Motorcycle wheel balancing?

Question

I have a honda hornet 600, and the front vibrates really badly as soon as I reach 40mph, garage says it's a design fault, but if this happened on my car, I'd go get the wheels balanced.

Can you balance bike wheels?

cheers

Answer 1

mc tires can and should be balanced. rule out: bent/damaged rim, bad stearing head bearings, air pressure too low, bike out of alignment. in any case, this is a dangerous situation. mc tires should be professionally mounted, only 2 tires separate u from the pavement....and that pavement is lookin for dinner. dont let dinner become u.

Answer 2

You certainly can balance a motorcycle rim and you definitely should. In fact it is something you can do yourself with minimal preparation. You'll need to head down to your local tire shop to acquire a few adhesive or clip on wheel weights, and the rest of what is needed can be found in most garages.

Balancing your own rim is a relative easy procedure if you understand the concept. I am assuming the rim is straight and balanced prior to the tire being mounted. When a new tire is mounted and properly inflated, most will find that the side of the wheel which is the heaviest is the side opposite the valve stem.
The idea is to counter this offset weight by adding weight to the opposite side of the wheel, thus "balancing" the weight evenly.

With the wheel mounted on it's axle place the wheel supported by both ends of the axle onto two cinder blocks which are level or any two level surfaces which are tall enough to allow the wheel to rotate freely on the axle. There should be no friction preventing the wheel from spinning.

Gently spin the wheel with enough force to rotate the wheel once around the axle. Wait until the wheel stops moving, note where it stops. Do this a few more times, note where the wheel stops each time. When the wheel stops rotating in the direction it was spun, does it creep backward in the opposite direction? If no, then you have friction preventing it from spinning freely. Isolate and remove the friction and repeat.

The object here is based on the concept gravity. Each time you rotate the wheel, when it comes to a complete stop the heaviest side of the wheel will be at the bottom. Do this a few times and if the same end of the wheel is always on the bottom, you need to add weight to the opposite side (the top). Exactly how much weight you'll have to determine by experimenting. When the wheel is balanced, the part of the wheel which is at the bottom when stopped will be arbitrary.

You can take your bike to a shop and they will charge you good money to unmount your wheel and balance it for you. Or you can do it yourself and instead put that money to good use... such as maybe buying a new rim if yours turns out to be damaged, or new steering head berings, etc...

Good luck whatever route you take.

funny quote that comes to mind:

Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut
that connects the handlebars to the saddle.

~syd

Answer 3

Yes they get balanced. Check you have the right tyre size. There should be a red or blue dot on the tyre that should be opposite the valve. Also check to see if the tyre is facing the right way, it should show an arrow pointing forward. Also check your bearings by gripping the wheel with both hands, push your hands in opposite directions if you feel any play get them changed. Check your break discs (if you have taken them off the wheel make sure the are seated properly) they might be warped. If you take it to a Bike MOT centre they can test this for you on there machine. I would also check the head bearings. Get on the bike and lift the handle bars up if you feel play they need changing.
I hope this will help your problem its not a design fault or Honda would not sell bikes.

Answer 4

Front wobble due to a design fault !!! - get another garage!

You can indeed get bike wheels balanced - and they sould be.

You will need to go to a bike shop - ordinary car tyre fitters dont have the machine needed.

You may have a buckled rim, just lift the front off the ground and spin the front wheel and look to see if the rim wobbles, while you are there check the play in the bearings - there should be none.

Happy riding (got an R1 myself)

Answer 5

you surely can stability a motorbike rim and you certainly could. in actuality that's something you're able to do your self with minimum training. you will could head down on your community tire shop to get carry of a few adhesive or clip on wheel weights, and something of what's needed may be contemporary in maximum garages. Balancing your person rim is a relative uncomplicated technique in case you already know the assumption. i'm assuming the rim is directly and balanced ahead of the tire being fixed. while a clean tire is fixed and appropriate inflated, maximum will discover that the fringe of the wheel that's the heaviest is the area opposite the valve stem. the assumption is to counter this offset weight via including weight to the different fringe of the wheel, for that reason "balancing" the load flippantly. With the wheel fixed on it somewhat is axle place the wheel supported via the two ends of the axle onto 2 cinder blocks that are point or any 2 point surfaces that are tall sufficient to permit the wheel to rotate freely on the axle. There could be no friction combating the wheel from spinning. gently spin the wheel with sufficient rigidity to rotate the wheel as quickly as around the axle. Wait till the wheel stops shifting, be conscious the place it stops. try this some greater circumstances, be conscious the place the wheel stops each time. while the wheel stops rotating interior the path it replaced into spun, does it creep backward interior the different path? If no, then you certainly've friction combating it from spinning freely. Isolate and get rid of the friction and repeat. the object here relies on the assumption gravity. each time you rotate the wheel, while it includes an entire stop the heaviest fringe of the wheel would be on the backside. try this some circumstances and if the comparable end of the wheel is often on the backside, you may characteristic weight to the different area (the remarkable). precisely how lots weight you will could be sure via experimenting. while the wheel is balanced, the part of the wheel that's on the backside while stopped would be arbitrary. you could take your motorcycle to a shop and that they are going to can charge you good money to unmount your wheel and stability it for you. or you're able to do it your self and instead placed that money to good use... mutually with consistent with danger paying for a clean rim if yours seems to be broken, or new steerage head berings, etc... good luck however path you're taking. humorous quote that includes suggestions: maximum motorcycle issues are brought about via the nut that connects the handlebars to the saddle. ~syd

Answer 6

Balance should only cost about $25 on that bike but I agree with others that the balance is not the problem. Bent wheel, tire with an internal rip or a the fork tree bearing "very" worn. I would not ride it until I got it fixed! Take it to a Honda dealer, if the one you are taking it to is telling you that it is a design flaw they are full of shi*. Find an independent to look at it if that's the case.

Answer 7

Be aware that Often times, shakes at the front are a result of something out of whack in the rear. So check all the Really simple stuff first, like the axles are tightened properly, rotors fasteners are torqued down, calipers are tight, tires have Proper air level, chain is adjusted for both tension and alignment, then look to the more intensive issues like wheel bearings, steering head bearing, wheel out of round, tires out of balance, frame bent, forks/swingarm bent, etc...

But yes, motorcycle tires, just like car tires, can be ballanced. When installed correctly, you're only going to see 1/4~1/2 of a gram or Less, and it's not That noticeable when they're gone, even at roadracing speeds.

If the bike was bought new, then it's most likely going to be a simple fix. If used, it could be one of the more complicated issues. If you've ever pressure-washed your bike, look to the bearings first (and Stop using a pressure-washer, they can easily ruin bikes).

Good luck with it.

Answer 8

As others have said - yes! By 'the garage' do you mean the place you bought it from? If so, get an independent inspection and threaten to sue their a@@@@s off!! They are risking your life!! If it's just a place you go for servicing etc, then find somewhere else - quickly!!

Answer 9

without a doubt the front wheel should be balanced and any garage worth its salt should make sure its done properly.

Answer 10

I've never known it to be done but I haven't had a bike over 250cc

Ask a good tyre fitting depot to have a look - they will know for sure