Adventures in Tire Changing

rlfaubion · 02-01-2009, 11:21 AM

It all started in the midst of the winter. Redeye and Valdez decided to purchase and install tire-changing equipment for Their comrades and them. They were influenced to do so from some motorcycle show’s vendor making it look so EZ, and the idea of convenience, with some savings, and the satisfaction of doing their own maintenance.

They installed the tire changer, bought the necessary accessories, went to work, and changed two tires on Redeye’s Nomad over the weekend. They may have worked harder than they might normally have until they read the instructions through completely, but regardless, saved the $20.00 per tire it would have cost to outsource this tire change. At the end of the day, they analyzed their financial position against the effort put forth and here’s the break down.

Equipment Cost = $275.00
Harbor Freight Changer
Mojo Blocks and Bar
Mounting hardware

Labor factor = 1/3 of tire change income ($20 divided by 1/3) = $6.67

Tire changes required to break even, ($275 divided by $13.33) = 20.63 tire changes

Average miles between changes (rear 11,000 miles, front 16,000) = 13,500 miles

Miles required to recapture equipment investment (less labor) = 275,000 miles

Average miles ridden per year (your miles may vary) = 15,000 miles

Amortized years for return on investment (275K mi divided by 15K mi) = 18 years

Bottom Line:

Age of investors at time of $$$ recapture is Redeye 74, Valdez 79,
Two old guys making $3.33 an hour each,
The convenience of changing tires and riding the same day, while drinking beer in Ole Smokey’s garage (not OSHA approved)…….

PRICELESS!

paul · 02-01-2009, 12:10 PM

You guys are funnier n' a man tryin' to explain to his wife where he found the bra and why he's wearin' it!?

ROFLMAO

They say age brings wisdom. Is this true?? ???

cactusjack · 02-01-2009, 12:45 PM

Ron, I look at it this way...you can inspect things while the bike is apart that otherwise might not be noticed. Plus, you can clean and polish as you re-assemble, something a dealer isn't going to do for you. That adds value to the whole equation.

dogdoc · 02-01-2009, 04:15 PM

What Im wondering is why two old men are changing their own tires anyway? Funny post Ron. Im hiring mine done for sure. :-)

audiogooroo · 02-01-2009, 05:02 PM

Too funny Ron! :)
But honestly, how many of us do what we do with our scoots because it makes fiscal sense? Hmmmm?

Netnorske · 02-01-2009, 05:27 PM

This got me wondering what the price breakdown would be for me to ride to northern Cal for them to change my tires for me. Hhhhmmmmm..... ;)

**biscuitsngravy** · 02-01-2009, 10:26 PM

Ha Ha!! Well written!!
BnG

**schoeney** · 02-02-2009, 12:05 AM

Yeah..... but they will make it up in volume!

josh · 02-02-2009, 12:18 AM

Are you guys a traveling tire change service??

**jmorrow** · 02-02-2009, 03:36 AM

Who Pwayed the pwaino while Wan changed the tires ???

watchman · 02-02-2009, 11:49 AM

When I bought my tire changer and told all my friends about it I soon found out I had a lot more friends than I ever thought of. Started charging $20.00 and a case of beer to change a tire thinking that would stop the flow, but it actually increased. People started telling there friends about me. Found out a tire change and balance around here was $75.00 if you brought the tire in off the bike. I finially just had to start refusing to do it. I haven't bought any beer in the last 14 months. Changer paid for it's self the first summer.

bear · 02-02-2009, 04:09 PM

I asked my local dealer what the cost was for him to replace the tires on my bike. His reply, $100 dollars labor for the front and $150 labor for the rear (something about more pieces to take off to change the rear). Of course that didn't include the cost of new tires at $250! I promptly went to Sears, bought a bike jack for $150, took off the tires and had them swapped out at my local auto shop for twenty bucks total. By the way both new tires were $200 from an online tire discount site.

skeeter · 02-04-2009, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Netnorske

This got me wondering what the price breakdown would be for me to ride to northern Cal for them to change my tires for me. Hhhhmmmmm..... ;)

If it's anything like the first time around..... watching them do it....priceless

donoller · 02-05-2009, 02:05 PM

i bought two changers one harbor frieght, and one nomar paid for both the first summer the nomar is higher in price but does the best job without messing up the wheels.

redeye · 02-05-2009, 04:18 PM

Valdez bought the No-Mar blocks & breaker bar for the harbor freight tire changer.

Both worked as advertised, AFTER we read the COMPLETE instructions.

As they say, "experience is the best teacher."

02-01-2009, 11:21 AM	#1
rlfaubion Sr. Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,582	Adventures in Tire Changing It all started in the midst of the winter. Redeye and Valdez decided to purchase and install tire-changing equipment for Their comrades and them. They were influenced to do so from some motorcycle show’s vendor making it look so EZ, and the idea of convenience, with some savings, and the satisfaction of doing their own maintenance. They installed the tire changer, bought the necessary accessories, went to work, and changed two tires on Redeye’s Nomad over the weekend. They may have worked harder than they might normally have until they read the instructions through completely, but regardless, saved the $20.00 per tire it would have cost to outsource this tire change. At the end of the day, they analyzed their financial position against the effort put forth and here’s the break down. Equipment Cost = $275.00 Harbor Freight Changer Mojo Blocks and Bar Mounting hardware Labor factor = 1/3 of tire change income ($20 divided by 1/3) = $6.67 Tire changes required to break even, ($275 divided by $13.33) = 20.63 tire changes Average miles between changes (rear 11,000 miles, front 16,000) = 13,500 miles Miles required to recapture equipment investment (less labor) = 275,000 miles Average miles ridden per year (your miles may vary) = 15,000 miles Amortized years for return on investment (275K mi divided by 15K mi) = 18 years Bottom Line: Age of investors at time of $$$ recapture is Redeye 74, Valdez 79, Two old guys making $3.33 an hour each, The convenience of changing tires and riding the same day, while drinking beer in Ole Smokey’s garage (not OSHA approved)……. PRICELESS! Login or Register to Remove Ads
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02-01-2009, 12:10 PM	#2
paul Sr. Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: magnolia, tx Posts: 1,500	Adventures in Tire Changing You guys are funnier n' a man tryin' to explain to his wife where he found the bra and why he's wearin' it!? ROFLMAO They say age brings wisdom. Is this true?? ??? __________________ The beatings will stop when morale improves.
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02-01-2009, 12:45 PM	#3
cactusjack Mega-Contributor Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Where it doesn't snow...ever! Posts: 21,926	Adventures in Tire Changing Ron, I look at it this way...you can inspect things while the bike is apart that otherwise might not be noticed. Plus, you can clean and polish as you re-assemble, something a dealer isn't going to do for you. That adds value to the whole equation. __________________ Scott "Cactusjack" Hanks VBA #00105 H.O.G. #4250060 2011 H-D Ultra Limited 103ci :: 2011 HD Electra Glide Ultra Limited w/Stage 1 :: Rallies: Mesquite '08\|Custer '09\|Cortez '10\|Crescent City '11\|Kanab '12\|Antlers '12\|Estes Park '13\|Antlers '13\|Orofino '14\|The Dalles '17
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02-01-2009, 04:15 PM	#4
dogdoc Top Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 5,263	Adventures in Tire Changing What Im wondering is why two old men are changing their own tires anyway? Funny post Ron. Im hiring mine done for sure. :-)
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02-01-2009, 05:02 PM	#5
audiogooroo Sr. Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado/Las Vegas, NV Posts: 3,390	Adventures in Tire Changing Too funny Ron! :) But honestly, how many of us do what we do with our scoots because it makes fiscal sense? Hmmmm? __________________ Audiogooroo - Daryl Porter Colorado Springs, CO VBA #248 VROC #17261 1999 Grn/Grn Nomad Login or Register to Remove Ads
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02-01-2009, 05:27 PM	#6
Netnorske Top Contributor Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Everett, Washington Posts: 5,709	Adventures in Tire Changing This got me wondering what the price breakdown would be for me to ride to northern Cal for them to change my tires for me. Hhhhmmmmm..... ;) __________________ *Kris Olsen* VBA #0691 2017 HD Ultra Limited Low 2013 Victory Cross Country Tour 2012 1700 Vulcan Voyager 2008 1600 Vulcan Nomad 1997 Vulcan 800 Classic *"Growing old is mandatory,* *but growing up is optional"* Custer 2009\|Kalispell 2010\|Cortez 2010\|Crescent City 2011\|Kanab 2012\|Canmore 2012\|Estes Park 2013\|Orofino 2014\|Lake Tahoe 2015\|Red Lodge 2016
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02-01-2009, 10:26 PM	#7
biscuitsngravy Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Gowrie, IA Posts: 803	Adventures in Tire Changing Ha Ha!! Well written!! BnG __________________ Dave Mills AKA BiscuitsNGravy 2006 Vulcan Nomad "BiscuitsNGravy" Kawanow #150 Vietnam @ Jan67-Jan68 Retired USAF Patriot Guard Riders/American Legion #431
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02-02-2009, 12:05 AM	#8
schoeney Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NW Region Posts: 5,222	Adventures in Tire Changing Yeah..... but they will make it up in volume! __________________ VBA #659 2003 Nomad 1500 (Gone but never forgotten) 2005 Honda ST1300 - Sweet and still kickin 2006 Honda Goldwing - Best Boat in the Marina
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02-02-2009, 12:18 AM	#9
josh Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 221	Adventures in Tire Changing Are you guys a traveling tire change service??
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02-02-2009, 03:36 AM	#10
jmorrow Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Beech Grove, Arkansas Posts: 1,884	Adventures in Tire Changing Who Pwayed the pwaino while Wan changed the tires ??? __________________ Jim (Dooley) Morrow Stanford, Arkansas 2004 Kawasaki Nomad 1500 VBA #146
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02-02-2009, 11:49 AM	#11
watchman Sr. Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Macon, Missouri Posts: 1,175	Adventures in Tire Changing When I bought my tire changer and told all my friends about it I soon found out I had a lot more friends than I ever thought of. Started charging $20.00 and a case of beer to change a tire thinking that would stop the flow, but it actually increased. People started telling there friends about me. Found out a tire change and balance around here was $75.00 if you brought the tire in off the bike. I finially just had to start refusing to do it. I haven't bought any beer in the last 14 months. Changer paid for it's self the first summer.
	0

02-02-2009, 04:09 PM	#12
bear Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 322	Adventures in Tire Changing I asked my local dealer what the cost was for him to replace the tires on my bike. His reply, $100 dollars labor for the front and $150 labor for the rear (something about more pieces to take off to change the rear). Of course that didn't include the cost of new tires at $250! I promptly went to Sears, bought a bike jack for $150, took off the tires and had them swapped out at my local auto shop for twenty bucks total. By the way both new tires were $200 from an online tire discount site.
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02-05-2009, 02:05 PM	#14
donoller Advanced Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: jackson tn. Posts: 555	Adventures in Tire Changing i bought two changers one harbor frieght, and one nomar paid for both the first summer the nomar is higher in price but does the best job without messing up the wheels.
	0

02-05-2009, 04:18 PM	#15
redeye Advanced Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Rocklin California Posts: 777	Adventures in Tire Changing Valdez bought the No-Mar blocks & breaker bar for the harbor freight tire changer. Both worked as advertised, AFTER we read the COMPLETE instructions. As they say, "experience is the best teacher."
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