What does an unbalanced motorcycle wheel feel like?
Checking for unbalanced motorcycle tyres should be a routine part of the care and maintenance you carry out on your bike, as this not only ensures proper performance, but is also an essential safety measure. Unbalanced motorcycle tyres can cause uneven wear on both the tread pattern and wheel rims themselves, which can lead to serious safety issues when riding. The uneven tread will also lead to poor fuel efficiency, costing you more in the long run.
Just what does an unbalanced motorcycle wheel or tyre feel like? There are a few key things to look out for during your motorcycle tyres maintenance routine as well as when out riding. The first sign is usually a vibration or shaking when reaching certain speeds while out on the road. This won't be subtle, but will involve a very noticeable vibration caused by the mismatch of pressure on the shape of the tyre tread, which reverberates throughout the bike. If you ever notice this while driving, make sure to get this tested and fixed as soon as possible.
The second thing to look out for is also one of the issues with unbalanced motorcycle wheels, which is uneven wear appearing on the tread of the tyre itself. This is for the same reason, which is the disproportionate pressure on areas of the tyre that leads to scalloping or cupped wear on the pattern. This is also what creates the danger, as an uneven tread will not grip the road properly and creates safety dangers as well as burning through fuel at a much faster rate, causing overall poor fuel economy.
Years of experience tell us, however, that such uneven wear is not always caused by unbalanced motorcycle tyres. You should also make sure you check for correct wheel alignment, which is a separate issue often confused with tyre balancing. Wheel alignment needs to be checked far less regularly and is best handled by qualified fitters who can assess the correct installation of the wheels on the frame of the motorcycle itself to ensure even wear and proper performance. Problems with wheel alignment will create the same kinds of uneven damage to the tread pattern, so it is worth considering if this hasn't been done for a long time.
By contrast, balancing motorcycle tyres and wheels is a much more regular maintenance task. Our tyre professionals recommend getting this checked every 4,000 to 6,000 miles of usage, as it is quite easy for them to become unbalanced. This is a natural result of navigating turns and corners, which inevitably create a degree of uneven wear on the tread pattern, as well as the impact of poor road surfaces and weather conditions. Driving in difficult conditions is likely to increase the need for regular tyre balancing, too. This is true regardless of the brand or type of tyre you ride on, be it Pirelli, Falken or Bridgestone.
If you find yourself noticing vibrations and shaking, or that you're using up fuel much faster than usual, it is likely worth checking if tyre balancing needs completing. At Protyre, we offer free vehicle checks that can be easily booked online, where our motorcycle experts can quickly assess the cause of the problem and have the tools and equipment to hand to perform tyre balancing promptly and efficiently. With a network of garages across the UK, why not take a look at the appointments available near you to see when you can next book with our qualified fitters?
