Rear Tire Rotation Important?

[jchigbee]

Just drove 160 miles round trip to have a new Dunlop K491 elite II rear tire installed and balanced on my XS11's rear wheel. Was just about to reinstall tire and wheel when I noticed the tire has a directional arrow for tire rotation. Anyway with my luck, of course the yamaha dealer installed it backwards and dinged my wheel! Question is do I go ahead and install it or do I have to remove the tire and reinstall it correctly? Also the book calls for a 130/90-16, the tire only shows MT90B16 74H, no 130, is this tire even going to fit? Guess if you want something sone right , better do it yourself! Thanks in advance for the info, kinda would like to go for a teat ride today, but!

[Mike Hart]

YIKES! File this one in the 'never go to the dealer' dept.

Yes, direction of rotation is important. MC tread patterns are very different than auto tire treads.

MT90B16 74H is indeed the correct tire, guess they got something right.

Before you visit, you should talk to the svc mgr and owner and explain what has happened and that you expect them to make this right. Don't know what they're going to do about the dinged wheel, your travel time, etc..... man this stinks, I hate hearing these stories of the most basic incompetence from dealers....

and speaking of tire size, on the way home from CA I stopped to chat with Jason Raley in Tacoma, we're sitting at an outdoor table at a Starbuck's and an XS goes by with the rear tire almost looking like a whitewall cuz the guy has an oversize tire on it that has been rubbing the swingarm so much the cords are showing! Ignorance is bliss - for a while...

[jchigbee]

Thanks Mike, I really appreciate the info, again! I knew that was what the answer would be, but just had to double check. I will call the dealer and let them know. I do know a Honda Mechanic / Friend who works in same town. I will have him redo the tire for me correctly, should have done that to start with!

[Shuriken]

Well, my rear tire has been with "the dealer" for 2+ weeks now. What were they supposed to be doing with it? Fixing a flat.

I have called them time and time again. Why do I have so much patience with them - who knows. I called them yesterday and asked if it was ready and they said, "man, we've been trying to get ahold of you to ask you what side your speedometer drive goes on."

I'm sitting here thinking, what the !$#$! does that have to do with anything? Can't you just look at the tire and direction and tread before you start the job to make sure you get it on right?

The time and frustration and incompetence I've experienced with the local shops in my area will keep me doing all of the future jobs I can possibly do.

A shop that won't even sell me gas tank keys "because it's too much of a hassle" is pathetic.

XS11.com is the best shop I know of anyway.

Ben

[fusionking]

Lucky Town

In my town (Camdenton MO) we have a GREAT independant shop called "The Motorcycle Doctor" He was a yamaha sponsored road racer and is just plain crazy on 2 wheels. And whats even better is he is an ace wrench that only hires people who truely give a crap! Thats not to say I haven't heard stories but usually all you have to do is consider the source. P.S. it is also AMAZING how cheap this little shop can sell parts for!

[jchigbee]

Glad somebody knows of a good shop! Got ahold of my Honda mechanic friend, had a bike tire machine at his house and he remounted the tire correctly for me. Come to find out the Yamaha dealer service dept. did not even line up the balance mark with the valve stem and they did not even remove the existing wheel weight before they balanced it!!! Never had good luck with them since long ago, should have known nothing would have changed for the better with them! Would not bother ever going back, but they have a couple of the best parts dept. guys I have ever found. I definetly will not buy my next motorcycle from them, a good service dept. is my #1 priority when it comes to selecting where to purchase my bikes or cars for that matter. Well thanks for the input guys and hope you get your tire back soon! I could see someone putting a tire on backwards,but just not the dealer who sells the same brand of motorcycle!!

[Jeff]

I have yet needed to take my old XS into the local Yamaha shop. I've purchased a few parts from them like a new gear oil stick. I seriously doubt that I will EVER take my bike into them. Every time I've been in there..... I've seen and heard someone complaining about the shop doing more damage than fixing. Either that or they are compaining about having the bike back in again for the same exact problem that he was supposed to be fixed LAST time. The worst case was the shop actually charging for a repair that they never got around to doing. Apparently 2 mechanics worked on the bike. One did the disassembly but never got to the actual repair. The other mechanic came in and put it back together thinking the first had done the repair.

[jchigbee]

I hear you, when my brother first gave me the neglected XS11 I tried several times to get the carbs right, due to being very green at that time I had no luck. I gave up and took it to the local yamaha dealer, three times for that same problem and they had no luck either, I don't know what there excuse was! Like a mechanic / friend told me "It's what you don't know that is dangerous"!