Where do you buy your (road) tyres?

[dern]

EBay then fit them myself

[mangocrazy]

^this^

[Trinity765]

Thanks for all of your replies.

I'm not taking my wheels out - I've done it before and it's bloody hard work for me, as I'm only little, so I'm very happy to pay someone else to do it.

The reason I would like them here is there must be ten, at least, motorcycle tyre fitters in a five mile radius of me and if I wanted to get a tyre fitted today it would be easy to get someone to do it for me - I would drop the tyre off to them in the car and then ride the bike to them.

I'm doing two Welsh long weekends next month (1,000 miles each) and a long, local ride (300 miles) so I am not going to have much time and it would be good to have the tyres here so I can sort it out in a lunch hour when it's most convenient for me

[Dodgy69]

Tbh, I wouldn't trust someone else to refit my wheels, or at least recheck nuts and bolts when you get home. It's also a good cleaning opportunity when wheels are out.

[Trinity765]

Tbh, I wouldn't trust someone else to refit my wheels, or at least recheck nuts and bolts when you get home. It's also a good cleaning opportunity when wheels are out.

A good friend told me that the more you know about mechanics the harder it is to find a mechanic you trust. This is true - I no longer trust any of them. Still - I can't change my own tyres.

I've just bought some Angel GTIIs from Demontweeks

[Count Steer]

Tbh, I wouldn't trust someone else to refit my wheels, or at least recheck nuts and bolts when you get home. It's also a good cleaning opportunity when wheels are out.

A good friend told me that the more you know about mechanics the harder it is to find a mechanic you trust. This is true - I no longer trust any of them. Still - I can't change my own tyres.

I've just bought some Angel GTIIs from Demontweeks

All my tyre changes on the last 6 bikes have been done by bike (only) tyre specialists. I'd trust them to refit wheels more than I'd trust a happy amateur (me!).

PS I have used https://guildfordmotorcycle.co.uk/ in the past as well as Rubber Ranch. No problems with them.

[rodbargee]

FWR were always the go to IMO

[Scotsrich]

Anywhere that’s the best price.

I ride to my BiL’s garage, take the wheels off and he fits the tyres for me.

He hasn’t got the kit to balance then but I’ve never had a problem so far.

[Mr. Dazzle]

A good friend told me that the more you know about mechanics the harder it is to find a mechanic you trust. This is true - I no longer trust any of them

I don't even trust my own work.

[The Spin Doctor]

Tbh, I wouldn't trust someone else to refit my wheels, or at least recheck nuts and bolts when you get home. It's also a good cleaning opportunity when wheels are out.

Ditto. Last time I got someone to fit a wheel to the bike - it was after plugging a slow puncture - they forgot to do the spindle nut up. I got a couple of miles up the road and flipped into a roundabout and thought "that doesn't feel right". Fortunately, I had the right tools on the bike.

I know why. He works on his own and the job took twice as long as I would have done it in, because he was continually breaking off to answer the phone. People have to run a business, but distractions like this are potentially dangerous. I've made the mistake myself - if I do break off mid-job I try to leave a reminder, like a spanner hanging from the nut, or on the seat.

[Trinity765]

Just some of the issues I've had AFTER work has been done - verity of bikes/mechanics .....

Gear selector put on in the wrong position - fixed it myself.
Chain too tight (twice), fixed myself
Radiator leaked after having new headers fitted - took it back and they bodged it. Replaced radiator myself.
Front indicator not plugged in the day before a tour - I had to remove tank/air filter to get to fix it.
Wheel fitted in the wrong direction - ABS light on - took it back for them to put it back on in the correct direction.

[Count Steer]

The thing about using the mobile tyre guy is you can watch him doing it...so you know everything has been done. (You don't have to watch, you can sit in the office/café eating doughnuts if you prefer ).

[dern]

Just some of the issues I've had AFTER work has been done - verity of bikes/mechanics .....

Gear selector put on in the wrong position - fixed it myself.
Chain too tight (twice), fixed myself
Radiator leaked after having new headers fitted - took it back and they bodged it. Replaced radiator myself.
Front indicator not plugged in the day before a tour - I had to remove tank/air filter to get to fix it.
Wheel fitted in the wrong direction - ABS light on - took it back for them to put it back on in the correct direction.

Had a front tyre fitted a few years back and got home to find that all the front axle pinch bolts were loose. I think that's the last time I asked anyone else to fit a tyre for me.

[Yorick]

I got blasé about tyres in UK.

We instructors got tyres very cheap with free fitting.
I used to wheel the bike over to the tyre man at dinner time, then go for a kip.
All very relaxed

[rodbargee]

and as we're here God rest Dave FWR a larger than life character in RL as anyone who met him will attest.

[Whysub]

Having a number of older bikes, spare wheels are fairly easy to get secondhand, often with decent discs still fitted. Always handy to get a set of tyres fitted to them when the one's on the bike have 1500 miles or so of life left on them.

[The Spin Doctor]

Having a number of older bikes, spare wheels are fairly easy to get secondhand, often with decent discs still fitted. Always handy to get a set of tyres fitted to them when the one's on the bike have 1500 miles or so of life left on them.

I've spare rears for my Hornet and XJ6... which reminds me - the XJ6 spare needs a tyre swapped.

[Supermofo]

Last few sets I've had off the mobile tyre fitter who does a few of my mates bikes. I could get it done cheaper but he comes to my house rather than me going to say FWR or one of the bikes shops. He's open to me sourcing tyres myself if cheaper but usually he's the same price on the actual tyres. I'd save say £50 if I took loose wheels somewhere but once I factor in my time, convenience and the fact if I'm busy I can crack on I'm happy to pay it. Plus I only usually get tyres every 2 and a bit years.

[Trinity765]

I have just had the front tyre that I bought fitted and did the maths with the fitter and I saved £20

[wull]

Take the £20 and put it towards the tools for doing it yourself then you’ll save even more money next time.

Then you can start charging everybody else for doing homers