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Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 2:18 am
by davenowherejones
I tried to get tires from FortNine in Montreal. They are having COVID problems.

No City Grips. No Heidenau. Some Michelin City Grip 2's.

My order just says "processing" The tires will eventually ship by Canada Post but someone at FortNine suggests that eventually shipping will be 30-45 days.

So it might be September before I get a City Grip 2.

I might call some of the bigger local dealers. I have never found a tire locally before.

I need a 150/70-13 rear tire.

I went out for lunch today. It was actually warm. I went out on Canada Day (1 July) and I had to put my winter shield on my helmet because it was so cold.

I had a nice lunch at Zopkios on the Coquihalla Highway 5. It was so warm I decided to have supper in Merritt. That was a bad decision.

I also decided to see how fast my 2014 Forza 300 would go. I had a bit of a tailwind and a long downhill in front of me.

I got it up to 9000 rpm and then the rev-limiter (?) started to make the engine stumble. I did 9000 again, same result. I was going about 140 kmph (87 mph) and decide to slow down a bit.

I got to the bottom of the Larson Hill and started up the next hill when the scooter started wobbling badly. I managed to get to the side of the highway.

The place I pulled over at was a bit of a narrow shoulder with many trucks going past at 140 kmph. I wanted to turn around and get off at the previous exit. There was no room and the scooter was hard to turn with a very flat tire.

I could see a wider spot up the hill. I sort of power duck walked the scooter on the shoulder. It was really wobbly and hard to control.

I eventually made it. I called a friend who had always said he would rescue me if needed. He took 2 hours to get to me in his old Nissan pickup.

I plugged the tire while I was waiting but I did not have any air. My friend brought an old car starter/110v inverter and a 110v ancient tire pump. It worked to get air in the tire.

He was looking at his collection of junk in the back of the Nissan and was wondering where he could fit my 500 pound maxi-scooter. His ramps were old crap.

We decided I would ride the scooter back to Hope. But first we had to go 15 km to Merritt to get gas for my scooter.

The first part of the return trip was along the Coldwater Rd at about 60 kmph. No problem.

We got up Larson Hill and the plug blew out. Sideways again. I put in another plug. That also blew out a short time later.

I put in my last plug and did 60 kmph on the shoulder with large trucks merely inches away at 140 kmph. Nerve wracking.

I pulled over every chance I got. We stopped at Zopkios for a pee break at the brake check.

My 72 year old friend followed me the whole 125 km at 60 kmph. Lots of places the shoulder was not big enough for his Nissan. He blocked traffic for me the whole way while in extreme danger himself.

Eventually I go home. I need to buy more plugs and a little 12 volt air compressor tomorrow. I also need to buy my friend a gift card for a local restaurant.

I told him to tell me next time to call a local tow truck. That was just too dangerous to ever do again.

The Coquihalla Highway is featured on the Highway Thru Hell TV program if you want to see where I was. I was at a lot of the Highway Thru Hell wrecks because I ride my Forza too much.

I need a tire!!!

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 8:09 am
by Mel46
Here is where I get my tires. Hopefully they ship to Canada. If not, you need a friend just across the border. It might be time to find additional sources for your parts and tires.

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/mic ... oter-tires

You might consider calling them first, especially since they have a policy on international mail, though I don't see Canada on their list yet. Unfortunately, there are a lot of mail disruptions right now, so you may find that getting a tire is quite difficult.

https://www.revzilla.com/international-orders

This may be the problem you will find everywhere.

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 10:01 am
by davenowherejones
Revzilla will not ship tires to Canada. And I cannot risk entry into the USA even if the border was open. It is not open to most people.

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 2:20 am
by Austins
Amazing you can't get tires in Canada, here in Thailand we get fairly cheap Pirreli Angel Scooter or Diablo Rosso, check Lazada.co.th, maybe they ship to you...

I have just put two new Angel Scooter of correct size 120/70-R14 front and 140/70-R13 back... , for equivalent of just US$140 for two that included balance and installation...!

However, even remembering I need to break-in new tires for a few hundred kilometers, I skid and nearly fell down just coming out of the garage after the change !!!? - so be very careful, brand new tires are like you are on ice to begin with.... Now after 300km they are a lot better...

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 7:10 am
by easyrider
Two for the price of one.. Perhaps they ship to Can
https://www.amazon.com/Shinko-SR568-Rea ... B001Y4523Q

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 4:10 pm
by NADman
PM'd you...

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 8:14 pm
by davenowherejones
The tires are in Canada but COVID is making it difficult to get them.

Quebec is a bigger mess than BC.

The Canadian Post Office is always a bit of a mess.

Fedex does not deliver to Hope, BC. It sends stuff by mail.

The Michelins are in Alberta so they might be easier to get. The Heidenau's are in Quebec so a long wait.

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:31 pm
by you you
Perhaps buy a couple and hold one in stock/reserve if you have the funds?

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 3:16 pm
by davenowherejones
I used to buy extra but I sold the car bike and always seemed to have parts lying around for vehicles I no longer owned.

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:14 pm
by davenowherejones
It looks like my Michelin City Grip 2 has left Montreal!!!

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2020 5:07 pm
by davenowherejones
I tried to go for a ride today. I got ready and then sprayed soapy water on my plug. Lots of bubbles. Put everything away and jump in the truck to get groceries.

I stopped at Tim Hortons for a donut. The lineup nazi are really serious.

I will use the bathroom at the grocery store

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2020 7:20 pm
by E. Foster Salsbury
I've put 2 plugs in the same hole before. Might be worth a try.

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2020 7:29 pm
by E. Foster Salsbury
oh, and the cigarette lighter probably isn't strong enough to run a compressor.

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2020 9:04 pm
by davenowherejones
E. Foster Salsbury wrote:I've put 2 plugs in the same hole before. Might be worth a try.
After going 140 kmph sideways on the Coquihalla I will wait for a new tire.

The 60 kmph on the side of the highway was even scarier.

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2020 9:20 pm
by davenowherejones
E. Foster Salsbury wrote:oh, and the cigarette lighter probably isn't strong enough to run a compressor.
I know that.

I have a SAE pigtail with a fuse going straight to the battery. It stays under the seat. I have a solar charger that plugs in there in the winter.

I have tried the little slime Tire Inflator Jr ($22.79 CDN) and it will pump up the tire eventually. I am not sure if it will overheat before it is done.

I cut off the cigarette lighter plug on the slime pump and put a SAE plug on it.

I am still waiting for my tire from Montreal. The Post Office says I get it on Friday 17 July. I hope they tell the truth.

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 12:47 am
by davenowherejones
I finally got my tire today.

Yesterday I took the wheel off and then took the tire off. No big problems.

The wheel came off really fast with my heavy duty battery impact gun on all the bolts. Nothing Broke.

The tracking said I was getting my tire today at my front door. I looked every half hour. I was doing something on my computer and got an email saying that my tire was delivered. I went to the front door and it was THERE!

The shipping estimates were wrong, thank goodness. Ordered June 28, arrived July 20. Too long.

I struggled but I got the tire on the wheel. It always looks so easy on YouTube.

I put my Ride-On into the tire and mounted the wheel on the Forza 300.

I had time for a test ride. I rode around locally for a bit to see if any of the bolts would fall out.

Round tires are lively compared to D shaped old ones. It is amazing what a quarter inch of rubber does to handling.

I found it interesting that the Michelin City Grip 2 made in Serbia is a M+S (Mud + Snow) tire. We are required to have snow tires from Oct 1 to Apr 30 around here by law. I don't ride in snow but I have gotten the tires muddy a few times.

I was hungry so I headed for Yale and bought a lotto ticket just as the station was closing at 5 o'clock.

My FOBO tire pressure sensing valve stem cap said I still had air. I headed to Boston Bar for gas station teriyaki chicken stir fry. I enjoyed it. I was thirsty so I headed to Skihist for rest stop mountain water.

There were too many 30 wheel trucks going too fast. I pull over and let them go.

It was dark by the time I got home. I can ride again.

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 1:18 am
by iLoveWagons
Thats cool; i recently ordered the Michelin City Grip 2's as well; can't wait to get them on the bike.

I noticed that my rear is quite bald, so good timing for the order. Hopefully they arrive at my mechanic's and can get them on my bike asap.

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:02 am
by davenowherejones
iLoveWagons wrote:Thats cool; i recently ordered the Michelin City Grip 2's as well; can't wait to get them on the bike.

I noticed that my rear is quite bald, so good timing for the order. Hopefully they arrive at my mechanic's and can get them on my bike asap.
Where are you? Where did you order the tires from?

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:47 pm
by iLoveWagons
I live near a shop, Imperial Motorcycles, which is in Burnaby and the guy just ordered them for me real quick. He said around 14days to arrive.
He'll give me a call when they arrive; fingers crossed they come faster.
davenowherejones wrote:
iLoveWagons wrote:Thats cool; i recently ordered the Michelin City Grip 2's as well; can't wait to get them on the bike.

I noticed that my rear is quite bald, so good timing for the order. Hopefully they arrive at my mechanic's and can get them on my bike asap.
Where are you? Where did you order the tires from?

Re: Can't get tires in Canada

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:58 pm
by davenowherejones
Please go into your Profile and add your location.