Balancing beads

[tkent02]

Been using them a long time. They can even balance a dirt bike wheel with one rimlock. So much better than weights, and very easy to use. Tubes or tubeless, it matters not.

[aclaytonb]

My 8 year old daughter and I just added them to a set of tube tires still on the bike. Seemed easy enough. Once the rain stops we'll see how they work.

[hillsy]

They've been using them on truck tyres for years to promote longer tyre life.

They simply work.

[Burque73]

Check out this demonstration.

[sharpy]

OMG, thats cool. Next time i rebuild my engine im going to hollow out my crank webs and add beads to them. That way i wont need to worry about balancing the crank. Even better if i use different pistons, the beads will take care of them aswell. Perfect balance for the life of my crank. woo hoooooo

[Sandy]

Oh Sharpy, I've got coffee up my nose now. Going to the post office this morning to pick up my tire beads to try. Hopefully I can do that without cracking up. Any idea for when I'm out on the mountain bike doing some gnarly stuff if some beads in each pocket might help. I'm old and my balance ain't what used to be.

[Big T]

The mags on our GS bikes are not aluminum they are a magnesium alloy.

No. Magnesium wheels are enormously expensive, IIRC, back in the 80's, a pair of mag wheels was about $1,500.

Waay too expensive for a production motorcycle

[Big T]

I've read they don't necessarily work that great at super high speeds but that shouldn't be a problem on a stodgy old 1000. LOL.

Yeah, because you're old and retired now, you'll just have to give up on riding over 100 kmh. Might as well trade that old thing in for a scooter.

[Sandy]

Yeah, because you're old and retired now, you'll just have to give up on riding over 100 kmh. Might as well trade that old thing in for a scooter.

Well, I'm part way there. Maybe I need beads in that too.



by soates50, on Flickr

[1980GS1000E]

Ok since your running tubless. And IF your tyres have balancing dots (IE: Dunlop/Bridgestone or Metzeler) have you balanced just the wheel minus tyre to see where to place the balance dots? U be suprised its not always at the valve.

Yup and the rim has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

[1980GS1000E]

Check out this demonstration.

This has been debunked before. The wheel is attached to the bike at the hub and is restricted somewhat in movement while the bottle full of stuff is not.

[tkent02]

They don't work? Then I wonder why they make my dirt bike with one old school heavy ass rim lock on each wheel quit shaking?

[1980GS1000E]

Sand would probably work. Until it cakes or wears the tube from the inside out. I didn't mean to imply that the beads wouldn't work in the proper conditions. There are foreseeable conditions where they simply won't work as well as a properly static balanced wheel and tire assembly. Use them, I won't try to convince you otherwise.

[jabcb]

Noticed an ad for this in one of the bike magazines.


Counteract Ready-Balance tubes already have the balancing beads in them. Currently available in a limited number of sizes.

http://www.counteractbalancing.com/products/ready-balance/

They also have a calculator for figuring out how much you should add if you are not using one of these tubes.

http://www.counteractbalancing.com/applications/

The calculator includes this note: ”Thin front tires with tubes and spoke rims that call for 1oz, please use 2oz.”
Does anyone know why they recommend this?

[posplayr]

I'm running tubeless on my 1100E. The front does bleed down a bit but never below 28-29psi and I top it up once every 7-10 days. The rear is solid and I top it up maybe 3 times in a summer.


Mark

Probably leaking because your rims have oxidized and small leaks pass through at the bead of the rim. I had and 81 GS750EX that was going flat fast (about the same time as yours) and broke the tires off the rims, wire wheels the centers, applied a bit of silicone spray and re assembled. Leaks gone.

I got a lot of grief for the silicone spray on the inside of the rims but it never seemed to give a problem. A generous lubing with tire sealant would also probably protect the tires. If you are anal, spray paint them.