Buying tires online

Does it save money?

The 2006 R1200GS comes standard with Metzeler Tourance street knobby tires. And they are great tires, but of course you would expect nothing less from German tire-maker Metzeler. The tire is made to perform exceptionally well on pavement regardless of the road’s overall quality, and to perform admirably on maintained dirt roads. For the adventure-touring rider who enjoys more time on wilderness dirt than smoothly paved track – a more knobby tire like the Continental TKC-80 might fit the bill.

GS riders report that their Tourance tires last between 8,000 and 14,000 miles – depending on road conditions, riding style, and time off-road. Sooner or later, though, it’s going to be time for new shoes and a decision about where to buy the tires and how to get them mounted. For many riders this is a decision based on both an economics and shop skills.

So, do you buy tires and have them mounted by the experts at your favorite shop or BMW dealership, assuming of course that they have the tires in stock, which is painfully not the case all too often. Or, do you buy the tires online and have the shop mount them, or, gulp, do you try to mount them yourself?

Buying online.

In this case it’s a comparison between two online motorcycle parts suppliers that offer tires, Motorcycle Superstore and Dennis Kirk. The rear GS tire in question is a 150/70R/17 Tourance. At Dennis Kirk the tire retails for $158.99 including shipping. At Motorcycle Superstore it’s 10 bucks cheaper, $148.99 with free shipping. The Dennis Kirk tire comes via UPS in 5 days and is packed – albeit loosely - in a cardboard box. The Motorcycle Superstore tire is delivered by the same Brown Truck in 6 days, but is packaged in only a plastic bag. Both tires arrive in excellent condition, though.

The same tire purchased exactly one year ago from a BMW dealership was $177.25 retail. Of course you would expect a few dollars of markup, and this seems pretty reasonable.

Mounting.

For the rider who does not posses either the knowledge or the tools required for mounting ones own tires, there is little choice. In this case, mounting an balancing two new Tourance tires at the BMW dealership comes to $144.51 and the peace of mind that comes with knowing the job is done right.

Anomalous Oddity?

However, in an attempt to create a fair comparison of costs an oddity arises in the equation. One year ago the BMW dealership charged only $70 to mount the same kind of tires – tires purchased at the dealership. This year that amount doubled, but is that because the tires were not purchased at the dealership – or are there other factors? 100% inflation in a year is not unheard of, but is a puzzle.

Saving money.

Clearly the only way to truly save any appreciable money on tires is to buy them online and mount them yourself. Actually knowing how to repair or replace a motorcycle tire is valuable knowledge to possess, especially if you’re out in the boonies with a flat.

GlobeRiders offers a BMW R1200GS adventure touring instructional DVD featuring globetrotting motorbiker Helge Pederson, who demonstrates step-by-step tire repair and replacement techniques for this model bike. Some special tools are required, like a bead breaker, tire irons, and a wrench specifically to loosen the motorbike’s front axle. Marc Parnes offers just such a wrench, and some other expertly machined tools like a nifty wheel balancer. Pederson also outlines all the things you need to pack under your seat for a long tour free of panic attacks related to tires in his DVD.

Next year, assuming another 100% inflationary period, a savings of nearly $300 will be realized through buying online and mounting and balancing in the home garage. Helge tells all who view the DVD that changing ones own oil is also very easy and since the dealership charges more than a hundred bucks for that service, it may find a place at home as well.