Dyna Beads

[Huck Fonda]

So the place where I work now recently announced that we're now selling Dyna Beads. I thought, "oh great, now we're into adult novelties?", but deided to look into it.

It's a wheel balancing product consisting of various sized bags of ceramic beads. No wheel weights, just add the beads either at tire change time or through the valve stem and off you go.

The company's website is pretty sales oriented (of course), so it's kind of tough to get any sense of how and if they really work. So I put them to the test.

My new job pays about 38% of my last one, so needless to say I'm on a budget. Whn it came time for new tires, i opted for the cheapest things I could find...Shinkos. Now these things don't have the best rep around where I work, but considering that they're really just Korean made Yokohamas, how bad can they be, right?

Installed the tires with 2oz of Dyna Beads in each and hit the road. They balanced perfect on the spin-o-matic machine at the shop, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't reach triple digit speed level dynamics. After a few days of break-in riding, I put the spurs to her and held on.

Pretty damn good. Either the Beads are working or those budget Shinkos were dead nuts on right out of the box. I added one click of compression damping up front, and one of rebound in the rear and have been happy with the results.

Oh, and the Shinkos aren't at all bad either. They hold a line well enough, and the front has a very light feel on turn-in and transitions. The rear breaks loose very predictably under aggressive throttle, too. Not sure how long they'll last, but at the price, they're a pretty good value so far.

Just thought I'd share.

 

[Capt. Bob]

Dyna beads and Shinkos

Who'd have ever thought :dntknw:

 

[Huck Fonda]

I know...really. I'm not proud, believe me.

 

[UHOH]

appreciate your posting up about the beads.

heard of them, but this is the first testimonial I've clicked on. and applaud trying new approaches, that's how we get better.

is there any speed where you're aware of an out-of-balance?

 

[GWing]

I put new Heidenau tires on my KTM and the shop added 2.5 Ounces of lead to the front and 4 Ounces of lead to the back. :blink: It looked like hell and pushed me right over the edge. I tossed the lead and added dyna beads.... and they do work well! :yahoo: 3000 miles of on-off-on-off-on road riding and no shimmy on the highway at any speed, is it the dyna beads :dntknw: but going forward I'll use them on all my bikes.

 

[Toecutter]

I've been running them for over two years now with good results. On my most recent rear-tire change, I just poured the old ones out of the old PR2, into the new PR2 and seated the bead.

Specifically, I seated one bead, then put that at the bottom, poured the old beads into the top, unseated bead, careful to not let any get caught on the bead surface, then seated the top bead. I think those things could cause real problems with air leaks in the wrong places.

And before removing a valve stem core, shoot a little air into the valve stem, with it at the top, to push any strays back down. Those little guys could put an eye out if they get forced through a valve stem at core removal time. BTDT but still have the eyes....

 

[Hit the Road Jack]

I know...really. I'm not proud, believe me.

Makes a lot more sense to me than mounting car tires! Nothing to be ashamed of.

I'm glad to hear that it works for you. :coolsmiley02:

 

[Big-D]

I just installed my new PRII's yesterday and put in the Dynabeads. Pulled off all of the weights that were there and installed angled valve stems.

As soon as I took it for a spin, I immediately noticed how smooth the bike rides. I'm sold on the beads.

Think about it. Using weights have been around for so long, it is about time some form of new technology came into play. It also makes sense that with all of the money shops have invested in balancing equipment and machines, it'll be a cold day in hell before they admit that simply dropping an ounce or two of beads in the tire basically makes their equipment obsolete.

 

[roger123]

I'm using them on my Wee Strom. I think they work fine, I wish I couild find a local source though as the shipping is just as much as the beads.

 

[Fred W]

Wow, this has never been discussed before (a lot).

 

[mscott]

A friend at work rides an 08 and he swears by them. In fact he preaches about them. I think he's happy? with them. So I'm going to try them in my new shinko raven 009s.

 

[old&slow]

WOW ,,,, Dyna Beads ,,, and they work ??? GOOD information ,, good discussion ,,,

No balancing ,, just a few beads ,,, interesting,,,

Don't know how they work ,,but sounds like I need to give them a try ,,,,

Thanks for the info.....

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Just a Note to those, including myself, using DynaBeads or going to use them,

Don't put in the tires any Liquid Material products for they will Cake up the Beads and negate their effects.

 

[dcarver]

Hey Huck, great to hear from yah again!

Anyway we can talk you into removing the beads, reinstalling the tires exactly as is now, in order to determine if it's the beads or tires? Just sayin' Scientific Approach and all that, eh, Huckster? :rofl:

 

[old&slow]

I've been doing some searching on the internet for Dynabeads reviews....

The only negative comments I can find are the folks that Have NOT tried them

and are saying that there's no way they can work,,,,

The folks that have tried them seem to be all positive ,,,,

Still sounds like magic / snake oil to me ,, and I still don't know how they work ,,,

But ,, heck there's a lot of stuff I don't know,,,, so I can just add this to the list...

Probably going to have to order some to try ....

cheaper than the new tire balancer I was planning on getting ......

 

[Huck Fonda]

That would have been the thinking man's way, Carver. I should have run the Shinkos without any weight and then added the beads for a more direct before/after comparison.

As it was, I was so ready to get off those RoadFarts that any tire set was going to feel better, so I just wanted to get it done.

Will see if an opportunity comes up to have the tires off again and let you know how it goes, but as has been stated, the impressions are definitely favorable.

 

[Toecutter]

Still sounds like magic / snake oil to me ,, and I still don't know how they work ,,,

A lot of 4x4 guys I know who run big tires (38"+) just throw half a dozen golf balls in each one to balance them, and they swear by them. The DynaBeads are the same principle on a smaller scale and higher speed. I'd say it's more magic than snake oil....

 

[timk]

I've been using them for 2yrs now, and my only complaint isn't really a complaint, but I checked pressure with the stem down toeards the bottom, and one of thge little suckers jammed in the stem.Deflated the tire, but I was home, so it wasn't a biggie. I have a set of the the liquid and shot filled rings on my motorhome, and they work really well. Wish someone made them for motorcycles.

 

[Wingman]

Same principle as this Centramatics or this Balance Masters only used inside the tire as opposed to bolting between the wheel and hub as used in large truck applications.

I imagine a couple 12 ga steel shot loads would give the same results, just save the shot next time you cut one open to reload with rock salt.

David