Retired in Hua Hin.

Aug 13, 2007
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So I now have 10,000 km's on the stock Dunlops on my Versys and the rear tire is toast! Time to re-tire.

After searching around the GT-Rider site I have some ideas and pick up the phone to see what's available. Bummer... Not what I want to hear.

Spent some time driving around Hua Hin looking for a shop that could supply/install new tires and not very impressed. The guys at Pinter Bikes in Hua Hin didn't speak much English but took my details and were the only shop in town that called me back. "Me Pen Ha. My me Khap!" They did offer an alternative though which wasn't what I want so I declined. Oh well, at least they tried and did call me back. All of the shops I looked at didn't seem to have the capability to balance tires properly. At 10,000 BHT for a set of tires I want it done proper.

Back on the phone... This time to Show Pow. Khun Charlie offered alternate tires that were acceptable to me so I arranged to have them installed today. Up at 6am and on the bike heading for Bangkok at 7. At Show Pow a bit after 10am. Traffic sucked! The boys put the bike straight up on the stands and went to work. Great service and nice friendly people. An hour and a half later and back on the bike (the boys were quick but I spent some time talking to the owners). Big traffic on the way back and got myself a bit off track even with the GPS, Opps. Almost 500 km's later and back in Hua Hin at 4pm. 500 km and all day to change a set of tire? Am I crazy?

So my question to fellow board members is this: If I set up a proper big bike tire shop in Hua Hin/Cha Am would there be enough business to justify it? There are plenty of big bikes here but I haven't seen any shops that I would let touch my bike. I'm talking only tire service. Not general bike repairs. Proper equipment so your rims don't get damaged and electronic balancing. Thoughts?

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Dec 27, 2007
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Aren't there any B-Quick in Hua Hin or... damn, what's the name of the other big tire chain in Thailand?

I ask because while they don't sell mc tires they're all able to mount and balance mc wheels.

Next time save yourself the hassle of riding all the way to ShowPow. Charlie is happy to ship Pirelli tires to anywhere in Thailand, then you can just get them mounted locally.
 
Aug 13, 2007
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Yes they will ship anywhere. Problem is letting the "kids" install and balance them. No problem putting them on but none of the local shops seem to understand balancing a tire that's going 160 km/hr. This applies to car tires as well. They just don't care or understand.

There is now a Cockpit in Hua Hin. When I went and asked them one young very polite Thai told me "we don't do that" in perfect English.

What to do?
 
Dec 27, 2007
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Hua Hin;283762 wrote: Yes they will ship anywhere. Problem is letting the "kids" install and balance them. No problem putting them on but none of the local shops seem to understand balancing a tire that's going 160 km/hr. This applies to car tires as well. They just don't care or understand.

There is now a Cockpit in Hua Hin. When I went and asked them one young very polite Thai told me "we don't do that" in perfect English.

What to do?
AH yes, Cockpit, that's the other big tire chain here. All Cockpit and B-Quick tire shops have electronic wheel balancing machines and can certainly balance a motorcycle wheel. These wheel balancers don't care what kind of wheel you use- car or mc, makes no difference.
Motorcycle%20Clamp%20With%20Wheel.png


Not sure why they wouldn't do that for you. I've had friends get tires mounted and balanced in out-of-the-way places like Nan and Pitsanulok, so certainly you can get it done in Hua Hin. Money talks, and a little polite persuasion and a few bills ought to see you sorted. Certainly beats riding all the way to Bangkok for new tires.

Most little Thai scooter shops have manual wheel balancers that look something like this:
image_12894.jpg

I've been thinking of picking up something like this so that I can balance my wheels myself and save myself.

Here's a cool setup that works with an existing rearstand-
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KZ25

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Nov 19, 2011
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In the US where expensive equipment is found in almost every shop I've had lots of tires replaced but usually not balanced. If there wasn't a wobble before there wasn't any complaints after the tire change. Here in LOS I've never had a tire balanced, never had the feeling that I needed to.
Some mechanic once gave me the tip to align the small yellow stamp on the side of each tire with the valve stem. He said that stamp was put there automatically when the tire was produced. I always watch the mechanics here whenver they do even as little as an oil change and tell them to align the round yellow stamp with the space where the valve goes.
Never had a problem but then again I don't ride superbikes or heavy touring rigs at 200km/h. So if someone doesn't agree with this post I understand.
Having lived for 2 years in HH I couldn't tell you where to go for decent service - sorry, TIT!
 

George HuaHin

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Jul 25, 2011
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Hua Hin is a bike desert. you will need to go to BKK to get tires correctly mounted and balanced. The shops here say they can mount tires but I have strong doubts when I see the equipment.
All car shops say they cannot do anything.

I would appreciate a good shop in this area.
 

KZ25

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Nov 19, 2011
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This is a long shot, but you never know, give it a try: ride north out of town, appr. 5km from the center, to soi 6/1, it's on your left, across from Hin Sai Sowai disco.
There's a guy who deals mainly with car rims, installs new car tires, too. He has a small shop, on the corner of the soi. He has an old black Yamaha Virago 400.
He's a good guy, doesn't speak English much though, maybe he can do something for you.
I lived down that soi for two years, my daughter Chompooh hung out there a lot, if you speak some Thai mention her name, I'm sure they'll remember her.