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  1. #1
    Member MS JETSON's Avatar
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    Default RT front tire balancing

    I had my dealer install new front tires last summer and was told by the dealer the never balance the spyder tires. I have taken the front wheels to several tire shops and they tell my that the center hole is too small so it won't fit on their balance machine. The tires are out of balance and vibrate badly at highway speed.
    What is everyone else doing?
    Ms Jetson
    2021 Spyder RT Limited Chaulk/Dark
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  2. #2
    Very Active Member Lew L's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MS JETSON View Post
    I had my dealer install new front tires last summer and was told by the dealer the never balance the spyder tires. I have taken the front wheels to several tire shops and they tell my that the center hole is too small so it won't fit on their balance machine. The tires are out of balance and vibrate badly at highway speed.
    What is everyone else doing?
    Hello MS,
    Go to a motorcycle shop that can change and balance tires. A regular tire shop may not have the correct fittings for a rim. But a motorcycle shop would. Heck of a dealer ( stealer ) who will sell you a but can't balance the tires that oare on it. Look for another dealer, really.

    Lew L

    PS: We just love our ' RTS in Circuit Yellow
    Kaos----- Gone but not forgotten.

    2014 RTS in Circuit Yellow, farkle-ing addiction down to once every few months. ECU FLASH IS GREAT.
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  3. #3
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    Wow, that’s really sad considering how poorly balanced the wheels are and how crappy the Kenda tires are. But like Lew said any motorcycle tire shop can do it and modt Motorcycle dealers will also.

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  4. #4
    Very Active Member Grandpot's Avatar
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    My local tire shop can balance my front tires. They have the small adapter. I have been very lucky being able to static balance my rear tire myself.
    2011 RTS (Sold to a very nice lady)
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  5. #5
    Very Active Member Bensonoid's Avatar
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    I have an old, basic, bubble balancer that the fronts fit on. It's not the one that harbor freight sells but it looks just like it. It works very well and I'm sure the one from harbor does also.
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  6. #6
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    I ended up buying the hub cone to fit my wheel and take it with me to the tire shop. This way I get the tires balanced and not have to take it to all the tire shops in the area to tell me the same thing.

    I also found some Motorcycle shops are charging way to much to change and balance tires.

  7. #7
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    My dealer uses Dyna beads ad I've been using them for years. Simple to put 2oz in fronts and 3oz in rear and go.
    2021 F3 Ltd , Magna Red

  8. #8
    Very Active Member Woodaddict's Avatar
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    I had Walmart change and balance my fronts. Also you can try the Centramatic wheel balancers from Lamonster and others
    2015 Spyder RT Ltd- bUrp - only add the "U", 2010 Honda NT700V-red,2010 Honda NT700V-silver retired @201,111 miles, 1997 Honda PC800, 1996 Honda PC800, Honda CT500, Honda Shadow 500, 1978 Suzuki GS550, 1973 Suzuki TC125, other assorted smaller bikes, Suzuki TM400



  9. #9
    Active Member Tulefog's Avatar
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    I used Dyna Beads in the front tires when i replaced them.
    Cycle Gear store put on new tires and added the Beads.

  10. #10
    Very Active Member PMK's Avatar
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    The shops unable to fit the wheel onto the machine likely just have not purchased a full set of adapters. For some crazy reason to fill my tool fetish, I purchased a Snap On dynamic balancer and have it here at the house. It is for automobile and pick up type wheels. The Spyder fronts fit my machine and even the Kendas rolled smooth once correctly balanced. However, the aftermarket tires I installed are certainly far superior to the Kendas.

  11. #11
    Very Active Member jcthorne's Avatar
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    So sorry to hear of dealers that refuse to invest in the correct tools to do work correctly. Dyna beads are a band-aid solution for not having the correct equipment. Select a shop that can do the job right. The OEM front wheels and especially Kenda tires are very poorly balanced and the assembly NEEDS to be properly balanced before its installed on the bike. Anything less will lead to a poor riding bike. If a small shop like mine can have the right tools, so can a multi-million dollar CanAm dealership. There simply are no excuses for not doing the job right.

    Blue Flame Spyder F3-S
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  12. #12
    Very Active Member zuni's Avatar
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    Goodyear has always taken care of the front tires for me and Cycle Gear has done the rear. Cycle Gear provides the balancing as a free service.

    CJ Jax

  13. #13
    Member MS JETSON's Avatar
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    Thanks everyone for your replies. We solved the problem with an old "bubble" balancer
    Ms Jetson
    2021 Spyder RT Limited Chaulk/Dark
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    Drivers Backrest, K.O.T.T. Grills, Lamonster Handlebar riser

    Past rides; 2007 Lehman Jackal, 2014 Spyder RTS

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    Lennox,SD

    2014 RT , Congac

  14. #14
    Very Active Member PMK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MS JETSON View Post
    Thanks everyone for your replies. We solved the problem with an old "bubble" balancer
    Realize that initially, and possibly still, Can Am balanced the wheels in a static format. Essentially the same as a bubble balance setup. There is a service bulletin advising dealers to accomplish a true dynamic balance of the front tires. With dynamic balancing, you apply weights in two planes, one inside the inner flange and along the outside flange. Doing this not only provides rotational balance but lessens the imbalance created by precession or wobble. If you have the time and means, you will be better served with a true dynamic balance on the fronts.

    The rear is less critical to dynamic balance as it is supported by a thru axle setup and will not wobble or shake the handlebars, but can vibrate rotationally.

  15. #15
    Very Active Member PMK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jcthorne View Post
    So sorry to hear of dealers that refuse to invest in the correct tools to do work correctly. Dyna beads are a band-aid solution for not having the correct equipment. Select a shop that can do the job right. The OEM front wheels and especially Kenda tires are very poorly balanced and the assembly NEEDS to be properly balanced before its installed on the bike. Anything less will lead to a poor riding bike. If a small shop like mine can have the right tools, so can a multi-million dollar CanAm dealership. There simply are no excuses for not doing the job right.

    Even more crazy, me, having the means to dynamic balance Spyder tires in my own home workshop and not in business to do so. Can Am needs to have a required tool inventory for the dealers wishing to remain as dealers. Then again, with the talent pool in so many hands on trades at whale**** lows, I guess most techs would be dumbfounded trying to balance a tire anyway, unless it had a USB port to plug the computer into so the computer could tell them what to do...

  16. #16
    Very Active Member Lew L's Avatar
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    Totally off topic
    But I'll take the hit for that.

    Is your husband/ boyfriend/ et.al. named " GEORGE"

    I apoligize but I just couldn't help myself

    Lew L
    Kaos----- Gone but not forgotten.

    2014 RTS in Circuit Yellow, farkle-ing addiction down to once every few months. ECU FLASH IS GREAT.
    2014 RTS , Circuit Yellow

  17. #17
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    Wow! Similar experience here. I took 2 loose tires (new-non-Kenda) and 2 new wheels into a beautiful local dealer, asking them to mount and balance the pair. When I picked them up, I was charged $85, but I noticed, when putting them in the back of my truck, there were NO WEIGHTS on them! I was told "well They must not have needed any weights". Yeah right! I made them track down the "tech" who mounted them, and he told me they never balance Spyder wheels...."they are so small, they don't need it"!!!I promptly demanded they balance them, and then was told they don't have the adapter to fit Spyder wheels. I asked for a refund for the balancing, which they refused, saying that the $85 was just for mounting (remember, they didn't even have to dismount any tires). Disgusted, I stormed out and stopped by Pep Boys on the way home. They balanced them in 10 minutes at NO CHARGE!!! (I tipped the guy, of course). BRP needs to get a handle on their dealerships for sure!

  18. #18
    Very Active Member Grandpot's Avatar
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    They might as well put a gun to your head and robbed you. That's almost unbelievable.
    2011 RTS (Sold to a very nice lady)
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  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan-Am View Post
    BRP needs to get a handle on their dealerships for sure!
    And let that be a lesson for the rest of us too..............
    When canvassing shops to find one to mount tires, be sure to ask them if they balance too.

    Note: What exactly makes you think that a manufacturer that puts on crappy tires and does not align or balance them......is going to care what their dealers do ?????

    I think I am going to look up what planes that Bombardier makes and be real sure that I NEVER fly in one of them.

  20. #20
    Very Active Member BLUEKNIGHT911's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan-Am View Post
    Wow! Similar experience here. I took 2 loose tires (new-non-Kenda) and 2 new wheels into a beautiful local dealer, asking them to mount and balance the pair. When I picked them up, I was charged $85, but I noticed, when putting them in the back of my truck, there were NO WEIGHTS on them! I was told "well They must not have needed any weights". Yeah right! I made them track down the "tech" who mounted them, and he told me they never balance Spyder wheels...."they are so small, they don't need it"!!!I promptly demanded they balance them, and then was told they don't have the adapter to fit Spyder wheels. I asked for a refund for the balancing, which they refused, saying that the $85 was just for mounting (remember, they didn't even have to dismount any tires). Disgusted, I stormed out and stopped by Pep Boys on the way home. They balanced them in 10 minutes at NO CHARGE!!! (I tipped the guy, of course). BRP needs to get a handle on their dealerships for sure!
    You probably don't want to know this .... Pep Boys could have mounted too.....annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd for a heck of a lot less ..... Mike

  21. #21
    Very Active Member h0gr1der's Avatar
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    I looked around my home town, said the heck with it and bought a tire mounting machine. No Mar is having a clearance sale on the Cycle Hill https://www.nomartirechanger.com/Cyc...p/tc-ch100.htm for $434 to your door. One thing that kicked it over the top over the Harbor Freight is it comes with the NoMar Bar and the non scratch rim grabbers. Also going to get a balancing shaft from http://www.marcparnes.com . He has one for the Spyder for $115. I'm all in now!
    h0gr1der
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  22. #22
    Very Active Member jcthorne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by h0gr1der View Post
    I looked around my home town, said the heck with it and bought a tire mounting machine. No Mar is having a clearance sale on the Cycle Hill https://www.nomartirechanger.com/Cyc...p/tc-ch100.htm for $434 to your door. One thing that kicked it over the top over the Harbor Freight is it comes with the NoMar Bar and the non scratch rim grabbers. Also going to get a balancing shaft from http://www.marcparnes.com . He has one for the Spyder for $115. I'm all in now!
    I bought one of those and had a very bad time with it. Useless on spyder wheels as it simplly could not grip the wheel strong enough to allow you to work the bead over the rim edge. Ended up costing me hundreds of bucks to send it back and pay restocking fees for a contraption that did not do what it was advertised to do. The customer support was useless. Watch the videos...does not help when the unit will not hold the wheel and just bends/breaks when trying to tighten the clamps sufficiently to do so. Poor quality, poor support.

    For a few bucks more, we went with a Ranger tire machine and could not be more pleased with the unit or the support. From the first tire, it just worked. Avoid the NoMar junk.

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  23. #23
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    Where did you get the hub cone?

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by trikermutha View Post
    I ended up buying the hub cone to fit my wheel and take it with me to the tire shop. This way I get the tires balanced and not have to take it to all the tire shops in the area to tell me the same thing.

    I also found some Motorcycle shops are charging way to much to change and balance tires.
    Triker...do you have a p/n for the hub cone?

  25. #25
    Very Active Member Wildrice's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bensonoid View Post
    I have an old, basic, bubble balancer that the fronts fit on. It's not the one that harbor freight sells but it looks just like it. It works very well and I'm sure the one from harbor does also.
    Bubble balancers work just fine on 98% of tires. That's what racing bike use.
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