balance the tire by the dots?

[jkuller]

I bought some pirelli stradas and mounted them myself. I called the local bike shop for a cost to balance them and they told me to just line the yellow dots( which were red) to the valve stem and they should be balanced to 100-140mph. I did that but Im just wondering if there is any truth to this.

[BLACKACIDEVIL]

No.

[GytRDunKat]

Never heard that one before. Even some of the Marchesini rims that we saw at the MC Show had taped on wheel weights, which looked completely stoooopid.

[katman05]

Here's an explaination http://www.bridgestonetrucktires.com...ue2/Doctor.asp

Also found this
Install a new tube or valve stem depending on tire type. Use wheel mount fluid to lubricate both beads of the tire. Make sure of the tire rotation direction. There should be arrows marking the correct direction. Find the yellow dot on the tire. This is the marker for the valve stem.
and this,


Wheel Balance

It is essential that tire/wheel assemblies be balanced before use and rebalanced each time the tire is removed or replaced. Unbalanced tire/wheel assemblies can vibrate at certain speeds, with tire wear greatly accelerated.

All Dunlop street tires should be installed with the yellow balance dot at the valve.
Wheels may be balanced with spoke nipple weights, lead wire or self-adhesive rim weights. Consult motorcycle manufacturer for approved wheel weights. Dunlop does not recommend the use of dry or liquid balancers/sealers nor warrant tires into which these have been injected. Tire and wheel assembly balance must be checked with a balance stand or computer wheel balancer.

[venturesomerite]

Even if the dot signified some kind of weight reduction to account for the valves stem, you would still need to account for an imbalance in the rim. I would just have then balanced.

[Cheriff]

wow

[katman05]

I would get them balanced but when you do, I'd make sure they put the dot by the valve stem. It may result in less weights applied to the rim.

[md86]

The dot goes by the stem , yeah . And SOMETIMES the wheel will be balanced just like that . Usually you need a little weight . Easy to do yourself .....
Take all the friction points away from said wheel (brakes , chain , whatever) , make sure the axle's good and greased , and spin it slowly on the bike . Watch how it spins . It'll LIKELY stop , then go back the other direction , then do it again maybe a couple times. When it does this and finally comes to a stop , the bottom is likely the heavy spot . Mark it and do it again slower to be sure . You will likely add a little weight at the opposite side . Just tape on a couple little ones until it seems to stop at random spots .
And since I started doing my own , I ended up taking OFF almost all the weights the dealers have put on over the years because they never did it right in the FIRST place .

[wcj]

So what I read and learned is this...

Follow md86's instruction on balancing, but do just the rim first. No tire. Find where the heavy spot on the wheels is first. Mark it with a crayon. Do this a few times to be certain. The valve stem is not always the heavy spot.

Then once you have confirmed the heavy spot on the wheel (rim), mount the tire with the lightest spot (manufacture dot) matched up to the heavy spot on the wheel. This will get you close, but may require additional balancing.

Once you've gotten this far, re-balance the wheel/tire as detailed by md86 and you should be good to go.

This way, you use minimal weights (if any) to balance everything.

[Glitter Gulch Cowboy]

The dot is strictly just for initial setup and not a final balance. A balance would only cost you about $10 anyway. Most people never get their bikes up to any speeds that it would make much of a difference.

[md86]

But balancing on your own is SO incredibly easy .
Just takes a little bit of your time , and not even all THAT much .