It states the pressure right on the tire!

 

Even *I* know these are the maximum recommended pressures.

As a moderator, I wouldn't expect such a non-helpful, underlined answer making someone fairly new to the site feel like an idiot.

 

I'm pretty sure the tire says 32 psi, but I'm the guy that asks questions, and rarely has an answer other than "what"? I've read several threads on VSRI dealing with tire pressure, and found that when I ran 32 psi, my tires are ready to be changed at 6,000 miles. The consensus of many was that by running the 38-40 psi the tires lasted much longer. I have a BAD flat spot about 2.5 inches wide in the center of the tire, and I do ALOT of cornering, so it's not from riding in a straight line. There is no "chicken line" on my tires!:mrgreen: It'll stiffen the ride up a little, but you can compensate by reducing the preload on the rear shock with the knob. Good luck!

 

The tire marking is the maximum pressure the tire can handle. The recommended pressure depends on the load. Check the sticker on the chain guard for a starting point.

 

Thanks greywolf!!

 

I weigh 250 and run 37 / 41 lbs. Seems to wear well.

 

Some years ago I contacted both a Metzeler and Dunlop representative and asked them both the same question. Both of them told me I should air the tires up to the value printed on the sidewall of the tire. Both stated that that pressure value is meant to safely handle the maximum weight the tire will can carry, and that the only negative, if it is a negative, is that it will make your ride a bit harsher. Both told me that the upside is that the bike will handle better and the tires will last longer. Both also informed me that the inflation values in the owner's manual is too low and can contribute to too much sidewall flex resulting in overheating of the tire carcass, resulting in shortened tire life and increased possibility of "catastrophic" tire failure (aka blowout) due to the weakened sidewall. But your dealer will be happy to sell you new tires more often! LOL

In essence, you save money and experience better handling of the bike by airing the tires up to the value on the tire's sidewall. All of this coming from the reps for the companies that make tires and want you to buy lots of them from them. This has been my practice over the years, and I get great tire life.

 

In essence, you save money and experience better handling of the bike by airing the tires up to the value on the tire's sidewall. All of this coming from the reps for the companies that make tires and want you to buy lots of them from them. This has been my practice over the years, and I get great tire life.

Been doing the same thing, on both the bike and the car.

 

I got the pressures for my Avon tires, for my Strom, on the Avon website.

 

Avon uses a unique variable belt density in their carcass design, you can throw all other pressure recomendation wisdom out the window

instead of using dual compounds in theire treads like other manufacturers, the variable belt density allows the edges of the tire to flex more and develop more heat, increasing pressure does not significantly change the contact patch with this carcas design,

Avon recommends very high pressures compared to normal conventions, the word I got from Avon is that for every 2psi you drop from their recomendation, plan on reducing the life of your tires by 10% and you will have zero traction or handling advantage

because of the variable belt density, you don't loose your ride characteristics with the high pressures they recommend

go with the recomendation Avon has on their website for Avon's with everything else, look to Suzuki for a starting point

 

Greywolf is correct, NEVER go by what's printed on the tire, as that is the MAXIMUM pressure that the tire can handle, and it's NOT what one should put in their tires!!! I don't care who tells you otherwise.

Every vehicle sold in the United States, whether car or motorcycle, MUST have the recommended tire pressures printed ON the vehicle.

On our Strom, it's printed on the side of the frame on a sticker that has the VIN.

PLEASE NOTE: That is a COLD pressure reading. When a motorcycle tire is warm is will read several PSI more...so make sure the tires are cold when adjusting.

Big B would know this if he hadn't removed that sticker from his bike
And don't take B the wrong way.
He's a great guy, and more than willing to help anyone out.
I know this first hand!!!

Welcome to the site, and feel free to ask anything.

 

But remember higher pressures will also reduce the size of the contact patch and consequent traction and provide a more jarring ride. Finding the best pressures is a bit of a juggling act as each change has consequences. Also, tire manufacturers are not recommending the pressures on the side wall. They are saying that is the maximum pressure the tire can handle, not the optimum pressure. The pressures printed in the owner's manual are the tire manufacturer's recommendation for the bike in question.

 

I spent three years in the tire retail industry working at numerous Goodyear Tire and Service Centers around Cincinnati Ohio. One thing Goodyear was very good at was informing their salespersons with the correct information regarding general tire questions.

You may choose to do what you wish, but if you're inflating your tires to the MAX PSI COLD on the sidewall, you are using the WRONG information. And when you make a statement like this, "Using the cold inflation printed on the sidewall will only prolong tire life and improve handling. In the final analysis, only you can decide what pressure to use in your tires, the motorcycle manufacturer's recommendation, the tire manufacturer's recommendation, or whatever you decide to use based on what kind of riding you will be doing. Just remember, the lower the tire pressure, the softer the sidewall, resulting in greater sidewall flex with resultant increase in friction-generated heat, which reduces tire life and increased chance for tire sidewall failure.", you're talking out your butt and spreading lies.

Here is the REAL information:
Proper inflation is the single most important part of tire care. The inflation pressure on the side of the tire is the MAXIMUM operating pressure. It is not necessarily the right inflation for your vehicle. Always use the inflation recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. You can find it in your owner's manual, posted on the edge of the driver's door, on a door post or on the inside of the glovebox door. Always check inflation when tires are COLD: when the vehicle has been driven less than a mile or one hour or more after driving. Use a good quality tire gauge. Note: It's natural for radial tires to have a slight bulge in the sidewall at their proper inflation pressure. Check or adjust inflation every few weeks, before any long trip or if traveling with a heavy load.

http://www.goodyeartires.com/faqs/Inflation.html

 

I know it is getting a little off subject, but I agree with all you have said but want to expand on one thing that I think you will come across more and more in cars:

Newr cars in the USA (2007 on I believe) are now required to have some means of telling the driver that the tires are low on pressure. I believe in many cases these have been implemented in the most basic way and all the advice you have given is correct but note that there are sometimes different pressure recommendations for heavier load, snow tires, high speed driving, etc. In the case of our bikes there are recommendations that differ for higher loads on the bike.

In some cars (on my 2007 Boxster for example) the cars have a dynamic readout of the tire pressure. This gives you the actual pressure of each tire updated every few seconds and is very precise. It also has a read-out that tells you how much pressure to add or subtract for each tire. In the case of my Boxster (and all the cars we sell at Porsche nowadays) the readout that tells you to add or subtract air compensates for temperature of the air in the tire. If it tells you to add one psi, then add that amount regardless of the recommendation on the car sticker. (i.e.: if the sticker says have it add 35 psi, your gauge says it is at 37 and the readout says add one psi, then go ahead and add the one psi.) You can also do this regardless of whether the tire is hot, cold, or whatever.

As a footnote, it is pretty interesting seeing how tire pressures change with use: the sun shining on one side of the car can raise the pressures a couple of PSI on that side, it can take quite a while for tires to get up to normal operating pressures, even your weight on one side can make that side tend to run a bit higher pressure, etc.

..Tom

...
Always use the inflation recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. You can find it in your owner's manual, posted on the edge of the driver's door, on a door post or on the inside of the glovebox door. Always check inflation when tires are COLD: when the vehicle has been driven less than a mile or one hour or more after driving. Use a good quality tire gauge. Note: It's natural for radial tires to have a slight bulge in the sidewall at their proper inflation pressure. Check or adjust inflation every few weeks, before any long trip or if traveling with a heavy load.

http://www.goodyeartires.com/faqs/Inflation.html

 

http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/infocenter_tiretips.asp?id=8#tip

http://www.maxxis.com/Services/motorcycle_tire_school.asp

More good reading regarding pressures.

 

From Dunop's site:

For high-speed, fully loaded or dual-riding touring motorcycle applications, inflate front tires to maximum recommended by vehicle manufacturer for Dunlop fitment and rear tires to maximum load inflation pressure on sidewall. Rear touring tires must be inflated to a minimum of 36 psi for light to medium loads and 40 psi for dual riding and other loads. Never exceed maximum load indicated on tire sidewall or vehicle capacity load found in owner's manual.

Underinflated tires can result in imprecise cornering, higher running temperatures, irregular tread wear at the edge of the contact patch, fatigue cracking, overstressing and eventual failure of the tire carcass.

From the Maxxis site:

Tire Inflation
Always keep the motorcycle manufacturer's recommended air pressure in both tires. This is an important requirement for tire safety and mileage. Your motorcycle owner’s manual will tell you the recommended cold inflation pressure. On some motorcycles, the recommended front and rear tire pressures will be different. The pressures stamped on the sidewall of the tire are only for maximum loads. On some occasions, these pressures will also be the manufacturer’s recommended settings as well.

Riding on tires with too little air pressure is dangerous. The tires will build excessive heat. This can cause a sudden tire failure. Under inflation may also:

* Damage the tire, leading to tire failure
* Adversely affect vehicle cornering
* Reduce tire life
* Increase fuel consumption
* Cause fatigue cracking


It would appear that there is a bit of conflict between the two tire manufacturers, however Dunlop seems to strike a sort of compromise. Seems that everyone here is sort of correct, but no one is blowing smoke or talking out their backsides.

Nothing like tire or oil talk to spice up things, eh?

 

Strompilot, I apologize for coming off harsh, but you've got to remember you're on a public forum where people take advice from.

When you give such advice, you need to be accurate.

Your statement about filling your tires to the MAX COLD PSI SETTING PRINTED ON THE TIRE are wrong.

I gave accurate information, and even went so far as to back it up.

Whether dealing with automobile or motorcycle tires, DO NOT FILL YOUR TIRES TO THE MAX PSI COLD SETTING PRINTED ON THE TIRE, UNLESS YOUR BIKES OWNERS MANUAL STATES TO DO SO.

Strompilot, I'd like you to do something for me.

On a hot summer day(over 85 degrees), before you ride your bike, fill your tires to the MAX COLD PSI ON THE TIRE.
Now, go ride your bike at 70MPH for 50 miles.
Stop and immediately check your tire pressure.

I'll bet you my bike that the PSI in your tires will be ABOVE the MAX COLD PSI PRINTED ON THE TIRE.

THAT'S WHEN YOU WILL HAVE A TIRE FAILURE DUE TO OVER INFLATION.

I'm not saying that you personally will...but you'll be much more likely.

Wanna take my bet?

 

Oh, and please don't take me the wrong way....I'm just passionate:mrgreen:

 

I always fill my tires "near" the max pressure on the sidewall, both cars and my bikes.

 

I give up.

Why would you do that?

Didn't I just prove that's the WRONG thing to do???

I give up.

Fill'em up to 100psi for all I care.

I'm done with this post.

Strompilot, DON'T take my bet.
I'd hate for something to happen to ya.

 

No problem from me. I do understand you viewpoint, however, and appreciate your input.

As I understand it, gleaning from tire pressure discussions on other forums, the average increase in air pressure within a tire after thorough warm up, is about 8 to 10%, which, if you use, say, 40 psi, would, theoretically, range from 3.2 to 4 psi increase.

I think what all of us are interested in is a tire pressure setting that will provide for a combination of the best tire life and handling of the bike. I also think Greywolf hit it on the head when he states that it won't necessarily damage the tire to air it up to the max cold air value, but it may not necessarily perform to its optimum either.

Oh yeah, I do make it a habit to frequently keep on top of my tire pressures. Just for the record, I usually keep the stock Bridgestones at about 40 psi. Seems to work well for me and at 4500 miles, the tires show lots of tread left.

 

The maximum cold pressure is just that though. The tire can take more pressure when hot. It isn't going to fail if undamaged. It just isn't going to work optimally unless it is also carrying it's maximum load.

 

You are truly a man of wisdom Greywolf.
Thank you.

 

Correct

One more old head for MOM. That's your Motorcycle Owner's Manual. That's where your correct tyre pressures will be listed. And on the sticker the vehicle manufacturer put on your bike, car, Segway, trailer, airplane, or hovercraft. No wait! Hovercraft have no tyres.

Anyhow, you get the drift.

The tyre maker knows what the tyre can tolerate. They do not know (usually) on what vehicle the tyre will be employed. Trust the folks that designed your vehicle to have (hopefully) calculated the correct operating, cold, tyre pressures.

We'll have no more of that looking at the sidewall silliness, OK?

 

Greywolf and Badtraindriver:

I know with cars on the track the pressures are often set with the aid of an infrared thermometer. They measure the temepratures at the edges as well as the center of the tread areas to keep them relatively even and this is normally the ideal baseline setting for track use.

Can that relate to bike use or would it only be meaningful on a track? I know that most daily riding I do doesn't involve a lot of corners so certainly the center of the tread is going to get most of the heat and most of the wear.

..Tom

 

Car tires undergo entirely different forces from bike tires and racing is a totally different application than street. For me, going beyond finding the optimum cold tire pressures is an exercise not worth the energy. People with a greater interest in the subject may enjoy the subtleties more though.

 

It never ceases to amaze me the subjects that some of you guys choose to get into a pissing contest about. :-D Cluck, cluck, cluck

 

Well hell Mort, at least if you're gonna post in this thread, give us your esteemed opinion on the subject.

We're all ears....
or beaks, as you prefer.

 

Nitrogen, is Much better then plain old air, less sensitive to temperature. By the way Chickens have ears in addition to beaks.

 

Wait, there is air in my tires? And I'm supposed to keep track of it?

Jeez, too much work. Next you'll say I'm supposed to change the oil and lube the chain.

-GW

 

Not so funny....

Just checked the air pressure in my tires this weekend. Holy crap...both tires were low by 15PSI!!!!! No wonder the bike did not feel right lately....

 

Actually, you don't NEED to lube the chain.....

 

Are you saying I really am supposed to change the oil?????!