Having just changed all four tyres on my Renault Laguna yesterday,I was surprised to find that the tyres on the back were the original ones fitted from new.They were Pirelli P4000's and they had done 60195 miles and they were still not quite down to the wear bars.
Makes quite a change from the tyres on my Fazer 600.I usually get 4000 from a rear and they cost over £100 each and I have to remove the wheel.
Four Continental fitted,new valves,balanced,and rim sealed £220.
In comparison,quite a bargain !
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The rear tyre mileages you quote aren't unusual for a front wheel drive car. The problem this gives rise to, which has been discussed on these forums before, is that they exhibit symptoms of age rather than wear - e.g. cracking of tread & sidewalls due to rubber perishing. You don't say how old your Laguna is, but they were probably at the end of their safe life anyway.
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Spot on Mike,I was going to leave them a bit longer until the guy at the tyre shop pointed out exactly that.The rubber had started to perish all around the tyres,only very small cracks but obvious when you had a good look.
The car is a 97 by the way and it certainly feels better for the new tyres!
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Your Fazer has a top speed close on 140mph, Bernie. As well as being of a quality to cope with that, the tyres have to perform when the bike is banked far enough for your knee to touch down. That, coupled with much smaller production runs is the reason why bike tyres appear to be dearer than those for cars.
For a true comparison, you would have to see what a set of quality tyres for something like a very hot hatch would cost.
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I have to agree with you Tom.Tyres on quickish bikes are quite amazing really if you think of the punishment they take.I am certainly thankful for their grip when cranked over at speed.
I suppose if I thought about the pleasure I get from the bike and think about the role that the tyres play, then those tyres are a bargain too !
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Tom
"For a true comparison, you would have to see what a set of quality tyres for something like a very hot hatch would cost."
Qty 4 Pirelli P6000 205/55- R-16-91W - fits Golf GTi turbo - for under £250 at Micheldever Tyres incl balance, valve etc.
Not a very hot hatch, but a top speed pushing 140mph and a lot of rubber for the money.
I would like to know if the high price of bike tyres is for the reasons you give or simply because the market will bear it.
Marcus
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I think it's what they can do us for. If you can buy a pair in the States for half what we pay..........
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Marcus,
1. Micheldiver is very cheap - you won't get a deal like that everywhere.
2. Motorcycle tyres have very limited production runs compared to car tyres, simple economies of scale lower the price. A couple of quality push bike tyres can set you back 80 quid for the same reason.
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Tom,
You may be right - I simply don't know, but if I had to wager I would bet that there is a huge amount of profit in motorbike tyres.
The fact that quality push bike tyres are also very expensive isn't proof that they also are over-priced.
If Martin123 is correct about USA prices it might demonstrate that manufacturers will simply charge what the market will bear.
Perhaps I am getting too cynical!
Marcus
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Marcus,
You are probably right about the profit margin on bike tyres being greater than on car tyres. If you sell a thousand tyres, you can make a tenner profit on each and end up with a tidy sum. If you only sell fifty, your profit margin needs to be higher to make a worthwhile surplus.
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