Tire pressure

[Torques]

I know this subject was brought up recently but the manual says like 28 lbs front and rear for up to 215 lbs ( I weigh 186). Some people were putting like 36 lbs etc which seems excessive to me. My understanding about inflation as in car tires is that when you run higher pressures you will wear out the center of the tire prematurely, too low of pressures will wear out the sides, the right pressure will distribute the load across the tire resulting in longer tire life. I am not an aggressive cornerer or hard accelerator from the stop, so what might be a good pressure to maximize my tire life and why, thanks, Doc.

[dhdaniel]

Doc, I took the advice of Many here on the Forum, and I now run 40 psi
on front and 38 rear, The problem with the lower pressures is the Front tire will cup, and thats not good, I asked the same question to my Dealer
He said forget what the manual said and run Higher psi.

Good luck

Dave

[bross]

Just don't exceed the tires maximum pressure listed on the sidewall, or on the manufacturers website for your tire. These manufacturer pressures are usually more than listed in the manual. My MS manual says to use 36PSI front and rear but the Bridgestone website lists 43 and 41 PSI front and rear for the BT020's that I'm running, so I would be safe to go to the higher pressure recommended here.

[Torques]

I am gonna run at 36 36 does that sound ok?

[dhdaniel]

just keep a close watch on your wear patterns, If it starts cupping,
you'll know it. I have a new set of Metzlers, I am keeping an eye on the pressure 39- 40, hate to ruin a tire for lack of air pressure,

Dave

[Torques]

Thanks Dave.

[Lee_2061]

You're on the right track Doc, but ...

The priorities hould be:
1 - minimal distortion - less movement, less uneven wear
2 - maximum traction - this depends on your kind of riding and the road and surface you ride on most; windy or straight, roughness, type and profile of tyre, etc. sometimes this wil be at the expense of (1)

Finally it also depends on pressure vs weight - do you normally ride solo or 2 up or with loaded saddle bags? What damping do you set on your rear shocks?

... in reality, any psi figure on it's own is meaningless. You should vary the pressure depending on the load, newness of the tyre and most importantly the feel of the bike. After a whle you develop a feel for what's best for you keeping points (1) and (2) in mind. Many riders use a particular pressure not knowing that it could be improved by an increase or decrease. Ohers throw all logic out the window for the sake of lower pressure ride comfort. Most bike manufacturers also use that as priority 1 as well. By right they should recommend a psi range with a table relating to total laden weight. They do that with the shock damper settings.

For me it's traction and control. What's 5000k more or less out of a tyre if it means keeping that 24-30 sq. in. of contact between the bike and the road?

Finally it's a bit like packing a parachute. No matter what anyone tells you, better to pack your own, cos...

Ride Safe.

[T-man]

I noticed a definite improvement in the feel of the front tire in the twisties when I went from operator manual 28 psi to 36 psi front (always ran 40 in rear). AND, I do believe I will exceed my previous tire life of 13,000 miles (not bald but close enough for wet weather concerns). BTW, I am still running Bridgestones but may shift to Dunlop this time around. Buddy of mine has same bike and gets 20K on his Dunlop sets.

[bross]

And don't forget to use an accurate gauge! I have been using what I thought was a pretty good dial gauge for the past 20 years, but I just bought a new digital gauge and it shows my old gauge as exactly 2 pounds low. Last year I kept my tires at the recommended 36/36 but I was really running 34psi.

Foil Inspector: woo hoo!

[dawgblood]

Okay Lee - I'm going to seek your advice based on my style of riding: mainly one up, I'm 185 pounds, mainly commuting to work (interstate and basic city traffic), not much in saddle bags, & shocks set on factory setting (but am planning on increasing to 4-5 this weekend). What do you suggest regarding pressures (both tires max is 41 psi)? Thanks!

[boredtwodeath]

please correct me if i am wrong but shouldn't the the front ire be slightly lower than the rear? for traction purposes if the front is lower than the rear it will grab slightly better? i'm thinking of running 36/38.i'm a newbie so if i'm wrong please let me know

[dawgblood]

I'm with you boredtwodeath - I was thinking of doing 38/40 {but of course, I'll see what Lee (or any other wisemen) have to say}.

[Lee_2061]

Originally Posted by dawgblood

Okay Lee - I'm going to seek your advice based on my style of riding: mainly one up, I'm 185 pounds, mainly commuting to work (interstate and basic city traffic), not much in saddle bags, & shocks set on factory setting (but am planning on increasing to 4-5 this weekend). What do you suggest regarding pressures (both tires max is 41 psi)? Thanks!

Thanks for putting me on the spot.
Max pressures:
Actual running pressure is much higher as it varies with tyre temp, running time, road temp, etc. It's set to stop idiots overpressurising thinking it will reduce wear. What excess pressure does is reduce traction and braking effectiveness. Tyres can take double the factory setting easily, just ask any racer.
Tyre gauge accuracy:
This is only a guide as it depends on the tyre temp when you pump. Many experienced riders only pump and measure at the same temp, usually when cold.

Anyway, here goes remembering that this is just what I think.
Ride the bike at recc. settings first. Get used to it. Considering the only reason you'd change pressure is to maximise control and feel, you gotta know what you have first.
Front pressure:
Crucial as the bike and you follow wherever the front wheel points so changes here had better be warranted. More pressure up front gives you firmness and feel. Too firm and the front wheel bounces too much taking away surface contact pressure. Not to mention too much fatique and discomfort in your arms from the excess vibration.
Start with +3 to +4psi
Rear pressure:
Fiddly as it depends on your weight and shock damping settings. Put your full weight on the bike and bounce up and down a few times. Shock travel should not be more than 50% of max. For your weight I'd suggest 1/4 to 1/3 damping. If you can get a mate with similar weight to sit on it, get down and have a worms eye view of the tyre distortion. It should flatten some but maintain it's shape enough to hold a bumpy corner without any shift or wobble plus not shudder or skip under hard braking. Start with +4 to +5psi.

Finally, your best guide to pressure is wear patterns. Depending on how and where you ride and take corners, wear will normally be mainly be in the middle. If the wear band is too narrow, you're overpressurising, too wide and it's under inflated.

Start with the pressures above and change up or down in small increments to suit you. At the end of the day your aim is to develop confidence in the rubber keeping your bike on the road. Settle on a pressure setting, pump at the same temp and stick to it. After a while you develop a feel and know if the pressure has changed by a few psi or if your shocks have degraded in performance.

I regularly check by applying thumb pressure to the sidewall of the tyres. Amazing how well thumbs remember. I also cheat and use Accu-Pressure valve caps.

Good Luck and Safe Riding.

[dawgblood]

I knew you'd come through Lee - thanks! I've got my tires at the manual-recommended pressure right now. I'll increase 'em a little and see how it feels.

[Lee_2061]

Phew! So u mean I passed the audition. LOL

[jukief]

Lee, you're not only a hunk on that gorgeous 2000 of yours, you're a font of knowledge as well!

Thanks! I learned something from your post.

[Torques]

Originally Posted by Lee_2061

Phew! So u mean I passed the audition. LOL

God, nice bike Lee, I would love to have one of those, but I'd be afraid I'd drop it over on myself.

[jukief]

Originally Posted by Doc2003Cobra

God, nice bike Lee, I would love to have one of those, but I'd be afraid I'd drop it over on myself.

No kidding.

My 1500 is plenty big enough for me! A couple of times I've been in iffy situations where the bike felt like it was starting to lean too far and I really panicked at the thought of dropping that big boy. Fortunately, I haven't--yet. We went riding with some friends last weekend, and the husband (who rides a Yamaha sport bike) sat on my bike and said it must be like driving a Buick. LOL I guess he never sat on a 2000!

[Lee_2061]

Originally Posted by jukief

Lee, you're not only a hunk on that gorgeous 2000 of yours, you're a font of knowledge as well!

Thanks! I learned something from your post.

Aww... Geeee..... Pshaw....Shucks!

Thanks, and you're very welcome, cutie.

[Lee_2061]

Originally Posted by Doc2003Cobra

God, nice bike Lee, I would love to have one of those, but I'd be afraid I'd drop it over on myself.

Thanx mate.
Don't let the size fool you. It's really not that much bigger than a 1500/1600, esp. a 1600Nomad and definitely looks a lot bigger than it rides.
It's very well balanced and leans as lightly and as easily into corners as a sports bike.

Mind u after being on it, other bikes do feel smaller and strangely enough, less secure, except during a downpour when it needs a football field to stop. Yipes!