Dyna-beads, anybody tried it ??

[B.D.F.]

And Jim was afraid that this thread would go downhill.....

 

Brian

I'm betting Ambrosian burl wood chips would be effective, fixes almost as much stuff as Sea Foam and KIPASS

[Conrad]

And Jim was afraid that this thread would go downhill.....

 

Brian

Jim had better use some red loctite this time.

[stevewfl]

This thread has win written all over it

[VirginiaJim]

Not yet.  It's still fairly civil.

[Pokey]

Not yet.  It's still fairly civil.

Would you like for me to change that?

[TXIN]

<snip>

Late edit:  The person who has been inside the moving tire probably could also tell us about his experience inside a crankcase, and in a gas tank, etc.

http://youtu.be/aOksuRwfovw

[stevewfl]

Beads could be a decent topic

[VirginiaJim]

Would you like for me to change that?

 

[landofahhs]

I have tried dyna-beads with my second set of tires on my 09 abs Connie....here is my experience...take it for what it is worth.  Oh and yes I had read what people had said regarding TPS and dyna-beads not mixing, but because my younger brother has a 1000cc BMW and he swears by the dyna-beads, I thought I'd give them a try. 

As a baseline for comparison, I bought my 09 ABS Connie in August of 2010 with OEM Bridgestones which were balanced with weights.  At that time I only noticed vibration at well above 100 mph....and I had only taken the bike up to 130 mph just a few times while riding with some friends on Ninja's.  I usually cruise around 80mph.  I drive almost exclusively on country roads in rural Kansas and only at high speeds when I can see well into the distance with no one else in sight , especially the local troopers and sherrifs.  My usual commute is 101 miles round trip each day to work.

At 7500 miles I put a set of Michellin PR-3's and had dyna beads put into the tires.  I believe 3 ounces in the rear and two in the front, but I don't remember exactly.  I let the mechanic at the store do his thing more or less.  The first thing I noticed was that if I accelerated quickly my connie would vibrate erratically...sometimes more...sometimes less.  At my normal cruising speed of 80mph I seemed to get a high frequency vibration which at times would make my throttle hand get numb.  This numbness upset me because it reminded me of when I was young riding a Harley...I have no desire to ever visit those memories ever again.   I took my connie up to 120mph on several occations but the vibration was terrible and I was afraid to hold the velocity very long.  In fairness to the dyna-beads, when I accelerated with a constant but more tame pace the vibration was much less perhaps because the beads had a chance to more evenly disperse....BUT if I got on the throttle even at higher speeds when passing the vibration was unpredictable.  After much thought I assumed this was why professional racers don't use dyna-beads...they don't like quick accelerations.

At 15,000 miles I changed my rear PR-3 for a new rear PR-3 and got rid of the dyna-beads in the rear....With no dyna-beads in the rear and dyna-beads still in the front the vibration I had been experiencing radically diminished.  I was amazed that my rear tire with the beads had been causing so much of the vibration.  I had assumed the majority of the problem was with my front tire, but I was wrong.  Needless to say when I change my front PR-3 the dyna-beads will NOT be used.

[stevewfl]

top~ 

[lt1]

Not really.  No evidence from the story that the beads were a causal factor.  New tire, new beads, new installation.  Had the beads been removed, and the vibration subsequently stopped, the story would at least be relevant.  The vibration could have been caused by a defect in the tire, improper installation, or by the beads.  No effort was made to determine which.  If the beads were thought to cause the vibration, it would only be logical to remove them from the front tire.  Whatever the cause of the vibration, or the effect of beads in general, this story only shows that the poster did not bother to find the cause.

[VirginiaJim]

I agree with Clyde.  It would have been better to feel the end result with the original tire with the beads removed.  Has anyone done that test?

[martin_14]

I agree with Clyde.  It would have been better to feel the end result with the original tire with the beads removed.  Has anyone done that test?

+1
Ceteris paribus is the proper method. But I still don't like Clyde's attitude  (nobody asked me, really)

[Jeremy Mitchell]

Another issue that hasn't been brought up is the fact that DynaBeads recommends one ounce in the front and two in the rear for stock sized tires. The vibes could have been caused by to much weight. 

I have had great luck with dynabeads, and will continue to use them for the forseeable future.

[Vic Salisbury]

Well, my 0.02, I wanted to believe in the dynabeads, researched all that my feeble mind could absorb, thought it all sounded reasonable.
  Ordered some, then on to my unscientific, uncontrolled laboratory enviroment attempt to see how they worked.

Personal experience, ’97 Connie.  Front wheel had stick on weights. About a thousand miles on the tire, no issues, hands on, hands off, any speeds. Marked and removed external wheel weights and installed, as per recommendation, 1 oz of dyna beads in the front tire. Around town speeds (up to 50-55mph), a little vibration in the front tire that was not present before. Got on the interstate, 65mph and faster, very heavy vibration through the front tire, scary heavy. After I returned home, I removed the wheel and took it to the local motorcycle shop (Cyclegear, where I used to be employed) for a spin balance check on the computerized machine with the dynabeads still in the tire, no external weights. Spun it up a few times to be sure/consistency. Hmmm, took the same amount of weight in the same spot as before, with the dyna beads in the tire, what gives? Re-installed weights, reinstalled wheel, test run, smooth as glass all speeds/roads. Not sold on working  in the front tire.
Rear tire, I did an unscientific and probably hazardous on bike, test.  Rear tire had stick on weights installed, but there was a slight vibration, visibly noticeable last time bike was on a dyno, you could see it “hopping” ever so slightly. Never really could feel it when riding though. Installed dynabeads, 2oz  in rear tire, wheel weights still on, on the centerstand (attention; do not attempt this on your motorcycle, it is UNSAFE front tire chocked, centerstand secured. Started the bike and clicked it into 6th gear, ran the bike up, (no, I don’t remember the exact rpm, somewhere between 3500-4000) rear tire still exhibited visible movement, about an inch maybe? OK, trying to give a benefit of doubt, maybe the external weights are messing with the dynabead karma, so removed weights, dynabeads  in the tire. Ran her up again, heck no, way uber worse, almost thought the bike would bounce off the centerstand. Put weights back on, back to “normal”. So based on my personal experience on my bike with the tires on it at the time, no joy. I did not want to remove the wheel and test on the CG machine based on the front tire results, and now, the shop is closed.
I really wanted them to work, just didnt get the evidence that they did, on my bike.

[MAN OF BLUES]

just curious, any rumors of these being used on the AMA road course bikes... on a pro level?

[lather]

One thing I just don't get. Even if the beads work flawlessly, what is the perceived advantage over lead weights? Can't be cheaper, can't be easier. And don't say cosmetic because I think lead weights are just beautiful and the mental picture  of beads rolling around in my tire makes me wanna puke is kinda ugly.

[VirginiaJim]

I'm sorry the mental image of beads rolling around in my tires makes me dizzy...  I can only do that for a few seconds.  I would think the only reason I would put them in would be because I'm mounting my own tires and didn't want to go through the trouble of conventional balancing.  However, many of us that do that (I don't anymore) find that balancing is not that much of a big deal if you have the right equipment.  Some don't even balance at all.

[lather]

Putting the beads in might be no more difficult than balancing with lead weights but retrieving the beads when you dismount the used up tire has to be a payne in the arse. Static tire balancing is not a quick process but I have found that it is best not to get in a rush when working on my motorcycle, lest I forget to tighten a fastener or two.

[lt1]

Well, here is some more attitude.  Most of the questions/arguments about dynabeads are based on ignorance.  The answers are on the DB website.  Disagreeing is fine.  But not bothering to do a bit of your own research is sad/lazy.

Lather - Cosmetics is one of the major selling points.  Beads are often sold at custom bike shops where customers have dropped big coin on billet rims and they don't like the look of the lead weights.  The other points are ease of balancing, and increased tire life because of the dynamic balancing.

MOB - No.

grinch - The beads do not work/do not claim to work with the axle held in place.  This means that the results from the spin balance and having the swingarm held by the rear stand are expected, as the axle was fixed in both instances.

All of this has been on their website for years.  So yes, Martin, the attitude continues.  It makes no difference to me whether anyone uses the DynaBeads or not, but somehow the pic below explains my feelings: