Riders Motorcycle Accessories - Poor Service, Scratches Wheels

mrdap · 04-11-2008, 5:44 PM

Riders Motorcycle Accessories
1823 New London Turnpike
West Warwick, RI 02893

This shop cannot change a tire with out scratching the wheel.

Poor customer service. After scratching the rim in two places on a routine tire change, the owner, Frank Rider made a half hearted attempt to fix the problem, then refused to remount the tire, for fear he would scratch it again.

I walked into his shop with a new wheel and a new tire.

I end up with a half A%%ed powdercoated wheel that looks nothing like the original and the unmounted tire in hand.

ArmyStrong · 04-11-2008, 7:56 PM

Maybe should've posted in the back room. Bad service ALWAYS sucks! I was in Warwick last weekend but didn't get a chance to get around...he refused to remount the tire?!?

mrdap · 04-11-2008, 9:58 PM

Why post in the back room? This is the forum for Vendor / Dealer / Seller Reviews. Good reviews and bad reviews. This is a bad review.

Yes, as I stated, he refused to mount the tire for fear of scratching it again.

flblackbird · 04-11-2008, 10:39 PM

Sorry to hear this mr.
That's why I take in my rims, pre-scratched

Pacman · 10-02-2008, 11:38 AM

Harbor Freight tire changer $45 on sale.
Can't remember brand MC Tire Iron, $90

Changing your own tires from SW Mototires onto UNscratched rims..... PRICELESS!!

mrdap · 10-02-2008, 12:06 PM

Thanks for that tip!

DAP

TigreST · 10-02-2008, 12:30 PM

RE: Harbor Freight Tire Changer. Here's a link to the CBR-1000RR/Repsol site I visit. The topic of the H.F. tire changer came up there this week also. Scroll down to some video coverage of the changer in use which also includes a few tips on "how not to scratch your wheels" during a tire change, and a couple mods to the tools needed. While your at the YouTube site also take note of the other video's grouped with this one. I viewed a series of three video's that show a sport bike/racer guy doing manual tire changes with nothing more then the standard motorcycle tire irons and a set of plastic rim protector cards. Very slick. He also goes into doing your own tire balancing with nothing more then a pair of roller bearings set to a rod which the wheel is suspended on. I use a similar device for balancing model aircraft propellers. I'm due for a tire change on my RR and like you guys I'm nervous as hell about getting the orange paint damaged by the local shops...albeit, I do like to support them when I can. I may try the tire change myself (and do my own damage) rather then trust them to someone else. Saving $60.00 to $100.00 for a mount and balance job might also be worth my efforts. Anyway here's the link:

Harbor freight wheel changer - Repsol Forum

Here's the Youtube links to the manual tire changing class:

Tire removal:

YouTube - SCUDMAN How to remove a motorcycle tire

Tire install:

YouTube - SCUDMAN How to install a motorcycle tire

Home grown balancer is here:

YouTube - SCUDMAN Balancing

Tony

Strek · 10-02-2008, 1:50 PM

SOmeone should share this information with the dealer that did mrdap wrong. Maybe then they won't screw up someone elses bike.

TigreST · 10-02-2008, 1:56 PM

One of the things that Scudman does not really get into in the manual tire change is the act of breaking the beads down on the wheel/tire interface. This can be a bit of pain in the ass if the proper tools are not available. I've used a large C-clamp in the past. Having something with leverage available to put a load on the tire bead would speed the process for sure. I've seen those ATV tire bead breakers, which are a very portable and simple lever device,..but I'm not sure it would work on a street bike tire/wheel combo...but maybe it would. Habor Frieght got anything like that I wonder?

Tony

mrdap · 10-03-2008, 12:10 AM

Thanks guys. Lots of really good info there. I'm in the middle of moving right now. As soon as I'm done and get set up, I'm gunna git on o' those.

DAP

SilverBrd · 10-03-2008, 12:33 AM

Go get you some touch up paint too. Scratches are inevitable no matter what and it just really hurts when you get your first one.

Catenaccio · 10-03-2008, 12:55 AM

As a reformed tire change technician, I can categorically state patience pays off especially when coupled with a little common sense and training. Sounds like a neophyte was let loose on your rim.

TigreST · 10-03-2008, 8:46 AM

As my XX was a used bike purchase it came with more then a few surface scratches in both wheels. A touch up paint medium was required to at least hide the effects of previous tire changes and the resulting damage. I found that black permanent ink felt tip magic marker to be both a quick and easy to control medium to do touch up to the rims with. The advantage with the marker is it's ease of control, extremely quick drying (almost instant drying) and the fact that it goes on extremely thin (I don't like touch up paint bumps and lumps on the wheels) and yet covers well enough to convince the eye that there's no mark on the rim. All you really need is to reduce the color difference between the black wheel paint and the silver of the alum wheel material. I clean the wheels every time I put the polishing cloth to the paint work as I like a clean machine to ride. This will remove the marker over time but re-application is a snap. For those that have anodized hose and brake line fittings you can also use this marker technique to touch up your AN fitting red and blue color Aeroquipe hose ends and such. Magic markers colors are rather translucent and do not a bad job of touch up on these types of fittings.

Tony

sv61 · 10-03-2008, 12:23 PM

I do my own tire changin, and will tell you this:

Getting a scratch on the edge of your rim is really not that hard to do. I am no pro, though you would think that I am with as many wheels/tires as me and my buddies have done. We STILL occasionally scratch a rim.

The fix? Well, the easiest thing to do, is to polish a portion of your wheel, where there is no paint to scratch!!!!!! Second to that, is to keep a jar of touch up paint handy.

Obviously, NOT scratching the rim is an option. Using special tool covers o the edge of the bead breaking or tire spoons can help greatly. Doesn't ALWAYS work though.

Just my .02 worth.

Also, the tire you select CAN impact this. If the tire has a hard sidewall (A Z-6 for example), it can make the install more difficult, as opposed to a Michelin Pilot Road 2CT, which has a much softer sidewall.