Not bad money wise I think the time I looked them up it was something $40 per and put me off a bit for an experiment . Only down side to doing all your own you don't get into shops and see or hear about new stuff very often , like every 5 to 8 yrs for me .

 

When static balancing a tire, the ideal method is to use two weights spaced 120 deg apart on each side of the wheel. It's more time consuming than a single weight but will provide a better balance.

As for lining up the dot, I don't buy that. My experience has never shown that to be adequate. You might get lucky occasionally, but it's far from a sure thing. If you consistently find a new tire is in balance by simply lining up the dot then whatever you're using as a balancer is simply not sensitive enough. If lining up the dot was an accurate method, then why does anyone ever need to balance a tire?

 

Years ago they just static balance motorcycle wheels (bubble balance or on a truing stand and they usually did ½ the required weight on both side. The new dynamic balance machines show which side, position and amount. Of course depending on the wheel the exact position is not always possible. Actually if you took the weight off I doubt you could even fill it. The new cast rims and tires in the last 10 years probably do not really even need balancing. Bet he spun it and it was slight off from incorrect position and a little too heavy. He added the other weight to correct. Bends are smoke. PS. I use to balance turbines and propellers for non Navy ships back when we did that. So I sort of know what I am talking about. Been year ago. One of the last propellers I balanced is in the Mariners Museum in Newport News VA and came off the United States Cruise Ship. We actually dynamic balance it. It has my initials and balance date (1968) stamped in it.

 

Yup. I run Dyna Beads in my tubed tires.

They aren't too expensive. The starter kit is about $15 then you just get refills every time you change a tire for around $5-$8. If you want to avoid the cost of the starter kit you will have to find a small bottle and tube to get the beads into the tire.


Carl

 

I don't believe I have ever ridden a bike before that was in need of balancing. How does the ride feel when it does?

 

You have believe me some people may not feel it because they won't understand what it is they are experiencing . Aside from a vibration at speed tire imbalance manifests most often by weird tread wear like cupping or uneven ridging on the front tire .

Todays new mag wheels not needing it , the new 3 year old Thunder Stars I picked up sure did . I check all my wheels before I throw a tire on , habit I've had since the 70's and wires if they are laced and done correctly have always needed less than mags when done for me anyway .

Like someone else said my background comes industry and balancing high speed heavy objects some going in tons . Been doing static balancing for HD flywheels a long time and they have matched dynamic numbers everytime a sets been checked .

 

When I wrenched on cars years ago, I was always taught the dot on the tire is for lining up with the valve stem. But you still need to balance the tire. It doesn't make it automatically balanced just from doing this, it makes it closer by making up the difference from the weight of the valve stem. I always cringe when I see tires with the dot not lined up with the stem, and it seems to be most of them. It's there for a reason and no one does it.

 

Mine are not lined up with the stem - intentionally. Like someone else said, I also check my wheels for balance before installing the tire and put a mark on the inside of the rim at it's heaviest point. Then I align the tire dot to it.

If the wheel was in perfect balance (minus the valve stem), then the valve stem would be the heaviest point, but that is not always the case.

And just because I'm such an **** dick when it comes to working on my stuff, I've also balanced some of my brake rotors independently of the wheel/tire assembly in the past.

Does any of this make a difference? I don't know. I've had wheel weights come off the rear wheel on my Duece and wouldn't have even known it other than the fact I could see they weren't there when I got to a stop. And that's at some good speeds. So you tell me - does it make a difference?

 

Rears don't show the imbalance wear like front's do I believe because they are under power or being driven so to speak so a whole different set of dynamics are in play there . Only way you would know is reduced mileage and a vibration at speed if it's bad enough . Fronts are always the give away if watch even if they are true and balanced the rear will transmit enough of a harmonic through the bike the tire will wear funny be ever so slightly . Got into this big time after dealing with a couple high speed tank slappers on a BSA I had , I was going to find the root cause .

 

I agree probably for most, but I rarely ride over 60, and just don't notice anything from not balancing. My tires always wear even without cupping, and seem to last a good long time. I do put the dot at the valve stem, and make sure they are always good on air pressure. My 99 FXSTC says to run 30 psi in the front and 40 psi in the rear. I run 38 in the front and 38 to 40 in the rear. That seems to work best for me.