Wheel weights....

[D H]

I have a brand new 2022 KTM 500 EXC-F and am planning on changing my tires. I have a wheel balancer but have no clue what weights I should buy. They go from 1/2 ounce up to 1 1/2 ounce. I don't need a toolbox full of these things. I'd prefer the No-Mar spoke type over the lead double sided tape type. Any help deciding would be welcomed.

[Sacrifice]

No one can tell you cause it varies by tire and how you align the tire. Youre going to need different sizes anyways if you do it more than once

[eastreich]

If you were going to use tape, 4oz with 2oz on either side of the rim opposite the lock is usually pretty close when using OEM rim locks.  That is ballpark for weight when not using a balancer and just getting close enough that it doesn't shake. 

With the "clamp/crimp on the spoke" style of weights, who knows.  I don't like to use them as they invariably fly off.  The ones in your picture may not mar the rim, but they mar the spoke when you get the set screw tight enough to hold them in place and depending how they mount you may have to loosen them up when you check spokes which leads to them failing earlier.  You will need to get a bunch of them in various weights as you will have to spread them around.  Sticking 4oz on one spoke isn't going to work.  Probably will need something like 1oz on the 2 spokes directly opposite and then will have to play with smaller weights on the neighboring spokes to get it right.

There is no perfect solution, no matter if it is beads in the tire, weights taped to the rim, or weights clamped/crimped to the spokes.

I have seen the double sided tape style of weights in black so they are not a giant visible grey/silver blight on a black rim...

[RichIOM]

Is this for road riding?  Otherwise don’t bother.

[Old Fart, New to the Dirt]

Not my wheelhouse, but I would agree you are better off with a larger number of smaller weights distributed on more spokes than fewer big ones. So I would just got plenty of the smallest 2 or 3 sizes.

[randysoo]

get the 1oz. weights and a 1/2oz. average counter weight on my dirt bike wheels is 3-1/2oz. give or take. make sure you get the one that fit ktm. my bud got some off amazon that didn't fit

 

I use this guy. more expensive than the chinese ones. but it's a 1 time deal and he's like the original guy that made them and he's murican

https://www.ebay.com/itm/331650778411?hash=item4d37ed452b:g:1ZkAAMXQlUNROpge

Edited November 17, 2021 by randysoo

[Trailryder42]

44 minutes ago, eastreich said:

If you were going to use tape, 4oz with 2oz on either side of the rim opposite the lock is usually pretty close when using OEM rim locks.  That is ballpark for weight when not using a balancer and just getting close enough that it doesn't shake. 

 

In my experience, 4oz is pretty close, at least I've never had a wheel/tire assembly that needed more than that, so just assume you may need that much per wheel and buy weights accordingly. I use the No Mar set screw type. Plus I have some 1/4oz lead stick on for fine tuning. Depending on weight needed, spread the weights out across 2 -3 adjacent spokes opposite the heavy side.

I've never had the stick on weights come off. It's all in the prep. Clean the rim surface with alcohol and I gently heat the adhesive pad with a lighter before installing.

I first use masking tape to hold the stick on type to the rim until I figure out how much it's going to take

[Rubberband]

I've balanced the front of my plated dirt bike w/ those clamp on weights and I have yet to lose one in three seasons of use. I just bought a variety pack of weights off amazon and my only complaint is the worm screw can corrode and get tough to remove if you're using one of those small allen keys.

[kcposty]

59 minutes ago, Rubberband said:

I've balanced the front of my plated dirt bike w/ those clamp on weights and I have yet to lose one in three seasons of use. I just bought a variety pack of weights off amazon and my only complaint is the worm screw can corrode and get tough to remove if you're using one of those small allen keys.

Smear the set screw with a crayon or candle wax after final tightening to keep it from corroding.  Lighter to melt away when time to loosen.

Edited November 17, 2021 by kcposty

[Rubberband]

19 minutes ago, kcposty said:

Smear the set screw with a crayon or candle wax after final tightening to keep it from corroding.  Lighter to melt away when time to loosen.

I just didn't think to do anything about it first time I put them on. When I swapped the last tire and re-balanced, I put some anit-seize on the threads.

[DEATH_INC.]

3 hours ago, Old Fart, New to the Dirt said:

Not my wheelhouse, but I would agree you are better off with a larger number of smaller weights distributed on more spokes than fewer big ones. So I would just got plenty of the smallest 2 or 3 sizes.

From My many years in the auto side of this, that's completely incorrect. You get a much better balance with a heavy centrally located weight than spreading it around the wheel. I don't know why, just something I've found over 30+ years. Some cars are super sensitive.

Bikes, tbh I never balance the wheels, either dirt or road, never needed to.

Edited November 17, 2021 by DEATH_INC.

[D H]

 Lots of great information and opinions here.. Has anyone ever tried the dyna beads for a dual sport bike?

[D H]

My bike will be used on and off road. If I was just using it off road I would agree and not bother.  I also would have bought a motocross bike.

[Sacrifice]

I tried the beads. Seemed to work once, didnt work the following time

[CRF420X]

Another thing to consider when riding low off road pressure on pavement. Again with the rim lock... You may feel the rim lock in every rotation not just because of the weight, but also because of the slight distortion it creates in the tire at low pressure when it hits the ground.  Be sure to pump up the tire to at least 30 PSI for your before and after testing when you apply the weights.

Also, you can always remove some mass from a weight that's too heavy. If you are on the fence between sizes, buy on the heavy side. Grind a little off of a spoke weight or shave the lead stick on weights with a razor knife until its just right. 

Edited November 17, 2021 by CRF420X

[crypto666]

Those sticky weights never stay stuck for me.  So i gave up balancing.

[ktm300]

I just did my first dual sport ride a couple weeks ago and only did it because it had some hard enduro sections, the night before the event I received the map and it did have 60 miles of tar vs single track out of 105. That night I decided to pull the front wheel and balance it, mine needed almost exactly 1 oz.

There were spots on short sections of highway running up to 65 mph, man am I glad I spent the time. I didn't bother with the rear and it was smooth at speed.     

This was on a 21' 250RE Beta   

[Rubberband]

1 hour ago, D H said:

 Lots of great information and opinions here.. Has anyone ever tried the dyna beads for a dual sport bike?

I use them on my street bike but modern street tires are pretty balanced to start w/ and you don't have things like rim locks to deal with. I'd guess you'd run into some difficulty getting the amount just right and balance reliable depending on how much weight is needed to balance

Edited November 17, 2021 by Rubberband

[maicoguy]

Referring to your original question, I would take some 1/8" lead or solder wire and wrap around the spoke nipple(s) to get the balance you want, then remove and weigh the solder to get the weight for that location.

Or you could just leave the solder wrapped around the spoke if you don't care how it looks. 

 

[snowfever]

Seen a lot of riders here in Ontario just use lead solder, cut to weight and then wrap it around the spoke. Cheap and easy to use and change.