How much should I pay for new tires?

[Mondo]

Or you could support any of the tire vendors on this site.

You know the ones... they're usually giving away free things to support the site... helping injured forum members... helping to organize parties, etc.

ummmm yeah....like Boston Moto...the guys I bought my tires from...and had them install on my bike....they got me a great price on tires they had in stock, I brought my wheels to them, they put them on for a great price, and it resulted in me having a great time on the track

Guess thats not supporting them tho

Just cause none of the vendors carry the tires hes exactly looking for on here doesn't mean he shouldn't be forced to go with what they have. Peoples financial situations arn't all the same either

[TTD]

I was simply going off your comment that he should buy online.

I must have missed the part about no one on the site carrying the tires he needs. I thought we had all options covered between all the site vendors?

EDIT: And I'm not looking to get into a pissing match. Just wanted to remind people to check with those that support the forums first.

[Mondo]

completely understandable!

Just saying some tires are not available through all the vendors, and if he can get a good price on a set online that can't be acquired through a local vendor why not do it? He could always bring it to a local vendor to have them installed, thereby supporting them and saving himself more money then going to a dealer.

[TTD]

if he can get a good price on a set online that can't be acquired through a local vendor why not do it?

Agreed.

[Mondo]

[rbrais]

$310 mounted for those is a smokin price.

I just got the Power 2 CT's. My friend hooked me up. Said he couldn't move the CT's because people don't want to pay for them, so to balance out his stock I got them for the price of the standard Power 2. Think it was $312 out the door, with the wheels on the bike.

Really like the tires, too. Heard they don't wear really well, but we'll see.

[SteveM]

Money's always a consideration, but my thought process was as follows:

1. Can my dealer, from whom I have bought 4 new bikes, be reasonably competitive? The answer is no, and they don't care to try.

2. Can the vendors on NESR get the tire I want to suit the riding I do? The answer is no, and I now understand the difference between race/trackday dealers and normal stocking dealers.

3. Will another local dealer, where I have spent accessory/clothing money in the past and who stocks the tires I want and buys them from a wholesaler on NESR be reasonably competitive? The answer is that they won't even reply to the email sent to the person directly responsible for internet customer contacts.

4. Find a cheap internet price with no B/S about stock, get them delivered and pay one of the nice folks here, most likely BostonMoto (closest) to mount and balance them. This is what I'm doing today, but it was by no means my first choice.

I know this has been written before and might get some flack, but the retail MC dealership business in this area is not customer oriented. The basic laws of business would dictate that if a sufficient return on investment could be made by running a dealership differently, capital would enter the market and do so. The empirical evidence suggests that doing things differently must not be worth the effort because the changes are not happening at the dealer level.

Poor parts inventory, poor accessory/clothing inventory, a major effort to get disinterested parts guys to order stuff, a 50% probability they forget to order it and if you get it, you pay 30% over internet after their "good customer discount."

From the perspective of someone who has seen many, many businesses up close for a long time, the consistentcy with which this business is poorly run is remarkable.

My condolences to any or our members who try to make a living in this business doing the right thing. It must be a struggle every day.

[elissama]

+1 on poor parts inventory. For the most part I've had to buy all minor accessories / stock parts needing replacing online. Nuts, bolts, lights, plastics... nothing in stock. Local can order them but they get them as fast as you get them if you buy them yourself.

Problem with such a diversified market... and online competition.

[Sheppo]

+1 on poor parts inventory. For the most part I've had to buy all minor accessories / stock parts needing replacing online. Nuts, bolts, lights, plastics... nothing in stock. Local can order them but they get them as fast as you get them if you buy them yourself.

Problem with such a diversified market... and online competition.

As a dealer I cannot conceivably stock every part needed for every motorcycle in the line I sell. Hell I don't even stock every MC from said lines. I stock what sells, and parts that are common replacements.

As a dealer also I can not compete with internet sales and no matter how I try I fail. I have over head and most online stores do not OR they are super warehouses that by in bulk I cannot even fathom doing.

I will disagree with SteveM's comments about dealerships not being customer oriented. That's our bread and butter, with out customers we cannot survive. While I know we can't make everyone happy we strive to make everyone as happy as we can. Some people just can't be made happy.

[elissama]

As a dealer I cannot conceivably stock every part needed for every motorcycle in the line I sell. Hell I don't even stock every MC from said lines. I stock what sells, and parts that are common replacements.

As a dealer also I can not compete with internet sales and no matter how I try I fail. I have over head and most online stores do not OR they are super warehouses that by in bulk I cannot even fathom doing.

I will disagree with SteveM's comments about dealerships not being customer oriented. That's our bread and butter, with out customers we cannot survive. While I know we can't make everyone happy we strive to make everyone as happy as we can. Some people just can't be made happy.

You guys are totally customer oriented. I'm thrilled to use you guys for parts I know you stock and conceivably service if I ever run into things I can't fix myself.

[DuncanMoto]

If you really want to know the true ecconomics of tire pricing ask me sometime in person. I won't type it in a forum so don't ask.

There is one major reason a few big internet guys can sell left over tires for less than employee pricing on new tires.

I'm all for saving money, but buy from someone local and get someone local to mount for you. There are plenty of local businesses other than that one dealership that depend on your guys sales to stay alive. Dave at MotoRace has great deals on Michelin, I have great deals on street Pirellis, Boston Moto mounts. Tricky Mike mounts, etc.

As an update, I went to my dealership and got a quote on the price.

465 +/- for the tires.
$45 per wheel to mount and balance, with me taking the wheels off.
Beer to insure against rim savagery.

The economics of this are messed up. The parts guy, who is riding my former ST1300 figured out the employee price and it was higher than I could get from the internet!

However, the Michelins seems to be in short supply. I'm considering Dunlop RoadSmart's and Pirellis Diablo Rosso's.

At this point I'm pretty sure I'll have our friends at Boston Moto mount and balance, as I can bring the wheels to them as easily as I can bring them to my dealer.

Is it really the "stealership" principle, or is the market so small that dealers can't compete with internet retailers who buy in larger quantities?

The guys at the dealership acted as if they knew the answer before looking up the prices and were neither surprised nor insulted that they are not close to being competitive.

Current Prices (w/ free shipping)

Dunlop Roadsmart $275 motosport
Michelin Piloat Road 2 $310 sportbiketrackgear
Pirelli Rosso $320 motosport

120/70/ZR17 front
180/55/ZR17 rear

[SteveM]

Sheppo,

Never been to your shop, perhaps it's got a different vibe.

When you attempt to drop $400 on tires at a place you've been patronizing for 10 years and the parts guy begins by telling you they won't even be close, but let's look just for giggles, there's an attitude problem.

If you think there's a hole in my buying logic above that makes me "unable to be made happy" please point it out. I started out more than willing to pay a 10% - 15% premium over internet to patronize my local dealer. If anything, the attitude motivates me to pay no premium ever.

I patronize a lot of local businesses that have internet and big box competition, musical instruments being a relevant comparison. When the owner and staff of a local business are glad to have customers come in, genuinely willing to help, professional and courteous, I'm more than willing to respect their very real overhead and help them stay in business to provide me with continung good service.

But I've seen too many examples of poor stock and unmotivated people in my area (Boston South, no need to name names) at the motorcycle dealerships to see it as an isolated incident.

[Sheppo]

You guys are totally customer oriented. I'm thrilled to use you guys for parts I know you stock and conceivably service if I ever run into things I can't fix myself.

that's cause you me Melissa

[DuncanMoto]

By the way
Dunlop Roadsmart $275 motosport
Michelin Piloat Road 2 $310 sportbiketrackgear (Pm. Dave at MotoRace on this forum.)
Pirelli Rosso $320 motosport (DUNCANMOTO $304 delivered to Watertown store Monday by 4pm. if ordered by 3pm today $16 delivered anywhere in New England via UPS. Quote expires 09/11/09)

[Sheppo]

Sheppo,

Never been to your shop, perhaps it's got a different vibe.

When you attempt to drop $400 on tires at a place you've been patronizing for 10 years and the parts guy begins by telling you they won't even be close, but let's look just for giggles, there's an attitude problem.

If you think there's a hole in my buying logic above that makes me "unable to be made happy" please point it out. I started out more than willing to pay a 10% - 15% premium over internet to patronize my local dealer. If anything, the attitude motivates me to pay no premium ever.

I patronize a lot of local businesses that have internet and big box competition, musical instruments being a relevant comparison. When the owner and staff of a local business are glad to have customers come in, genuinely willing to help, professional and courteous, I'm more than willing to respect their very real overhead and help them stay in business to provide me with continung good service.

But I've seen too many examples of poor stock and unmotivated people in my area (Boston South, no need to name names) at the motorcycle dealerships to see it as an isolated incident.

Steve, I am sorry if it came across as meaning you were one that wasn't happy, not my intentions. I do have customers that you could do something for free and they would still find fault somewhere. We know we can't compete with some of the internet stores. Our thing is we stalk most common sizes in Dunop or Metzler. If I sell a pair today I order replacements same day and get them the following. It's very uncommon for me NOT to have 'your' tires in stock. Am I competative, no I am convienant and work to make the customer as happy as I can. Some times a 'for shits and giggles' is an attempt at humor or to ease the shock of what my tires, in stock , right now, ready to install, cost. I don't know who you are talking about with the other dealer and i am sure you can search and find ppl that bitch about where I work too. None are perfect.

Let me give you an example. Customer buys a watercraft, it's on a trailer. Part of the pre-sales set up of the craft is to set tire pressures and check lights on the trailer. It's on a signed setup sheet that the customer gets. customer comes we go over all paperwork, watercraft and trailer. Customers signs. I hook up trailered watercraft to customers car and they leave. They live 20 miles from my dealership. I get a call the very next morning they have a flat. I tell them to bring it back and we'll look at it. It takes them a MONTH to come back, OK not a problem , if I can determine its a failure of the rim or tire, I replace it. They come in it has a nail very visibily in the tire. How can I warranty that? It's not a manufacturers defect. I point this out and the customer gets irrate and says I called the very next morning. I point out the 20 miles from my shop to thier house. Simpathetic I offer a new tire at a very reduced rate, they point out how bad I am.... WTF? who's wrong?

This is what I mean about some ppl are never happy... OH and that sale of said watercraft was one of the worst experiences I have ever had.

[SteveM]

PM'd Dave. I know he sells to the local (BMW) dealer that didn't bother to reply to my e-mail.

I'm partial to the Michelin's but the Rosso's look good. I WILL respond today.

Since you don't stock a billion tires, and you don't lose money on purpose (we've met in the store, you're a bright guy) why would my local Honda dealer be $150 over your price and not be out of their minds?

[DuncanMoto]

PM'd Dave. I know he sells to the local (BMW) dealer that didn't bother to reply to my e-mail.

I'm partial to the Michelin's but the Rosso's look good. I WILL respond today.

Since you don't stock a billion tires, and you don't lose money on purpose (we've met in the store, you're a bright guy) why would my local Honda dealer be $150 over your price and not be out of their minds?

If the dealer stocks them that costs money.
Their real business is servicing bikes. which is something I don't do.
Because my business is selling parts, I get better pricing through my distributor as a Platinum dealer. I actually sell allot more non OEM parts than most local dealers.

[DuncanMoto]

FYI - Check out this thread for Dunlops.
http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...-seacoast.html