K11 Owners Group

drikko · Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 3:25 am Post subject: Tyre balancing

I get the impression that a number of you change your own tyres, but I'm not sure about how you balance them. Here in OZ it's normal for fitting and balancing to be free with the price of the tyre so generally it's not something we do. So I thought it was interesting to read this:-

http://aircooledtech.com/tools-on-the-cheap/balancing_beads/

Do you think this would work? Also takes care of ever having to rebalance them!
_________________
K1100RS '97
Laverda RGS 1000 '84
Jim Young Trailer Sailer 5.7M WB

DISCLAIMER:- Anything I say may have been when I was drunk so please don't take it personally.

'Bigamy is having one wife/husband too many. Monogamy is the same.'
Oscar Wilde

Ernie-NH · Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 8:53 am Post subject:

G'Morning Drikko....

Re: "Changing and balancing"..... I do change my own tires using irons, rim protectors, and a lot of effort,, BUT I have not used weights for years ! About 10 years or so ago I started using " DynaBeads" on one of my V-Twins and found a suprising difference in ride smoothness. So I tried DynaBeads in my Airhead 'boxer' when I next replaced the tires, and again the ride improvement was noticeable. Since then, use only DynaBeads to balance new tires and have experienced no wear or imbalance problems ever over the life of the tire. So IF you are going to do your own tire replacement I recommend trying the DynaBead products for balancing. They are cheap and resuseable.

best regards............// Ernie-NH
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

drikko · Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 9:21 am Post subject:

So I'm wondering why this isn't more common! Seems too good to be true!
_________________
K1100RS '97
Laverda RGS 1000 '84
Jim Young Trailer Sailer 5.7M WB

DISCLAIMER:- Anything I say may have been when I was drunk so please don't take it personally.

'Bigamy is having one wife/husband too many. Monogamy is the same.'
Oscar Wilde

rkildu · Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 11:26 am Post subject:

I use Dyna Beads too, in both my bikes. For a couple of years now.
_________________
Rod Kilduff
97 K1100LT HighLine
82 R100Lufty

Jim · Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 11:30 am Post subject:

I use one of these: http://www.marcparnes.com/BMW_Motorcycle_Wheel_Balancer.htm

Since I'm going to all the effort to change the tyre myself, I figure it can't be that difficult to balance it.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

BobZ(IL) · Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 3:45 pm Post subject:

I am wanting to try DynaBeads but read a review somewhere (M/C Consumer News)? that they didn't do so well in testing.

I guess the proof is in the feel once you use them.
_________________
'93 K1100LT
'78 R100S
'05 R1200GS
BMWMOA, CRBMWOA, ABC, K11OG #997

Live well, do good work, enjoy the ride.

rkildu · Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 5:28 pm Post subject:

I don't think that MCN did a fair evaluation on the Dyna Beads. Before going to them completely I did my own test on a hand cranked computer tire balancer. You have to get the tire up to the equivalent of 10 to 15 mph. I tested the tire with no weights and then added the Dyna Beads. In multiple trials the computer went to zero weight once I got the rotation speed up to spec.

I have been more than satisfied with real world usage.
_________________
Rod Kilduff
97 K1100LT HighLine
82 R100Lufty

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 7:03 pm Post subject:

Like Jim , I use a Parnes balancer. I read that I should balance the rim without a tire mounted then repeat with the tire on. Yeah I "feel" precise after the extended procedure for both ends. But it is a PITA.

So with 2, possibly 3 bikes needing new rubber I might give those tiny little beads a try. I have read a bunch about them. Ernie is a really knowledgeable guy- so if he says OK- it is good.
_________________
John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

RAL88 · Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 8:19 pm Post subject:

I just got new rubber, Metzeler Interact Z6's. I am going to try the dyna beads and see how they work. I too change and balance my own tires and I have taken all my rims and balanced them with the tire off. They always tell you to line up the light side mark on the tire with the valve on the rim. Well I have never had the valve on any rim that I've done be the heaviest part of the rim. I balance the rim and then punch an HH on the inside of the rim with the die set I have. That way I always know where the heaviest part of the rim is. Doing it this way I actually had a tire that I didn't have to add any weight to which is the first time that ever happened to me.
_________________
Rich

"If it ain't broke, take it apart and make it work better"
*************
'96' K1100LT-SE
'97' R850GS-R

Jim · Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 11:00 pm Post subject: tyre balancing

Yeah - MCN did not think highly of the Dynabeads. I think I'll continue balancing my tires - it really isn't that difficult or time consuming.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

Ragman · Mad Brick Rider Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 97

Jim>

It is true that MCN didn't recommend Tire beads.

But, these are the same guys that trashed a '97 K110LT in a "shoot out comparing the KLT to the Hardly Abelson Ultra Classic, Kawasucky Voyager, and 1500 Golb Boat !

This 2 1/2 point rating puts the K bike in a class with the immortal Buell Blast, Suzuki LS 650, MuZBaghira?, and the venerable Urinal Sidecar Combo! Go figure.

Everyone has opinions and well, you know the rest of the saying.

I've used theTire Beads and they worked good however, tire milage was about the same as coventional methods and just about the same PIA.

But I degress, it is just my opinion!

Ragman
_________________
"When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty."
~Thomas Jefferson

1995 K1100LT
1980 Hadley Giggleson FLHC

drikko · Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 4:34 pm Post subject:

I searched MCN and couldn't find anything about them there. So exactly what didn't they like about them?
_________________
K1100RS '97
Laverda RGS 1000 '84
Jim Young Trailer Sailer 5.7M WB

DISCLAIMER:- Anything I say may have been when I was drunk so please don't take it personally.

'Bigamy is having one wife/husband too many. Monogamy is the same.'
Oscar Wilde

lexxol · Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 5:09 pm Post subject:

My 2 cents worth. I have the MP balancer and have been happy with it. My riding buddy used the Dyna beads on his GS. He has 9k on the back tire and can go another k the front tire has no cupping. I will switch to beads on my next set of tires. Whole lot easier.
_________________
1995 K1100rs
1987 k75/Pichler fairing

Ernie-NH · Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 8:32 am Post subject:

Good morning drikko et.al....

The "DynaBead" comment by MCN was in the Feb2010 issue, ans appread as a response to a 'write in' reader question. In short, they compared the 2 oz. DynaBead balance with a conventional 1,.6 oz. stick-on weight and reported discrepancy on the balance machine as well as vibration from the rear wheel when using DynaBeads in addition to heavier steering. Their full report was in the Aug 2006 issue.

My use of DynaBeads is simple.... I dont have a balancer, I dont have a collection of weights, I find the beads easier to use, and my experience with the beads is that they provide a smoother "vibe free" ride in my V-Twins with no loss ( or gain ) in tire wear ! I did not notice any difference in "Steering feel" as did MCN, but then I am not a TT class rider either !

In my opinion, the DynaBeads work great for what they are, are simple to use and are reuseable as well, plus they seem to work in both tubeless and well as in the "tube tires" of my 'ol R100 boxer. When I change out the tires on my 'new to me' K1100LT I'll be using the beads to balance !

best regards all............// Ernie-NH
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

kirkkw · Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 12:41 pm Post subject:

vote 2 for marcparnes balancer
_________________
1996 K1100RS, 1976 CB750A, 2017 Triumph Trophy, 2020 R1250RT, 2022 RE Classic 350

RAL88 · Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 10:00 pm Post subject:

Well I mounted my tire on the rear today. I am going from a 140 to a 160 and from reading the threads here I was all prepared to remove the exhaust. My 140 tire was very easy to get in and out without removing anything so I figured I would try the 160. Well the 160 went in with a little coaxing but I did not have to remove anything. That made it a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.

I also removed the spacers on the center stand. Since my Works Performance shock is an inch lower and with the tire being a little bit lower profile I figured I would do the change to make getting the bike on the center stand easier.

Man what a difference. I didn't have to grunt once putting it on the center stand.
_________________
Rich

"If it ain't broke, take it apart and make it work better"
*************
'96' K1100LT-SE
'97' R850GS-R