So after you have made the decision to buy a new set of paddle tires a good question becomes where to buy them. Depending on where you live you really have three choices: a local tire shop, a local motorcycle shop, or online. Lets take a look at each of these individually.
We think that a local tire shop is a decent choice for your purchase. The positive is that you can develop a relationship with your local tire shop and of course they will be able to mount the tires as well. This is a big bonus as mounting tires isn’t exactly easy. The downside will be that the selection of paddle tires is likely going to be pretty slim. Also, the cost of buying your tires from a local shop is that the price is likely going to be higher than if you purchased them elsewhere.
A local motorcycle shop is perhaps a better choice. They are going to understand the needs of the dune rider and will be very educated in the world of paddle tires. More than likely they are also riders so they can give you some first hand reviews of the different types, sizes, and models of tires available. We have visited some shops though they couldn’t mount the tires for us. This is a big downside because then you are going to have to figure out where to get them mounted. Also, you are going to have to pay for them to be put on the rims so that increases the overall price of the purchase.
Our favorite place to buy paddle tires is on the internet. This offers several distinct advantages over the other choices. First of course is selection. Do you want a large pair of v-shaped paddle tires? You can find them on the internet en masse. Also, the price is likely going to be much better than anywhere else because the online retailer has a lower overhead and also there is quite a bit of competition. One other consideration that many people don’t think about is that there wouldn’t be any sales tax on an internet purchase. Overall the purchase of your set of tires would likely be best if made on the internet.