How to weigh a bike......The weigh station is open, aw crap, closed for now.

[jbell]

I've seen to put front wheel on a scale and repeat with back wheel but I think you'd have to know the weight bias for the correct weight.  Would using two scales, one each for front and back and then roll the bike up on the two work or would all that weight on the edge of the scale bugger it up?  There are 440# scales on eBay for $30.

[Guzzistajohn]

Oh man, I'd like to have a buck for every time this one's been brought up. I could probably buy myself a new henway.

[Madtownguzzi]

Stop by any truck stop with a Cat scale or when riding in the countryside most gravel pits, feed mills or scrap yard will have a scale. There is a farmers Coop a mile from my house that leaves their scale on 24/7. There are scales out there no need to buy your own.

[screamday]

Local landfill will have a scale also.

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[Guzzistajohn]

Local landfill will have a scale also.

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An engineer member here says those scales at that weight won't be accurate. And Darren is pretty smart. 

[leafman60]

Weigh the front, weigh the back and add the two together.

[screamday]

An engineer member here says those scales at that weight won't be accurate. And Darren is pretty smart.

Makes sense.

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[jbell]

Oh man, I'd like to have a buck for every time this one's been brought up. I could probably buy myself a new henway.

I did a search before posting and very little showed up.  Being cheap, I'll weigh it one wheel at a time and add.

[fotoguzzi]

I "think" if you weigh 1 wheel at a time the other wheel should be elevated to the same height as the wheel on the scale is at so it's not tipped and loading the weight toward the lower wheel.

[wrbix]

I "think" if you weigh 1 wheel at a time the other wheel should be elevated to the same height as the wheel on the scale is at so it's not tipped and loading the weight toward the lower wheel.

Now that's well reasoned. 

[jbell]

I "think" if you weigh 1 wheel at a time the other wheel should be elevated to the same height as the wheel on the scale is at so it's not tipped and loading the weight toward the lower wheel.

Yup, agreed.

[Muzz]

Put bike on shoulders.
Climb on bathroom scales.
Note weight.
Take bike off shoulders.
Note weight.
Deduct weight 2 from weight 1.
Easy!

[Phang]

Put bike on shoulders.
Climb on bathroom scales.
Note weight.
Take bike off shoulders.
Note weight.
Deduct weight 2 from weight 1.
Easy!

there is an easier way if you have a boat

some kid did that in 200AD

[Waterbottle]

Put bike on shoulders.
Climb on bathroom scales.
Note weight.
Take bike off shoulders.
Note weight.
Deduct weight 2 from weight 1.
Easy!

Your a cheeky bugger Muzz 

[waxi]

Makes sense.

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It does and it doesn't. I have once stepped on our local landfill scale, and it showed my weight accurate to kilogram (and they weigh 40 tons trucks).

[Huzo]

It does and it doesn't. I have once stepped on our local landfill scale, and it showed my weight accurate to kilogram (and they weigh 40 tons trucks).

Yeah that's true, I drive what we call B Doubles here in Australia that can weigh up to 70 tonnes and I stood on the weigh bridge the other day and it got my weight within 1.5 kg. Although I wasn't happy with the number.

[Rough Edge racing]

I've seen to put front wheel on a scale and repeat with back wheel but I think you'd have to know the weight bias for the correct weight.  Would using two scales, one each for front and back and then roll the bike up on the two work or would all that weight on the edge of the scale bugger it up?  There are 440# scales on eBay for $30.

 The sum of each tire is accurate......Ever see cops using portable scales on a truck?  If you don't level it the weight will be off slightly...

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Muzz has the most accurate method.

[bassa99]

Why not do it like Johnny Cash did to build  his Cadillac?   

[LowRyter]

if you had a level ramp on either side of a scale, just roll it over from one tire to the other. 

Add up both, walla.   

[twhitaker]

Why couldn't you just put the center stand on the scale and balance it?

[leafman60]

Elevating the wheel not on the scale a couple of inches etc will have no significant effect on the weight reading when you add the two up.

[Darren Williams]

Commercial scales usually have to be annually calibrated and have the calibration certificate posted. Check the certs at your local scales to see at what accuracy they are calibrated.

The heavy load cells we buy to use on our material handling equipment are usually accurate within +/-2% of load in middle 60% of their range (with other factors compounding that accuracy level) and the lower range may be greater than a persons weight. One at each corner and the error can compound. Plus when you consider the load cells on those scales are ones with large ranges, a bike is going to be way down at the lower end of the scales range, well unless weighing a popular make of American bikes that is.

[KiwiKev]

Put bike on shoulders.
Climb on bathroom scales.
Note weight.
Take bike off shoulders.
Note weight.
Deduct weight 2 from weight 1.
Easy!

Hey Muzz

Good advice , that's how I weigh our dogs. Mind you they only weigh between 4 and 6 kg's.


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[normzone]

Just a caution, wheying your bike could affect it's appearance ...

http://www.ergo-log.com/acne-whey.html

[Orange Guzzi]

Measure the air pressure in the front tire and note.  Use two straight edges, one laid on each side to the tire contact patch parallel to each other.  Measure the distance between then and note.  Take the two straight edges, one laid in front of the tire contact patch and one behind the tire contact patch parallel to each other.  Measure the distance.  Multiply the tire patch width times the tire patch length times the tire pressure. This will give you the weight of that end of the bike.  Then do the same for the rear.  You will have the front and the rear weight.  Add them together for the total weight. This will get you very close.  I learned this on an afternoon kids show.  They Clown was teaching kids how to calculate the weight of an automobile. 
 

[KiwiKev]

 Reminds me of an old and very corny joke ..

How do you weigh a whale ?

Take it to a whaleweigh station .


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[wirespokes]

Why couldn't you just put the center stand on the scale and balance it?

Because most bathroom scales don't go as high as 500 lbs.

[Huzo]

Please let us off the hook now JBell. Were you joking from the get go ? Just put the front wheel on the scales with a piece of wood under the rear the same height, then the same for the rear. Add the two. THAT REALLY IS IT !!! If you stand on a set of scales on one foot you still weigh the same, just on both feet, each one takes half the weight, but you had me sucked in for ages as well...

[John A]

Go out to your regional airport , find an FBO that gives pilot lessons for a private pilot certificate. Get to know a mechanic, preferably one that has an IA ( inspection authorization ) get him interested. In the old days and now some aircraft share engines. He should have calibrated load cells, the kind you can roll an aircraft onto. Hold the bike up, not influenceing it. And take your readings, front and rear. Hop on bike, have your assistant hold bike up, take your readings.Buy him some beer. Now you can calculate your c/g. Easiest way I know of.