OEM tires improved?

[JKMSPYDER]

CAR TIRE

Ron, I believe the reason that some dealers will mount a car tire is that they can charge for labor. Yes, they won't make money on selling a Kenda but if they were doing warranty work they wouldn't make any money on labor anyway. Charging their labor rate is better than getting nothing at all. Of the two dealers I mentioned in an earlier post, neither one have asked me to sign a waiver. I think dealers that refuse to mount a car tire are passing up business that would lead to more $$ for them versus turning the customer away!

 

[Fat Baxter]

Peteoz and JKMSPYDER immediately above have the gist of my complaint. I currently don't have the necessary jacks and stands to remove the wheels; on top of which I too have some minor physical issues that make such a task a literal pain.

As I see it, if I supply the tires, the dealer at least gets some money for his work; if I go elsewhere or do it myself, he gets zero. He also accrues some good will with his customers -- and I keep hearing that this is a desirable thing. What I also get out of it is the peace of mind knowing that it was done properly.

This is an incredibly minor thing for the dealers to do, but it would mean so much to the Spyder community.

BTW, I don't see this as "darksiding." Darksiding is mounting a car tire on a motorcycle rim; that's not what's happening here.

 

[BajaRon]

Peteoz and JKMSPYDER immediately above have the gist of my complaint. I currently don't have the necessary jacks and stands to remove the wheels; on top of which I too have some minor physical issues that make such a task a literal pain.

As I see it, if I supply the tires, the dealer at least gets some money for his work; if I go elsewhere or do it myself, he gets zero. He also accrues some good will with his customers -- and I keep hearing that this is a desirable thing. What I also get out of it is the peace of mind knowing that it was done properly.

This is an incredibly minor thing for the dealers to do, but it would mean so much to the Spyder community.

BTW, I don't see this as "darksiding." Darksiding is mounting a car tire on a motorcycle rim; that's not what's happening here.

I understand your position and your point. It makes sense even to some dealerships. The problem you are having is that it does not matter to many dealerships for reasons that make sense to them.

 

[UtahPete]

Peteoz and JKMSPYDER immediately above have the gist of my complaint. I currently don't have the necessary jacks and stands to remove the wheels; on top of which I too have some minor physical issues that make such a task a literal pain.

As I see it, if I supply the tires, the dealer at least gets some money for his work; if I go elsewhere or do it myself, he gets zero. He also accrues some good will with his customers -- and I keep hearing that this is a desirable thing. What I also get out of it is the peace of mind knowing that it was done properly.

This is an incredibly minor thing for the dealers to do, but it would mean so much to the Spyder community.

BTW, I don't see this as "darksiding." Darksiding is mounting a car tire on a motorcycle rim; that's not what's happening here.

My local dealer will mount non-OEM tires with a written waiver. You could ask your dealer about that (they do talk to each other about these issues).

 

[slick999]

Any tire manufactured after 2814 (28th week of 2014, at the end of the DOT string of numbers on the tire) is a harder compound than ones made before that date. The harder compound MAY give you longer life depending on how you ride. My first two tires, the soft compound lasted only around 7K while my first tire with the harder compound gave me over 11K. My second harder compound tire is approaching paws up at only 8.6K but that tire has 5,500+ miles of interstate travel at high speed. I'm just about finished researching a dealer not too far away that will install a car tire for me.

I have a later 2014,7500 on original Kenda and it doesn't even look half worn.At this rate it should make 15,000.

 

[Peteoz]

If a customer came in my store missing a safety shield that hangs off the back of their lawn mower deck, and wanted a tune up. The mower would leave with a new safety shield on the back of the mower deck. The customer will usually throw a fit about the $8 - $12 part, & ask to sign a waiver. I will tell him it is a safety issue, and it doesn't leave my store without it.

So you are effectively forcing your customer to buy a safety shield, whether they want it or not, JAS? I would have thought that would be opening yourself up to litigation every bit as much as having the customer sign a waiver, especially if you are the only dealer within 150miles and the customer simply can not afford to go elsewhere. Please don’t get me wrong. I would not dream of criticising you as you are running a store (unlike me) and are fully aware of the gotchas. I am just interested.

Pete

 

[UtahPete]

I will not allow any written waivers in my dealership. I learned in a business class I took way back in the day waivers will not hold up in court.

The courts will look at it like... As a professional in my field I know exactly why that safety shield is on the back of the mower deck, & I should have never have let a consumer sign a waiver that doesn't fully understand why it is there in the 1st place. So I would be deemed to some of the fault, simply because I know better as a trained professional, over the general consumer with lack of knowledge.

So I'm sure there are a lot of other dealerships out there that also see things as too big of a liability risk even with a waiver signed.

I give you kudos as a small businessman and I wish you well. But, that doesn't qualify you to give advice involving legal liability. Also, lawn mower salesman / mechanic is not a recognized profession in any state, that I know of. It may be a recognized trade, I don't know.

Legal liability varies state by state. In my state (Utah), signing a waiver is acknowledgment of personal responsibility and would protect a business that was providing a requested service in spite of the owner's misgivings about it.

 

[UtahPete]

Whatever... MY POINT IS NOT EVERY DEALERSHIP WILL TAKE THE RISK IN TODAYS SUE HAPPY WORLD

I never said they would. I just said mine does, and it doesn't hurt to ask their dealer if they will.

 

[UtahPete]

If you don't like it. Thats where you have the option to go somewhere else for your services.

I've got a funny feeling I wouldn't feel comfortable in your shop.

 

[Peteoz]

My local dealer will mount non-OEM tires with a written waiver. You could ask your dealer about that (they do talk to each other about these issues).

Already asked, Pete.......as Ron says above, the dealer won’t do it for reasons that make sense to them, which I understand, but it needs to be all about ME ! :thumbup:

Pete

 

[UtahPete]

Ron, I believe the reason that some dealers will mount a car tire is that they can charge for labor. Yes, they won't make money on selling a Kenda but if they were doing warranty work they wouldn't make any money on labor anyway. Charging their labor rate is better than getting nothing at all. Of the two dealers I mentioned in an earlier post, neither one have asked me to sign a waiver. I think dealers that refuse to mount a car tire are passing up business that would lead to more $$ for them versus turning the customer away!

Some dealers take the long view of developing loyal customers and some don't.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

HONDA...HARLEY TRIKES ....... WITH OEM CAR TIRES MOUNTED

I see one of the members has deleted all his posts on this topic. Maybe he realized that he was portraying his way of doing business was wrong. I hope so or he wont be in business long. Companies need to realize that the customer is number 1. Without the customer, you dont have a business. BRP and their dealers also need to understand this. If a car tire is as safe as the OEM tires, then allow them to be installed. Go buy a trike from Honda or Harley. Both have car tires on them. It seems, the bigger the company gets, the less they care about their customers and employees. I live it every day at the company I work for. If your dealer wont put a car tire on, try another dealer. If you cant find one, change the tire yourself if you can. Or buy OEM. Not sure what other choices you have.

Wow , this could be a game changer if it's true .......... Although the Honda trike isn't factory, so the makers of the Trike Kits can do what they want ......... BUT if HD is using auto tires on their factory trikes I'd like to know how they are doing it LEGALLY ....... since BRP claims their OEM tires MUST have Motorcycle tires ....... :dontknow: .......... this is just a question ....... Mike :thumbup:

 

[BajaRon]

Wow , this could be a game changer if it's true .......... Although the Honda trike isn't factory, so the makers of the Trike Kits can do what they want ......... BUT if HD is using auto tires on their factory trikes I'd like to know how they are doing it LEGALLY ....... since BRP claims their OEM tires MUST have Motorcycle tires ....... :dontknow: .......... this is just a question ....... Mike :thumbup:

I don't know all of the details. But the whole 'Motorcycle' thing is a dodge to get out from under DOT regulations. The more 'Car' like the vehicle is. The more it falls under more restrictive and expensive regulations.

 

[Bob Denman]

Mike,
Why not take a "field trip" to the local HD shop, and see what they're putting on the Tri-Glide and Free-Wheeler?

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

TRIKE TIRES

I don't know all of the details. But the whole 'Motorcycle' thing is a dodge to get out from under DOT regulations. The more 'Car' like the vehicle is. The more it falls under more restrictive and expensive regulations.

:agree: - Ron, the point of my post on this was to find out if it REALLY is mandatory that Trikes ...MUST have Mtc. tires on them ..... ours or any other maker .....HD is a big time motorcycle manufacturer ..... and they definitely would NOT be selling their Trikes unless it was legal to have MTC. stamped tires .... and this would dis-prove BRP's claim that their Kenda's are the only legal tire for our Spyders ........ Mike :thumbup:

 

[kngfsh27]

Car Tires

My '17 Harley TriGlide has Dunlop car tires on the rear. Came from the factory that way. When they wear out at around 40k to 50k miles, I can go back to Dunlops or put any other car tire on that I desire.

 

[BajaRon]

:agree: - Ron, the point of my post on this was to find out if it REALLY is mandatory that Trikes ...MUST have Mtc. tires on them ..... ours or any other maker .....HD is a big time motorcycle manufacturer ..... and they definitely would NOT be selling their Trikes unless it was legal to have MTC. stamped tires .... and this would dis-prove BRP's claim that their Kenda's are the only legal tire for our Spyders ........ Mike :thumbup:

Are you sure that the Kenda tire is a 'Legal' requirement? I doubt it. But I could be wrong. Most 'Legal' issues have a 'Meets or Exceeds' clause. And a car tire would certainly meet that criteria.

 

[Bob Denman]

...And just to muddy the water a bit: the Slingshot has Kenda "Motorcycle" tires on it... :dontknow:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

CAR TIRES

Are you sure that the Kenda tire is a 'Legal' requirement? I doubt it. But I could be wrong. Most 'Legal' issues have a 'Meets or Exceeds' clause. And a car tire would certainly meet that criteria.

As far as " LEGAL TIRES " are concerned...if there isn't a legal requirement ...then BRP is B.S. ing us about them being mandatory on Spyders .... Since BRP has been harping on this fact and some dealers refuse to mount car tires, frankly it pisses me off .....I've switched to car tires on all three Spyders I have owned since 09 .... and all I have ever heard from BRP is they ( mtc. tires ) are Mandatory on the Spyder ........ Mike :thumbup:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

CAR TIRES

....Joel, if it's a Canadian regulation . imho it wouldn't apply to veh's , mtc's sold in the US ....and where do you think most Spyders are sold - - - in the USA by about 30 to 1 ..... ( maybe that figure is low ) ......... just sayin ..... Mike :thumbup: