Balance beads

[f6john]

Anybody using them? I decided to try them with some fresh rubber I had mounted this week.



Nobody locally had any, so I had to order some from NAPA and are supposed to be here this morning. Honda shop who mounted the tires, offered to break the tire back away from the rim so I don’t have to run the beads thru the valve stem and do it with no additional charge. The beads I ordered from NAPA didn’t come with any application tubes, bottles ect so I’m taking them up on their offer.



I’ve got a new Avon Cobra Chrome for the front of the Valkyrie and if my experience is positive on the Wing, I’ll try them for the Valkyrie.



The jury is still out on the rear tire as to whether to go dark side this time or not. It would be a first for me.



I’ve got to make a list of all the perishable bits for reinstalling the diff. It would be good to be able to roll the bike around on its own wheels again.

I sold my 11” Progressive shocks to Janice last year so I had to do some digging to find my factory shocks, they have been stored away for years.

[..]

BB's

3 oz for a rear car tire
2 oz for a front tier

No, they don't degrade over time.

I give the tire tech a new ziploc with the right weight in.

Saves trying to poke around in the removed tire to reuse the BB's.

[f6john]

Why didn’t I remember the bb’s? I’m planning to use 2 oz front and rear on the Wing.

[..]

Results with BB's are good.

The front tire keeps its rounded profile.

Correct tire pressure and BB's. No cupping. Even wear across the tire.

[Rams]

I've been using balance beads or a similar product for years.   Will continue as long I ride.

Rams

[h13man]

Using beads and I'm @ 18,000 on my front Cobra with .090 tread left. 15,000 was my best on my Exedra @ .050 change depth. My thought of beads vs BB's, BB's would be easier to deal with installing and chainging air pressure as the beads can interfere with the valve stem    . Balance beads due to size and weight of the individual bead would react smoother to deaccel and acceleration.
.

[0leman]

Question, if you use BB's, how do you weigh them to get  2oz's. 

[..]

Question, if you use BB's, how do you weigh them to get  2oz's. 

My weed scale! 

No, no, no. A kitchen scale. Mail scale.

[Cracker Jack]

Question, if you use BB's, how do you weigh them to get  2oz's.  

Just add BB's till the scale says 2oz's. If you want 3oz's, just add till the scale says 3oz's.  

( The devil made me do it. )

[da prez]

  I have been using beads and bb's. not together.  From now on out , it will be the bb's.  The balance beads tend to stick in the valve stem. Most times , it takes a shot of air to blow the beads out of the stem or it could leak.  The balance beads or bb's increase tire life and ride.

                                          da prez

[f6john]

Well this time it turned out to o be heads for this tire set. BB’s wouldn’t go through the valve stem and I didn’t want to break down the tire from the rim to get then in there. The beads were contrary too but I finally got them in. I’ll just have to deal with a puff of air in the valve stem before checking tire pressure.

[JimC]

Well this time it turned out to o be heads for this tire set. BB’s wouldn’t go through the valve stem and I didn’t want to break down the tire from the rim to get then in there. The beads were contrary too but I finally got them in. I’ll just have to deal with a puff of air in the valve stem before checking tire pressure.

John, the puff of air is after you check your pressure. That gets any broken pieces of bead out of the schrader valve so the valve does not stick open slightly.

Jim

[f6john]

That makes sense 

[h13man]

I put my valve stem at the 9 o'clock position, puff of air, then go thru the procedure. This of course with the valve stem is a 90 degree facing on the high side so to speak and me on my back with the saddle bags on. I can take my bags off because they're Ghost Brackets but I like exercise by futility.

[f6john]

Yeah, the Wing rear tire will be a challenge, next time bb’s for sure.