Modern Vespa

Reifenwerk Heidenau All-season ...

I got charged $80 per tire and $95 in labor per tire.

Thanks,

Z

seems a little pricey--check out this site. i just purchased two new pirelli's for about the cost of one of yours.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/5/32/DV/Scooter-Tires.aspx

Yes, they are good tires. It sounds like you got absolutely raped on the install, though.

I paid $103 OTD for a rear tire change on my LX150, including the rubber.

Good tires, but sheesh......must have inflated them with gold.

That's fantastic to know...I had a feeling I was getting squeezed on the install.

I get the full hour charge on the rear tire, but I cannot imagine it took a full hour to install the front tire. Drop it off, tension the calipers, mount/install/balance, nut and tighten. 30 min max?

I'm kind of concerned b/c this place got fantastic reviews on Yelp! which is the reason I went there.

After this and some other stuff that went down I'm not so certain I'll be back. Seems impossible to find a great repair shop in SF.

I bought 2 Pirelli's for $26 each, and was charged $23 total to get them mounted....
Of course I took the wheels off myself....which is nice to know how....about 1/2 hour of work.....

That's unfortunate to hear... I guess the best thing you can do is go on Yelp and post your experiences honestly.

You didn't get hosed at all. You have to remember that dealerships make their money on parts, accessories and labour. Also, motorcycle mechanics, good ones, are hard to come by so they have to charge a lot for them. Minimum labour charges at 99% of of dealerships is 1 hour. Here in Canada I got charged 90 bucks for a rear tire install with a tire that is readily available in North America (not like the Heidenaus) and with labour at cost (I work at the dealership). Also, a good mechanic will remove the pipe to get at that wheel. It all takes more than 30 minutes. Believe me, I watched my mechanic do it and he has been a tech for 30 years.

Zteverhart,
I'm really sorry to read about this obviously deliberate install overcharge. I see it like this,if the shop that installed your tire "has" to charge this much to stay in business,well it's time to shut the doors.Somethings wrong here.

Tim

I found a local mc/scooter service shop that quoted me $50 for a Pirelli tire, $15 for the labor and $20 to pick-up and drop-off my scooter. The downside is that the tire won't be in until Tuesday so no riding until then.

That's because Heidenaus last twice as long as Pirellis, plus you're only paying for the labor once. They're great tires and I highly recommend the K66 for winter riding and the K61 for summer.

However, it sounds to me like you got raked over the coals. The tire price was kind of high to begin with, and on top of that, the labor they charged sounds excessive to me. I once changed tires for a living, although it can occasionally be a bitch, it ain't rocket science. You might want to call around to other shops in the area, just to see what they'd charge for comparison. Caveat emptor...

Just got a call from the shop owner in response to my Yelp! and Modern Vespa postings. He conducted some due diligence to compare his rates on labor for a tire change to that of shops in the Bay Area and found out that they are a little out of line with competitors. With that information in hand, he called me up to explain the details and told me I would be getting a $38 credit.

I think this is fantastic. Not just from a monetary perspective but from a good business perspective. Everyone needs to make money, but the way to make money is to have solid repeat business. The owner sealed the deal for me in such a way. Not many business owners will take the time to actually respond to customer feedback and take initiative. I think this shows amazing foresight and someone with longevity in mind.

The prices may still be a little out there but initiative on the part of the owner to repair relationships ensures lasting business.