Tires - buy online or locally?

J-blk

Hi All,

It's looking like high time to change both tires on my 650 Vstrom... Would it be worth buying the tires online myself or just buy them and get them fitted from a local garage in Dublin? If I was to buy online, does anyone have any suggestions on where to shop? Would the various bike workshops around town be accommodating with fitting them, even though not purchased from them? I'm looking to replace the current tires with Metzeler Tourances BTW... Thanks in advance.

jimbling

Buy online. I saved €210 the last time I bought tyres for my bike.
Can't recall the site I used... ill have a look later.

ogriofa

Yeah, I was thinking of this myself.

I only need a back tyre though. Maybe the savings wouldnt be that much.

What websites are you looking at?
I know the visorshop.co.uk do them (with free delivery in the rep)
ta

vektarman

I use these http://www.moto-tyres.ie

J-blk

vektarman wrote: »

I use these http://www.moto-tyres.ie

Thanks - pricey though by comparison to the www.thevisorshop.co.uk that Ogriofa suggested. Metzeler Roadtecs for example work out at over €80 more expensive for the set...

Oryx

Check locally too. Get a price including fitting. It can work out ok pricewise, cos you may be charged less or nothing for the fitting.

Steffano2002

ogriofa wrote: »

I know the visorshop.co.uk do them (with free delivery in the rep)

Yep! That's Crossan's: super highly recommended!

I also got tyres from busters-accessories.co.uk in the past but you have to pay for delivery so Crossan's is probably cheaper in the end...

Then all you need to do is find a mechanic that will fit & balance for cheap!

J-blk

Oryx wrote: »

Check locally too. Get a price including fitting. It can work out ok pricewise, cos you may be charged less or nothing for the fitting.

I did check with one place so far - works out at just a bit under €90 more for fitting & balancing over what I would pay just for the tires from Crossan's. That doesn't seem too bad I think? A lot of places charge €60-€70 for an hour's work on general maintenance anyway...

cbr900

I used these,found them good http://www.thebiketyreco.com/tyres.html

Wossack

Steffano2002 wrote: »

Then all you need to do is find a mechanic that will fit & balance for cheap!

can be an issue! Ive used roundabout tyres off walkenstown roundabout getting a set done on my old 125 - they didnt balance em though. brought in loose rims and they did em for <30e

Green_Martian

Wossack wrote: »

can be an issue! Ive used roundabout tyres off walkenstown roundabout getting a set done on my old 125 - they didnt balance em though. brought in loose rims and they did em for <30e

Ah but Steffano2002 knows a man who knows a man LOL

Steffano2002

Green_Martian wrote: »

Ah but Steffano2002 knows a man who knows a man LOL

Thanks to you I do!

All this reminds me that I have to change my rear tyre... The new one has been in the kitchen for a month now...

gipi

You might want to check out Cotter Motorcycles, off the M50 at Ballymount. Read recently that they will match Crossan's prices for tyres.

(no connection to the shop btw).

colm_c

The last set I got fitted by: http://www.thebiketyreco.com/

He came during work, he had the tires fitted and wheels balanced in under 30 minutes.

It was only 50 euro more expensive than sourcing tyres online, including fitting. Saved a lot of hassle with trying to get the tyres delivered, bringing them to a garage, waiting around for them to be fixed etc.

Green_Martian

Steffano2002 wrote: »

Thanks to you I do!

All this reminds me that I have to change my rear tyre... The new one has been in the kitchen for a month now...

Well it can't be as bad as last time can it????:D

Idleater

colm_c wrote: »

The last set I got fitted by: http://www.thebiketyreco.com/

Rang him last week and he mentioned that he is doing a deal with the visor shop that suggests you buy the tyres there (or wherever you can source them cheaply) and he fits them for €40 or something.

With the free postage and the sterling conversion it really is a good deal.

Wossack

sounds like average fitting from biketyreco is ~70e

accordin to the ad on thevisorshop anyway

Steffano2002

Green_Martian wrote: »

Well it can't be as bad as last time can it????:D

Quint

I used Blakestown Tyres, they fitted them while I waited, great service by the 2 lads, can't remember the price but it was really good. As their site says, ring them for a quote, could be worth it.

IDon'tKnow!

There is big savings from buy tyres online. I have bought a set for my Transalp off http://www.mandp.co.uk/

I have found in the past that the Bike shops won't fit a tyre if you don't buy it off them.

I have got Atlas tyres Binns bridge, Lower Dorset St. - PH 830 9754 to fit bike tyres for me in the past. You would need to take the wheel off for them, and they can't balance bike wheels.

Or you could get a set of leavers and do it yourself, not an easy job with tubeless tyres

Slaanesh

I got a front tyre for my Fazer yesterday from blakestown tyres.

Tyre was €85 and was fitted while I waited for €25.
He also tightened the chain for me.

€110 all in, not overly bad.

Gonna need new chain and sprockets:
They quoted me €200 all in.

Dr Pepper

I've got a V-Strom 650 too and the last set I bought were tourances. I got them from http://www.paddyspitstop.com/ (Just off North Strand)
Cost me €290 fitted - Nice fella, seemed to know what he's at!

I've also bought from visorshop in the past and found them to give a good price and quick, free delivery. Can be awkward to get them fitted though and possibly not worth the hassle unless there is a significant saving! (although with the current exchange rates and the rip-off Ireland factor, those savings will be significant at present!!)

J-blk

Dr Pepper wrote: »

I've got a V-Strom 650 too and the last set I bought were tourances. I got them from http://www.paddyspitstop.com/ (Just off North Strand)
Cost me €290 fitted - Nice fella, seemed to know what he's at!

Nice one, got the same quote from him and thinking of going with it - the Tourances would cost me €200 from the visorshop anyway so I don't think it's worth all the hassle of trying to get someone to fit/balance just for a saving of maybe €30 - €40 or so.

How are you finding the Tourances BTW on the V-strom? I've heard very good things about them but this will be my first set, replacing the stock Bridgestones...

Dr Pepper

J-blk wrote: »

Nice one, got the same quote from him and thinking of going with it - the Tourances would cost me €200 from the visorshop anyway so I don't think it's worth all the hassle of trying to get someone to fit/balance just for a saving of maybe €30 - €40 or so.

How are you finding the Tourances BTW on the V-strom? I've heard very good things about them but this will be my first set, replacing the stock Bridgestones...

I was all set to get the Bridgestones when I went in to this fella but he insisted that I take the Tourances for better performance and longer-lasting..ness :pac: I'm not one to notice the 'performance' of tyres TBH (especially on a big tank like the V-Strom) but they certainly have lasted well so far. 6 months and 8-9000 km and they still look like new tyres (seriously!).

Quint

Dr Pepper wrote: »

I was all set to get the Bridgestones when I went in to this fella but he insisted that I take the Tourances for better performance and longer-lasting..ness :pac: I'm not one to notice the 'performance' of tyres TBH (especially on a big tank like the V-Strom) but they certainly have lasted well so far. 6 months and 8-9000 km and they still look like new tyres (seriously!).

Not too sure about the v-storm, but I'm driving a bmw gs, tourances are about the best for that. Bridgestone trailwings are the worst tyre you can get, probably best staying away from them, the gs guys call them "death wings"! Had them on when I bought the bike and the difference with the tourances is unreal! Continental tkc 80 are the best dual purpose, going to get them next.

colm_c

Quint wrote: »

Not too sure about the v-storm, but I'm driving a bmw gs, tourances are about the best for that. Bridgestone trailwings are the worst tyre you can get, probably best staying away from them, the gs guys call them "death wings"! Had them on when I bought the bike and the difference with the tourances is unreal! Continental tkc 80 are the best dual purpose, going to get them next.

I've got the tourances on my GS too, excellent tyre. Not too sure about the TKC80's -- any decent speed or load on tarmac will wear out the center nobs fast Off road they are the dogs

J-blk

Dr Pepper wrote: »

I was all set to get the Bridgestones when I went in to this fella but he insisted that I take the Tourances for better performance and longer-lasting..ness :pac: I'm not one to notice the 'performance' of tyres TBH (especially on a big tank like the V-Strom) but they certainly have lasted well so far. 6 months and 8-9000 km and they still look like new tyres (seriously!).

Thanks for the feedback everyone - yeah, the guys over here (V-Strom specific forums):

http://www.stromtrooper.com/

are always raving about the Tourances so I wanted to try them out. Almost all my mileage is on road anyway, so as long as the tires perform well in the wet on road (I commute probably 95% of the year!), I'll be more than happy...

Quint

colm_c wrote: »

I've got the tourances on my GS too, excellent tyre. Not too sure about the TKC80's -- any decent speed or load on tarmac will wear out the center nobs fast Off road they are the dogs

Yeah, I know I'll get less mileage, but I'll give them a try anyway. I have a short commute which I'm using a bicycle for now, so the GS won't be used much.

I have Tourances on big V-Strom (incidentally bough from Paddy's Pitstop). I found the traction very good but I reckon they make the steering a bit nervous compared to the OEM Bridgestone Deathwings.

I'll try something else next (maybe Battlewings?)

Quint

Defo have a check on the stormtrooper website, the GS website has a section on tyres, the v-storm one probably does too. Might as well find out what ones are good and take your pick from them.

J-blk

Got my Tourances fitted from http://www.paddyspitstop.com/ today, well pleased with the work he did (and he did it all on the spot while I waited), nice guy to deal with too .

Thanks for all the feedback/suggestions everyone!