That's what I thought too...and then I realized that I could pull, change, and mount a tire in less time than it took to get to the nearest shop and back(nobody is paying me to drive my car either. 2 2'x'4's, some cut up poland spring jugs, and maybe $20 in tire irons. I would either be wasting my time driving to the shop, or I could be wasting it changing my tire. After the first tire change, the "tools" have already paid for themselves. If you are pulling your rims to get the discounted rate, you are almost all the way there anyway.
I have a shop in Northbrook IL . I charge $25 each for a M&B for a carry in on most bikes , $45 each for a ride in on most bikes .
I paid $35 per tire with the wheels still on the bike. I recently bought proper tools to do it at home, it's not cheaper or free considering the cost of the equipment. It takes some of my own time but it's done correctly and I enjoy working on the bike and no surprises from the goofball of the week at the dealer stripping bolts and scratching up the bike
If I bought my own equipment,I would be making a little money changing other peoples tires and balancing them.I was surprised how easy it is after doing it a few times.
I do my own or I have mc tire works in Lolita do it. 25 if I bring in the wheel and tire cheaper if I get the tire from them.
The two local shops here charge $30 to mount and balance one tire and tube that you bring in, wheel off of the bike. HF tire changer with MC fixture: $110 Three good tire irons: $45 Time wrenching on my bike: Priceless, it is a labor of love. My GF rides as well and the above mentioned items have paid for themselves twice over so far, and will continue to save us money for as long as we own motorcycles. Regards, Jim.
I was just about to say the same thing. And tire irons are must have anyway. I don't use any other tools for tire change. Except for tube snake and pump. Local shops around here are garbage(about 20 per tire I guess), I can get anything from internet faster and for much less money. I usually spread out process over day or two when I have time between other things.
Its amazing how many people have problems finding a shop to handle such a simple procedure properly .
1) Honda of Cool Springs in Franklin, TN 2) About $25 to mount and balance if I recall correctly 3) Off bike carry-in I hate changing tires and the time I would spend f'ing around doing it is worth far more to me than $25.
1)Where: Plaistow Powersports, Plaistow, NH USA 2)How much per tire: Front N/A Rear $88.56 (don't recall wheel weights so not sure if not needed or not balanced) 3)Wheels Off/On Bike: ON 4)Will They Mount/Balance Tire You Bring In: Yes 5)Anything worth noting? Prior to the job I asked the price & was told $40 but on invoice, $82. Al would not correct the price even though it was their mistake (another guy looked at the used tire I brought in & thought it was a new tire I bought there). Other errors occurred over the 3 days they had my bike + I just will never go back or recommend them. 1)Where: North Reading Motorsports. North Reading, MA USA http://www.northreadingmotorsports.com/ 2)How much per tire: Front + Rear $15 total balance only. 3)Wheels Off/On Bike: OFF 4)Will They Mount/Balance Tire You Bring In: Yes 5)Anything worth noting? Can talk with & watch tech, an experienced enduro rider (John). Excellent experience. Wish they were a Yama dealer. My first experience mounting new tubes & D606's w/spoons & I'm so glad I did. Highly recommend this shop.
$10 for a mount and balance if you carry it in (removed from the bike) here in Missoula Montana at 5 Valley Honda. They usually do it quickly too.
Yup, that's about what I pay for home-mountage, and if I boo-boo and a tire needs to be changed while I'm away from home, it's bite the weenie time and pay full pop to get home without worrying. Ride to shop/pull the wheel off/hand it to them/reassemble in reverse, and save $30 bucks or so for 10 minutes wrenching. So what?...after three decades of changing my tires with the same tools, those "costs" are long since amortized. It takes me about two hours to do tire R&R on both ends; shops in my area are at least half an hour away, won't do the work while I wait, so that's two one-hour round trips in the cage just to enjoy the "convenience" of someone else doing the work for me. . I started changing my own tires after the second time a local motorcycle shop screwed things up: the first time both tires were mounted backwards- I caught it before leaving, demanded that they get it right, and had to come back the next day. The second time (different place) they couldn't get the rear to fully seat, gave it back to me that way, and said "just ride it, it'll seat after awhile." :eek1 Had a long chat with the shop owner after that one, asked for a refund (no joy), and haven't been back since. It may not be totally "free", but I trust my work more than any shop's. The only real upside to having the local Motorpickle Shoppe change your tires is that they dispose of the old ones for you. For a price.
I wish there was a shop in my area that would mount internet tires. There is not so I do my own. Last set of tires I bought were 275 shipped to my door, best local price within 80 miles was 550 for 2 mount and balanced OFF the bike. I also let friends do their own tires and balance for free-they usually buy lunch or beer for the fridge which is fine. I will pay off the changer and balancer within 2 or 2.5 sets of tires which for me is a set a year on my RT and I can sell them if and when I ever get tired of changing my own or get out of riding.
I just dropped my rear wheel off at Bob-Jo Cycle in Sycamore, for a tube replacement of all things. I've changed tires before, but it isn't something I've done very often. Last night I managed to ruin two tubes trying to get the tire mounted, both at the same place/stage of the process. I was out of tubes and patience so the shop gets the call. I know there are other threads about this, but I need to figure out what the hell I did wrong in case I have to repair a flat on the road sometime. Frustrating!
I mount my own motard tires for the practice, and pay $5 for a spin balance. Suicycle on Auburn boulevard in Sacramento. $25 or $30 for mount and balance.