I've read everything I can find on here about wheel balancing .....and wondered what folks tend to do. Do you do it yourself / have a local workshop that can do it / not bother with it? Having tried a couple of local motorcycle workshops who don't have the setup to balance the rear wheel of my x-max 250, I'm going to look at buying a wheel balancing stand. Just starting to figure out what'd be a good one, but any hints / tips / suggestions would be welcome.

I bought something like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tech-7-Motorc ... SwXXxZP9Wn

Maybe not exactly the same but theres a few that are a variation on a theme. You'll need to make sure you can get the spindle/axle through the wheel you are trying to balance. I'm not familiar with the XMax, does it have a swing arm on both sides of the rear wheel with an axle? If so you should be ok, as long as the diameter of the axle isn't smaller than the axle of the balancer.

Balancing a wheel is simples, set the wheel up on the axle which will sit on four bearings, then rotate the wheel by 90ish degrees and let go. If the wheel doesn't move its perfectly balanced (assuming the bearings aren't binding!) If the wheel does start to want to settle in a position, wait for it to stop penduluming back and forth, then mark the position at 12 o'clock with some chalk. How quickly the wheel wants to settle will indicate how much weight is required, but start with whatever you have 10-20g. Stick the weight as close to the wheel center line, at the point where you marked the tyre with the chalk. The repeat the whole process, until the wheel doesn't try to settle, at which point its balanced and will stay at whatever position you rotate it to without try to settle in another. If your wheel ends up with the best part of a kilo stuck at every position around the rim, chances are something isn't right. Massive generalisiation here but it shouldn't take more than about 100g to balance a wheel, much more than that and have a good look at the wheel for signs of damage.

It sounds more complicated than it is and my description might not be the best, but its really not hard. The only thing I would say is, unless you are doing it alot (I had 4 bikes and was doing big mileages at one point) its probably easier and cheaper to get them balanced at a local tyre shop when you get the tyres changed. Where are you in the UK, your welcome to 'have a go' on my balancer before you take the plunge and buy the kit.

Also youtube is great for things like this, loads of 'how to' videos.

Bobs wrote:I bought something like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tech-7-Motorc ... SwXXxZP9Wn

Maybe not exactly the same but theres a few that are a variation on a theme. You'll need to make sure you can get the spindle/axle through the wheel you are trying to balance. I'm not familiar with the XMax, does it have a swing arm on both sides of the rear wheel with an axle? If so you should be ok, as long as the diameter of the axle isn't smaller than the axle of the balancer.

Balancing a wheel is simples, set the wheel up on the axle which will sit on four bearings, then rotate the wheel by 90ish degrees and let go. If the wheel doesn't move its perfectly balanced (assuming the bearings aren't binding!) If the wheel does start to want to settle in a position, wait for it to stop penduluming back and forth, then mark the position at 12 o'clock with some chalk. How quickly the wheel wants to settle will indicate how much weight is required, but start with whatever you have 10-20g. Stick the weight as close to the wheel center line, at the point where you marked the tyre with the chalk. The repeat the whole process, until the wheel doesn't try to settle, at which point its balanced and will stay at whatever position you rotate it to without try to settle in another. If your wheel ends up with the best part of a kilo stuck at every position around the rim, chances are something isn't right. Massive generalisiation here but it shouldn't take more than about 100g to balance a wheel, much more than that and have a good look at the wheel for signs of damage.

It sounds more complicated than it is and my description might not be the best, but its really not hard. The only thing I would say is, unless you are doing it alot (I had 4 bikes and was doing big mileages at one point) its probably easier and cheaper to get them balanced at a local tyre shop when you get the tyres changed. Where are you in the UK, your welcome to 'have a go' on my balancer before you take the plunge and buy the kit.

Also youtube is great for things like this, loads of 'how to' videos.

*Edit* read your initial post again, it might be a better investment to buy a second rear wheel instead, that way you can send the wheel off to a 'specialist' if your local bike shops are saying they are not 'set-up' to handle an XMax rear wheel.

Watling tyres couldnt balance the SH or XMax rear wheels as they are splined... So wont fit on their machine...
And for some reason they couldnt balance tgd SH front, spindle or bearing issue, anx couldnt do thd XMax front due to disk / rim clearance...
They have thc car type auto spin machine rather than old school static balancers...
Both scoots feel fine...

Thanks chaps. Bobs, appreciate the offer of trying your balancer - I'm just outside of Edinburgh. XmaxPaul - just to understand, are you saying that you've not had any problem with just getting the tyres replaced but not balanced? Must admit I'm tempted just to put the wheel back in and see whether I notice any difference or not ....

Suck it and see ie stick it on without balancing it.An out of balance front wheel is worse as you'll feel vibration through handle bars.Rear wheel not so bad and likely only noticeable at higher motorway speeds.

Just a quick tip, if you're putting the tyre on a rim yourself, depending of the tyre there is often a painted dot that looks out of place. Align that mark with the valve in the rim and you'll have a fighting chance of the wheel being balanced 'as is'.

You're welcome to use the kit, but I'm South Coast, so probably cheaper to buy all your own kit than make the round trip.

I guess you could always buy the static balancer and make/fashion a spindle to suit. Its a simple enough device, uses two cones that are grub screwed to the axle, press the cone into the bearing both sides and pinch them up, done. The axle then floats in a couple of bearings each side, if the standard axle as supplied doesn't go through use a smaller axle.

As a few of the others have said, give it a go and see how it goes but a well balanced wheel will be more comfortable so its worth doing if you get the chance.

I have the spindle on external bearings type of static balancer which works very well on motorcycle wheels but the cones supplied to engage with the wheel bearings are too small to fit a scooter wheel. You might be able to buy alternative extra large cones which sometimes come up on Ebay or if you have access to a lathe and some aluminium bar you could turn some to the size and shape you need. Provided you can mount the wheel so that it is truly and firmly centred static balancing is more than sufficient.
It may also be possible to static balance the wheel in situ after you have removed the brake pads and it can help to spray WD40 on the seal lips of the bearings provided you can grease them with proper grease when you have finished.

I brought this kit & welded up a frame that is held in my bench vice ...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Warrior-Unive ... SwQJhUeani

bigger cones are available here ....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Portable- ... SwNSxU2M8r

I've got the wheel change kit from Abba stands (the people who make the superbike stands). I think the balancer kit is available separately and comes complete with weights, lube etc. The spindle with the various diameter cones fitted my TMax wheel bearings ok and the balancer worked well on my front wheel.
Their stuff is well made and comes with a guarantee etc.