Wheel Weights and K60 Tires

[tomatocity]

Had a pair of K60's installed today. Feels like the tires are bouncing at freeway speeds. The front turn signals bounce a lot. Checked the wheel weights and they are different. They are rectangular and have a number 5 on each weight. I don't know how much each weight weighs.

Rear wheel: six weights on one side and five weights on the other side.
Front wheel: four weights on one side and four weights on the other.

What is too much wheel weight?

I searched the forum but could not find where this was recently mentioned. Not having the searched text highlighted in the post makes it difficult to find.

 

[RED CAT]

Sounds like your dealer put the new guy on balancing. Pop the wheels off and slide the axel through the wheels and slide the wheels between 2 jack stands. Check the balance yourself. Most times the tires themselves are actually balanced. Its the wheels that are out. You'll most likely end up taking some of that weight off. ::001::

 

[bloodline]

holy crap. that's a lot of weight.

My K60's balanced with zero weight on the rear and 1.5 oz on the front. I've heard of others that said the same- 1-2oz on the front and 0-1oz on the rear.

3 oz on a wheel is too much. Sounds like you have double that. Take them back, immediately.

FYI- there is a red dot on the K60's. That's the light spot on the tire. It should be lined up with the valve stem.

I'd double check the directional arrows too, as bad as this install sounds. It's easy to put the front on backwards.

 

[Cykel]

I'm guessing your weights are half ounce weights. I agree with others...you have too much on there. Couldn't find a max balance spec in the users manual but maybe someone with the service manual can chime in. My VFR was 2 oz rear, 1.5 front if I recall correctly.

 

[Twisties]

I will disagree. I am guessing they are 5 gram weights, and roughly 5 and half of them equal one ounce. 11, 55 g, is less than two ounces on your rear. Mine is quite a bit less than that. Lining the two red dots up with the valve stem helped a lot. However, 2 ounces is not out of line, IMHO.

Never the less, they should be smooth riding and are not. Either they are not balanced correctly, or maybe your suspension is out of alignment like ours was the other day. Either way it needs to go back. Don't let them tell you it's the knobbies. You won't feel them at 40+ mph.

I do have two ounces on my front. You have about 1.5.

I very much doubt there is too much weight overall, just a poor job balancing or reinstalling the front wheel.

 

[Twisties]

If you want to post pic of the weights it might help figure out what they are for sure.

 

[Cykel]

5 grams makes more sense. I was thinking of the 1/4oz square weights that I use, and then thinking rectangular would be 1/2oz. Now that I look, I can't even find 1/2oz stick-on weights.

 

[bloodline]

Yep.

 

[Joe-JOE]

Sounds like your dealer put the new guy on balancing. Pop the wheels off and slide the axel through the wheels and slide the wheels between 2 jack stands. Check the balance yourself. Most times the tires themselves are actually balanced. Its the wheels that are out. You'll most likely end up taking some of that weight off. ::001::

+1
checking the balances the old fashioned way yourself is the way to go.

These guys with fancy wheel balance machines that get calibrated can give you wheels back that are so off but they swear it's balanced. They either don't know what their doing or the machine sucks.
Just use the axle on two jack stands. Here a video shown how it's done....How to Balance a Motorcycle Wheel

 

[tomatocity]

Had to go back and pick up my tires today. Asked a service rep about the weights. Whoever said 5 grams is correct. Never passed through my simple mind.

Rear: 11 x 5 grams = 55 grams = 1.94 ounces
Front: 8 x 5 grams = 40 grams = 1.41 ounces

Not bad after all.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I don't know what is too much, but my front K60 took about 2.5 oz. I re-broke the bead twice and spun the tire around the rim 180 degrees and another 90 degrees. Finally gave up and put on all the weight. Rear K60 I installed took 1.5 oz. Again I broke the bead a second time and spun it on the rim. Could not find a better spot, so just bit the bullet and stuck on the weights. Tires both show balanced on the balancer with that much weight, so I live with it.

 

[imrubicon]

As I, hoping to go with the K60 when I need a new tire .
Im wondering if the mud and stuff throws off the balance then why not use those dyna beads as they would adjust with the mud not fight against like normal balance as they adjust as you pick up a little speed ?
Anyone try them ?

 

[Cykel]

Never tried the beads but I know a lot of people use them.

Here's another option that I've heard great things about: http://www.ride-onshop.com/

I have two bottles myself but have yet to try them. A co-worker / long time BMW rider started using the stuff and loved it. Apparently his BMW shop starting backing it strongly.

More infos:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142869
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=717687
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=696325

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Here's another option that I've heard great things about: http://www.ride-onshop.com/

I have two bottles myself but have yet to try them. A co-worker / long time BMW rider started using the stuff and loved it. Apparently his BMW shop starting backing it strongly.

Wish I only had two bottles of the stuff. I was a regular user and bought a case of the stuff. I stopped putting it in when I found a flat as I was rolling the bike out for a ride. When I pulled out the screw I received a face full of Ride-On. Best I could tell the stuff is useless. Stopped putting it in after that. But if you're interested just send me a PM I'll make you a deal on a bunch of bottles.

 

[Cykel]

Ha good data point! Guess I'll stick to traditional balancing.

 

[Motowalt]

Installed Ride On with my new Anakee 2's and needed no wheel weights, but Michelins seem to be well-balanced by themselves. Bike runs smoothly at all speeds.
Haven't tested it with any punctures though.

 

[fredz43]

I did a test with Ride On with my KLR a couple years ago. New front tire, mounted up, put it on my Metzler tire balancer and it took something like 1 oz of weight to balance. I marked the spot on the rim, then let the air out and put the Ride On in and removed the weight. The directions say to ride 3 miles initially so that it distributes itself evenly throughout the tube and it will be fine thereafter. I rode 10 miles, then took it home, put it on the balancer and it took the same amount of weight in the same spot to balance it.

 

[Combo]

Ride On does work on a puncture if not to large. At one of the TAR rides in Junction Ride On was offering free Ride On installs and we all did. That same weekend a guy picked up a nail about the time he arrived in Junction for the ride and his tire went down. With no extra tube they installed Ride on. He rode the weekend. He found a tube from someone before he had to ride home. ::008::

That Saturday I got a puncture from a sharp rock and put a 1/4" slit in my tube. No dice with holding air with that big of a puncture with Ride On. Had to change the tube on the trail. What a mess with all that snot between the tube and tire: ::007::

I always carry extras on the Tubed KLR.
Plug kit and compressor on the Big XT.

The Ride On balance stuff ??? ............Not so sure about that!

K60 on the Big XT ::012:: No balance problems.

 

[Mikef5000]

I did a test with Ride On with my KLR a couple years ago. New front tire, mounted up, put it on my Metzler tire balancer and it took something like 1 oz of weight to balance. I marked the spot on the rim, then let the air out and put the Ride On in and removed the weight. The directions say to ride 3 miles initially so that it distributes itself evenly throughout the tube and it will be fine thereafter. I rode 10 miles, then took it home, put it on the balancer and it took the same amount of weight in the same spot to balance it.

Did you feel any vibrations on your 10 mile ride without weights? I stopped balancing motorcycle tires years ago, and have never had one feel out of balance.