Wheel balancing

[bod]

Had some new rubber fitted to the 1200 this morning, and was told the rear wheel could not be balanced due to the big hole in the wheel not fitting in the balancing machine!
Anyone else come accross this problem?

 

[ghiribizzo]

Hindsight's great - but if they can't balance it you're taking the bike or wheel to the wrong guys.
It's not like the current BMW wheel set-up came out last week, is it?

 

[(RIP) Miff]

I don't balance mine. They're fine.


But it sounds as it the tyre fitters don't have the correct equipment to be fitting bike tyres.

 

[forest biker]

forest biker

When they balanced mine they put a spacer in between to get it onto the machine, it didnt seam to be a problem , dont know if that helps you or not really

 

[bod]

When they balanced mine they put a spacer in between to get it onto the machine, it didnt seam to be a problem , dont know if that helps you or not really

So there is a special tool for the job?

I'm happy enough to be honest, it rides smooth enough. And in the past I've had weights come off & make no difference at all.

No matter how many years you've been riding, the novelty of having a new set of rubber never wears off!

 

[iftikartaxis]

tyres

try national tyres they did mine and had the correct tools for the wheel

 

[forest biker]

forest biker

It didnt look a special tool to be honest , it was like a rebated spacer so it fits there machine and the wheel . i see they had a few hung up to fit different bikes , i have to say though they have been doing motorbike tyres for years

 

[Rare-Red]

Had new rubber fitted to my GSA today at PDQ in Taplow.

Larry had the right piece of kit.

 

[Rasher]

For anyone around the Oxford area Witney Tyres are pretty good, a few of them are bikers and they know their stuff, have the right kit and are pretty good on price.

They will also do ride-in ride-out and for those with chain driven bikes can do laser wheel alignment as well.

Ask for Colin or Will, tell them Rasher sent you and they may even charge you a bit extra

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Quite a few places don't bother balancing the rear wheel as it less critical than the front

 

[thornley]

Quite a few places don't bother balancing the rear wheel as it less critical than the front

May be less critical in terms of developing a weave or front end problems BUT it will feck up your very expensive rear shock over time. For a couple of quid worth doing it properly. Out of balance forces have to go somewhere

Oh and it could contribute to rear hub bearing failure

 

[stolzy]

I thought BMW didn't recommend balancing rears

 

[wilbjr21]

I thought BMW didn't recommend balancing rears

Well all of my bikes have been delivered with balance weights on the rear as well as the front- so where have you gleaned this information?

 

[stolzy]

Well all of my bikes have been delivered with balance weights on the rear as well as the front- so where have you gleaned this information?

Mine didn't, the yellow spot was opposite the valve, but that's all. I had tyres changed by the dealer once and queried the lack of balance weight and they said balancing wasn't part of the protocol.

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

May be less critical in terms of developing a weave or front end problems BUT it will feck up your very expensive rear shock over time. For a couple of quid worth doing it properly. Out of balance forces have to go somewhere

Oh and it could contribute to rear hub bearing failure

That's an interesting thought and may hold some water if the only roads you ever rode happened to be billiard table smooth?

And as for rear wheel bearing failure? In the real world, were I ride, the roads are littered with potholes, dropped and raised manhole covers and all other untold shite and debris it matters not one jot

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Mine didn't, the yellow spot was opposite the valve, but that's all. I had tyres changed by the dealer once and queried the lack of balance weight and they said balancing wasn't part of the protocol.

How weird ........ the yellow dot should be next to the valve not opposite it

 

[bod]

Well all of my bikes have been delivered with balance weights on the rear as well as the front- so where have you gleaned this information?

Must say, my bikes on it's third set of rubber & there has never been any weights on it, until yesterday when one was stuck on the front.

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

I would say you've been lucky then in not experiancing a front wheel wobble

Next time you're out on your bike try the following ..... roll the throttle off from 60mph and only very lightly grip the bars allowing the bike to slow under it's own steam. In the majority of cases of an imbalanced front wheel the bars will gently shake as the bike decreases speed through the 50 to 30mph range

 

[forest biker]

forest biker

Its down to everyones own choice , but i look at it that anything round what spins at speed , which could be altered in someway ie - a new tyre fitted and maybe old weights taken off , then it should be re-balanced to stop vibration etc etc

 

[stolzy]

How weird ........ the yellow dot should be next to the valve not opposite it

Maybe, I couldn't be bother to go out in the cold and rain to check