Have you had a new tyre fitted to your motorcycle, and you now have a slight vibration? Is it ok to ignore this and hope that equilibrium will be restored as the tire wears?
Balancing your tyres is essential for safe riding. Tyres out of balance will vibrate to varying degrees with the speed you are travelling; this is dangerous. Excessive vibration could also loosen other fasteners exacerbating the problem and increasing the danger to the rider.
Is motorcycle wheel balancing necessary?
You must balance your tyres. ZR tyres are rated to 160+, and a severe vibration could dislodge your brake pads from your calliper.
Apart from the uncomfortable ride, your tyre will wear unevenly, and it can be hazardous if left unchecked.
There are lots of static frames online that are perfect for wheel balancing. The crazy thing is it’s an easy process, and a shop takes just minutes to balance a tyre. Can’t afford shop prices, then do it yourself.
Do you need to balance rear tyres? Yes. If your rear tyre is out of balance, you will feel the same vibration and uncomfortable ride. A tyre way out of balance could destroy your rear sprocket so get it checked and balanced.
How often should you balance motorcycle tires?
It depends. If you are fortunate enough not to have mounted a kerb or hit a pothole, then your initial balance might last the tire’s life.
If you ride daily, you need to keep an eye on your tyres for balance issues. If you feel any vibration check your tyres and wheel, you could have thrown a balancing weight.
Every time you have a new tyre fitted, balance the tyre. Although tyre manufacturers turn out great products, there can sometimes be a variation in wall thickness which will throw the tyre out of balance.
If you get a perfect tyre, it will be slightly out of balance once you add the tyre valve. If you are unsure, get the balance checked by a shop.
Is tyre balancing really necessary?
Yes, if your tyres are out of balance, your ride will be uncomfortable and potentially dangerous.
It is more important to have the front tyre balances for obvious reasons.
If you feel the vibration through the handlebars and a slight wiggle, this can be disconcerting to the rider. And potentially dangerous.
What is the best way to balance a motorcycle tire?
The two main ways to balance a tyre is Static balancing and Dynamic balancing. Dynamic balancing uses a machine to spin the wheel up to speed and detect the needed weight position. It’s an accurate and quick service done at a shop.
Static balancing is something you would likely do at home by placing your motorcycle wheel on a spindle held by a frame and seeing the natural weight of the tyre, and this is where the weight is added.
Whichever way you choose to balance your motorcycle tyres, realise it is a critical process for safety and comfort.