Recently we found a way to deal with tire changes to minimize number of weights required for tire/wheel balance. I thought to share it here as sort of repayment for all the great info I've benefitted from Ghetto. And disclaimer- I know many don't even sweat the tire balance. Fine, no issue with that, we each do it our own way. And many already likely use this method so please indulge me while I blather on...
Steps-
We do our own tire changes so several years ago bought a No Mar tire changing setup and MoJo tire lever. We've done this for 7-8 years and have the technique down pretty solid- except lately on Michelin Pilot Road tires. Balancing them has often required a lot of weights as there is no mark indicating the light spot of the tire. A wheel with lots of weights is not a huge problem- except for our fussy selves.
The solution we found requires some extra steps but works well to minimize needed weights. Here goes-
1. Clean the wheel, no tire installed, then balance it with balance weights temporarily tape attached. Mark the heavy spot ( across and opposite the weight location).
2. Mount the tire, place the tire/wheel on balancer and find the heavy spot of the tire. Mark it.
3. Break the tire beads, both sides and rotate the tire so the heavy spot is 180 degrees opposite the heavy spot on the wheel.
4. Air up the tire setting the beads, remove the weights from the wheel, temporarily attached, and final balance the tire/wheel.
Our work was with a BMW K1200S front wheel, which by itself, required 5- 1/4oz weights to balance. Prior, we had to use 11 1/4 weights to balance the new tire/wheel. After we worked out this change in balancing procedure the new tire required 1.
Hope this proves to be of use to someone.
Additionally, I found MG recommended tire pressures for my 2015 SE to be too low. I changed from 33 f and 33r to 35f, 40 r and found a much improved handling bike with better straight line tracking as well as better steering response.
Subject: Tire balancing 
Wed 03 Jun 2015, 10:50
