Why dyna beads didn't work...

[RaWarrior]

I recently had the tires changed on my Z, both were 17" wheels with a 120 front and 190 rear. When I got the bike it had new tires and regular stick on lead weights for balance. After a few washings, some of the stick on weights fell off and the bike developed a noticeable "hop" at speeds much above 80 or so that got worse with more speed. Also got a little headshake at moderate to low speeds that wasn't there before. Figured this was from the lost balance weights, so decided to give the dyna beads a try.

Put the recommended amount in both tires, and removed the couple weights that were left (as directions say). It was maybe slightly better, but still had the speed "hop" and headshake. Hitting bumps mid-corner now had a pronounced effect, I guess from it knocking the beads all over the place. Anyway, maybe 3k miles after installing the beads, I got a look at the inside of the Metzeler M3's.

The biggest reason I think they didn't work is that the inside of the tread isn't smooth. It had a fine honeycomb-like pattern that I can definitely see would interfere with the beads evenly spreading around. As a result, there was a good amount of black rubber "dust" as well, from this honeycomb texture being sanded off by the beads flying around, further hampering their even distribution. The new Pilot Power 3's I had put on had a very similar texture inside, and the service manager said that's pretty common on sportbike tires. He said virtually any high speed rated tire has this pattern and won't work well with beads or other internal balance media. To make it work, you have to use considerably more media than recommended, up to 3 or 4x as much, essentially to "fill in" the texture and make the tire smooth so it can work as designed. Additionally, he said that they have re-spun worn out tires that were balanced only when new with regular weights, and probably 90% of the time the machine says they're still balanced, so the benefits of constantly re-balancing the tire are rather exaggerated.

I don't remember if the ME880s I ran on the vmax were textured inside or not. I never tried the beads either

I know this is up there with debating motor oil, but this does give some explanation as to the mixed bag of reports from people that try the bead balancing.

 

[Sweetwilliebrownjr]

Those things work wonders on large tires, like big rigs and such, but we're talking about vehicles where balance could be off by ounces and not be felt. I actually tried them in performance car tires once (out of curiosity), and it doesn't work well there either. Another reason those things have issues is that any small amount of moisture of any sort (including the oils and such that are on new tires, which never wears off the inside as it does the exterior of the tire) make the beads stick together, which usually causes more imbalance than without the beads altogether.

 

[m-cman]

Several years ago Motorcycle Consumer News did a test of these and determined they did NOT work. Don't remember the specifics but tested with beads and weights in as scientific manner as possible. I can see them being like sandpaper inside your wheel at speed. :biglaugh:

 

[customizedcreationz]

Well I ll be the one to argue that they work and I ve had them in trucks, cars and several bikes now.

I ve run 180 mph on my Turbo Busa without a single shake, shimmy or vibration at any speed.

I usually use air soft bb's. But the Busa got Dyna beads. I couldnt be happier ever since I used this balancing technique.

As far as any consumer magazine doing a test on them. I think its pretty simple logic on how they work. Also for them sanding down the inside, seems pretty strange. I ve never seen that in any of the tires I have them in , with either BB's or the Dynabeads.

Interesting. Pictures ?

 

[Biker Dash]

The big reason why the "scientific" testing of the Dynabeads show them as to not work is because when they have the wheel on the balancing machine, the ONLY movement is rotational. The Dynabeads work better when the wheel movement is more dynamic, such as while moving down the road, where there is rotational, as well as directional movement on two axises. (or whatever the *** the plural of axis is) When the motorcycle is going down the road, there is a constant rotation, like the machine would have, but there is a directional movement, which alters the initial rotational forces that the beads experience. Also, the suspension works over bumps, moving the beads around, acting as a mixer of sorts, allowing for the beads to redistribute as needed more readily.

 

[Sweetwilliebrownjr]

My opinion, based on when Ive used dynamic beads and similar products (at my shop, and on personal vehicles): save it for big wheels and tires. It's too risky for a vehicle on two wheels that's already prone to shakes and shimmies. Might work well, or might be catastrophic. Keep it simple.

 

[Traumahawk]

I've got them in my bike, and I currently run Shinkos (that are relatively smooth on the inside). Before I put them in, I got up on the interstate by my house, and rode the bike about 5 miles, and went back home, and then put them in, and then went back to the same patch of highway. I couldn't tell a difference in the ride, but I could tell a difference in the side mirrors. Where as before, at 75 the mirrors were blurry, after the beads I could clearly see the vehicle behind me.

The dyna beads website states that if you have ribbed tires (like car tires) you have to use larger beads (up to 2 MM beads for large ribs) to allow them to roll over the ribs.

This is just my experience with them. IMHO, I believe that they work.

 

[Traumahawk]

Those things work wonders on large tires, like big rigs and such, but we're talking about vehicles where balance could be off by ounces and not be felt. I actually tried them in performance car tires once (out of curiosity), and it doesn't work well there either. Another reason those things have issues is that any small amount of moisture of any sort (including the oils and such that are on new tires, which never wears off the inside as it does the exterior of the tire) make the beads stick together, which usually causes more imbalance than without the beads altogether.

From what I've read they can't be used in performance tires, because anything that will cause a sudden shift in direction...or things like that...will cause the beads to get dislodged.

 

[dannymax]

Well I ll be the one to argue that they work and I ve had them in trucks, cars and several bikes now.

I ve run 180 mph on my Turbo Busa without a single shake, shimmy or vibration at any speed.

I usually use air soft bb's. But the Busa got Dyna beads. I couldnt be happier ever since I used this balancing technique.

As far as any consumer magazine doing a test on them. I think its pretty simple logic on how they work. Also for them sanding down the inside, seems pretty strange. I ve never seen that in any of the tires I have them in , with either BB's or the Dynabeads.

Interesting. Pictures ?

I've seen this on both Shinko and Metz tires....after running the beads for a few thousand miles the inside tire ridges are completely worn smooth....I don't run the beads any more, went to a simple bench top static balancer and stick-on weights, which work very well IMO.

 

[customizedcreationz]

I wonder because I use BB's most of the time thats why I have better results?

 

[woodsman30]

I use dyna beads and I like them not worried about wearing the inside out. I wear the outside out long before that happens.unk:. The vmax chews tires up fast its a heavy bike with lots of tire turning power so I get about a season out of a set beside if tires are new every season you know you have good tires and avoid breakdowns flats or wipeouts on wet roads. Just my thoughts:eusa_dance:

 

[Redbone]

I wonder because I use BB's most of the time thats why I have better results?

How do you determine how much to use? How are they installed? I think you posted this before but it was buried in another thread.

 

[Traumahawk]

How do you determine how much to use? How are they installed? I think you posted this before but it was buried in another thread.

The "generic" rules are 1 ounce in the front and 2 ounces in the rear. The specifics are 1 ounce in any tire up to 120 mm wide, and above that 2 ounces. You take out the valve core, and pour the beads in, reinstall the valve core, and reinflate.

 

[Warp12]

I've run 211 mph with no weights at all. Many, many times at 190 mph+ in LSR, hundreds of dragstrip passes, and some street too. Unless you are way out of balance, you are not likely to feel it. I would love to see back-to-back tests where people did not know what weight, if any, was balancing the wheels. I'm not saying that balancing is not needed. I'm just saying that unless you are way out you would not feel it, one way or the other. Unless there is a Princess and the Pea situation....

However, if someone told you that the wheels weren't balanced, you might "feel" it right away.

 

[texas-ss-tornado]

I have been using Dyna-Beads for as long as I can remember, it's the only thing I use to balance bike tires with anymore, ever. They do work.

 

[naughtyG]

I would have thought similar amounts to Dynabeads (1-2oz front, 2-3oz rear), and will they fit through the inflating valve like the beads using wifey's toys?
http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=6250&highlight=dynabeads

I used them and they worked for me, I have more, I will use them again. Running Shinkos too, and that ol' 150/90-15 on the rear is a pretty big tire!

 

[customizedcreationz]

How do you determine how much to use? How are they installed? I think you posted this before but it was buried in another thread.

I put them in prior to mounting the last bead. I used weight method to determine how many bb's I put in. They do make a sloshing like sounds when you push the bike around lol. But you can't hear it when the motor is running.

Todd

 

[Traumahawk]

I put them in prior to mounting the last bead. I used weight method to determine how many bb's I put in. They do make a sloshing like sounds when you push the bike around lol. But you can't hear it when the motor is running.

Todd

Well have a question...on a kawasaki thread that I was reading about the beads, they didn't recommend them past 130 mph.....so how fast have you gone with them in?

 

[Traumahawk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eq263AYgyYg

here is an interesting video.

 

[jagco1]

This is good info, I have some and never use them yet.