I am my own mechanic. I rarely take anything to a mechanic. The one last realm that I’ve held off on and where I support my local independent motorcycle shop is tires. I really really hate changing tires. It’s dirty, it’s physically demanding it takes up a lot of space and I just don’t want to do it. So I’ve always taken my wheel off the bike bought my brand new tire and walked into the shop and said please mount and balance.

So I took the wheel off my 98 Road King, bought a new Dunlop standard tire for it. I took it to the shop for install. In the past he charged me about 50 bucks to do this. I didn’t ask him about a price I didn’t Dicker. I just dropped it off and waited for him to call that it was finished.

My invoice for mounting a standard Dunlop tire that I provided onto a 16 x 3 factory Harley rear rim that I provided was $211.

What did I learn from this experience? I will never, I repeat, never take anything to anyone ever again. I will completely do all of the work, including the last remaining tire change. Which means now I’m on the hunt for a good tire changer. I didn’t want to have that device stuffed into my garage. That’s already stuffed with so many tools, parts and bikes. But there is no way I will ever take a single rim and tire to a shop and pay $211 for it to be mounted and balanced. Absolutely ridiculous!

If you have a shop and you’re on this forum and you make a living with a bike shop good for you. I hope you can make a living, but you will not be getting my business. That is absolutely insane ridiculous money to mount a tire on a rim.

I told the guy, wow that’s really expensive.. I didn’t get jerky or tell him off, what’s the point, I paid it and he will never see me again. I have three bikes and change tires every 2 years cause I wear out the rear fast.. I’ve referred this shop to several friends that have went to him. He’s done far as I’m concerned. People ask me at minimum weekly if not daily who I recommend for this or that… lots come to me and ask me for help and I’ve just been saying no lately. When they ask who I’d recommend I know who I wont ever recommend.

The point of this thread? If your an Indy.. be fair. Not only did this one burn a bridge with me, he burnt the bridge for all of you. I stopped using shops and got into all this many years ago because I found most were Incompetent and frankly did more damage than good. By 20 I never saw another Indy my life, unless it was a tire change.

 

That sounds like a price for remove & replace wheel, mount & balance tire. Did you inquire/question the cost? May have pushed the wrong button when ring out the invoice.

 

$211 to R/R and balance a tire? Did you get a price before hand? I always ask for an estimate first.

I found a No-Mar Tire Changer, complete, used for $500. I warm up the tires as they come off and go on much easier, even with rubber lube.

I buy tires when they are on sale online. I stow them in my garage until I need them. I check and change my wheel bearing at the same time.

All told, I have about $1200 in tools I use to r/r wheels from the bike, r/r tire on the rims and wheel bearings. Those are tools I have purchased over the years, not all at once.

 

If you have a cycle gear near you check them out next time you need a tire. For the tire I was looking for their price was in line with others on the internet. Brought them the wheel and they mounted tire for $25.

 

I might have asked when I picked up so high.. I drop wheel at dealer, and buy there tire. I hate changing them. I have done it a friend who has manual changer and bubble balancer. Not awful but takes up room

Not Harley,but I have ran bike tires 100 mph that were not balanced

 

What does the work order say? The guy probably replaced the tube and rim band. Maybe the inside of the rim was rusted and had to be cleaned? Maybe the spokes were loose and he tightened the spokes and trued the wheel? Did he replace wheel bearings?

IMO he should have warned you about the additional cost.. There was likely a tire dump fee also.. I do my own tires and the last place I went wanted $10 recycling fee.

I used to do tires with a good set of spoons but age has crept up. Used t to do curls with 40lb dumbbells, now at 15lb..
Buy the machine. Get a bigger one.. I'll do my own trailer tires as they typically don't need spin balance..

 

I suspect (hope) that there is a mistake here with the invoicing vs what was actually done.

Talk to the owner?

 

I just got a new rear dunlop put on my 92FLHS at the dealer last month. I brought them my wheel, not the bike. i bought the tire from them. Total cost with tax $500. Rediculous- i have 3 bikes- so i gotta get a tire machine!!

 

My local dealership charged me $185 to mount, balance, and change wheel bearings in my rear wheel last year. I brought the tire and wheel to them.

My local independent shop charged $35 to mount & balance the front. I bought the tire from them & that included a $3 disposal fee.

It sounds like whoever was working the register messed up, or they're making bad business decisions.

 

There's one of those all-different-makes motorcycle dealers where I bring wheels for tire changes. I bring the tire and a new tube. They do it while I wait, last time it cost $30 a wheel.
They have a very big service department and the mechanics can cover most brands, mostly Japanese bikes.
Honda dealers are also reasonable for tire changes. Or were. It's been a while.