Dyna Beads vs Counteract Balancing Beads

[WingAdmin]

I just put a new set of tires on my GL1500. The tires I took off of it (a set of Avon Venoms) are the first tires in which I have had Counteract Balancing Beads installed.

I have been using Dyna Beads balancing beads in my tires for many, many years. They are far superior to lead weights, as they balance perfectly, and adjust as the tire wears, instead of having to pull weights, rebalance the tire, and reapply more weights. I have used them in three different motorcycles, as well as my Ford Explorer - when I was completely unable to get my Explorer's wheels balanced through any sort of weights, I ended up pulling ALL of the weights off and putting 6 oz of Dyna Beads in each tire - and it worked! Perfect, smooth tires, for the life of the tires.

Balancing beads help prevent cupping of the front tire on our heavy bikes, which is a great benefit. They are easy to install, and if you wish, you can retrieve them from your old tires and install them in the new tires.

When I put this last set of tires on my GL1500, I decided to try a set of Counteract beads to see if they worked as well as Dyna Beads. 11,000 miles later, the tires are worn out, and I have pulled them off the bike, so I can give you the full results.

Dyna Beads and Counteract beads look VERY similar. The main difference is that Dyna Beads are tiny ceramic beads, while Counteract beads are made of hardened glass.

Installation

Installation of the beads is very similar. You get a small squeeze bottle with a tip, and a small hose. You remove the valve stem, then screw the hose over the valve stem. You fill the bottle with beads, then put the tip of the bottle in the end of the hose. The beads then flow through the hose into the tire. In theory. Both manufacturers suggest vibrating the hose and bottle with an electric toothbrush or other vibrating instrument to convince the beads to flow. In my experience, this is a long and tedious process, with plenty of jams. Instead I pour the beads in until the hose inevitably backs up, then I remove the bottle from the hose, apply the nozzle from my air compressor, and give it a quick blast of compressed air. This shoots the beads into the tire. Repeat until the beads are gone.

The thumbs up definitely goes to Counteract for installation. The Dyna Beads are prone to static, and seem to stick to everything - including the inside of the bottle as well as the inside of the hose:



Conversely, the Counteract beads have no such affinity for static, and flow much easier.

It is VERY IMPORTANT that the tire not be installed using goopy, sticky tire lubricant, as this will cause the beads to stick and clump together. Instead, water-based tire lubricant should be used, that leaves behind no residue when it evaporates.

Performance

Both sets of beads balanced the tires perfectly for the life of the tires.

I have been using Avon Venom tires on my GL1500 for as long as I have owned it. With the Counteract beads, I got about 2,000 miles more before the tires were worn out. With my last set of Dyna Beads, I actually experienced some front tire cupping for the last 1,000 miles of tire tread life. I did not experience this with the Counteract beads. Whether this is due to the beads, or from some other external influence, I can't say.

I will give the thumbs up to Counteract for performance.

Price

A two-pack of 2 oz Dyna Beads on Amazon is $18.49 (at time of writing).

A two-pack of 2 oz Counteract Beads on Amazon is $25.97 (at time of writing).

However...the Counteract beads also come with two new valve cores, two new valve caps, and a valve core removal tool. If you are using rubber valve stems, you should be replacing them at every tire change anyway. If you are using metal valve stems, you would do well to replace the valve cores. You will definitely need a valve core removal tool, so it's nice that they supply one.

Overall, the price win goes to Dyna Beads.

Internal Tire Wear

This has been a big question: what if the beads wear the tire from the INSIDE, causing tire failure? In my experience, there is some minor wear, evidenced by the smooth surface and bits of rubber dust, but over the life of the tire, nowhere near enough wear to cause any worry.

Typical tire wear

This is a tie, both beads wear equally: negligible

Reuse

The beads can be collected and reused again, as shown here:

Dyna Beads after 9,000 miles

Counteract beads after 11,000 miles

Both are equally able to be reused, again a tie. You may want to wash the dust out, first.

Overall

Overall, despite the higher price, I give the win to Counteract beads. They are much easier and less frustrating to install, and initial experience shows that my tires lasted longer with them in than I saw on my previous few sets of tires using Dyna Beads. I have installed Counteract beads in my new set of tires, and hope to see the same experience repeated.

Closeup of Counteract beads

[dingdong]

Thanks for the report. I am hesitant to use Dynabeads again. With the last set of tires, Avon Venums, the beads turned to powder. As in no round beads left at all. These were recycled beads from the previous tires. On the new set of E4s I am using weights again because of this.

[WingAdmin]

Thanks for the report. I am hesitant to use Dynabeads again. With the last set of tires, Avon Venums, the beads turned to powder. As in no round beads left at all. These were recycled beads from the previous tires. On the new set of E4s I am using weights again because of this.

Interesting, I have never seen that before, and I have used Dyna Beads for many years (including many sets of Avon Venoms). That said, I have always used fresh beads, never recycled them from an old tire. As you can see in the pictures above, both types of beads were quite intact when the tire was removed.

[dingdong]

Mine were intact as well when I recycled. No Idea what happened.

[Rednaxs60]

Good report as always. I used Counteract beads in the tires of my '07 Suzuki CT90, and '08 1800. Found the Ride-On Tire Sealant and Balancing formula and tried it as well (not to be construed as the same as the Green Slime product). The beads were far superior to external weights as you mention, and I have found the Ride-On formula to be better than the beads - personal preference.

A comment on your CT thread regarding the beads and your foray into the CT on your 1500 would be good.

Cheers

[Alan_Hepburn]

Be careful when ordering the CounterAct beads from Amazon. I recently ordered a kit - the ad on Amazon showed a package that indicated it included 2 packs of beads, each pack being 2 ounces. When the kit arrived it contained 2 packs of beads - each pack being ONE ounce of beads. Researching the issue the product number seems to point to the kit indeed being 2 one-ounce bags rather than the 2 two-ounce bags that the visual clearly shows.

[MikeB]

Starting in 2011, I tried the Dyna Beads in my Wings and my ST1100. They worked as advertised but I was not pleased with trying to get them into the tire with the OEM valve stems, especially the ST1100. It took some time as they had a tendency to stop short of flowing through the narrow valve stem.

I bought a Counteract Balance Bead kit and I noticed that they looked smaller and were made of glass instead of ceramic.

The next tire change on one of my Wings I took out the Dyna Beads and installed the Counteract beads. Much easier to install through the OEM stems but not as easy as I had hoped. I later installed aftermarket metal valve stems to go with my TPMS sensors. The beads flowed much easier through the metal stems. I've been using Counteract beads ever since.

Counteract beads are available in more reasonably priced larger packages than just the one or two ounce bags you get from motorcycle specific suppliers. I buy mine from Ebay, weigh them out into 3 ounce increments and store them in old pill bottles.

Enter counteract balancing beads in the Ebay Search window

Here is an example:

6 oz for $7.00 with free shipping Item #223030736849
8 oz for $9.50 with free shipping Item #323027683234
4 - 12oz. Counteract Tire Balance Bead Bags, $47.00 free shipping Item #173379101521

About a dollar an ounce. A lot cheaper.

Since I had already bought the Dyna Bead and the Counteract Bead sets, I still had the little bottles that are used to inject the beads into the valve stems via their short little hose they supply. I use a 3 foot length of 1/4" ID clear vinyl hose to install the beads. The hose fits snugly on the valve stem. Simply fill it with beads after you have the valve core out and the hose attached to the stem. Then use a little compressed air to propel those little suckers down the tube and into the tire. Two fills of the hose is all it takes and they are in the tire.

[Rednaxs60]

The shop where I was introduced to Counteract beads got them in bulk and used a weigh scale to get the proper amount depending on the tire size. Bulk is the way to go if you intend to ride for a long time.

[AZgl1800]

I replaced both valve stems with the right angle metal stems.

Using Dyna Beads which I purchased in bulk, works very quickly with the little applicator bottle they supply.

presume the metal stems flow better than the narrower rubber stems.

[jajo01]

I have a pressure sensor in the tire, i will not hurt him ?

[GLRT]

I have read about beads for years and seen many bikes come into my shop with beads installed. The comments are always the same - " I put in beads and can't believe how good the tires are balanced ". However there is a glitch, never once did the owner say they mounted the tires and rode it around to test the balance then place in the beads. In every case there was no actual scientific approach. Normally one would check the raw balance then see if magic beads correct the problem. In general one can mount a tire and it will be balanced to a point where it seems perfect at all speeds. The beads are simply a placebo as I have not read one account of a tire being out of balance and then the magic beads were placed inside and actually corrected the problem. I did read a few accounts where they added lead weights to balance then beads to "accent" the balance. Personally I have not had to balanced a motorcycle tire in over 1 million miles of riding and have only had two tires that were out of balance enough to warrant actual balancing.
In order to properly test one must start with an out of balance tire and only then assess the value of a product.

[AZgl1800]

The beads are simply a placebo as I have not read one account of a tire being out of balance and then the magic beads were placed inside and actually corrected the problem.
In order to properly test one must start with an out of balance tire and only then assess the value of a product.

they are much more than a Placebo:
they work by keeping the tire in balance over the life of the tread.
the way they work is a matter of "the law of physics", they will seek the imbalanced heavy spot and cancel it out.
what is not needed is spread around the tire equally.

I have used them on all of my tires for the last 10 years, they work perfect every time,
"Provided that enough beads are installed to more than compensate for an imbalance."

Not enough, they are useless.
Too much? does not matter, the excess spreads around equally and the tire stays balanced.

e.g., when I installed my new Michelin rear tire, did not want to do the "trial and error" test ride. I just weighed out 4 oz of beads, and put them in the tire. It has run perfectly balanced since the day that was done, over 10,000 miles ago.

[GLRT]

Again the point is there has never been an actual test to verify except the "I use them and they work" and the physics is simply the advertisement printed on the package.
This is similar to the claim one can feel the difference in oil brands.

[bikommuter]

Good report as always. I used Counteract beads in the tires of my '07 Suzuki CT90, and '08 1800. Found the Ride-On Tire Sealant and Balancing formula and tried it as well (not to be construed as the same as the Green Slime product). The beads were far superior to external weights as you mention, and I have found the Ride-On formula to be better than the beads - personal preference.

A comment on your CT thread regarding the beads and your foray into the CT on your 1500 would be good.

Cheers

I'm with Rednaxs60. I use Ride-on in all my bike tires. Not only balances, but provides a little assurance that if I hit something that punctures , the Ride-on will seal it. Take a look at the videos on their site.

[WingAdmin]

I have a pressure sensor in the tire, i will not hurt him ?

No, the beads don't harm the pressure sensors. The beads stay around the outer circumference of the tire, and never touch the rim where the sensor is.

[WingAdmin]

I have read about beads for years and seen many bikes come into my shop with beads installed. The comments are always the same - " I put in beads and can't believe how good the tires are balanced ". However there is a glitch, never once did the owner say they mounted the tires and rode it around to test the balance then place in the beads. In every case there was no actual scientific approach. Normally one would check the raw balance then see if magic beads correct the problem. In general one can mount a tire and it will be balanced to a point where it seems perfect at all speeds. The beads are simply a placebo as I have not read one account of a tire being out of balance and then the magic beads were placed inside and actually corrected the problem. I did read a few accounts where they added lead weights to balance then beads to "accent" the balance. Personally I have not had to balanced a motorcycle tire in over 1 million miles of riding and have only had two tires that were out of balance enough to warrant actual balancing.
In order to properly test one must start with an out of balance tire and only then assess the value of a product.

Well I can give you a direct, albeit non-motorcycle answer.

Shortly after I first tried Dyna Beads in my bike, I was having real trouble with my Ford Explorer. It seemed to have perpetually unbalanced tires, causing vibration at specific speeds. I would get them balanced, and not too long after, they'd be out of balance again. It was aggravating and annoying. Something about how they were wearing was throwing them out of balance.

After I saw how well the Dyna Beads worked in my bike, I ordered a set for my truck. I can't remember how much I put in, but I would guess it was probably around 6 oz per tire. I put the beads in, and left all the weights on the tires, figuring "more is better."

I was totally wrong. More is not better. The vibration was so bad that the truck was undriveable at much more than 25 mph.

Knowing that I now had beads inside the tires, and that the tires were going to have to be demounted in order to suck them out, I figured I've give one last try. I took some tire chalk and marked on each tire the position and size of each of the lead weights, inside and outside rims (so I could know where to put them back when it all went wrong). I then removed every weight from the rims of the tires.

Miracle of miracles, the tires were perfectly balanced and smooth, and remained that way for the life of the tires. I never put the weights back on. At that point I became a total convert.

[jajo01]

I have a pressure sensor in the tire, i will not hurt him ?

No, the beads don't harm the pressure sensors. The beads stay around the outer circumference of the tire, and never touch the rim where the sensor is.

how much do I need for my 1800s? the front and NA rear

[MasterDaniel904]

I've been using the Dyna beads for many years. I went online and bought a 24oz bag (I think) at a big quantity discount, and using a kitchen scale and a bag full of old 35mm film cans, portioned them out. I found a dealer who would pull my tire off the rim and roll it over to me to scoop out the old beads while installing the new tire and pouring a new can of Dyna beads into the tire before setting the bead on the tire. Beats the devil out of trying to pour them in through the valve! I take the old beads home, blow off the dust (gently) and reweigh them for future use. I usually get back over 75% of the weight of the beads. With the initial bag and reuse, it's going to be a long time before I need to reorder more!

[Rednaxs60]

I have a pressure sensor in the tire, i will not hurt him ?

No, the beads don't harm the pressure sensors. The beads stay around the outer circumference of the tire, and never touch the rim where the sensor is.

how much do I need for my 1800s? the front and NA rear

1800 MT - 2 ounces front - 2 ounces rear

[GLRT]

I need to invent the rubber rasp, board stretcher or blinker fluid

[WingAdmin]

No, the beads don't harm the pressure sensors. The beads stay around the outer circumference of the tire, and never touch the rim where the sensor is.

how much do I need for my 1800s? the front and NA rear

1800 MT - 2 ounces front - 2 ounces rear

If you're using a car tire, you're better off with 3 oz.

[Rednaxs60]

how much do I need for my 1800s? the front and NA rear

1800 MT - 2 ounces front - 2 ounces rear

If you're using a car tire, you're better off with 3 oz.

Agree on the CT

[AZgl1800]

When I put my Michelin car tire on, I decided to err on the high side, and weighed out 4 oz for it.

put 2 oz in the front tire.

buying in bulk is the ticket.

[ekvh]

I’ve never looked at the inside of a right angled fill stem, but it looks like the beads could collect in the metal tube portion and create problems as it could use up quite a few beads on that side.

I see Dyna sells a straight valve with a screen/filter on it to prevent this on straight stems.

Anyone run into problems with this? Perhaps the bulge on the inside of the rim is enough to keep them out?

[vaughn]

I am installing a new front tire on my 1100 today and I don't fill the beads through the stem. Tried that. Don't work. I put one side of tire on rim then pour in the beads. Then carefully mount the other side. Done this on several with no problems. My elite 3 just started to cup in the last1000 miles and I am almost down to the wear bars. Was way worse using wheel weights. I might try them on my van. Has vibration that weights won't fix.