Labor Cost to change a Rocker's rear tire?
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 175
Likes: 1
Dealer wanted $160 for the stock rear HD tire and $150 to change the rear tire.
Bought the tire from a motorcycle parts store across the street from the dealer for $120 and they gave me a list of independent tire installers. Got the indy closest to me to install it for $50.
Bought the tire from a motorcycle parts store across the street from the dealer for $120 and they gave me a list of independent tire installers. Got the indy closest to me to install it for $50.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7,882
Likes: 5
From: So California
Sorry can't help you on the cost. I too remove the wheels and take them to the dealer so they can remove the old and install the new tire.
I try to give them as little as I can for labor.
P.S. They charged me zero for installing a 21" on my new wheel I got from Drew.
I try to give them as little as I can for labor.
P.S. They charged me zero for installing a 21" on my new wheel I got from Drew.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,818
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities
for the price of an hour labor you can buy a jack from sears....an hour of labor here is around 80 bucks......you can use a floor jack and some wood, might have to back the back tire on a 2x4 but jack up and let it down on some wood with carpet on it...mines sitting on a sears jack and block of wood....lol
Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
bought my HD lops tires at dennis kirks, $210. Rode in to local INDY with them. $120 for mount and balance. rode home later that day.
Dealer wanted $290 for tires and $160 to M&B them.
$330 vs $450, no brainer.
Dealer wanted $290 for tires and $160 to M&B them.
$330 vs $450, no brainer.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,054
Likes: 26
From: Florida
What people pay at a dealership may be different from place to place as I understand, labor rates are not the same everywhere.
For my Crossbones rear tire the local dealer has always quoted me 1 hour of labor. I let them do it the first time and that is all they charged me for at a rate of $90 per hour. Then there is the cost of the tire and in my case, tube and rim band. My tire retails for almost $200, the tube for $40 and the band for $8. The only other part which I pay for is wheel weights for the balancing. Usually 3 of them at little over a dollar each. So the first time I paid my dealer to do it all it cost me just over $300 out the door.
I just did my second rear tire change and I went a different route. I order my tire from Motorcycle Superstore and paid only $135 with free shipping. I bought my tube and rim band during a %15 off sale at my dealer. Then I took the rear wheel off myself and took it and all the parts in and was charged halk hour labor and wheel weights for a total of $55 dollars. Mounting it myself was a bit of a chore but now that I have done it once I know it will be much easier the next time around. So for this change I ended up saving over $120.
Looking at my service manual which includes the Rocker, I can't see why it would cost more than an hour labor to do a Rocker than it would any other softail since the description of the work seems rather similar.
If you are not feeling the whole "take the wheel off yourself" thing then at least look into ordering the parts you need on line and save some money there.
Hard to say about INDY shops since how well they work depends on the people running them.
For my Crossbones rear tire the local dealer has always quoted me 1 hour of labor. I let them do it the first time and that is all they charged me for at a rate of $90 per hour. Then there is the cost of the tire and in my case, tube and rim band. My tire retails for almost $200, the tube for $40 and the band for $8. The only other part which I pay for is wheel weights for the balancing. Usually 3 of them at little over a dollar each. So the first time I paid my dealer to do it all it cost me just over $300 out the door.
I just did my second rear tire change and I went a different route. I order my tire from Motorcycle Superstore and paid only $135 with free shipping. I bought my tube and rim band during a %15 off sale at my dealer. Then I took the rear wheel off myself and took it and all the parts in and was charged halk hour labor and wheel weights for a total of $55 dollars. Mounting it myself was a bit of a chore but now that I have done it once I know it will be much easier the next time around. So for this change I ended up saving over $120.
Looking at my service manual which includes the Rocker, I can't see why it would cost more than an hour labor to do a Rocker than it would any other softail since the description of the work seems rather similar.
If you are not feeling the whole "take the wheel off yourself" thing then at least look into ordering the parts you need on line and save some money there.
Hard to say about INDY shops since how well they work depends on the people running them.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
Verdad Gallardo
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
most dealers charge around $70_$80 an hour labor, if u take the bike in to dealer ch ching $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ just took rear wheel in dealer charged me $28 to mount and balance $ 70 dollars labor .find someone to help ,and buy a service manual,good tools and a good torque wrench,always torque ur nut and bolts to spec
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
