[rickbert]

As you can barely see this is the left side and you can see how the arrow on the tire is facing....



Is it backwards ?? Or am I wrong here ? Or is that what that arrow indicates ?

 

[kingston73]

 As it is in the picture, the tire should be rolling toward the right side of the screen, so yeah, if that's the left side of the wheel its backwards. 

 

[achille]

.

 

[gopher]

If that is the only arrow on the sidewall, then yes I think they did.

 

[wmw]

Wouldn't be the first time its happened....

 

[rickbert]

I may be wrong (

) but I tend to doubt that is a directional arrow.



It's not even an arrow strictly speaking.



Have you looked for another 'arrow'?



What make tire ?

Yes I looked for another arrow and found no others....It is a Bridgestone S11 Spitfire. Stitch would know, he has this tire on his.

 

[nippongreen]

Rick,

My "well trusted" dealer did the same thing with me earlier this year

I dropped off both the front and rear wheels for tire replacement (an hours drive away)

It wasn't until i had re-fitted the wheels that i noticed the rear tire was on backwards

It was an honest mistake, as i had taken my G/F's wheels there before(Honda 500 Shadow) for new tires and the drive shaft is on the opposite side

Hopefully they will re-install your tire the "correct" way round for no charge.

Cheers..........Keith..........

..........

 

[achille]

Well,I'm ready to go sit in the corner as soon as 'stitch confirms it.

It wouldn't be the first time.

 

[Blindstitch]

The answer looks to be yes. On the left that's the brake area right. A bit more rim would easily help identify it. Not the first spitfire I have seen mounted backwards by a dealer.

 

[Shep]

I've just fitted a rear tyre and had to make sure the direction arrow was correct.I took it to a local Tyre place as I had to get a tubeless valve put in as well.He was just about to fit the tyre incorrectly until I pointed out the direction arrow.Not their fault as they don't do a lot of Bike tyres.

I normally fit my own tyres but these budget ones are much stiffer on the beads and my compressor doesn't have the power to seat correctly and as if only costs me a fiver for them to do it I may as well let them.



Yes the arrow is important and must be in the direction of travel.

 

[rickbert]

Yes that's the left side of the wheel....on the very far left of the pic you can barely start to see the little grooves in the shape of the wheel.



This just goes to show how VALUABLE this web site is. It was the fact that you Mr. Nippongreen shared your story about a month ago or so (I think) about how YOURS were mounted backwards that made me EVEN THINK to look for an indication of how mine was mounted. If I HAD NOT seen YOUR thread back then I would not have even thought to look for that indicator on mine and would have just put it back on the bike the way it is......



so THANK YOU !!!

 

[marshallf3]

From the stories we've heard over the years it might pay to take a white china marker with you ande clearly label both the tire and the wheel before you leave it with them - that or just stick around to observe. Of course many shops won't let you anywhere near where they work so I'd sit up front and ask theat they bring the tire/wheel up right before they did it so you can point the proper direction out.



Only time I came close to that problem was when a guy at the tire store habitually tried to reotate my tires in circular direction. This was very early in the days of directional tires so I couldn't really blame him, got out a piece of paper and explained how a tractor tire worked and why they were mounted the way they are.

 

[BrianB]

Perhaps Rick should learn how to change his own tires. If you have a decent air compressor, it's not hard. Hardest part is getting the bead seated, but they sell bead-sealer at the parts store and that helps.



I do find the rear tire to be easier to change than the front, though. Done in less than an hour, which is faster than taking it to a shop, and a lot cheaper too.

 

[Matt_the_Rat]

I usually take my wheels off of my bikes to have the tires put on, so I always stick a piece of masking tape on the wheel somewhere and put an arrow on the tape for the direction when the wheel is mounteed back on the bike. I usually point it out to the tire mounter dude too.

 

[Blindstitch]

About a few months ago I ran into MadMike and earlier that week his rear tire was changed by the local honda dealer and it to was backwards. I'm prone to looking at mounting directions when I see another bike. Think about how many people must be riding around with tires on backwards.



I wonder if the fronts are ever backwards?

 

[Trickster]

I may be wrong (

) but I tend to doubt that is a directional arrow.



It's not even an arrow strictly speaking.



Have you looked for another 'arrow'?



What make tire ?

Yes that is the arrow, and the tire is rotating the wrong way.



No real harm to the tire or level of traction UNTIL it is raining and the pavement is wet. The sipes are then not going to effectively chuck the water for best traction.



Have seen so many directional tires mounted incorrectly, makes me wonder what the installers are smoking.

 

[rickbert]

Yes that is the arrow, and the tire is rotating the wrong way.



No real harm to the tire or level of traction UNTIL it is raining and the pavement is wet. The sipes are then not going to effectively chuck the water for best traction.



Have seen so many directional tires mounted incorrectly, makes me wonder what the installers are smoking.

You read my mind.....I was just gonna ask for someone's opinion on how it would affect how the tire performed.....anything else other than simply not performing correctly when wet ?

 

[rickbert]

And yes I am going to bring it back to them to have them do it correctly regardless...I figure they are supposed to be mounted a certain way for a reason.



And they better not charge me again !

 

[morrow]

Since our bikes have right-side drive, and left-side front disc (for us single front disc people) please be sure whenever you have a tire mounted, to make that VERY clear to them.

 

[OdieTurbo]

Since our bikes have right-side drive, and left-side front disc (for us single front disc people) please be sure whenever you have a tire mounted, to make that VERY clear to them.

Ditto that. I was talking to the dealer that mounted mine, he was nice enough to call me and ask what side the shaft was on. Apparently only our bikes and Goldwings have the shaft on the right. All others have them on the left. He had recognized it as an older Honda and wanted to be sure (I had taken just the rim in).