Anyone else tried tire balancing beads?

[chync_imp]

My local Honda dealer has completely switched from balancing weights to beads that go in the tire.

Has anyone tried them?

I do my own tire changes and I have a static balancer but it’s tedious and requires a bit of patience.

I’m giving these a try

Also got a new bead breaker. Best $80 I have spent in a while. The Michelin Power RS tires wouldn’t come off without it.

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[redbirds_imp]

We tried the beads with new tires on a V-strom and they seemed to work okay. I've talked to a tech who changes tires at my Honda dealer and he despises them; they work well he said until you get some moisture in the tire then the beads clump and cause a bad imbalance. He went further saying the beads can get jammed in the schrader valve and cause leaks and that the beads are a nuisance when changing tires. Many dealers are going to the beads because it doesn't take a skilled tech to install them. Just had tires put on Pamela's CB this spring and went with traditional wheel weights.

 

[Houtman_imp]

I have never tried them but some reports I read were not in favor of the bead balancing. It MIGHT have been in MCN but not certain.

 

[Stichill]

They shred the inside of the tire and cause extra heat buildup. I have never used them personally, but I watched a tire changing station at a BMOA rally for about an hour. It was amazing how much powered rubber came out when the tire was pulled off the rim.

 

[Roper_imp]

All balancing beads are not created equal. The good kind, coated glass beads and ceramic beads, for example, don't clump, even when wet. And you'll wear through the outside tread of your tire far sooner than any significant wear on the inside because of beads.

 

[riggies_imp]

We tried the beads with new tires on a V-strom and they seemed to work okay. I've talked to a tech who changes tires at my Honda dealer and he despises them; they work well he said until you get some moisture in the tire then the beads clump and cause a bad imbalance. He went further saying the beads can get jammed in the schrader valve and cause leaks and that the beads are a nuisance when changing tires. Many dealers are going to the beads because it doesn't take a skilled tech to install them. Just had tires put on Pamela's CB this spring and went with traditional wheel weights.

Off topic, but this is why I change my own tires. Seemed like the techs changing tires were the ones they just promoted from the wash bay, don’t trust em.

 

[redbirds_imp]

Another point, if the beads are less expensive, safe and effective why are they not in widespread use by the auto and motorcycle industry?

 

[CA200_imp]

When the beads first came out for motorcycle tires we looked at them, I even spent a good amount of time talking to the "bead" people at the dealer shows. I was not convinced . I did try a tire on my balancer with them in and I saw no difference when
they were not in the tire. Customers asked us to put them in and we refused to do that. The last balancer we had was the best one on the market at that time.

 

[chync_imp]

Another point, if the beads are less expensive, safe and effective why are they not in widespread use by the auto and motorcycle industry?

They aren’t cheaper than traditional weights for sure. Quite the opposite.


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[cookiemech]

Honestly, why not spend a bit of time and develop the skill to do a good static balance? I watched a dude do that at an endurance race where speeds exceeded 150 mph, using a setup not as nice as the one I use at home. It worked fine at 150 plus, and so it works great at 80 mph.

Have always done static balance using a simple setup for my bikes. Couple hundred tires later, never an issue.

 

[the Ferret]

wow never knew anyone that had a Moto Morini 3 1/2. Those were cool looking bikes. How was it?

 

[the Ferret]

Very cool! Thanks for posting the pic. i'm sure many here have never heard of one much less seen one..even in pics. So Italian looking.

 

[Houtman_imp]

They just had an International Moto Morini rally in the South East of England , they also had a 500 but the 350 was more popular.

 

[Banned_imp]

Very cool! Thanks for posting the pic. i'm sure many here have never heard of one much less seen one..even in pics. So Italian looking.

I certainly never have. Cool looking bike, were they reliable at all?

 

[4 Paws_imp]

I tried the beads on a previous bike, worked great until I had a problem - even with checking air pressure while stem was NOT anywhere near the bottom I got beads into the schrader valve. Royal PITA. I carried replacement schrader valves with me everywhere and was extremely reluctant to check pressure on the road. Since all air compressors end up full of moisture my tires undoubtedly had moisture in them though I never really noticed an off balance feel from any clumping.

Hopefully your extended experience will be better,

 

[Jim21680_imp]

I tried ceramic Dynabeads on my second bike, the BMW F800ST. I've ridden thousands of miles with them, and thousands of miles without them, and could tell absolutely no difference.

As for the CB1100.....mine, like most others I suspect, came brand new with no balancing weights or beads or anything of that sort. Just a properly-aligned yellow dot on the tire lined up with the valve stem on the rim. When I replaced the stock tires with Angel GTs, I did the same, and have ridden happily ever since.

I'm sure some will disagree, but I think modern tires are manufactured with very good weight tolerances, and the need for balancing weights is greatly diminished.
For bikes like ours, that's even more true (I rarely exceed 70mph on the CB). As for a race bike or hooligan that regularly exceeds 120 or so, they may be more applicable.
But for casual riders like us, who mope around town running errands or head out to a nice country road on the weekend, I just don't believe they're needed.