Shops will not switch out tires?

[Jeremy Mitchell]

My dealer isn't shy about the fact that they order from Drag Specialties when I asked about matching a price on Jake Wilson they said that it was no problem.  My next set of tires will be bought from my dealer since they understand that fair pricing will bring more customers through the door. 

[jjsC6]

I have a couple of questions...

"mounting a name brand tire does not add any liability to them"

You are technically correct, but, why would any business enter into a business arrangement that did add liability?  What it does is add "potential liability"...scratched wheel, lost bolt or nut, etc...and, while these are easily handled at the dealer level, the biggie - a catastrophic loss of air pressure while riding causing bodily injury...now becomes a potential that the shop must have insurance to cover...I mean, think about it...would a doctor, or nurse, inject you with medicine you bought elsewhere? 

So, in most cases, the dealership is faced with this challenge:  Who changes the tires?  And, how much do we pay them?  Does the seasoned mechanic with years of experience get the call because of his ability to do the job right without causing any damage or losing any parts in the process?  With twenty years of experience in the industry, and all his acquired knowledge, should he be pulled away from the technical repair that he is working on, and, I might add, that he is the only one in the shop capable of doing correctly?  And, if he is being paid a reasonable wage (commission), you need to understand that he will not make as much for changing a tire (50% commission for $70 per hour shop rate is more than 50% commission for a $40 tire change)...so, as his earnings go down, he will begin to look elsewhere for work...

Or, should the high school kid who rides a KX125 change the tire on your Concours 14 (or Goldwing!) when he comes in this afternoon?  The shop can afford to pay him $8 or $9 bucks an hour to do the job...right?

"you should know that they frequently buy their tires from the same places we can buy them from ourselves, but they get a dealer discount."

Actually, that is incorrect.  Most dealerships have accounts with distributors that DO NOT SELL TO THE PUBLIC!  Motorcycle Superstore is a competitor to your local franchised shop...they buy from the same places so they can sell to their customers...us!  The two biggest factors, however, are the size of their orders...most franchised shops rarely order $25,000 of tires at a time...while a large internet seller regularly might order $100,000 or more in tires on a single order...which one do you think gets better pricing?

"The only reason dealers don't want to install parts not bought there is because they are being dicks about the fact that they don't want to compete against internet businesses."

Don't forget about the less than fair laws regarding sales tax that penalize your local shops by collecting state and local sales taxes from them...but, not from the internet sellers...most shops just want a FAIR CHANCE at gaining your business...nuff said here?

"Like I said in an earlier post, they would do a whole lot better using a positive approach and asking you to work with them next time on buying the parts/accessories, and taking great care of you on the service end.  I've actually had more than one dealer take this approach, and because of it they scored big points with me."

I AGREE WITH YOU 100% ON THIS!!!!!

But...understand...it is a two way street...and WE have to meet somewhere towards the middle!

Times are changing the business climate.  It isn't a simple answer to a simple question.  And, they aren't new questions, either.  But, it is important to our sport, and our industry, to keep the conversation alive...

They are in the business of servicing motorcycles.  If they want to be in that business, they have to take the good with the not so good.  I'm in a business that I'm responsible for many millions of dollars of business with one very large customer.  We sell stuff every day at a loss, but overall we make a fair profit.  While the magnitude of working on a motorcycle is different, the comparison is the same.  How do they expect us to come in for an engine rebuild job when they have pissed us off by not mounting a tire.

I've already addressed the "meeting in the middle" issue.  I meet vendors in the middle all the time, but they have to act like they actually value my business somewhere along the way.

[CRocker]

OK...


OK...


OK...


That there is funny!  I don't care who you are!

[maxtog]

That there is funny!  I don't care who you are!

?

[CRocker]

?

Seriously...I guess it's just different businesses using and justifying different means to make a "fair profit"...

I thought it was pretty funny...

[Fretka]

Harbor Fright has balancers for cheap as well as chain breakers/stakers for the exorbitant price of $12.00 .

F.

[rcannon409]

I woudl have been willing to meet a dealer in the middle on my last set of tires.  However, they wanted 199.00 for the front tire plus 40.00 to mount and balance.  Thats with me doing the hard job of removing the rim from the bike and driving it in.  When were that far apart, I dont ask.

I went over to Rocky Mountain ATV and bought my tires.  They have a large building, with people working. Just like the local dealer, really.