Where to get tyres in London?

[Londoner2015]

Where would you recommend getting tyres in London?
I live in South London and commute to Westminster every day, so ideally I’d go somewhere along the route.

I want to get a set of Michelin Pilot Road 4 for my BMW F800R.

I have contacted 3 shops; the price for the tyres is similar, that for fitting varies wildly.

BMW in Battersea would charge about £ 100 for fitting, balancing and disposal of the old tyres.

FWR (www.fwr.co.uk) in Kennington would charge about £15/20. I have heard very contrasting feedback about these guys – not sure what to think. This review online is particularly scary: https://forum.motorcyclenews.com/topic/8101/fwr-tyre-repair-in-kennington ; it was a while ago, and of course it could be totally fake, but if it’s true it’s scary.

Jap and German (Druid street, Bermondsey) about the same cost as FWR. I service my bike there as it is out of warranty, they are cheaper than BMW and I have always heard good feedback. The location is less convenient than FWR, though.

What would you recommend? Is it better to go to someone who is more familiar with BMWs, like Jap and German, or is fitting tyres such a banal, bog-standard job that anyone can do it, and no specific familiarity with BMWs is required?

Thanks!

PS There’s also Chasbikes in Kennington, but this is the shop I have heard the most negative feedback on out of all the 4.

[Mishka]

Depending on how "south" london you want to go then Watling tyres new lewisham might be alright, helped me out in a pinch when I got the front tyre screwed
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Versys 2010 Reg (09 Orange model)

[inline4]

Oval Motorcycle Centre should be ok from a distance point of view.

I had my Michelin Pilot Road 3 fitted there and although I wasn't planning on buying tyres from them initially, I eventually bought the tyres from them because they matched the price that I was getting online.

[RhynoCZ]

The internet!
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'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[Dave-the-rave]

If Clapham Junction is doable I'd recommend Russell Motors.

https://www.russellmotors.co.uk/

[Pete.]

I've only ever had good service from FWR and that's going back to 2003. Their fitter even spotted that my 'busa was missing it's recall for the cam chain tensioner. If I needed a tyre in S. London that's the first place I would consider.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[SuperMike]

Another shout for Watling tyres in Lewisham. They've patched my rear tyre 3 times in the past year for nails etc and just brought a new rear off them last week. I think like you say the prices are all about the same wherever you go (Other than main dealers), but you want recommendations that the work is solid? I can definitely vouch for them - good bunch of chaps.

[6r4h4m]

I used FWR on recommendation from my instructor. I don't know much about tyres but they did what seemed to me to be the right things, i.e. offered me a choice of tyre, explained the differences, fitted, told me to take it easy for the first however many miles (insert an actual number of miles, which they said but I've long since forgotten!). I'll go there again anyway.

[BillyJ]

I get my tyres from here https://www.oponeo.co.uk/ and then straight to FWR to get them fitted.

Oponeo also have mixed reviews, but I've bought 3 pairs from them so far and every pair has arrived quickly and have been manufactured in the last 10 months.

And regarding ChasBikes, half of the people who work there are top knobs but the rest are really knowledgable and decent, Chas himself is also pretty on it and really knows his stuff about older bikes especially.
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"The aryan confuser"

[Londoner2015]

Thank you all. FWR it is, then.

[sickpup]

[natefz6]

I have used Chasbikes, FWR and Russel Motors. Despite the negative reviews for FWR and Chasbike I have not had a problem with either of them. They have always fitted me in at short notice and not ripped a whole in my wallet

Russel motors don't carry much stock for modern bikes in my experience but were always really nice and always got my bikes MOT'ed there. If you are getting the parts online then no problem.
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"no I didn't steal it that's just the way I ride"

[Londoner2015]

In the end I decided to go to FWR. About £ 15 for fitting and disposal, vs £ 100 BMW would have charged. The guy was kind and seemed professional. I watched him tell the punter before me on a GSXR 750: "I'd love to take your money, but you don't need to change these tyres just yet".

I decided to get the Metzler Roadtec 01 instead of the Michelin Pilot Road 4. The price was basically the same, but the owner recommended the 01 for commuting saying they have better grip when cold, and showed me he had just installed those on his commuter bike. Of course he could have been bulls***ting me and that may have not been his bike, but, since the price was the same and he had both in stock I figured he had no incentive to be dishonest in his recommendation.

I am of course behaving myself on the new tyres!

[Amber Phoenix]

Been to FWR many times. Generally very good and have a fast turn around, they will often get a tyre changed in my lunch break before I've had chance to eat some chips from round corner!

One time I had a bit of faff when my speedo stopped working following a tyre change. Turned out speedo thingy had broken and they'd bodged it in a manner that usually works. But as they had failed to mentioned anything to me, what was I supposed to think when I had no working speedo later that day?! It was only a £15 part so, although a bit pissed at the time, I wasn't put off too much. TBH this is the only bad thing in the dozens of times I've been there.
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[madnlooney]

[hellkat]

I like Russell Motors as well, they are very helpful in there, although might you have to check they have your tyre in first, as they are quite a small shop. I like their personal service.

Chasbikes is alright, so is Watlings.
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