New tire question

This may seem like a stupid question to some but I'm asking it anyway since I've never done this before. I'm getting some new tires for my '82 XJ650 Maxim and don't really want to deal with mounting and balancing them myself. I'm going to remove the wheels and take them to a motorcycle shop for that. I'm just wondering if there's anything I need to know. Such as, I'm assuming that I'll need to remove the brake shoes and cover from the rear wheel so they don't fall out at the shop. Anything else I need to know?

Thanks,
Stacy

 

many shops will not mount tires that they did not sell you (online tires). make sure they match the red dot with the valve stem, less wheel weights.
if you are going with new valve stems make sure you get them or they have them in stock.
and mark the rotation on the rim for them.if your doing new wheel bearings put them in first

this is also the time to clean and grease the speedo setup on reinstall

Seized Speedometer Drive Unit

 

I've already checked with them and they are fine with mounting tires that I bring. As far as marking the rotation, the original tires will still be on the rims when I bring them in. Is that enough for them or should I also mark the rims? If I should mark them, what's the best way to do that? Thanks.

 

The original tires should be enough, but I have used a scribe to scratch an arrow in an inconspicuous location in the past.

 

I'be always changed my own tires and never found the valve stem to be the heavy spot on a rim.
But if a shop is doing it, I guess it's close enough

 

One other tip, new tires have release agent from the molding process. Drive carefully till the release agent is warn off.

 

Thanks for the tips everybody.

 

Did the same with both front and rear tires, local shop mounted them both. They wanted to sell them to me, but this shop, fairly large, could not come close to internet prices. They told me the price I was getting off the internet was basically their price.

 

yup and when I picked up my tires one was mounted backwards, grease pen, tape, mark it

 

thats where they buy the tires from too.
I got mine from a west coast company and the tires were drop shiped from a company on the east coast 3 day delivery was expecting a week

 

I'll mark them just to be safe. Thanks.

 

Had a similar experience. One shop would not mount unless purchased from them. I found one that would. Purchased both front and back from revzilla.com. Speedy delivery to NY, but then again I think the warehouse was in New Jersey.

Old tires were still on when I brought the rims to the shop (mounting was $50 bucks each). I also had them give me a price for the same exact tire if indeed I wanted to purchase from them next time. It was nearly double... and the mounting was not included in that price.

Honestly, I don't have a problem paying a bit more for great service, but double? That's just crazy.

 

I believe there are two reasons some shops won't mount tires they haven't sold:

1) loss of profit from sale
2) liability/warranty - if there is a problem, is it the tires fault? The mounter's fault? What if someone is hurt?

In the US, with litigation at an all time high, I can understand #2. I wish it wasn't so.

 

I agree. I took three sets of wheels in last year to a local shop, bought one set of tires through them. It was a little higher than online but figured I'd throw them a little business because they were accommodating.

Most shops I've called around here will mount self sourced tires.

 

I finally got my new tires in, mounted and balanced. I got Dunlop D404's. As far as the tire pressure, should I follow the factory service manual tire pressures or does Dunlop want these tires to be run at different pressures from that?

 

Recommended air pressure is always for the bike and rider/cargo combination. The rating on the sidewall of a tire is the maximum safe air pressure, not a reccomendation for the appropriate air pressure. The service manual specifications are a good guideline.

 

I always run whatever the car/truck/manual reccomends. I figure the manufacturer knows what they were doing when they came up with the number and the sidewall number is max pressure.

 

Sorry to hijack this thread but do people mount their own tubeless tyres ? My FZ750 front went flat over winter and revealed some significant perishing on the walls.
Time for new methinks..

 

I do, if you want it done right do it yourself.
Do you think the tire guy at the dealer changes tires because he's the sharpest knife in the drawer

 

I mounted mine myself. Orient the red circle on the sidewall of the tire with the valve stem.