplying the tyres and the dealer fitting them, and the quote for that was £97!
 
GSTourer said:
Motoscott for me (local) and reliable in my experience. :thumb2
Click to expand...

I spoke to Steve at Motoscot this morning and he seems like a nice bloke. Said he can fit a pair of tyres this week for £30 labour. Definitely an option. Thanks!
 
Fanum said:
Buy your tyres online......either have them sent to me direct, or just strap them on the back of your bike and bring them over.

PM me, we will arrange a time for you to have a nice ride out from home to Harwich (and yes, it's Essex but there are some lovely roads out this way) and I will show you how to remove your wheels, take your tyres off, fit the new ones, balance them, then how to put your wheels back on and check them over*

The cost is zero, but if you bring a nice bottle of a decent Scotch, I will let you ram a nail into one of the tyres on my own bike, then I'll show you how to repair it.


Genuine offer.......


*I'll show you, but you'll be doing it......the best way to learn :)
Click to expand...
That is a very generous offer that the poster would be well advised to accept.
 
I'm running ContiToadAttacks and I never balance them since I started homebrew tyre changing (or before for that matter - tyre shops never seem to have the right gear for balancing bike tyres.
 
Hamslay said:
I spoke to Steve at Motoscot this morning and he seems like a nice bloke. Said he can fit a pair of tyres this week for £30 labour. Definitely an option. Thanks!
Click to expand...

He's a nice bloke, very obliging and knows his stuff. He has a nice little setup where he is now. :thumb2
 
Your local motorcycle dealer will probably take your wheels in a van to the independent fitters to do the dirty work then put their extensive mark up on his 'trade' rates and put them back on your bike for you.

I pay £10 a tyre for fitting at my local independent including balance and disposal. He uses a torque wrench when refitting and knows a damn sight more about motorcycle tyre fitting than anybody I know, including avoiding tyre pressure sensors. He's also plugged a few punctures for me over the years.

I pay £155 including VAT for a PAIR of original Tourances (delivered) from Busters/M&P and use one front to two rears, the rears last at least 6000 miles of hard use.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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