I have about 13,500 on my tires now so I have a little more to go before getting new ones. So I went to the Harley Website and looked at the cost of two new tires. Then I went to my Charles Schwab website and began to search for stocks to sell to pay for the darn things. WOW!!! They are expensive! About $550 for a pair, and that's just the cost of the tires, not balancing and install labor.

I'm looking at close to an $800 bill to have two tires put on this bike. Is that what we have to pay nowadays?

BTW, I don't/won't/can't mount my own, so don't replay telling me to do it myself. LOL!

There has got to be a cheaper place to buy tires than the Harley site or Harley dealer, I hope.

 

There are all sorts of places that you can buy tires that are way cheaper than the ones HD Sells. The challenge is finding a mechanic who will mount tires they didn't sell you.

I know you don't want to go this way, but I did my own tires almost 2 years ago. Michelin Commander II's, from Bike Bandit. Total cost for both tires was under $400.

Look for Independent MC mechanics in your area, and see if they can sell you cheaper tires, or install tires you provide.

 

I buy my tires from Cycle Gear, they mount and balance for free if you bring them your tires and wheels. I just ordered new Michelin Comanders. There prices are very competitive. Good luck.

 

If you can take your wheels off your bike then buy you tires on line and have them drop shipped to your doorstep then take them to an indy to mount. Avoid a Harley shop at all cost. They are there to make lots of money off of people who can't do their own work on simple stuff like this.

 

Around my area, there is a Harley dealer who will mount tires purchased elsewhere, but they must be new tires. He charges an hour labor ($120/hr) per wheel/tire, whether you bring him the tire or he removes them from the bike.....

There is an independent bike shop that will mount a new tire if you bring in the tire/rim, for $30... He even took the old tire for disposal, no charge...

 

The American Elites are 220 rear and 118 front on Amazon presently. I plan to take them in to Cycle Gear on Dorchester for mounting. Think it was 35.00 each for walk-ins.

 

My dealership (as well as others in the area) sometimes have deals for tires. During their off season, they may mount tires for free. In addition, Michelin often has a $70 rebate.

That was when I did my tires.

 

i got elite 2s shipped for 351

 

Shinko 777HD - about $220 a set.

Bridgestone Battlecruise, $274 a set.

Indy dealer will mount and balance $25 a wheel, off the bike. I usually just do my own.

 

Around here at least, winter is the time that get new tires from the dealer. Free installation with purchase (of course tire prices were full msrp or close to it) but that ended in March.

Lots of places online to buy tires cheaper. Some Harley dealers won’t install parts not purchased from them, some dealers will, same with independent shops.

Look at independent shops or even metric dealers. The first time I needed tires I was looking at options and a Honda dealership had a tech that would work on Harleys and he would do both tires for $100 on the bike.

This last time I needed a rear tire I bought it at Cycle Gear locally because they had it in stock (Commander 2), matched the online price, and they mounted and balanced it for $25 when I brought my wheel in. I did the labor of removing and reinstalling the rear wheel myself, partly to save money but mostly because I wanted to learn how to do it.