Is it likely to be ridiculous to consider having a new set of tyres fitted by a Ducati dealer? I don’t mind pay a bit more for the confidence the job would be done right, chain adjusted correctly etc. I would object to paying a lot more. thoughts?
If my dealer is a model for other dealers across the UK, tyres are sourced through Ducati, not the open market. IME, I can buy a tyre fitted to a loose wheel, cheaper from my local tyre distributor for less than the dealer pays wholesale. The dealer’s hourly rate tends to be higher than a tyre fitter’s and you pay a fixed unit price for the fitting. Bottom line, a Ducati dealer is fighting an uphill battle to be competitive and profitable. I do not and have not for 20 years or more, ridden in for a tyre change. Taking a loose wheel in means I get the tyre cheaper and the wheel gets refitted to my standard. Andy
I'd never pay dealer prices to supply and fit a tyre. They'll only adjust the chain if you ask them to and charge extra. Take it to your local tyre shop or buy loose tyres and get them fitted for bigger saving.
It’s not the model. Manchester use a local tyre supplier/fitter literally across the road. They are more than happy for you to go there directly yourself but if, for example, they’ve collected your bike for service and it needs a new tyre then they’ll ride it over and get the tyre fitted, then pick it up when it’s done. They charge £10 over the tyre fitters cost for that. I don’t that’s extortionate in the circumstances.
I have always taken loose wheels, and had them fitted by a local garage. £10 per wheel. My mate gets his BMW supplied and fitted by the BMW dealer because he doesn't have the confidence to remove his wheels. He pays around £100 more than me, but is happy to do so.
Fortunate to have a business that close and have a working relationship. I have a suspicion though, fitting tyres is a god forsaken job, tyre carcass disposal is not cheap and why get a highly skilled technician who should be occupied on core tasks, messing about fitting a tyre. Some may see it as a money spinner, others see it as a right royal pain in the proverbial. Andy
Changing your rear tyre won’t affect the chain, assuming it’s already tensioned correctly. Remember to recalibrate your speedo after new tyres.
Tyre disposal for tyres that don't have wires in isn't expensive at all, I have to do it with tractor tyres, so no wires and it's free if you have enough, but wired tyres are expensive. Tyre fitting is a pretty skilled job, several aren't. Sign of a skilled, knowledgeable tyre fitter is where the dot on the tyre ends up, if it's not next to the valve, then they aren't any good, it saves having a lot of ugly wheel weights. HMT are near me, Mark is brilliant, he was the only one I trusted with carbon wheels.
I use FWR in south London, good prices for tyres and they remove and refit the wheels for a reasonable cost.
Last time I used an independent, Dave Smart, in Bo’ness to fit a new pair of tyres. I ordered the tyres and got them delivered to him then rolled up on the bike. He charged for fitting, I can’t remember exactly how much but do remember it seemed well worth it.
I was advised to carry out tyre calibration routinely. For the Panigale on track, I did it twice a day, before the first laps in the morning and again after lunch. Whilst others have had issues with the quick shifter, I never did. Now I have a nice shiny new V4 Pikes Peak, I’ll be running a calibration once a month and probably a bit more during the summer when my mileage is higher month to month. Overkill ? Probably but it becomes a routine, like checking tyre pressures and oil and coolant levels. Andy
Hell yes ! Many's the time I've tried to explain to idiot tyre-fitters WHY the manufacturer has bothered to paint a dot on the tyre ...... do they think that there was just an open tin of paint lying around , and it needed getting rid of ??
I hadn’t realised first time I changed my tyres and couldn’t work out why the quick shifter had stopped working. A quick google sorted it. As per @Android853sp I do mine every couple of months regardless.
Agree with the above, In my case I have found that the dealer only fits Ducati "approved tyres" usually Pirelli, although they will source others if asked but it costs more. I use GTC and they are great for both wheels off and on the bike, once they picked up a chafed Front brake line at a tyre change (on a 1260 - IRC) which was a factory recall for re-routing as I then found out.
Well I shopped around and the price quoted by Bournemouth Ducati fitted was close enough to make it a no brainer in my opinion. I probably could have saved a tenner but I’d be sat in some crappy waiting room, with grim coffee.
I always get the main dealer to do my tyres, even more so with the forged wheels on the V4PP, as I know that if they damage the wheels they’ll fix or replace them.
I've been fitting and balancing my own tyres for some years now, both for road and track bikes, simple enough to do with with good, relatively inexpensive equipment, with the mileage I seem to clock up the outlay has paid for itself many times over and without the inconvenience of taking loose wheels to a fitter, who would probably take less care of my wheels than I do. So far no damage caused to any wheels, including my carbon rims.
Fair play to those that change tyres themselves. I remember as a kid watching my Dad changing the tyres on his CBX1000 and then realising the rear was on backwards. I think the trauma scarred me!
