Hello all, I recently had something happen that I would like the communitys thoughts on. I have an 07 Streetglide that my wife and I were riding, we were about an hour or so from home when we had a bolt digging a groove down the middle of the rear tire. We pulled into the nearest Harley dealer which was only about 2 miles away. Looking to buy a new rear tire, install and be on our way. This is my question: They insisted they would not sell me just the rear tire because what they had in stock did not match my front Dunlop E3. My front tire was not very old, certainly no where near time for replacement. They were willing to let us ride out with a rear tire that was going to be cut in half literally before they would sell just one rear. Now I understand a mismatched tread can possibly cause some handling issues but why not just let me sign a waiver. A mismatched tread has to be safer then what we came in on!
I bought 2 and left my fine front tire behind (1 of mine was only $60 less than both of what they sold me, so that was another kick in the nuts). Then when it was on the lift they had to show me where my fender was hitting the swingarm but wouldn't fix it or let me "adjust it", they told me I could take it home and take it back apart to fix it! really?
I have never had this kind of experience at a Harley dealership but I have never been in this situation before. Where they pissed because it was a Saturday afternoon? I don't know. Just want to know what y'all think. Thanks

 

Trouble with dealers is there too nervous about potential lawsuits or they were just plain scamming you into buying two tires vs one. Not sure about mismatching tires and handling issues but I find it hard to believe that every single bike being ridden on planet earth has a matching set.

I would have told them I'd be back for the good front tire they took off just out of principle.

 

I am running on a oem Dunlop front and metzler rear. Took it to sturgis and back like that without an issue. There is another thread on here somewhere about a dealership in Wyoming doing the same thing. I don't understand it, other than making more $.

 

Only logical reason I could Understand for that was if the front tire you were running was a radial. As understand it, radials are fine in the back with a bias front, but bias rears are a safety concern with a radial front.

The issue that caused the tire damage should have been addressed, even if it was a 'quickie' fix. I would let the MOCO know about your frustrations with that dealer. Why they would put a tire on just to be damaged again is beyond me.

 

I've never had trouble getting one tire replaced ever for damage or wear. Sounds like they had you over the barrel and wasn't a friendly dealership. Were you running OEM tires?

 

I've ridden with mismatched f/r tires without problems. Combination of lawsuit liability with dealer profit. They had you as a captive audience with a bad rear tire. Think of it as extortion for safety reasons. Tell us the name of the dealer so we don't get deluxed by Chuck.

 

Mismatched tires is the biggest farce I've ever heard in my life. I've ran mismatched a whole bunch of times and never had an issue. You got scammed. Amazing how dealers just do it when you're in a pinch.

 

The person that advised you not to mismatch was ignorant. If it was bias to bias all is good just not radial and bias.

I ran mixed front and rear tires for over 14,000 miles when the rear wore out at 7,600 miles until 22,000+ when the front finally wore out. Replaced it with an E3 so for the rest of its life it is mismatched. Did the same on other bikes over the years. Again the tread pattern is not an issue only the radial/bias mix.

The person probably heard in the past not to mix those two but his brain missed what the reason was.

 

Thank you all for responding.
I understand about liability and potential lawsuits....so let me sign something so you're off the hook.
I reached in and grabbed the fender when he wouldn't do anything about it so that part was taken care of, his response was don't knock it off the lift! But like I could leave it...he showed me for a reason...duh lol
They were not OEM tires but only a little over 3k miles on them.
Fraziers Harley Davidson in Buford, Ga
Thanks again guys!

 

That would be the kinda Dealer ya stay away from---