New bike tire prices !!!

[Bill Jobe]

Anyone recently replace the rear 16" tire on a '99 Dyna Superglide?
Called a local dealer. They want over $500 to replace a rear 16" tube tire and balance.
That does not include repacking bearings.
Also, that's me just bringing the wheel in
What has happened ?
My last new tire was under $250 total.

[Kev Williams]

Also, that's me just bringing the wheel in

That's ridiculous, even with them removing the tire. My daughter works for a Harley dealer, I'll ask her what they'd charge...

It was about 7 years ago so a little price difference, but a 'generic' bike shop changed out the rear tire on my '84 Aspencade for tire (about $130 IIRC) plus about $50 labor, and they did the removal. Less than 1/2 hour start to finish.

[Clark Hussey]

My wife is a triathlete. The new tires she wants will run me over $1200.00. Since she never notices new tools I add to the shop. I’m all in on her getting new tires.

[Jeff Bartley]

My wife is a triathlete. The new tires she wants will run me over $1200.00. Since she never notices new tools I add to the shop. I’m all in on her getting new tires.

Surely that's for a wheelset? High-end bicycle tires are in the $75-$100 each range these days.

[Matt Day]

I think you got it Jeff. I remember people coming into Blue Wheel where I used to work frequently mistaking the term “tire” and “wheel”.

And $1200 ain’t bad for a high end wheelset!

[Mike Cutler]

I think you got it Jeff. I remember people coming into Blue Wheel where I used to work frequently mistaking the term “tire” and “wheel”.

And $1200 ain’t bad for a high end wheelset!

Matt
I have sets of Ksyrium's, Spinergy's and Corima's, hanging in the basement, that were more than that 15 years ago.
I think by the time I got the Corima's mounted and ready to go, they were close to $2K.( Wheelset, Conti Sprinter 250's, and a Campy Record cassette.)
I remember that the ADA's from Belgium were over $3K back then.

To the OP
$500.00 seems really steep to change out a back tire, unless that is some really odd sized tire. Tire changes are a bread and butter job for a shop. Hard to find another repair that makes you such easy money, as a tire change.

[Kev Williams]

As to Bill's tire needs, factory size tire for his 'Glide is an MT90-16 aka 130/90-16...

JP Cycle's website came up with 55 tires that supposedly will fit, not sure how accurate that is, but-- cheapest was $56, most expensive was $196- Of the 55 tires, 18 were under $100...

Simple math says the shop wants $300-$400 labor to change a tire on a wheel THEY didn't even remove from the bike.

--They must not like changing tires...

[Michael Weber]

I read that HD sales are slumping. Perhaps they are increasing revenue from service to offset? idk, just a wag

[Bob Glenn]

Most motorcycle dealers make their money on shop labor. Dollars per hour labor is approaching 100 per hour at most shops. You are being ripped off BIG time. Find another shop, replacing a tire is not that big of a deal unless you are on a Goldwing where half the rear end has to come off to get at the wheel. Better yet, learn to change your own.

[Bert Kemp]

Best brand tires for my bike run 130 to 170 and my shop charges a flat 60 bucks to change ,mount and Bal.

[Bill Dufour]

Are motorcycle wheels too large for a car tire shop to mount and balance?
Bil lD

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Just paid $171 for fronts and $210 rear for new Dunlop wide whitewall tires for my Heritage Softail Classic. Tubes were $36.95 each. I mount and balance my own.

[Bill Jobe]

I went with what I had at my disposal.
Found another HD shop in the iowa/Illinois QC.
So,I called the other to set up.a time for me to drop off the wheel.
Turned out, it was the selfsame dealership.
Anyway, at $325, I got a new tire, tube, angled filler.
Steep, yes, but nothing outrageous.
oh, a wire wheel ring.
The $500 plus must have been the very best tire they offered.

Thank you all for your posts.

[Lee DeRaud]

Are motorcycle wheels too large for a car tire shop to mount and balance?
Bil lDProbably not really a size problem: anything that will handle the tires for a full-size pickup truck will be more than big enough. I suspect the issue would be the "axle" on the mounter and/or balancer: cars don't have bearings built into the wheel. Some bike rear wheels might fit, but I've never seen a front one that would.