Bike tyres

[GrumpyGuts]

Howdy,

Does anyone know/recommend a good website that sells motorbike tyres? My rear tyre is now illegal and my dealer will charge me a lot for a replacement!

Thanks
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My Bikes: Lifan Beat 125cc '11 -> Suzuki B120P '76 -> Suzuki EN 125-2A '08 -> Honda CG 125 '04 -> Honda CB600F Hornet '98 -> Kawasaki ZZR 600 '99 -> Kawasaki GPZ 500S '95 (Current)
Theory test passed - 09/02/2012 >>>> Module 1 passed 24/07/2012 >>>> Module 2 passed 24/10/2012

[Easter Bunny]

Where do you live, no doubt someone near you will know somewhere reasonable doesnt always have to be about the net!
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The light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train!

[GrumpyGuts]

I live in Peterborough. I don't want any old tyre, I want a proper, good, tourer tyre etc etc. I'm going to call some garages, but I have spotted one website doing them but it's 7.50 delivery. Dunno if I can get it cheaper through a dealer that sells Continental, for instance
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My Bikes: Lifan Beat 125cc '11 -> Suzuki B120P '76 -> Suzuki EN 125-2A '08 -> Honda CG 125 '04 -> Honda CB600F Hornet '98 -> Kawasaki ZZR 600 '99 -> Kawasaki GPZ 500S '95 (Current)
Theory test passed - 09/02/2012 >>>> Module 1 passed 24/07/2012 >>>> Module 2 passed 24/10/2012

[Taught2BCauti...]

'Chemix' autocentres can supply bike tyres, but not all branches can fit them. Those that do, offer the option of bringing the bike in, or just bringing the wheels in.

Some independent local places that supply and fit car tyres can also fit bike tyres, depending on what equipment they have.

Best place for odering online, is Black Circles.
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Honda Varadero XL125(V8)
www.TheFutureIsHere.eu

[Acemastr]

[Shaane]

eBay. Supercorsa in all my local shops are nearly 230 fitted. eBay I got them lose for 180 and 10 t fit them.
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EMRA Roadstock #92 - Paperwork Permitted.
Previous: 1992 DT125R
Current: ~ 2005 ZX6R C1H

[Kris]

FWR tyres do free postage.
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NSR125RR - ZXR750H1 - ZX9R E1 - GSF600S - GSF600SK3 - VFR400-NC30 - SV1000N - ST1100-R - CBR900RR-R - GSF1200SK5 - GSF600SK1 - VFR1200FA - GSXR1000K2 - ZZR1400 D8F
www.prisonplanet.com

[Easter Bunny]

Once you've paid your postage and then got stung for fitting as after all lets face it the garage that fits them is gonna realise you bought them online to save £5 whilst he's struggling to keep his fitters busy it wont be worth it, better to find a good value one stop shop, unless you live in the Hebrides!
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The light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train!

[pits]

I agree with Eggs, by the time you have ordered the tyre online, paid delivery, then either taken the wheel off yourself to drive somewhere to get the tyre fitted, or pay someone to come and fit the tyre the saving seems a bit pointless to me.
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Stinkwheel: You have no right to free speech
00:32:08 Blau Zedong: yes, i am a massive CB400 fan and collector
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[pendulum]

Does anyone fit the tyres themselves?
I've been watching a few Youtube vids and it doesn't seem too hard. I was going to have a go on the CG when the time comes, have to buy the tools though obviously.
That should make for a bit of a saving if you can order online and fit yourself.

[pinkyfloyd]

[pendulum]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2AuivYzaBs

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Manual-Tyre-Balancing-Machine-/280859020208?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4164808bb0

It would probably pay for itself in a few years!

[pinkyfloyd]

[Teflon-Mike]

Its a Chinese LIFAN, people!

Normally I would reccomend finding a decent local motorcycle tyre specialist.

On a big-bike, with tubless tyres, e-bay specials can be a false ecconomy; becouse they aren't really a self fit item; and tyre monkeys dont really like fitting tyres they haven't supplied; so by the time you have found one who will and they have charged you to fit & balence, savings are often negligible; especially if you have a 'good' bike tyre place that will order in exact tyres you want.

But this is a Lifan, so we need to adjust perspectives.

For my CB750, anything under £150 a pair is 'Cheap' tyres; buying individually can pay over £100 just for a rear. For the DT, 'decent' tyres would be about £100 a pair, 'cheap' ones about £60-£70, much the same for the Super-Dreams. But then you have to add tubes and fitting. But, small bike, and tubed tyre, they are DIY able.

But, £15-£20 for a decent pair of tyre levers... you really dont want to be muggering around with big screwdrivers, or old kitchen utensils like you might of got away with on a push bike, and another £10 for a pair of 'Rim-Tectors' to lean the levers on the wheel-rim... you have a £30 ish overhead on your first DIY fit, to amortise over later tyres.

And, 'Cheap' is subjective. If you are lucky, you can get individual tyres the right size off e-bay for maybe £20, but unlikely to be a great tyre with lots of grip and a long life expectancy. And more often they push 'Pair' deals for around the £50 mark, which is roughly what you could get a decent individual 'Euro-brand' tyre like a Mitchelin or Pirelli for....

So what, to YOU is 'Cheap'?

I would hazard a guess if you rode a Lifan into a Kwik-Fit, they would probably price up something like a Mitchelin M45, which is a £45 tyre, and suggest something like £70 'fitted'... which for a 'Comvenience-store' tyre fitters, probably isn't THAT unreasonable...

Yes, 1/10th the price of the bike, new in the dealers, so its expensive 'reletively', but the tyre DGAS what bike its fitted to, and on £2.5K YBR125 its not a significant % of new price....

Same £45 tyre on e-bay, you probably wont get much discount on, you'll be scraping for pennie savings. And still have to fit the thing.

Get a real cheap, you might get a tyre for £25-30, which is a 50% saving, but still only £15, and after you have bought decent levers and rim-tectors, you are back over the £50 mark.... so overall savings not great.

And PERSONALLY, I'd bite the bullet. Good tyres make a world of difference to the way a bike behaves and make them a LOT more confidence inspiring and nicer to ride.

I'd bite the ecconomics and get a pair of euro-branded tyres, on the lightweights I do like the Mitch M45's, which are not 'quite' as sticky as the sporty 'Pilots', but very good alround tyre, a pair of decent levers and the rim tectors (if I didn't already have them), new tubes and if wire spoke wheels new rim tapes, and be done.

In fact that's what I did for Snowie's Pup, and it was about £120, 'all in' Tyres, Tubes, Levers and 'tectors.

But, I'm working on presumption, of what YOU think is 'expensive'.

Bottom line is, bike tyres ENT cheap, compared to push-bikes or cars; you just have to take the offset against what you hopefully save on petrol.
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Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[GrumpyGuts]

Thanks guys, really appriciate the input!
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My Bikes: Lifan Beat 125cc '11 -> Suzuki B120P '76 -> Suzuki EN 125-2A '08 -> Honda CG 125 '04 -> Honda CB600F Hornet '98 -> Kawasaki ZZR 600 '99 -> Kawasaki GPZ 500S '95 (Current)
Theory test passed - 09/02/2012 >>>> Module 1 passed 24/07/2012 >>>> Module 2 passed 24/10/2012