[midwestrider]

I've been reading through some of the old tire cupping/uneven wear/left-side wear threads and had a question pop into my mind.

For those of us who have experienced this kind of wear what tire balancing method did you use on the tire that had this kind of wear?

I am now noticing some left-side (orientation from the seat) wear on my Avon Storm 2 front tire but I also have almost 6,000 miles on them. When I had them installed the tire guy put nitrogen in them. But it was about 2-3 weeks agon I noticed some unusual wear and check the air pressure and they were lower than what I originally had them at 42/48. I don't have nitrogen at home so I've just been putting air in them. I've kept the front at 40-42 for the last few weeks.

I've used Dyna Beads when I had the Avons installed. I have also used them on my previous bike (VTX) with ME880's.

Thanks for participating in my poll.

 

[jzeiler]

I just use wheel weights (some times I don't even need any) and by the time I have 12K on a front it is cuping. I usually wear out the rear before it ever cups.

By the way air is 80% nitrogen anyway. It alone is used because it is pumped dry (air also has moisture) and will prevent corrosion on the rim but it really has no beneifit on the inside of the tire.

 

[K100Dennis]

Static balance using a straight rod with cones into the bearings and resting between 2 ball bearings each end (front wheel only). Standard stick-on wheel weights. Seems to be good. As for the cupping - I get slightly biased wear towards the RH side (drive on left side of the road here). I find with the cupping on the front tyre, once it begins it doesn't matter what your riding style, after that the tyre continues to wear that way. 1 day of aggresive riding in corners can start it off. I run 44 psi in the front and 48 psi in the rear.

 

[mwnahas]

I have them balanced when installed. Sometimes they do it good and they don't cup sometimes not so good and they cup early. Once the cupping starts further balancing doesn't un-cup them. When you find a dealer that does it good stick with them. Or, you can do it yourself.

 

[deputy5211]

This article (click here) has some interesting information on left side wear. In places like OZ and others where they drive on the wrong side of the roadway, the wear is on the right side.

Not vouching for the article, I am sure others will chime in, but an interesting read nonetheless.

 

[Axle]

This article (click here) has some interesting information on left side wear. In places like OZ and others where they drive on the wrong side of the roadway, the wear is on the right side.

very true,, our tyres wear on the right side first. the road is slopes from the middle out to allow water to run off to the side, since the bike is on a slight angle the tyres wear on the right side. I don't think balance has anything to do with cupping, I have gone through enough tyres now to know they will always do it on the LT its just the way it is,

 

[RonKMiller]

Road crown (slope) has absolutely nothing to do with uneven left or right side tire wear.

It simply does not have a steep enough pitch. :think:

Neither does how you balance your tires. Sorry.... but the poll is - unfortunately - meaningless.

It is ALL due to the amount of TIME you spend in the arc while turning. North American riders spend more time leaning left, European riders spend more time leaning right. The attendant "scrubbing" while turning is what causes the accelerated wear on one side or the other.

 

[K100Dennis]

Oh, simple fix then,........... live on the equator. I'm soon to spend 6 days travelling in a very straight line across our continent on a track called the Eyre Hwy (Nullarbor plain) and return. It has 1 straight which is 90 miles long. I wonder what my tyres will look like when I complete the approximate 12,000 Kms I intend doing. Will they be cupped, will they not, will they be worn on the left more than the righ or vice versa ? Now I'm all worried, maybe I should just stay home, the stress of it all. As I stated previously, 1 day's aggressive riding on tyres previously in good condition, in left and right corners, and there are plenty on those in Tasmania I'll give ya the tip, and those tyres are cupped on both sides. After that the cupping never goes away, and nothing to do with wheel balance. So nice and quiet when cornering up to that point, ride it like I stole it for a day, then after that we're back to howling around the corners, that's life here on the Apple Isle.

 

[cws]

Dennis... the rear will look like this:

flat at the centre... its such a shame to waste all that good side tread... although the GOR does take a little of it off.. even with a trailer

 

[rowie]

I've used Dyna Beads when I had the Avons installed. I have also used them on my previous bike (VTX) with ME880's.

I use Dynabeads in my VTX and my LT in both Avons and Metz. Very happy with them on both bikes. I've found that with weights, as the tires wear they go out of balance. Dynabeads no such issue. My opinion is that I'm not so sure about car tires and Dynabeads though - the beads won't balance as well due to the width of the tire. For the bikes, IMHO, install once, then fuggedaboudit...!

 

[budzee]

Having good luck so far with Ride-on balancer/sealant.