Just called the local (only) Dealer to arrange for new tires, front and rear, for my 2010 StreetGlide. First concern I had was when I had to insist with the Tech on the phone that the front wheel was an 18 incher.....he kept telling me, "No, its a 17." Finally he agreed that indeed it is an 18. Then he asked if I wanted a blackwall, thin whitewall, or wide whitewall. I told him I wanted the exact same tire the new bike came with, the Harley Davidson logo Dunlops. He then told me that they were indeed Dunlops but do not say Harley Davidson spelled out on the tire. He proceeded to tell me those tires ONLY come from the factory on new bikes and replacement OEMs do not have Harley Davidson stamped on them. I said thats bullshit. He said no bullshit. Who is correct here? Me? Him? I want exactly what came on the bike new when I bought it.
Oh, and by the way, with a 20% discount, $156 for the front and $222 for the rear, $50 to install each tire and mount. That's $517 with tax. This still beat a local indy's price.

 

My tire guy can get them either way, without the Harley stamped on the tires are cheaper. I get WWW's and the HD branded ones seem easier to clean ( have some sort of coating on the white and they wipe clean with a sponge, no scrubbing). Go to a motorcycle tire shop either locally or on line and buy what you want, if you have no other indy's in the area then pay your dealer for the install. If you take your wheels off the bike it will save you a ton of money. you will get a much better price on the tires on line.

 

Seems to me your expectations are correct based on my experience anyway. Late last year I complained to the dealer about cupping on my front tire, a Harley logo Dunlop D407. They replaced it with Harley Logo Dunlop D408.

VR

 

My indy just installed a Dunlop 407 rear, thin whitewall tire and charged me $262.38. I'll hafta look this evening to make sure it's got the official H-D stamped on it, but from where I'm standing I think I saved 10 bucks over your dealer-installed tire and I didn't have to argue with him. Call us even?

 

Yep, if you don't get the one's with the HD logo they won't go round and round

 

Have you considered the new Dunlop American Elites? Lots cheeper with similar construction. I would suspect HD will eventually drop the price on their tires when AEs start catching on. They no longer have a monopoly.

 

Check out www.jakewilson.com. They have the Dunlop American Elites for HD...$121.99 for the front and $165.99 for the rear, with no tax and free shipping. Even if u add $100 to have your dealer install them thats still $388. Unfortunately though they only have the American Elite and Made in USA logos...no HD logo, but still a great tire made specifically for your ride and they still go around just like the ones that say Harley .

 

You're correct; the replacement tire will have the HD logos. I replaced the first set of 407/408's when they wore out and they look just like the original set (except the front was the upgrade)

 

I'd try a litle fisshin trip and call another HD dealer and ask if what you want is available. I'm thinkin your right on this one.

 

Appreciate the comments so far, especially KCFLHTC's. I forgot to add that the Tech told me "we get them from a local distributor' when I asked him if they were the Dunlops from Harley Davidson. I know I can get the Dunlops I need online but they wont be stamped Harley Davidson and those online sources (jakewilson; etc) dont/cant offer the Harley logo-ed tires. I wonder if the Dealer is buying Dunlops from some where other than Harley and passing them off as "oem" tires??? And, like most Harley dealers, this one will not install tires bought elsewhere.
I have considered the American Elites but cant seem to find an 18 inch front tire, only 17.