Yet another tire question

[tkd]

Ok, so I am still trying to get my head around the whole tire game. One dealer says go bridgestone, one says Metzler, one says dunlop and the list goes on

Here are the prices I've seen so far (includes mount & balance)

Metzler 880's.......$450 out the door

Dunlop D404. $318 out the door

Metzler 880's 390 out the door

I can get the metlers mounted for $50 less if I take the wheels off, but I"m not sure that for $50 it's worth the extra effort.

Thoughts?

[jussmatt]

IMHO...I have the Metzler 880 and love it. Next time, I'll go with Dunlop to see how I like them. Since I already had the Bridgestones, I know they just don't last to me.

As far as taking the tires off yourself...that all depends on what you like to do. I didn't have the time to take mine off and take them in and put them back on myself... I was in a hurry..so I let them do everything. NEXT time... I'll try and plan a little better and remove them myself to save some $$. It wasn't that big of a deal to me, and I like working on my own bike. There have been tooooooo many horror stories of 'dealerships' and 'mechanics' messing up bikes. Fortunately for me....I was able to stand next to the guy when he was working on mine. If you like workin on your own bike and have the time, I would suggest taking the rims off yourself. My 2cw!

[macmac]

metz and or Dunlop..... The stones suck, and untill you ride on the others you haven't even felt stable... don't know how the nad can handel...

If this is the first new rear, that swingarm is in need of service, which sorta makes it best to drop the rear, and then drop that swingarm...

I KNOW there wasn't more than a table spoon of grease in my swing arm pivot bolt AND bearings.. This is the same as my 01, and Cadd's 04 1500's... In fact i doubt I could have filled a table spoon more than level had i cleaned out all the grease on a molecular level..

I changed my rear tire by hand, as i worked as a tech and know the difficulties and won't pay ripoff prices..

3 tire spoons and bucket works just great for me. Took 1 hour to get the old tire off the wheel and the new one on..

It took me about 1 more hour to clean up the swing arm before I dropped it, 1 more hour to check out the drive shaft and lube each part, and 1 hour more to install everything, which counted taking pics.

Mainly the pics were taken for kicks, but I did want one for those interested in seeing the drive shaft pin.

Looking back now I wish I took more pics of the swingarm down, an other details.

I am in quick mode, but iof you wish copy and paste this link to see what little I did take.

I removed far more than I needed too, just to get cleaner pics...

If you buy on line, you might find front tires just over 100 bux, and rears just around 170.

I will never pay 500 bux to get a tires on a bike, never....

[ruruson1]

the bridgestones suck. The dunlop 404's are a good tire but you won't get very good wear out of the rear, maybe 4-5k. I have not run the metz's. I have run the Maxxis touring tire on the rear and get 8-9 k on the rear. as for installing them. the front isn't bad if you have the tools to take the tire off ie the allen sockets for the axle. the rea you have to get the bike high enough to drop the rear tire straight down after you take the bags off and the mufflers on the rear of the bike.

[Top Cat]

tkd, don't feel embarrassed if you don't want , or don't know how to do your own work. I have ridden bikes for over 40 years and only took one wheel off my bikes. I will not even attempt to do anything on the nomad except oil & filter and install a few accessories
Mechanical stuff goes to the dealer. I paid $550 out the door for my metz 880's. If you can get them for $390 otd I vote go for it.
This is only my opinion.

[dkdixie]

Originally Posted by Top Cat (TC)

tkd, don't feel embarrassed if you don't want , or don't know how to do your own work. I have ridden bikes for over 40 years and only took one wheel off my bikes. I will not even attempt to do anything on the nomad except oil & filter and install a few accessories
Mechanical stuff goes to the dealer. I paid $550 out the door for my metz 880's. If you can get them for $390 otd I vote go for it.
This is only my opinion.

TC....I appreciate what you said, however, you need to find another tire dealer!! He's a little high!!

[tkd]

Guys,

Thanks again for the input. I'm definitely not a stranger to mechanical stuff (read restored a 65 mustang in HS, engine & body), BUT at the current time, I don't have a stand or jack, plus when it comes to bikes, I know enough to know I don't know enough. I'm thinking this time around, the best option is farm out the work.

Strangely enough, of the 4 places I've called, 1 refused to do a tire change (local custom shop), 1 dealer would only do it if I brought in only the rims, 1 if I brought the bike and removed the bags, and the other was just 3 times higher, period.

The over all feeling I'm getting is that the Nomad may not be the favorite bike for shops to work on.

Anyone else ran into that?

[radco]

My 2 cents.....I put metzler ME880 on my Honda Sabre..14k out of the tires...compared to Dunlop.......JUST installed the metzler ME 880 on he NOMAD,, My GUY Charged me 340$ OTD,,,,,MOUNTED/Balanced ..IVE used him since 05..Hes ANAL about SAFTY on a BIKE....... I also buy Tires EVERY year from him,so that may help ::) Rich

[jussmatt]

Originally Posted by tkd

Guys,

Strangely enough, of the 4 places I've called, 1 refused to do a tire change (local custom shop), 1 dealer would only do it if I brought in only the rims, 1 if I brought the bike and removed the bags, and the other was just 3 times higher, period.

The over all feeling I'm getting is that the Nomad may not be the favorite bike for shops to work on.

Anyone else ran into that?

I ran into that when I had mine done. I had already taken off the Saddlebags, and they said that they would have to charge me an extra $25 because they had to take out the shocks in order to get the tire out. When I sat there and helped and watched all the had to be done... I argued that fact w/ the service manager and ended up not having to pay the extra. I think they try and get any extra $$ they can for every little stupid thing. After watching and helping...it's really an easy thing to do, like you said if you have a lift or the proper tools. I have everything I need, so I'll be doing my own from now on.

As for places to get the tires changed seperate... I can guarantee you I can find somebody within the Houston Area who will do it for the amount of $$ we can both agree on. Might take me a bit...but I don't have a doubt I can find somebody!!

[VulcanE]

The dealer wanted 1 1/2 hrs labor to change the rear tire, ??? by the book, you have to just about disassemble the whole rear of the bike, but in the real world, I can have my back tire in the back of my Jeep ready to carry it to a friend of mine (who has a small motorcycle parts business) in 30 minutes. He only charges me $10 to change the tires out, and speed balance them. . The front tire, if you have the axle tool, you can have off in 10 minutes or less. I have only run the OEM Stones, and 2 sets of the Metzelers. There is a night and day difference in the way the bike rides and handles. I'm getting about 8,000 miles out of each of all the back tires I have run, and there's not a whole lot of choices to choose from for the 1600 models ???

[Top Cat]

[quote="dk dixie" ]

Originally Posted by "Top Cat (TC) ":742pgbtm

tkd, don't feel embarrassed if you don't want , or don't know how to do your own work. I have ridden bikes for over 40 years and only took one wheel off my bikes. I will not even attempt to do anything on the nomad except oil & filter and install a few accessories
Mechanical stuff goes to the dealer. I paid $550 out the door for my metz 880's. If you can get them for $390 otd I vote go for it.
This is only my opinion.

TC....I appreciate what you said, however, you need to find another tire dealer!! He's a little high!![/quote:742pgbtm]

I hear ya dkdixie, the only reason I had it done there is Cindy gave me a $300 gift certificate for Christmas. I will find a different place when these wear out.

[ringadingh]

Id go with the ME880's or the Dunlops, (mostlikely ME880). Sounds like some fairly good pricing that you have also.

[oldbikers]

I went by VulcanE place a cople of weeks ago after we talked about removeing the rear wheel I went home and in less than a half hour I had the rear tire off and the mounted a new tire with my harbor freight tire changer, payed less for the tire changer than the dealer wanted to mount one tire. By the way VulcanE and his better half are great folks just wish I lived closer so we could ride together.

[ringadingh]

It takes me longer to get the back wheel off the bike than it does to change the tire. I replaced my rear tire this spring within 15 minutes, off and on again. Balancing took me about 30 - 40 minutes.

[VulcanE]

Originally Posted by oldbikers

I went by VulcanE place a cople of weeks ago after we talked about removeing the rear wheel I went home and in less than a half hour I had the rear tire off and the mounted a new tire with my harbor freight tire changer, payed less for the tire changer than the dealer wanted to mount one tire. By the way VulcanE and his better half are great folks just wish I lived closer so we could ride together.

We appreciate that Jim, maybe one day we'll get out towards your part of the country ;)