Relax
Well-known member
Princess Auto has a motorcycle wheel balancer for $60, which is about as cheap as I can recall. Good for those who DIY tire changes.
$60 Wheel Balancer at Princess Auto
- Thread starter Relax
- Start date
Relax
Well-known member
For that price, I'd rather have a nicer set from Marc Parnes:
Motorcycle Wheel Balancer
Motorcycle wheel balancer products by Marc Parnes - learn how to balance your own motorcycle wheels and tires, complete parts list and prices included.
www.marcparnes.com
Yes, I think the bearings on those are really good but I think you would still want a solid level stand to set that on to balance a wheel properly.
Last edited:
Relax
Well-known member
You can buy just the cones and rod if you already have this stand.
But yes, the bearings from his kit should be superior. Then all you technically need are a couple of cinder blocks.
Yea, lacking a stand (or the means to easily make one at the time) was the main reason I picked up the PA one over the Marc Parnes set a few years ago. It’s been good enough for my use (3 wheels balanced).
It also looks like in the time since I got it, they’ve added washers so the bearings can be properly fastened to the uprights.
Relax
Well-known member
From Marc Parnes: "The user supplies two supports of the same height to support the balancer and wheel. A pair of milk crates or cinder blocks works well. They must be taller than the radius of the tallest wheel you are going to work on. In our shop we use a pair of jack stands available at most auto parts chains for less than $15."
Learn something new every day. Didn't even know wheel balancing is a DIY job.
Always thought you need that fancy big machine that car dealers have.
Always thought you need that fancy big machine that car dealers have.
Is there any reason to bother balancing the rear wheel with the chain and sprocket etc that's all over the place back there does it really matter
Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
guzzirider
Well-known member
The big fancy machines have their use.
When I had the Volvo P1800ES I had my tires balanced dynamically for 120mph.
Made a world of difference at high speed over static balancing.
The machine only maxed out at 120 (this was the 70s).
They had to do the first balance at 80mph otherwise it would rip the machine off the floor.
The second balnce they got the tires up to 120mph.
When I had the Volvo P1800ES I had my tires balanced dynamically for 120mph.
Made a world of difference at high speed over static balancing.
The machine only maxed out at 120 (this was the 70s).
They had to do the first balance at 80mph otherwise it would rip the machine off the floor.
The second balnce they got the tires up to 120mph.
I never balance the rear.
I always do just because it’s off the bike anyway and only takes a few minutes. I think some guys will balance the rear wheel with the sprocket on, I haven’t done that in recent memory though.
Tire vendors at the track balance the rear for me as it's part of the package.
Some people question whether static balancing is “good enough” all I can say is that I use to go to the AMA Superbike races at Mid-Ohio and Dunlop Tires had a big tent where they installed and balanced every tire on a simple stand like the one Princess Auto sells. Those super bikes were hitting 275 KMH so I would say yeah, that’s good enough. It’s easy once you’ve done it a few times. I tape the weights on with masking tape and will cut weights into smaller pieces to get it just right before sticking them on permanently. It’s not rocket surgery as Bubbles use to say.
