Upgrade to enjoy this feature!
Vital MX fantasy is free to play, but Premium users receive great benefits. Premium benefits include:
- View and download rider stats
- Pick trends
- Create a private league
- And more!
Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
I pinched a lot of tubes when I was first learning. Probably 8+. Was getting laughed at by friends telling me to take it to a shop, but I never gave up. Now I can do tires no sweat and can't remember when I pinched a tube last and I use the thinnest tubes I can find too.
The same guys that laughed at me get butthurt when they get a flat and im the only one at the track they know that can help them. I charged them double the cost for my spare tube and i told each one, "sure, i can do it when im done riding". Not so funny now eh?
Its a fantastic skill to have, and revenge is a dish best served cold lmao.
I posted on this before back in the fall. I swapped tires a while back on a new Honda R. 23 Honda r’s come with a skinny back tire. I swapped the front also, to the brand I like. I think with tax, extra charge cause I paid with a credit card it was just south of a buck twenty. If I recall correctly. I was a few bucks short on cash and had to use credit card. I think the lady hit me for 5 or 10 percent to use a card. I think they reused my tubes, the bike was new. If I recall they quoted me 30 or 35 a tire but when the lady that ran the shop rang me up price changed drastically. I won’t go back but they didn’t scratch my black rims. Next tire swap I’ll do it myself. Unless I can get tires from a dealer at a reasonable price and they mount them for a reasonable price. I checked the air pressure when I got home and both front and rear had over 20 PSI.
OK, even as a DIY guy, I would NOT look forward to desert tires on Mousses. That would definitely suck.
Hop on vital to bitch about what you paid to have a tire changed? What a fucking tool. Do it yourself next time crybaby.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Maybe rename your thread title to " I've been scammed! " You never know, someone here might change your tires for free...
You got a good price on that tire change.
This exactly Team Green. You CHOOSE to have the work done and pay for their time. It's amazing how little people here value moto mechanics, yet they would never work for what they think these guys should be paid.
Those are worth their weight in gold.
Man, not too long ago it was $10(free when we ran specials) to change a tire if you brought just the wheel and bought the tire from the shop where I worked. $15 if you brought your own tire and $30 if you brought the entire bike… Thank God I made $10 an hour to learn how to change tires in less than 10 minutes. No way in hell can I justify paying someone that much money for a tire change off the bike.
The shop I worked for sold tires for no more than $10 above our cost(usually only $5 above) because the owners were racers and had kids that raced so they did everything they could to help riders and racers out. They wanted to give the best customer service they could and the best pricing to bring people back! We outsold every other shop in the area because of it and it brought people in to spend money on other stuff while they waited for us to throw their new tire on. Problem now is that these shops are focusing on profit on each item sold, rather than customer service and return customers that equal more business…
Tire tamer if you struggle with the valve stem. I used them because the shop had them. Wasn’t necessary for me, but the tool was there so why not make life easier. If anyone struggles with the valve stem, highly highly recommend the tamer.
Changing your own tires with the right technique is fairly easy after some reps. Ive had friends pay me to change their tires. No longer do I have to deal with 4 hour tire changes. 1 hour with a break in there to swap front and rear tires. Might consider doing changes at races.
Tire soap has been the single thing that made my easier. Combined with Jay Clark videos. Its made tire changing my preferred maintenance job. Because honestly, fuck cleaning air filters.
This whole thread is GOLD and typical of a Vital post.
This is classic!
"Its made tire changing my preferred maintenance job. Because honestly, fuck cleaning air filters"
You’ve got to be prepared to pay their hourly rate.
The job might not take an hour, but their company policy might be that 1hr minimum labour charge.
it’s not unreasonable.
Tire soap ? I bought a gallon of Napa tire conditioner. Deluted it with water & poured it in a windex squirt bottle. I usually cracked the bottle, slippery stuff. But fun if you hv a chic along, just use the tire conditioner. I never heard of Jay Clark. But I learned a better way watching a Torque center tire guy at the races. They sold a lot of tires 60 bucks for a 756 , 752,773 Dunlop installed at the track in 98. I hv a new 756& 773, ha.
I stopped changing tires myself when I got my first bike with black rims. The shop doesn't leave a mark. Magic isn't cheap.
I worked at a shop from '99 to '05 and I did all areas (parts, sales, and service manager). That's what we charged back then to change one tire off of the bike. For $42.50 youre getting a hell of a deal! You could also invest that $42.50 into a set of tire irons and watch some videos on how to change a tire. Knowing how to change a tire will also change your life....
My dad used to tell me of when men were men he had a friend who leave the tire in the sun and change it in the afternoon by hand. I dont know if it's possible, probably more of a dig at me for struggling with the irons.
Another, slightly cheaper, option for people that struggle getting the stem in.
https://www.amazon.com/Tire-Valve-Stem-Fishing-Puller/dp/B01GT8FTRK/
Pit Row
Certain tires absolutely. Pirellis being one of, if not the easiest to do this with. The old Bridgestones would be next. Maxxis you won’t get very far though.
I changed tires between motos every race at places like Reddick ,Gatorback and other hard pack tracks. It's a huge advantage as the track changes from wet to blue groove and hard to win without doing it. Changing tires is simple with the right technique. I change so many of my and my friends tires that my wife surprised me with the Baja No Pinch Tool and wow that thing is like cheating and makes it a breeze. Raced for 30 years and never once paid to get a tire changed. Its part of the experience and actually really easy if you are doing it right.
I appreciate all the recommendations and links fellas. I'm going to pick up some tire irons and go at it myself next round.
What do you think would have been a fair price? I'm honestly curious.
To be honest it was in the nickel/dime of the price. At an even $40 I probably wouldn't have though much about it.
Keep in mind I take majority of my business to this dealership regarding my bikes. I buy their $28/qt of motorex oil. I bought my TC250 there at a higher price when I could have went to PCP and got it cheaper. I've purchased tires from them in the past, ETC.
I'm not against businesses making money but I'm also a customer who keeps them in business. All I ask is for a fair price and to not be charged that extra 2.50 just because.
Either way no worries, I've moved on. Looking forward to riding some sand tomorrow.
What I have found after being around this stuff my whole life is that there are riders that can watch every single instructional video out there and still fuck up what they are trying to do.
Amazing to see what some people screw up on such simple things. And mounting some of the current MX tires is not just a simple thing all of the time.
Thanks for the honest answer. Your feelings are your feelings, so they are obviously valid to you.
I have to admit that the difference between them being great to do business with and them being "crooks" is $2.50 seems pretty odd to me. Hell, that may just be the tax that they will have to pay for the service performed, even.
I hate the small wheels also. Worth $20 buck to have the guy at the track change.
At 42.50 that the shop charges is probably break even for them. Worked at a street bike dealership for 24 years. Most people were more interested in the job done right than the price. There is more than just changing the tires such as a quick look at the brakes, wheel bearing seals needing lubed or splines on an old airhead etc. Then there is the tire recycle fee and what ever else California charges these days that take office personal time resources.
I have one of these, they work awesome.
The 28 for a quart of oil and 14.99 for trans oil burns me. In 98 it was 1.99 we had it pretty good back then.
Post a reply to: Tire changing fees.... crooks!