+1 on the Dyna Beads.
Rear tire question
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 359
Likes: 2
From: central Mississippi
Rear tire question
95 Ultra Classic. My rear tire is just about slick. Figured since it's cold outside, I'd go ahead and replace it. Here's the deal: Nearest Harley dealer is 70 miles each way. An old friend of mine owns a local Honda motorcycle and ATV dealership. He can order me a Harley tire and put it on the rim if I remove the wheel and bring it to him. Only catch is that he doesn't have a tire balancer. I just looked in the shop manual on replacing tires and it just "recommends" balancing. My rear rim is cast, not spokes, and it says for cast wheels that you use adhesive weights to balance it. I looked on my rear wheel and sure enough, it had a couple of weights, but they've flung off somewhere on the road, only the adhesive is still there. I always thought these cast wheels had alignment dots on them, but the shop manual doesn't mention them, and I don't see one on the rear wheel. Two questions: Is it critical to have the new tire balanced, and if so, can it possibly be done at a car tire place, or do I have to go to the Harley dealer??? Thanks.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
Buy a package of dyna beads, put them in to the tire via the valve stem with the valve removed or have your buddy slip them in before he seals the tire bead on your rim and call it a day. The beads will balance the tire and I plan on going to them myself. Your buddy will likely know about them as well.
You should always balance your tires, I have had mud tires unbalanced on my 4x4. But I don't have the ***** to ride my bike with unbalanced tires personally.
You should always balance your tires, I have had mud tires unbalanced on my 4x4. But I don't have the ***** to ride my bike with unbalanced tires personally.
Last edited by FXD_One; Jan 2, 2012 at 04:16 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 799
Likes: 2
From: WyoBraska (Western Nebraska)
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
I use to balance my own tyres on spoked wheels, but my local Yamaha dealer does them nowadays. Yes, balance new tyres. There is a remote chance your new tyre won't need balancing, but I wouldn't gamble on it!
As the other members have suggested definitely go with the Dyna beads.
We highly recommend them, been using them for about 2 years now and have had great success.
We highly recommend them, been using them for about 2 years now and have had great success.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 1,524
From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
Never balanced a m/cycle tyre in my life, never needed to.....taken the weights off of several H-D's and solved severe speed wobble though.
Looks like you been riding it with no balance weights and not noticed so why worry now?
Get the red dot on the tyre lined up with the valve when you fit the tyre.
Looks like you been riding it with no balance weights and not noticed so why worry now?
Get the red dot on the tyre lined up with the valve when you fit the tyre.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,080
Likes: 2,154
From: Ohio
Gotta follow up with Spanner and have never balanced a tire and have put 5 on the white bike and several for my friends with no issues and we don't putt around on the roads
Do you guys across the pond know you spell tires wrong
Do you guys across the pond know you spell tires wrong
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 9,193
Likes: 494
From: Richmond, VA
Never balanced a m/cycle tyre in my life, never needed to.....taken the weights off of several H-D's and solved severe speed wobble though.
Looks like you been riding it with no balance weights and not noticed so why worry now?
Get the red dot on the tyre lined up with the valve when you fit the tyre.
Looks like you been riding it with no balance weights and not noticed so why worry now?
Get the red dot on the tyre lined up with the valve when you fit the tyre.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,199
Likes: 3,087
From: NW AR
I usually have the tire balanced, but I've put them on myself (only when I HAD to, I HATE tire tools) and not balanced them. Couldn't tell the difference, actually.
The shop manual has (at least mine does) a procedure for balancing the tire yourself. Stick your axle in a vice, put the wheel on the axle, spin the wheel, note where it stops. Put weights on the opposite side of where it consistently stops until it won't consistently stop in the same place. Balanced.
The shop manual has (at least mine does) a procedure for balancing the tire yourself. Stick your axle in a vice, put the wheel on the axle, spin the wheel, note where it stops. Put weights on the opposite side of where it consistently stops until it won't consistently stop in the same place. Balanced.