Scratched rims

**imdying** · 27th February 2007, 12:12

You've got a bike, less than a year old. Has only ever had the factory tyres on it. Rear wears out, you get the tyre changes. Rim comes back all scratched up, no care has apparently been shown. Shop is good, looks after you, nice guys. What do you do?

**bistard** · 27th February 2007, 12:14

Ring them & complain straight away,wouldnt even mention it on here!!

**onearmedbandit** · 27th February 2007, 12:57

Can't believe you even posted that here mate, knowing you as I do. Just ring him (you know who) and ask them nicely to sort it.

Man, I'm almost 100% sure this a wind-up.

**imdying** · 27th February 2007, 13:21

Not so much a wind up, just interested on what others have to say... I see some nice carbon fibre wheels, but I'm reluctant to drop a few k on them if they're going to get beaten up when I need tyres fitted.... these things are hella gorgeous, and I think I'd cry if a tyre iron raped them.

More than anything, I'm just tossing a few things around in my mind... I really like the service I get, and they're nice blokes... I'm considering having the edge of my rims (where rim tape would normally go) marblized to match my fairings (nice n cheap mod pre flash rims), in which case I'd strip the wheels back and semi polish them (sand of the rough cast finish and casting marks) before painting them anyway... if I go to that trouble, it's not worth the grief of having a moan now. Of course, it may have been a newb, someone on work experience etc that damaged my paint, in which case I'd be doing the owner a favour by having a quiet word in his ear.

Funny how many bikes get modified due to accidents/damage etc

**onearmedbandit** · 27th February 2007, 13:59

Regardless of what course of action you take with wheels, I'd still let them know what occured. Tell them what has happened so at least they are aware of it, rather than deciding next week to do something, then taking another week to actually get in there. You know their number, ring them.

**Shaun** · 27th February 2007, 14:14

Originally Posted by onearmedbandit

Regardless of what course of action you take with wheels, I'd still let them know what occured. Tell them what has happened so at least they are aware of it, rather than deciding next week to do something, then taking another week to actually get in there. You know their number, ring them.

As well as you will be doing other riders, and the staff member a favour by making them aware of this, so they can take more care in future

**Motu** · 27th February 2007, 14:17

Where do they get scratched? I've heard about this before but can't see how a rim can get scratched in a tyre change.The tyre machine clamps the rims externaly,and most motorcycle adapters these days are a plastic material where they touch the rim,and the tyre lifts off the rim from the outside too....so how does the rim get scratched?

A lot of motor vehicle components these days are designed to go together,no thought or atempt of thought goes into how they come apart if it is beyond the design life of the component....but tyres are designed to be changed.Show us some pictures....I want to see the damage.

**onearmedbandit** · 27th February 2007, 14:18

Further to this, unless things have changed there, the shop you talk of don't actually do tyre changes, they send them over the road (you know where) to do them. Still it's the original shops resonsibility.

**vifferman** · 27th February 2007, 14:22

I know how you feel, imdying. My bike had nice tidy wheels when I got it (unlike previous bikes I've had) and I was a bit disappointed when the rear got scratched during a tyre change. If I remember correctly, it may have partly been my fault, as I said I thought the wheel would come off without removing the zorst. Yeah, it did, but it was a tight fit, and I think the rear caliper scratched it a bit. Anyway, I decided not to say anything, as I wasn't sure how it got scratched. Probably the best idea, as I've since put more sundry scratches and marks on the bike than I've got during servicing.

I suspect most bike shops are under too much time pressure to take the time to be as careful as you can when doing your own work, especially if you're more familiar with your bike than they are.

In your case, if it pisses you off enough that it's still bothering you, have a quiet word to the owner. It's better than hanging on to the way you feel and doing nothing about it. So, let it go, or say/do something.

**Horney1** · 27th February 2007, 14:46

Originally Posted by imdying

You've got a bike, less than a year old. Has only ever had the factory tyres on it. Rear wears out, you get the tyre changes. Rim comes back all scratched up, no care has apparently been shown. Shop is good, looks after you, nice guys. What do you do?

Gidday imdying, If you're really fussy about that sort of stuff I'd probably take it back if I were you. It's a piss off I know. I've come to accept that if it's not their bike, they're never going to be 100% with it (same goes for mechanical work!)

Motu asked why should they scratch. I think a lot of it might be to do with the bead breaking part where the mechanism forces in close against the rim. I don't think I've seen any of them with any protective coverings. The other thing is that these tyre machines get shit loads of work so parts wear and probably in some cases a 2 or 3 mm clearance becomes a 0.00mm clearance. I guess they won't replace parts or alter procedures until enough people complain or it's costing them business. Unfortunately that doesn't fix your rims but a bit of care on their part might have avoided the problem in the first place.

Cheers

**imdying** · 27th February 2007, 15:12

Originally Posted by Motu

Where do they get scratched? I've heard about this before but can't see how a rim can get scratched in a tyre change.The tyre machine clamps the rims externaly,and most motorcycle adapters these days are a plastic material where they touch the rim,and the tyre lifts off the rim from the outside too....so how does the rim get scratched?

A lot of motor vehicle components these days are designed to go together,no thought or atempt of thought goes into how they come apart if it is beyond the design life of the component....but tyres are designed to be changed.Show us some pictures....I want to see the damage.

That's what I would've thought! I had always assumed that the mechanisms in place would've been pretty well matured by now, thus preventing damage.

I don't have a camera, but the scratches are along the rim, where the bead of the tyre sits inside.

Fraser, I know where my tyres were done, I organised it all myself because I particularly like going to this place.

This thread wasn't so much about what I should do I guess, I suppose I've made that up in my own mind (probably did as soon as I saw it), just interested to see what others would do, and if they just accepted this as part of owning a bike.

**onearmedbandit** · 27th February 2007, 16:13

No problem, thought you might had got it done when you had the service done, obviously not (especially after remembering the bill you showed me for the service!).

**Motu** · 27th February 2007, 16:32

Originally Posted by imdying

the scratches are along the rim, where the bead of the tyre sits inside.

So on the cosmetic part you see? Tyre machines also expand to the internal part of the rim - but it's very rare to use that function.Athough I was using that method a couple of weeks ago on a motorcycle tyre,but it was my own crappy wheel and I wasn't mounting the tyre,just a way of holding it while I was doing something else.

**98tls** · 27th February 2007, 17:39

Feel for ya mate........have had the same thing happen with my rims...funny you say about them trashing carbon rims you are thinking of buying.......i had an offer to buy these from a guy in the states that was to good to turn down and am having nightmares about tyre changing time............