Ex-rider builds a used motorcycle tyres business from RM400

A burst tyre at night in 2018 changed the career of despatch rider Mohd Farkhan Roslan. Today he runs Jebat Tayar Garage in Desa Mentari, Petaling Jaya, which sells used motorcycle tyres. He started with just RM400.

Farkhan was out on a delivery when the tyre burst. He hunted for a replacement and the price he paid left him stunned. Most riders might have grumbled and moved on, but he saw a gap in the market.

Farkhan, now 30, told theSun how he went from zero knowledge to a shop with five staff. Here is how he learned the trade, how he checks every tyre and what he says about money.

From a burst tyre to a home business

At the time, Farkhan worked as a despatch rider at a law firm. The tyre episode eventually prompted him to leave that job. His business began at home, selling second-hand motorcycle tyres.

He admits he knew nothing about the tyre trade. “I had zero knowledge,” he said. As a result, he spent about a month learning how to remove tyres. He also learned which specifications suit daily riding, touring and performance.

He had no formal training. Instead, he learned from friends who already worked on bikes and from online tutorials. Gradually, he worked out which tyre sizes and types match which motorcycles.

Meanwhile, he kept his despatch job and searched for a supplier. Once he found one, he quit in November 2018 and sold tyres from home. By 2019, he had enough stock to open a shop, Jebat Garage.

Learning to run the business

Knowing tyres was only half the job, Farkhan said. So between 2021 and 2023 he worked as a manager at Adam Tayar in Shah Alam. The firm focused on car tyres, but it taught him the business side.

That stint gave him the know-how to grow Jebat from a side hustle into a specialised tyre business. Today the shop employs five people. It carries 600 to 800 tyres at any time.

During busier months, stock can climb to 1,000 units. Jebat serves small-capacity “kapcai” bikes, touring motorcycles, superbikes, sport bikes and track bikes. In short, it covers most kinds of riders.

Its real niche, however, is used motorcycle tyres. They include high-performance brands such as Pirelli, Michelin, Bridgestone Battlax and Dunlop. Farkhan positions the shop as a budget-friendly alternative to buying new.

How the shop checks each tyre

First, Farkhan personally selects and checks every tyre he brings in. He sticks to Grade A stock with roughly 65 to 70 per cent or more tread left. “I personally go and select the tyres,” he said.

His supply chain spans Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan. He draws from three to five suppliers, and each specialises in a different tyre category. Once stock arrives, staff inspect the sidewalls, bead, age and tread of each tyre.

Next, staff inflate each tyre to check for bulges, leaks or cracks. The process takes two to three days before anything goes on sale. Farkhan stressed that the tyres are unaltered. “They are not reconditioned,” he said.

The savings can be large, particularly for performance riders. A new set of superbike tyres costs about RM1,800 to RM2,000, he said. A comparable used set in solid condition sells for RM550 to RM650 at his shop.

Money lessons and extra services

Buyers get a two-week warranty. If something goes wrong after purchase, they can swap for another tyre on a one-to-one basis. Beyond tyres, Jebat also handles basic maintenance and offers a pickup-and-return service for broken-down bikes.

For example, the maintenance list includes oil changes, chain and sprocket work, and bearing servicing. Farkhan began with only RM400, so he points to cash flow as his top lesson. “Managing cash flow is the most important thing,” he said.

Setting up the physical shop eventually cost him close to RM15,000. That covered the rental deposit, machinery and tools. He chose to spend the money gradually, not all at once.

“Over the course of a year, we made improvements,” he said. In time, he bought more machines, better spanners and better tools. If you shop for used motorcycle tyres, ask about the grade, the tread left and the warranty before you pay.