Captain StripleR: Maybe so, but they're the exception, rather than the norm.
Depends on their liability insurance, for example I got a rear puncture in the IOM years ago and the only place on thhe Island that had a replacement Bridgstone was ATS, and they would onlyfit to a loose wheel becuase the chap said their liability insurance did not cover them to re-move and re-fit bike wheels. He was pretty good though, cos I managed to get the bike there in a mates van and then they lent me a rear paddock stand and tools to remove and fit the wheel myself, including a torque wrench.
Exactly what a mate of mine who used to work for Tyrespots says, they will supply the equipment to you to remove the wheels but won't do the work themselves because of liability insurance. Did a bit of checking around and there isnt a single dedicated motorcycle tyre supplier/fitter in the Newcastle area. Dealer wise, M&S at Westgate Rd,Newcastle (they sell new bikes aswell, Kawasaki,Ducati,, KTM, Suzuki to name a few), just down from Hunters, quoted £238 for sportsmarts, £8 each wheel fitted (£16 pair) or £40 ride in, so that is £278 fully fitted. Not a bad price imo Pretty fair price I would say. A lot less than BMW charge
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Just looked at my local place's website, prices have gone up yet again. Sportsmarts are £244 now (fitted to loose wheels). f!$%ing ridiculous. The amount tyres have gone up in the last couple of years is really taking the piss
I'm lucky I have Wheelhouse Tyres which at Coleshill isn't too far from me.
I've generally taken loose wheels in but when I had a pair fitted to the Tiger before my trip last year it was quicker and easier for me to take the bike in and it seems that more customers do that than take loose wheels in.
They have been going for years and are very competent and careful with customers bikes.
Captain StripleR: Just looked at my local place's website, prices have gone up yet again. Sportsmarts are £244 now (fitted to loose wheels). f!$%ing ridiculous. The amount tyres have gone up in the last couple of years is really taking the piss
I certainly agree there, two years ago decent sticky tyres were around £160 fitted (Racetecs,Diablo Corsa) but I,ve just paid £210 fitted for a pair of Bridgestone BT016's on my Speed Triple. I'm only getting around 2000mls out of a rear aswell so it is a major financial factor to consider in running a bike tbh. And I don't ride my bike to the max, or wheelie everwhere, just a bit fun round the twisties. God help me if I did a trackday on it, I think I'd kill the back tyre in three sessions
Yeah, summer 2010 I paid £155 for a pair of Avons (VP1 front and Storm II rear). Summer 2011 it was £192 for the same tyres Nearly £250 for a set of tyres is just ridiculous, and the main reason I stuck with a sport touring rear.
I wouldn't get 10000 miles from a tyre on any bike, and last time I looked a pair of sport touring tyres costs the same whether you put them on a Tiger, a Street Triple or a GSXR.
The joys of owning a Trailie where you get 10000 miles or more from a pair at around £170.00 a pair. 11500 on the 04 955i and still plenty of tread left. Where did I mention they were Sport Touring tyres?
Herr Fretmeister von GS: The joys of owning a Trailie where you get 10000 miles or more from a pair at around £170.00 a pair. 11500 on the 04 955i and still plenty of tread left. Where did I mention they were Sport Touring tyres?
That's good mileage . I used to get around 3-4k miles on sportsbikes but the Speed Triple seems a bit harsh on tyres. The only thing i can put it down to is the extra torque of the triple engine
The 1050 Tiger did 7500 on a Pilot Road, the front around 10-11K miles. Even the 1200 Trophy did 7500 on it's OEM tyre, which was 10 years ago now, and that stomps out torque big time. Most of that mileage was done 2 up, loaded.. The tyre on my Super III was f!$%ed after 2000 though, as that was a very early sports tyre with very little tread to start off with.
Yeah, it's starting to warm up a bit, probably about end of March for me. Still need to check valve clearances, oil and filter change, and finish paintwork. My tyres need scrubbing in aswell
Mostly succesful - sheared one of the bolts holding the oil cooler/radiator mounting bar to the frame on the RHS - will need to drill it out, and only had one piece left over after I put it all back together again: https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hph...
Anyone recognise it?
Also having a few computer troubles - not able to load up new tunes with Tuneboy, keeps crashing halfway through, and can't see how to turn off the O2 sensor in the ECU since it's now not attached.
looks like an insert from inside the rubber thing where the belly pan bolts on?or somewhere like that! i lost one putting my t595 back together the other day so if i pm my addy could you send it to me?
I can do it, but don't like all the hassle of mucking around with shims and taking cams out. So oil change needed and wouldn't mind a low boy exhaust to replace my TORS ( TORS are heavy buggers but do sound nice though).
Went for a little ride while it was in the 50's. Chased a 300ZX a little. He sure didn't want me to catch up with him and I sure didn't want to get a ticket so I let him go.
very nearly lost it on a roundabout 1 mile from home.
back end slid revs went up outside foot came off the peg and i was thinking that i really cant afford the injuries associated with a highside.
fortunately it stayed right way up.
i think i will leave it for a month or so before i go out again
Lol reminds me of the time I got my Bandit completely sideways then wildly fishtailing coming off a wet roundabout near Scropton a few years back. Custardracer was just behind me, when we got back to the Forresters he said "I couldn't tell if you were showing off or crashing" lol. God knows how I stayed on and kept it upright, just blind luck. Funny though.
Captain StripleR: Maybe so, but they're the exception, rather than the norm.
Depends on their liability insurance, for example I got a rear puncture in the IOM years ago and the only place on thhe Island that had a replacement Bridgstone was ATS, and they would onlyfit to a loose wheel becuase the chap said their liability insurance did not cover them to re-move and re-fit bike wheels. He was pretty good though, cos I managed to get the bike there in a mates van and then they lent me a rear paddock stand and tools to remove and fit the wheel myself, including a torque wrench.
Exactly what a mate of mine who used to work for Tyrespots says, they will supply the equipment to you to remove the wheels but won't do the work themselves because of liability insurance. Did a bit of checking around and there isnt a single dedicated motorcycle tyre supplier/fitter in the Newcastle area. Dealer wise, M&S at Westgate Rd,Newcastle (they sell new bikes aswell, Kawasaki,Ducati,, KTM, Suzuki to name a few), just down from Hunters, quoted £238 for sportsmarts, £8 each wheel fitted (£16 pair) or £40 ride in, so that is £278 fully fitted. Not a bad price imo Pretty fair price I would say. A lot less than BMW charge
I went to National tyres with my car once. They forgot to tighten my wheel nuts, I drove 80 miles down the motorway with all 8 wheel nuts on my front wheels just finger tight. I figured they hadn't balanced the wheels right, was a bit sobering when I stopped and realised what was actually causing the vibration
I don't like the small cowls, they expose too much that's not meant to be seen and not pretty. I nearly bought a set pf new shape headlights this week, but someone else bought them first and made the decision for me.
Got home and was a drenched to the bone 
) 
