The Tire Tracks, by the Members of Texas Area A Retreads

Editors Note. Another Stolen Article. This one taken from the June 2000 issue of HSTA STAReview. This publication is "The Official Publication of the Honda Sport Touring Association". I could not find any copyright notices mentioned in the publication. Thanks to Harl Hoppler who ever & where ever you are!
Home Tire Balancing

by Harl Hoppler

This procedure describes balancing the tires for your F650 at home. It is pretty universal, but won't work for certain types of rims, notably BMW/ Triumph/Ducati/Honda rears from bikes with single sided swingarms. However, it'll work for just about everything else. It's a good idea to read the entire article to familiarize yourself with what's going on. Like most tasks you'll get better with experience. If you're not comfortable with the procedure or your abilities, take your wheel to a shop and have them do it. The author and publisher accept no responsibility for improperly balanced wheels or ensuing problems they might cause. Properly followed, the procedure will give you a tire balance almost as good as one on a fancy spin balancer.
Stuff You'll Need

  • Freshly mounted tire and wheel.

  • Long 3/8" extension. A foot or so is great. You can use your axle, but an extension or some similar smooth rod smaller than the axle works better.

  • Tape weights. Save your old ones for the initial balance. For new ones, your BMW will sell the trick tape weights with the propeller logo, but they are pretty pricey. Most shops will sell you a generic strip, usually segmented in ¼-oz increments, for a couple of bucks. You can use spoke type weights, but they are not as easy to use and get a good balance.

  • Wire cutters to cut the weights.


  • Duct or masking tape (duct works better).


  • Light colored crayon, wax pencil, or chalk.


  • Spray carb cleaner and rag or similar.


Getting Ready

6

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