How much does a motorcycle tire change cost


How Much Does It Cost to Change Motorcycle Tires? – PowerSportsGuide

As a rule of thumb, it costs about $20-$80 to change a motorcycle tire. If you take off the wheels and bring them into a shop you can expect to pay $20-$40 per wheel. But if you bring the whole bike into the shop be prepared to pay $40-$80 per wheel, in addition to the cost of the tires of course. Some dealerships may quote you much more, but don’t be ripped off!

If you want to learn more about motorcycle tire change costs, you are in the right place.

We at PowerSportsGuide have gathered the average prices as well as the cheapest solutions under one roof!

How much does it cost to change motorcycle tires?

How Much Does It Cost to Change Motorcycle Tires?

It’s safe to say that the cheapest way to change motorcycle tires would be if you do the work yourself. However, as you will see, this is not recommended for security reasons.

A reputable shop can not only professionally mount your tires, but they also balance the wheels with a special rebalancing machine.

Balancing the wheels is very important since only a slight weight difference can lead to vibration. That’s why it’s recommended that you get the tire change done by a professional who can rebalance the wheels along with changing the tires.

Moreover, many shops offer a discount or don’t even charge for the change if you buy the tires from them.

You can also keep your costs low if you pull the wheels off yourself and bring them into the shop. This way it will cost about $40-$80 to change a pair of motorcycle tires.

On the other hand, many riders simply prefer riding to a dealership or a local shop to get the tire change done. This is arguably the most convenient solution, but also the most expensive!

If you are also considering visiting a shop, it’s recommended that you shop around to find the best rates available. The labor costs vary widely depending on the size and location of shop.

As you may assume, you can expect the highest rates at authorized dealerships. It’s not uncommon for dealers to quote $150-$400 to change motorcycle tires!

In contrast, small local shops are significantly cheaper, as they usually charge $80-$160 for the entire job.

It’s also good to know that replacing the tire on the front wheel is always significantly cheaper than the rear, a 50% difference in price between the two wheels is not uncommon.

However, best practice is to replace both tires at the same time!

Can I Change a Motorcycle Tire Myself?

Can I change a motorcycle tire myself? – we get this question a lot and the answer is that it depends. Although it is possible to change the tires on your motorcycle at home, in most cases this is not recommended. Why?

When it comes to motorcycles, the primary consideration should always be safety.

And improperly mounted tires can be dangerous in many ways, so it’s not worth the risk of gambling with them! Contrary to popular belief, changing tires requires skill as well as some specialized tools.

Even if you can properly mount the tires, you always risk scratching the rims or damaging the new tires.

Additionally, a professional shop not only changes the tires, but their service typically includes the balancing, lining, setting the chains tight, and a test ride as well.

Although you can do all of these tasks yourself, it still takes time and effort. It may take hours just pulling the wheels off, mounting and inflating the tires, and finally balancing and replacing the wheels.

This is why best practice is to get it done by a tire shop. Let’s see where you can find one!

Can any Tire Shop Change a Motorcycle Tire?

It’s safe to say that the majority of tire shops can change motorcycle tires, even dedicated auto tire shops. In most cases, it makes sense to visit a local shop rather than ride many miles to a dealership. What’s more, local shops are typically much cheaper as well! But to make sure they can handle the change it’s worth a phone call first.

Can You Change a Motorcycle Tire on a Car Tire Machine?

Whether you can change a motorcycle tire on a car tire machine is strictly dependent on its design. While many older machines could change motorcycle tires without any issues, modern machines clamp on the rim and feature a rotating table. This means if you want to change a motorcycle tire on these machines you will likely need an adapter, which holds the wheel higher off the rotating table.

Unfortunately, many of the newest car tire machines can’t be used at all to change motorcycle tires. This is because some manufacturers don’t provide adapters for motorcycle wheels.

If you have access to a tire machine and are considering replacing the tires yourself, make sure to have somebody close by who is familiar with using the machine.

Operating a tire machine is not rocket science, but like any other power tool it can be dangerous in many ways. Doing it wrong can damage the tire or even the surface of the rim!

Conclusion

If you want to change the tires on your motorcycle you have four options:

DIY tire replacement: Even if this is the cheapest way to change the tires unless you’re an experienced mechanic it’s not recommended that you do it yourself. Keep in mind that doing it wrong can damage the tires or even the rims. Keeping safety in mind, best practice is that you leave it for professionals.

Remove the wheels: Many riders prefer pulling the wheels and bring into a local shop or a dealership, so you may want to consider this solution. This way, you can get much better rates while making sure that the tires are professionally replaced and balanced. If you bring the wheels in yourself, changing a pair of motorcycle tires typically costs $40-$80 in most tire shops.

Ride to a tire shop/dealership: The most convenient solution is arguably riding into a tire shop or a dealership to get the job done. The rates of smaller tire shops range from $40 up to $80 while dealerships can even quote $150-$400!

The rates vary widely depending on the size and the location of the shop, so it makes sense to shop around before making a decision!

How Much Should a Motorcycle Tire Change Cost?

Whether you ran over a nail or have just burned off your tread peeling out, getting your motorcycle tires changed isn’t the funnest activity.

Partly because you hate the downtime that you could be riding, but also because you never know where to take your motorcycle in and whether you’re getting a good deal.

Well, you can stop worrying.

I looked at shops around the country to find what you can expect as a reasonable cost for your motorcycle tire change and what factors can raise or lower the price.

How Much Does a Motorcycle Tire Change Cost?

On average, a tire change for your motorcycle will cost around $50 per tire. This can vary a lot, though, with your cheapest tire changes costing only about 20 bucks and the most expensive running upwards of $200.

Why is it such a big range? There are a number of factors that come into play.

On or Off the Bike

With a car, the tires can be changed in a few minutes because it’s pretty easy to pop off the wheels.

Motorcycles are much more difficult, especially the rear wheel. The chain and brakes have to be aligned afterward as well as balanced.

If the shop does this work for you, it’ll cost more. If you take the wheels off and put them back on yourself, shops usually charge a little less.

Front or Rear Tire

The rear tire is a lot harder to change. If you bring your whole bike in, some shops may charge a different price for the front tire versus the rear.

Location

Like most things, motorcycle tire changes vary in cost depending on what part of the country—or world—you live in. My favorite shop back home in Arkansas charges about $45 per tire while I found shops in San Francisco charging closer to $75 per tire.

As a general rule, your tire change will cost more if you live in an overall more expensive place. That means big cities like New York or LA or expensive states like California or Hawaii.

Type of Shop

You can take your motorcycle to one of three types of shop for a tire change: authorized dealership, local boutique mechanic, or big chain.

An authorized dealership, one specializing in your make of motorcycle, is the most expensive option. Of course, it’s also the most secure since you know the mechanics have tons of experience with bikes just like yours.

For something simple like a tire change, I usually don’t consider this expertise to be necessary, but it’s up to you.

Local boutique mechanics are a bit cheaper than authorized dealerships and what I go with for tire changes. Even though they’re a tad pricier than chains, you can build a personal relationship with a local mechanic who will learn your bike and your personal needs. You get quality service and support the local economy.

That isn’t to say you shouldn’t consider a big chain, though. For one thing, they’ll save you money.

For example, Cycle Gear charges just $25 if you buy your tires through them. Plus, finding a chain you like means you can use them all over the state or country if you go on long rides. Many even have loyalty programs and discounts.

Type of Motorcycle

Usually, the type of motorcycle doesn’t make much difference when it comes to the tire change price. However, some shops do charge differently based on the type of tire: off-road versus street.

Take a look at the Cycle Gear prices I mentioned above. You’ll see that off-road tires are a little bit cheaper to change at just $20 versus street tires at $25. 

Buying Tires Too

Many shops, especially big chains, offer extremely discounted tire changes just to get you to buy their tires.

If you noticed from the Cycle Gear prices above, $25 is the price for a tire change if you buy the tires through them, but it doubles to $50 if you buy the tires elsewhere and bring them in.

That brings me to something else important to mention…

How Much Do Motorcycle Tires Cost?

Keep in mind. The prices I mentioned above are for the tire change only. They don’t include the cost of the tires themselves.

Motorcycle tires usually run anywhere from $50 to $200 and depend on the size of the tire and type, whether it’s street or off-road. 

Another factor is whether they’re brand new or “retreaded.” Retreaded tires are used tires that have had new tread put on them.

Retreaded tires usually cost between 30% and 50% less than new tires and can save you a lot of money. The authorities have not found them to be any less safe than new tires, but some motorcyclists are still wary of riding on “used” tires.

Can I Change My Motorcycle Tires Myself?

Well, you can change tires yourself. But unless you have all the necessary tools and some mechanic training, you probably shouldn’t.

Just for reference, the tools you’d need to change your own tire are:

  • Motorcycle lift
  • Tire lever
  • Tire pressure gauge
  • Motorcycle wheel balancer
  • Rim protectors
  • Valve core remover
  • Bead breaker

And it isn’t just enough to have all these tools. You need to know how to use them and perform difficult parts of motorcycle maintenance like balancing the wheels after you change the tires. Doing it incorrectly could put you in danger.

With all this in mind, it usually makes more sense to have a professional change your tires.

Personally, I like taking my wheels off and bringing them in to my favorite local boutique mechanic, buying the tires from the same shop if I can. This gets me good service for a reasonable price.

Do-it-yourself motorcycle tire replacement.

Hello.

Owners of motorcycles with rims have to go to a tire shop to get new tires on their motorcycle. When replacing tires on such motorcycles with your own hands, the disc may bend and lose its presentation. On the other hand, if you have an enduro or any other bike with spoked wheels, it is quite possible to change the tires yourself. Moreover, any normal endurist simply must be able to change tires in the field with a pair of mounts, since off-road trips are often associated with long hauls on asphalt. In this case, it is advisable to go to the place of drowning in mud on road tires, take a set of "evil" rubber with you and put it on a motorcycle in an open field immediately before off-road. Today we will talk about changing the tires of a motorcycle with spoked wheels on your own.

We will talk about the types of motorcycle tires and indices in the names of rubber models, since this topic is worthy of a separate article, and maybe more than one. Today, within the framework of this article, I will give only one of the simplest classifications. Tires for motorcycles are chambered and tubeless. Tubeless tires are convenient, used everywhere on motorcycles with disc wheels. The disk inside is hermetically sealed, so it is enough to put new tires on, smearing the joints with a special sealant, pump up - and you can ride. Spoked wheels are not airtight inside, since the spokes pass through the wheel rim at one end. On spoked wheels, tires with tubes inside are used - it’s clear why.

Is it possible to put tubeless tires on a spoked motorcycle wheel by simply sticking a conventional tube inside? Yes, easily! Now I will just put tubeless tires with cameras on my motorcycle.

What is the difference between tube and tubeless tires? Everything is very simple. Tubeless tires have a special groove on the inside that acts like a "hook" and increases tightness.

Chamber rubber has no such "hook".

Also, many manufacturers claim that tubeless tires have a reinforced cord. I don’t see anything wrong if we ride a motorcycle with tubes in tires, and even with a reinforced cord 🙂 Especially since there is no difference at all between installing tubed and tubeless tires on a motorcycle 🙂

Let's go!

What you need to change tires on your motorcycle.
To change tires on a motorcycle, we need the following materials and tools:
1) New tires. In my case, the BMW F650GS is the Metzeller Tourance. By default, the Metzeller official website gives the tire sizes specified in the manual for the BMW F650GS motorcycle. Front - 110/90 - R19, rear - 130/80 R17. In principle, there is a lot of space left in front and behind, so I will put 120/9 on the front wheel0 with 19 radius, and I'll leave everything as it should be behind.
2) Crowbars (or crowbars, whatever they call it). I manage alone, but I have experience since Java. Better to use two.
3) Soap solution. It will be needed when putting on new tires, and when removing the old one, it can also come in handy. Without it, you can accidentally break a tire. I know that many people use Vaseline and other neutral lubricants. I don't even know where to buy Vaseline now, so I use soapy water. Soap in water should ideally not dissolve completely and be similar in consistency to snot 🙂
4) Metal cap on the nipple with hooks for unscrewing the nipple.
5) A set of tools to turn the screw nuts.

Do-it-yourself motorcycle tire replacement.
Front wheel example.
1) Loosen the wheel axle while the bike is firmly on the ground.

2) Hang the motorcycle on a stand or put it on the center stand and remove the wheel.

3) Unscrew the nipple and let the air out of the wheel. Then we need to "separate" the rubber from the wheel rim. To do this, you need to stomp her feet. You don't need to jump on it, there is a chance to bend the rim.

There is a little trick here. Sometimes the rubber sticks to the rim tightly. In your garage you can dance shamanic dances with a tambourine, jump on a wheel and separate, but what if you have to change tires in an open field, with a limited number of tools and time?
If you are traveling with a group, the easiest way is to use the side stand of the second motorcycle. Just put the wheel on the ground, fold down the side stand of the second motorcycle and put it on the camera near the wheel rim. Jump like a cutie! 🙂

4) Pry the tire on one side with a pry bar. Be careful not to push the crowbar too deep to avoid tearing the camera.

5) Insert the second mount.

And so on in a circle.

6) Pull out the camera.

And finally disassemble the wheel.

7) Check the condition of the rubber that protects the camera from the spokes. If it is worn or frayed, it must be replaced.

8) Now let's take a closer look at the new tires. We are interested in two markers that are indicated on any rubber. This is an arrow indicating the direction of rotation of the wheel.

And the marker against which the nipple should eventually be placed. Either two dots or one bold.

9) Then grease the new tire with soapy water.

10) First we push in one bead, then we push the tube inside, aligning the marker against the nipple, then we fence the second tire bead. The camera must be pushed in so that it is not twisted anywhere, otherwise there is a possibility that it will fray itself after a certain number of kilometers.

11) Done. Put the wheel back on the bike.

With rear wheel by analogy.
How many atmospheres to drive into tires, usually indicated on the pendulum.

Wheel balancing on enduras and choppers is not as important as on sportbikes and other high-speed motorcycles - endurists and choppers usually ride like old grandmas 🙂 But later I will show how to do wheel balancing in handicraft conditions with your own hands. This process is not difficult, and with due patience and experience, you can achieve the same results as with professional equipment.

A couple more moments!

1) Please note that, as in any repair, cleanliness is the key to health! The inside of the tire must be kept clean, because in case any solid particles remain between the tire and the chamber, you have a chance to repeat my Rear Wheel Saga 🙂 I usually blow the inside of the chamber with a compressor and wipe it with a damp cloth.

2) In order not to pinch the camera with the mount, you can pump it up a little. It helps me, and you yourself think.

All.

This entry was posted in repair and maintenance and tagged BMW F 650 GS, motorcycle, report, repair, photo. Bookmark the permalink.

Moto tire fitting in Moscow, moto balancing

We are pleased to offer you high quality moto tire fitting services at affordable prices.

The cost of a full range of works (removal and installation of a wheel, replacement of rubber, balancing) - 1100 rubles * per wheel.

Price list for moto tire fitting in Moscow

Balancing 400 rub
Cantilever wheel balancing 600 rub
Fitting/removing rubber 300 rubles
Fitting/removing rubber with chamber 500 rub
Mounting/removing the towing vehicle 200 rub
Removing and installing the front wheel 400 rub
Removing and installing the front wheel (Gold Wing) 900 rub
Removing and installing rear wheel sport bike, classic 600 rub
Removing and installing the rear wheel chopper (chain) 600 rub
Removing and installing the rear wheel chopper (cardan) 800 rub
Rear wheel removal (Cruisers with panniers removal) 2000 rub
Removing and installing the rear wheel (Gold wing 1500) 3000 rub
Front tire tire sport bike 1100 rub
Front wheel tire chopper 1100 rub
Honda Front Wheel Tire (Gold Wing1500) 1500 rub
Sportbike rear wheel tire fitting 1300 rub
Rear wheel tire chopper (chain) 1300 rub
Rear wheel tire chopper (cardan) 1400 rub
Honda Rear Wheel Tire (Gold Wing1500) 7000 rub

*- Cost of work for the front wheel of most road, classic and sport bikes with alloy wheels and tubeless tires. Mounting and dismantling of rubber with a camera + 100 rub. Also, the cost of work may vary depending on the design of the motorcycle.

Price list for car tire service in Moscow

R13 1000 rub
R14 1100 rub
R15 1200 rub
R16 1400 rub
R17 1800 rub
R18 2000 rub
R19 2200 rub
R20 2500 rub
Valve replacement 100
patch from 200
Fungus 300
Harness 150

Price list for moto tire fitting in Sochi 250 rub Balancing 250 rub Mounting bar 250 rub Installing patch from 150 rubles

Tire fitting address:

Moscow, Lobachika, 11 - motorcycle tire service.


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