Is there a cure for tire cupping?

[flying junior]

My Pilot Road rear tire is cupping.

The trailing edge of each block of tread on the sides of the tire is sticking up a little, kind of like a little birdie tail. Down the center, the tread blocks are level from front to back. In an earlier post, I learned that this cupping is probably the cause of some wicked howling, particularly in curves, and is probably caused by running too much on the slab.

I live in the middle of a city, and I have to travel a good bit to get on the fun stuff. Then I take multi-state trips and just make it worse.

I don't recall the problem with the Avon Azaros I had before (which wore waay too fast). Is there one kind of tire or another that is less susceptible to this sort of problem? Would different inflation help? (I carry the recommended 36 psi.) Suspension setting?

My present inclination is just to ignore it, try to ride more twisty and maybe wear those edges off, but maybe someone has other suggestions. ??

 

[petey]

You need more air in your tire. :glare: ....Try 40 to 43 psi rear and 36 to 39 psi front.

 

[okmac]

I use Bridgestone 020 and carry 40 pounds in front and rear and do not have a cupping problem. I live in Iowa and have the same problem as you in that I have to ride a ways to get to a fun road. I get about 9K miles on the tires , could probably run longer on the front but like to change both at the same time.

Mac

 

[eeksnake]

Pilot Road (40psi) up front and Pilot Road II (42 PSI) in rear. The higher pressure definitely helps slow cupping.

 

[FJRocket]

Pilot Road (40psi) up front and Pilot Road II (42 PSI) in rear. The higher pressure definitely helps slow cupping.

Not on a Storm. :angry2:

 

[El Toro]

The recommended front tire pressure on my Gen II is 39 psi.

Cupping always seems to be a problem on these ST type bikes... and more tire pressure seems to be the answer most of the time.

 

[flying junior]

Thank you, folks.

We seem to have a consensus.

Now, if I can just figure out how much to increase the pressure.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Thank you, folks.
We seem to have a consensus.

Now, if I can just figure out how much to increase the pressure.

Owners manual should say 39 front, 40 rear??? You should check your tire pressure often. (every 1 to 2 weeks)

 

[El Toro]

Gen II is 39 front 42 rear. Its also marked on the bike.

I check mine about twice a month. The K1200Rsport tire pressure seems to go down at the rate of about 1 psi in 2 months. The FJR seems to go down about 1 psi in a month. Both of these rates are excellent as motorcycles go.

NEPRT?

 

[HotRodZilla]

I ran the OEM BT020s at 40 front and rear. When I replaced them at 5700 miles, the front was badly cupped. The guy who mounted them suggested I run them at the 42lb max. Later in a thread, TWN suggested running about 44lbs to prevent some of the cupping issues and for handling. I have been running 44lbs front and rear since then and the bike acts totally different. Have almost 4000 miles on these tires and no signs of cupping yet. Michelin PR in front and BT021 rear.

 

[flying junior]

Gen I pressure is 36, I believe. I'm gonna try 42 for a while.

Thanks

 

[Bearly Flying]

To establish the tire pressure for Your Bike, with the load you normally carry at the speeds you ride...........

Take the cold tire pressure.

Ride the bike normally to heat up the tires...

Take the Hot Pressures of your tires.

You should be looking for a 5 % to 10% increase from cold to hot.

If you have more than 10% increase,,,, add air.

Heat is the biggest killer of tires, the bulk of the heat comes from flexing of the tire, more air= less flexing.

 

[Thug]

This one comes up every now and again....41 in the front and 45+ in the rear.....the cure is more air in the tyre.

 

[J-DADDY]

Original 'Stone 020 tires. 13,700 miles, At wear bars now. 40 lbs psi f/r. These tires have been cupped since 3500 mi.

Yes, they howl whenever turning-doesn't bother me. I'd say just ride 'em 'till you're going to replace 'em.

FWIW - my .02 cents

 

[bramfrank]

You need more air in your tire. :glare: ....Try 40 to 43 psi rear and 36 to 39 psi front.

Adding to the cacophony, I was going to say that - the recommended tire pressure in my G-2 owners' manual and on the safety sticker nuder the seat is is 39 front, 42 rear.

or . . . . . . GUNNY!!

They'll cup anyway, but later . . . .

The more proper reply would be that the cure for cupped tires is . . . new tires.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Original 'Stone 020 tires. 13,700 miles, At wear bars now. 40 lbs psi f/r. These tires have been cupped since 3500 mi.
Yes, they howl whenever turning-doesn't bother me. I'd say just ride 'em 'till you're going to replace 'em.

FWIW - my .02 cents

K. I know I'm hijacking, but are you saying you have 13,700 miles on that set of 020's or you now have 13700 miles on your bike and you are running 020's? If you have that many miles on those tires, how the Hell did you do that?

 

[daddyman]

No attempt to hijack the thread, but at what point does increasing the pressure change the contact patch enough to alter the amount of traction available?

If the pressures are specified by the manufacturer and are exceeded, wouldn't this make the contact patch smaller and reduce available traction due to the tire not deforming enough to grip the road surface properly?

I would rather change the tire earlier than lose the margin of traction that correct (?) inflation would provide.

Please feel free to bump me or just point me in the correct direction. I did search, but the results were lacking in specificity.

 

[HotRodZilla]

No attempt to hijack the thread, but at what point does increasing the pressure change the contact patch enough to alter the amount of traction available?
If the pressures are specified by the manufacturer and are exceeded, wouldn't this make the contact patch smaller and reduce available traction due to the tire not deforming enough to grip the road surface properly?

I would rather change the tire earlier than lose the margin of traction that correct (?) inflation would provide.

Please feel free to bump me or just point me in the correct direction. I did search, but the results were lacking in specificity.

You are probably totally right to a point; however, the way I understand it, cupping is caused and expidited by too little pressure. It is caused by tire flex when slowing or accelerating and under high stress; like high speed turns. Since I'm not a light guy, I probably make my tires flex too much at lower pressures, where a lighter person would not cause that flex. That in turn causes cupping in my tires where it may not cause cupping in yours. That's why some have suggested figuring load weight and then matching pressure to that. Adding pressure reduces the flex that causes cupping, but hopefully going up only a couple of lbs prevents stretching the tire too much, and reducing traction. I am of the OPINION that if there is enough flex to cause cupping, it is also affecting ride quality and handling. I guess it's all a big game and we just need to make sure we don't go too far in either direction. When I went to 44lbs to test that concept, I was amazed. The turn in and handling have increased greatly. So far I still seem to have good traction so don't jinx me.

 

[reecebike]

My Pilot Road rear tire is cupping.
The trailing edge of each block of tread on the sides of the tire is sticking up a little, kind of like a little birdie tail. Down the center, the tread blocks are level from front to back. In an earlier post, I learned that this cupping is probably the cause of some wicked howling, particularly in curves, and is probably caused by running too much on the slab.

I live in the middle of a city, and I have to travel a good bit to get on the fun stuff. Then I take multi-state trips and just make it worse.

I don't recall the problem with the Avon Azaros I had before (which wore waay too fast). Is there one kind of tire or another that is less susceptible to this sort of problem? Would different inflation help? (I carry the recommended 36 psi.) Suspension setting?

My present inclination is just to ignore it, try to ride more twisty and maybe wear those edges off, but maybe someone has other suggestions. ??