Tire balance beads

[Rabbit]

Has anyone tried those balance beads instead of wheel weights? I’ve used them for semi trucks but never on my own vehicles. Are they worth anything or am I better off with sticky weights?

 

[dduelin]

I’ve never tried balance beads I guess because balance weights have always worked for me.

 

[670cc]

I’ve never tried balance beads I guess because balance weights have always worked for me.

OEMs seem to be content with using weights, too. If there was a manufacturing cost or time savings with another reliable balance method, the OEMs would probably use it, but still, weights are the OEM way. Apparently the balance bead companies have never convinced a vehicle manufacturer or tire shop that their product is universally superior to weights.

 

[bigbird]

The last 2 sets of tires for my Goldwing I used Counteract balance beads.
I will never go back to weights again.

 

[670cc]

The last 2 sets of tires for my Goldwing I used Counteract balance beads.
I will never go back to weights again.

Why?

 

[bigbird]

Why?

Because the beads work perfectly, and are so much easier to install than statically balancing the wheel/tire combo with a Marc Parnes balancer.
The beads re-adjust automatically every time the tires move.

Counteract is a huge worldwide company that makes balance beads for highway rigs, cars, basically any tire that needs balancing.
Motorcycles are a tiny part of their market.

 

[Rabbit]

Because the beads work perfectly, and are so much easier to install than statically balancing the wheel/tire combo with a Marc Parnes balancer.
The beads re-adjust automatically every time the tires move.

Counteract is a huge worldwide company that makes balance beads for highway rigs, cars, basically any tire that needs balancing.
Motorcycles are a tiny part of their market.

The Goldwing is a much bigger bike, have you tried them on you NC?

 

[bigbird]

The Goldwing is a much bigger bike, have you tried them on you NC?

My NC is sitting in my garage wit 1 km on the odometer LOL
However, I see no reason not to use them on the NC when the time comes.
They're so much easier to install than weights, and if you rely on a tire shop for dynamic balancing, so much cheaper also.

 

[Rabbit]

My NC is sitting in my garage wit 1 km on the odometer LOL
However, I see no reason not to use them on the NC when the time comes.
They're so much easier to install than weights, and if you rely on a tire shop for dynamic balancing, so much cheaper also.

Well better get to riding the NC so we have a definitive report! Glad to know you are happy with them. I’m going to try them when I decide to get froggy and change my own.

 

[andyFromWi]

I have a set but have not yet used them. On my 1997 Goldwing and 2014 NC700X, I just balanced the tire by hand with by putting the wheel on the rear axle and making it level, then adding sticky weights. I'm sure this is not as accurate as a good balance machine, but it seems to work fine, I have not noticed any issues.

I would be interested to hear other peoples experience using the beads.

 

[mtnbiker1185]

I have never used them, but the biggest complaint I have read about them is that they can get stuck in the valve and cause it to stick open causing the tire to go flat. What the probability of that happening is, I don't know. To be honest, balancing my tires with my Marc Parnes balancer was the easiest part of changing my tires and didn't add enough time for me to want to mess with balance beads. Plus, the time they save you in balancing your tire on the front end, I would assume, is more than made up for on the back end with time spent cleaning them up when you take the tire off and fail to properly catch them before they go all over the garage floor. But again, I have never used them so not sure how much of a problem that actually is.

 

[Rabbit]

I have never used them, but the biggest complaint I have read about them is that they can get stuck in the valve and cause it to stick open causing the tire to go flat. What the probability of that happening is, I don't know. To be honest, balancing my tires with my Marc Parnes balancer was the easiest part of changing my tires and didn't add enough time for me to want to mess with balance beads. Plus, the time they save you in balancing your tire on the front end, I would assume, is more than made up for on the back end with time spent cleaning them up when you take the tire off and fail to properly catch them before they go all over the garage floor. But again, I have never used them so not sure how much of a problem that actually is.

Which Marc Parnes balancer goes with the NC?

 

[mtnbiker1185]

Which Marc Parnes balancer goes with the NC?

The Universal one.

 

[TacomaJD]

After mounting and balancing my own tires for a while now, and having mounted and perfectly balanced at least 12-14 tires, the only thing you need to perfectly balance motorcycle tires is a $20-30 balancing stand from ebay and a box of 1/4 oz stick on weights. No need for any specialty type balancer or one that costs more than $20-30.

 

[670cc]

Like TJD said, a simple, cheap balance stand works fine. I use a Harbor Freight stand. I reuse clip-on weights removed from the wheel(s) before previous tire changes. Total cost to balance wheels after the stand was paid for = $0.

 

[Bulitt]

The last 2 sets of tires for my Goldwing I used Counteract balance beads.
I will never go back to weights again.

I use them in my Gold wing and have for years. They work extremely well and as others have said will rebalance the tire any time it moves. Works even after the tire has become worn after many miles and out of balance.

Beads will work with a vehicle of any weight. Take a look at the short video below.

 

[Rabbit]

Like TJD said, a simple, cheap balance stand works fine. I use a Harbor Freight stand. I reuse clip-on weights removed from the wheel(s) before previous tire changes. Total cost to balance wheels after the stand was paid for = $0.

What kind of clip on weights do you use? I only found them for spoked wheels?

 

[Rabbit]

After mounting and balancing my own tires for a while now, and having mounted and perfectly balanced at least 12-14 tires, the only thing you need to perfectly balance motorcycle tires is a $20-30 balancing stand from ebay and a box of 1/4 oz stick on weights. No need for any specialty type balancer or one that costs more than $20-30.

Do you tape over your weight after you install? I’m always afraid of the weights falling off.

 

[670cc]

What kind of clip on weights do you use? I only found them for spoked wheels?

The weights are OEM. They snap on to the ridge in the middle of the rim. I’ve never had one fall off.

 

[Rabbit]

The weights are OEM. They snap on to the ridge in the middle of the rim. I’ve never had one fall off.

That’s awesome. Where do you get those?