or for those who spell in North America, tire (my sister has fond memories of Crappy Tire from her time in Canada).

Anyway......

www.motorradreifendirekt.ch
www.reifendirekt.ch

These sell online and deliver to an installation point.

www.pneu-rtr.ch - I can heartily recommend and I would consider pricing with them for the tyres too.

Thanks Lob, I was searching and found an earlier post on this and saw this web site.

However, what are thoughts on having another set of wheels (probly steel) to simply switch the lot over?
And does anyone know of a (non dealer) steel wheel shop in der Schweiz?

Cheers

I've used reiefendirekt before - good service - the tyres turned up on my doorstep very quickly.

I elected not to have a second set of wheels as well, due to the cost and storage issues. With tyres I can store them in my own attic then I am free to take them wherever I want to change them over.

They're just around the corner from my office, currently. I've found them pretty good. When I first ever went to get my tyres changed the garage next door to them wanted me to make an appointment for two days later. I just went to them and got it done in 10 mins whilst I waited. They also seem to be resonably priced on tires.

Gav

It makes changing from summer to winter tyres considably quicker and a bit cheaper. It also makes it feasible to do the change yourself. But obviously you need somewhere safe to store the unused set.

Gav

How much cheaper? I pay 80 for the tyre changeover - would it drop to say 50? That means it would be 30 francs less (but what if there is a storage charge? it would take quite a few years to pay off a set of second wheels in that case...

Disco wheels are 18" and I can't go under 17"!

But FWIW, a set of 255/60 R18 tyres, with or without wheels, will take some room.

I will look at wheels for winter/summer and probably source the lot somewhere in Ticino - I did not pay for storage down there

oh and I'll be looking for a deal close to season change for alloys + tyres for mine....I'll see what the cost-per-corner is.

RTR did the tyre change on my last bike; I was being asked 700 or so for a pair of tyres at the Honda shop.....400 the pair on reifendirekt and RTR fitted them for 70 the pair.

I think that swapping the wheels is typically something like 40CHF - and of course you could always jack the car up yourself and do it for free if you were inclined to get your hands dirty.

For storage, I leave them beside the wall in my underground garage parking space. They haven't been nicked yet, but if I had really expensive alloys or something it would be a concern.


Gav

I ordered a set of winter tyres complete with alloys from www.e-pneu.ch last year. Good service, great price, well packed and presented, fast delivery. Athough the wheel nuts were cheap shite, the salt did quick work of crappy crome finish these had.

The only thing is they did try a few "Dell" type tricks on the checkout page. Like 8.00chf per tyre for "Reifengas" was a pre-ticked option. Delete this and you have to make do with normal compressed air.

many many years ago, I stored my wheels in the Tiefgarage - with a long chain on them. Cars and wheels and other bits were stolen from down there.

I used to do wheel change for my ex. Ford Fiesta "Fashion" - about one hour manually. Sweat and corroded wheel nuts included.

It looks like I'll be back to Corona's place soon - about 1000km left on my front tyre

Hi

As you already now, time has come to swap the fast and furious summer tires with winter tires. I can not decide if it is really necessary to change the winter tires along with rims or just put new winter tires on my existing 17" rims?

There are offers for about 1700 CHF for 4 new winters tires including new rims (slightly smaller in diameter). But I can easily put on new shoes to my existing rims for just about 1000 CHF. Is there any benefit to change rims too?

You mean other than changing the complete wheels and tyres yourself twice a year, rather than paying a garage?

You might find a few things that are pro and con for you.

• you say you're running R17; R16 with higher profile will mean a softer ride for you
• having a second set of wheels as apposed to tyres as AbFab said means you can switch yourself
• storage is about the same for tyres or wheels. Weight is however different
• changing tyres repeatedly on the same [alloy] wheels could result in chips and marks on the alloys themselves (you most certainly are unlikely to have steel wheels, I'd say)

Any more for any more?

The price difference is 600 CHF. Having them changed in a garage would cost 120 CHF for all wheels per year.

120 francs - 60 x twice a year?
Does that include storage?

That's about what I pay. I don't store them with the garage, we just stick them in the basement storage of our apartment and drag them out when necessary.

I tried for the first few years with one set of rims but now I have 2 sets because.

1. I can change tyres when I please

2. With one set of rims you end up wanting to change tyres when half of Kanton Zürich has the same idea (when they forcast snow below 800 meters).

3. Storing tyres on rims or off takes the same amount of space or am I missing a trick of shrinking tyres, Tyres stacked off of rims tend to deform a bit.

4. Save the hastle of nocking of work early and rushing around before the garage closes.

5. In October/November all of us who need new winter tyres take our rims to the supplier together to get a bulk order discount (as cheap as rifen dirrect but fitted), the guy is happy because he fits the tyres when he has time and hes not rushing the ballancing or cleaning the rims etc better quality job.

DC

OK I still think Imight stick to my current pretty 17" rims but does anyone know what "Felgenschutz" is?

a wheel trim?

Something that protects the wheel itself. Possibly some sort of spray that they'd like to sell you as an add-on. Often they like to sell you special gas to go inside the tire to make it last longer, etc, etc.