How To Balance Motorcycle Tire: A Complete Guide

motorcycle tire

Balancing your wheels and tires before hitting the road is a great protective measure for both you and your motorcycle. Unbalanced motorcycle tires can lead to a number of problems, including decreased fuel efficiency and tire wear, as well as an increased chance of a dangerous tire blowout.

By learning how to balance motorcycle tire, you can avoid these problems and keep your bike on the road longer. With the right tools and knowledge, balancing your motorcycle tires is a relatively easy process.

On that note, let us take a brief look at how you can balance a motorcycle tire all by yourself.

Balancing a Motorcycle Tire – Setting Up a Balancer

Mount the Wheel on a Wheel Balancer

The first thing that you need to do is mount the wheel on a motorcycle wheel balancer. If you don’t have access to one, you can place the wheel in your car and drive it around on some clean roads for a while. You may be able to get away with less frequent balancing if this is the case.

Next, spin the front tire slowly and look for any wobbling or shaking of the rim. If there is any visible movement, use an axle nut wrench and turn each one of the lug nuts about 1/4 of a turn clockwise until all movement stops. Alternatively, if your motorcycle has caliper brakes, use them instead.

Setting up a Static Balancer

motorcycle tire

Mount the front tire on the motorcycle stand or balancer by tilting it back until the outer edge of the tire contacts the balancer. Most front tires are symmetrical and will balance out when mounted this way.

However, if your tire is not symmetrical, then you will need to mount it so that its heaviest part faces down towards the ground.

Push Wheel Into the Balancer

The next step is to push the wheel down firmly into the balancer until it touches the bottom. At this point, you will need to release any air pressure that you have in the tire. If there is no air pressure, then just leave it as is.

You should be able to spin your tire easily without any wobbling or shaking once its weight is balanced out against the heavy part of the tire (i.e., the inside of the rim).

Degrease the Wheels

motorcycle tire

Before you put the wheel back on your bike, it is important to degrease it. This will help to remove any built-up dirt or brake dust that may have accumulated on the rim and could cause the wheel to wobble or shake when you ride.

The wheels become easier to clean after you place them on a balancer because all of the dirt and brake dust gets pushed towards the bottom of each wheel and you can access every side of the wheel. Simply wipe down the front tire first, then do the back one.

There are a number of ways that you can decrease your wheels, but using an aerosol brake cleaner is one of the easiest. Just spray it on and let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it off with a clean rag.

Balancing a Motorcycle Tire – Levelling Your Wheel’s Weight

motorcycle tire

Rotate the Tire

Rotate the tire as smoothly as you can by hand, making sure that the valve stem is pointing up at all times. Spin the wheel a couple of times. When the wheel stops, the heavier part should be towards the bottom.

Mark the underside of the wheel using masking tape. If the wheel is not balanced, you can adjust it by using a shim on one side of the wheel. For example, if the heavier part of the wheel is at the 6 o’clock position, you would need to add a shim to the 12 o’clock position on the opposite side of the wheel. This will help to level out the weight and make it easier to spin without wobbling or shaking.

Tie The Wheel Weight

When you put the wheel back on your bike, you should tie or secure the weights so that they cannot come loose and fall off. This will ensure that the shims stay in place and do not get damaged while you are riding.

Fix it securely using masking tape. Purchase glued wheel buttons if you want to be extra safe.

Add Weights to Balance the Wheel

Tie the weights to the lightest portion on the top side of the wheel (i.e., the 6 o’clock position) on each side of your motorcycle. If you are having trouble, it may be easier to move the weights down one position on each side (i.e., from 12 o’clock to 1 o’clock).

Make sure that you attach the weights securely using some metal wire or some glue. This way, they will not fall off while you are riding your motorcycle.

There are a number of different types of wheel weights available for motorcycles, but if you have alloy wheels, you should not use lead wheel weights. Instead, use a non-ferrous metal such as brass or aluminum to keep from damaging your wheels.

Do Not Use Additional Weights

Do not use additional weights to try and balance the wheel. This could cause the wheel to become unbalanced again and may even damage your motorcycle.

When you are finished, test out your newly balanced wheel by spinning it a few times. If it still wobbles or shakes, then you may need to add more weights or adjust the shims until the wheel is completely balanced.

A Final Check

Once you have finished balancing the wheel, take a look at the tire itself. Make sure that there is no debris or anything else that could cause a problem while you are riding. Clean off any dirt or mud and check the pressure.

If everything looks good, put your helmet back on and hit the open road!

Conclusion

Wheel weights help to balance motorcycle tires. The Tire pressure of an unbalanced motorcycle tire can loosen the adhesive wheel weights. Wheel bearings and axle pinch bolts are important components to balance tires for motorcycles. A brake caliper helps in wheel balancing. Old wheel weights can sometimes affect the balance of the motorcycle tire. The wheel spindle is the light spot to maintain the balance of the motorcycle tired. Unbalanced wheels lead to poor fuel economy of the motorcycle as well.

There you have it! By following these simple steps, you can help to keep your motorcycle’s wheels in balance and avoid annoying wobbles.

A perfectly balanced motorcycle tire is the key to a smooth and safe ride. You will also save money and time by keeping your tires from being damaged or worn out prematurely. So, maintain the balance and ride away!

About The Author

daniel and sarah on motorcycle

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