Rear wheel balancing?

[Wmoater]

I have read a bunch of different threads/ posts dealing with the rear tire installation. I just want to confirm and ask 2 questions. First, I will be installing a General Altimax RT43 on the rear. I can get it from a local tire dealer who is a good friend for $69 plus tax. I spoke with my local motorcycle shop and he is not interested in installing the tire. He doesn’t work on Spyders due to his insurance. Darn, because he has a great, and I mean great, reputation for bikes. I have a Can am dealer 45 miles away. Their work is OK. Not great, but OK. I called them and they will remove the back rim and tire, Mount the new back tire “I supply” and balance it for me. From most of the treads I read, I saw most people saying it can’t be balanced. So question #1..........Can the rear tire be balanced or not properly and professionally? He says he has a special cone size that is made specifically for Can am spyders. Didn’t think there was one, but maybe there is. The spyder will not pass inspection because of the tire so I have to get a new tire. I am going to the ohio rally in June so if something goes wrong at least it will be inspected and I can pay netzel to reinstall everything. Don’t want to, but I will not ride a “Not” inspected vehicle. Especially in May and June. The second question..........I have read a bunch of people use the centermatic wheel balancer. I asked the can am dealer about this. He says he has seen them but not necessary. He said their machine will balance the tire perfectly. He did say they’d put that on at no cost when they mount the tire if I wanted to if I supply the part. It’s a simple 4 bolts before the sprocket or brakes goes on depending on the type and side. I know it has to be done at that time while the tire is off. Is the Centermatic Wheel balancer worth it if they are balancing it? The darn spyder is so smooth right now, I want it the stay the same after this new tire as OEM tire felt before. I would do this entire job myself but I don’t trust myself on the alignment of the belt and Really don’t have a good tire changer dealer that has ever done a motorcycle tire close by either. Both motorcycle dealers said they can’t mount the tire. Both felt confident in mounting them but just can’t. I know one personally, I am buying the tire from him, and he just admitted he could do it on the side but if anything ever happened he’d be in trouble. Not sure why, but I respect that. So for $59.00 Plus tax let the can am dealer take the tire off and mount it. It would take me 2 hours and for $59.00 let them give it a try. Hopefully I don’t have to pay netzel to redo it in June. My inspection is up in April. I admit, I am one of those guys that overthink everything too so just asking to reinsure my decisions.

Questions:
Rear tire, Can be balanced and should be?
Is the Centermatic Wheel balancer worth it?

How much is a typical rear tire change and new tire cost? I didn’t think $140 total was to bad.

[AeroPilot]

Centramatic balancers will give you balance for many tires over the life of the bike and pay for itself....saves time as well if you can remove the rear wheel yourself...

I ordered the last couple of Generals from Walmart and they include mounting, so we have new rear tires on the F3T and RT for next year at under $200.

[PinkRosePetal]

Q1, yes the rear tyre can be balanced and should be.

Q2, dunno, never used one but the principle ensures, at best, it's a compromise balance because it's an offset to the tyre centre line, so in no way is it a dynamic balance. Can you mount two, one each side?

Q3, dunno, I do my own. Try a car tyre fitter.

I'll add though, make sure your fitter is careful or remove the brake disc first. This is because the rear wheel is of a diameter where the tyre clamp which is used to squeeze the tyre from the rim to break the bead can cause an overlap on the machine side which catches the edge of the disc and it can easily be bent. Care needs to be taken.

Many professional wheel balancer machines are capable of balancing motorcycle wheels with the use of an accessory adapter. A small diameter spindle with cones and arms which support the wheel.

Also, if you're happy with a static balance, and it is a satisfactory way to go, an old fashioned manual motorcycle wheel balancer can do a good job and it can be done using the axle from your Spyder as the spindle.

On balance, if your can-am dealer will do it for a reasonable sum, let them take the responsibility.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I have had three Spyders and almost a dozen rear tires ( auto tires for re-placement ) I had one balanced by a MTC shop …. after a couple years some of the weights fell off .... there was NO difference in the feel of the bike …. I didn't do any of the others I bought … no ill effects no odd wear characteristics ….. I questioned my bets friend ( a master mechanic ) as to why this might be possible …. His explanation was if you line up the RED dot properly, most auto tires ( made today ) will be almost balanced with out weights …. the other reason He gave was because the Spyder Axel is well supported in the swing arm …. the imbalance would have to hugh to have an effect ….. this is why I no longer bother with the rear wheel … feel to free to ignore what I do …. Mike

[merlot]

i am under the impression that its not wise to balance the rear wheel on a conventional tyre balancer due to the speed involved and the bearings possible failure(could be misinformation tho)
your can am shop may be using a static balancer ?

cant comment on Q2

re belt alignment....i use the drop shock method and re-alignment hasnt been necessary

with a harbour freight? balancer you can do your trailer tyres too



russ

[h0gr1der]

I ran into this when my Kenda tire on the front couldn't be balanced. The dealer ran a line of crap on me about "dynamic" balancing being the only safe way, but when I got my Spyder back from a failed attempt at rebalancing the Kenda all the weights were on the rim center, meaning it was pretty much a static balance. So I did the job myself, learning a bunch along the way. Bought a manual tire changer, the cheaper one from Nomar, a static balance shaft from Marc Parnes, and did the whole thing myself. Added the Centramatic balancers when I went back together with it. I static balanced all 3 wheels, and it is very smooth. So much so that I can't tell if the Centramatic balancers are doing anything. They are kind of small with the weight ring close to the disc brake diameter, so thy can only correct a few ounces of imbalance at most. I posted some stuff about all that if you want to look it up. A lot of dealers will try to shoot you a line of horse hockey about Spyders having to have special motorcycle tires, but the car tires a bunch of us put on have the J type rim beads that match the Spyder rim.

[Peteoz]

What you are looking at doing is the perfect solution (unless your dealer was prepared to mount a new car tyre on your rim, of course). If your dealer is prepared to balance and install a non Kenda tyre.......perfect. Forget about the Centramatics.

Pete

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

If the dealer will mount the car tire let him do it, as others have said. Make sure "a tire I supply" includes car tires. He may be thinking you plan to bring a Kenda or Arachnid tire. My local car & truck tire dealer mounted my car tire on the rim for me. He did not have the adapter to spin balance it so he put in a commercial type liquid balance. He said they use it all the time on pickup and truck tires that they can't spin balance. I've never noticed any unbalance at all.

[Jetfixer]

Take the wheel off yourself by removing the input arm for the ride height sensing and removing the lower nut from the rear shock. This will allow you to remove the rear wheel without disturbing the belt. The rear wheel will hang so low that you can simply slide the belt off the rear sprocket. Use the shop time money you saved to buy the Centramatic! I use them on all 3 wheels.

[Peteoz]

If the dealer will mount the car tire let him do it, as others have said. Make sure "a tire I supply" includes car tires. He may be thinking you plan to bring a Kenda or Arachnid tire.

Ahhhh yes. Very, very valid point, Idaho. Well worth confirming

Pete

[Wild]

I don't own a spider yet waiting on the 2020 RTL, so do not know if this will help but in my Victory vision I rum balancing beads in the tyres

[carbonation]

You'll like the General RT43.
Remove the factory stick on weights, clean the rim while it's out.
I got the my tire from Tire Rack, and had NTB mount my tire for 10.
I used balance beads. https://www.amazon.com/Z-Tire-Beads-...a-773272241164

[Highwayman2013]

You can always balance the rear tire with the axle , 2 jack stands and some stick on weights.

[101stVet]

3oz of Dynabeads....or if you want to go cheap, soft airgun pellets from WalMart work as well. Been using both for 25+ years on two wheelers. Now using on Verdestein CT on Spyder