Bad tyre fitters

hello guys, copy of complaint I just made to national tyres

Dear Sir/Madam.

I have recently had the misfortune to use national tyres for a motorcycle tyre. I purchased a Bridgestone 110/80/18 exedra front tyre for my Honda ST1100 pan European.

This was ordered on line on the 30th of May. I was told it would be in the branch (paisley road west glasgow) on the 3rd of June. I drove 70 miles from my home (I live in a very rural area) to this branch. I was told it wasnt in. The reason being. No one ordered it as they had forgot.

I drove home and complained to an area manager who gave me a further discount and said it would be in the next day 4th of June. I drove back the 70 miles and removed my front wheel and had my tyre fitted and balanced by the fitters at this branch. I then left for home. I discovered on my 70 mile run home that my wheel is out of balance.

I called the area manager, I was told they would re do the balance. Bring it in. Before I took the bike in I decided to check that nothing on the bike was causing the problem first. (I am a qualified motorcycle mechanic who worked for team Honda) I stripped of the front wheel again and examined the brakes/forks/wheel/bearings/etc and as I suspected there was nothing wrong with the bike.

I drove the bike back 70 miles and removed the front wheel again. (the pattern is emerging now) and it was re balanced by two fitters this time and this is what they said.(please read with a glasgow accent) ” Ye see mate there wisnae anythin rang wi it. It wis awright, so we dun this tae see if its any better. We took awe the weights (25grams) aff again and pit them oan the ither side and added mare (now upt 40 grams) and its still aweright.” They informed me it may be a slight buckle in my wheel and when I said it didnt vibrate with the old knackered tyre I was told the tyre would wear itself into the wheel… Baffled???… Me also.

Anyway off I went with the bike just glad to be on my way as I use my bike everyday (Idont own a car) and had spent enough time in national tyres and didnt want to be waffled at with a lot of crap. So on my 70 mile retrun journey home I discovered its still not properly balanced. I gave it all weekend to bed in to my buckled wheel (LOL) and its still not balanced.

I have now been to a motorcycle specialist just to confirm what I thought. The yellow balance dot on the side of the tyre that is suposed to line up as near to the tyre valve as possible is at the opposite side of the wheel. This is where the balance weights are having to be added. Because the tyre is basically on upside down. I have called the customer services yesterday afternoon the 9th June and was told they would call me back.

Its now noon on the 10th June. 10 days since my original order was messed up. 6 days on a dangerous improperly fitted tyre that your specialist fitters say is okay. If there is a crash and it turns out to be due to this I will sue.

To fix this problem isnt hard. first of all I only have to drive 70 miles to the tyre centre. Then I only have to take my wheel off, again. Then we need a competant tyre fitter to fit the tyre according to the training given (was training given?) and balance it correctly.

Do you know of anywhere that is capable of this task or do I go to a motorcycle shop and get it done as you cant. I feel I should also go to the motorcycle press as this is a bit outrageous considering the possibilities/dangers of a badly fitted tyre to large cross continent touring motorcycle. I await a solution.

Yours M Rodden.