Lesson Learned

[Cdogman]

I took my bike out today.. Since my getoff I have been riding pretty sedate for my style and I have been regaining trust in my bike (was not the bikes fault but still) The bike has not felt quite right since the repairs

As usual I was doing a walkaround, started checking air pressures in tires as I do about every 3-4 days.

I remember getting my bike back, looking for my tire guage and finding my "other one"

The one I had been using for ever was digital and so was the one I found..all good

I press the button to turn it on, check the back tire, fine, press the button to reset it, check the front tire.............. "those *&^%$&** at the bike shop" I think to myself as it reads 26... thinking it is a good damm thing I checked my bike before taking her out on her maiden voyage after the repairs... Of course I added air to the prescribed 41

Fast forward to today.... Same routine.... bike and I are still not in sync.... 15-20 rides since the getoff and repairs....... Check the back,,, 39.5.... OK I can live with that... Hit reset to check the front.......... Check the front....... 40.5... ehhhh close enough,, not carving canyons today.......ehhhhh ya know, that 39.5 I got out on the back was close.... lets look again...... NO press the reset button..... 26 WTF????? Press the reset putton again...... 39.5... Now I am looking at my gauge.... Something is amis

I learned that this guage does not need to be reset between checking. I was changing between PSI, KPA, and some other mode......

HOLY CRAP I think... I make sure it is in PSI mode and check the rear.. 39.5.. I leave it in PSI mode and check the front...... 63 PSI

I had been following this proceedure with this guage since the day I got my bike back

I remember hearing about a getoff last year or so and a guy found his tires at 70 psi or so and could not figure out how it happened since he was diligent.. he was riding with Ashe at the time and I cannot remember who it was but

[SIZE=18pt]Dooooooooooooooode[/SIZE]

I think I may have found one possible answer... I set my bike back to 41 and 41... My road glue is back and my bike feels great. My front contact patch was....... Umm Limited to say the least

As we enter back into this riding season it is a good reminder to "Know Your Gear" Take nothing for granted!!! Even a stupid little tire guage. I am lucky I did not have to ruin another set of riding gear and scratch my bike all up, or far worse, to learn this lesson

Cdog

 

[FJR Steve]

I thought that's why it snowed over there, 'cos you guys hibernate to read the instructions?

Nice find...very lucky. And big ups for sharing.

 

[Cdogman]

Naw... We breed in the winter here.... It is Utah.... that is why we need so many wives.... Winter lol

 

[exskibum]

I am done with digital gauges from China. Cheap pieces of shit, IMO. I have gone through 2 in less than 2 years, battery makes no difference, just plain failures. Second one was a real PITA with too many "features" that were useless, too much time between functions, etc. So . . . I went to 4 auto parts stores trying to find a good dial gauge with a right angle fitting that I can make work on my XX with the Carozzerria wheels that I can't get a right angle valve stem to work on. I have had a very good dial gauge for years and should know better than to switch to Chinese digital crap. Couldn't find exactly what I wanted at an auto parts store, though, so . . .

I went to Roseville Cycle center and had the guy get out his catalogue. Ordered one with the right range and single psi calibration for $22, a right angle fitting on end of short hose and a pressure release valve. I'm back in tire pressure checking nirvana. When I check tires, it's so easy that I do all three bikes. I just pump them up off my compressor past where I need to go, put the gauge on it and press the button until it deflates to exactly what I want. :yahoo:

**** Chinese digital!!!

 

[jwilly]

I remember hearing about a getoff last year or so and a guy found his tires at 70 psi or so and could not figure out how it happened since he was diligent.. he was riding with Ashe at the time and I cannot remember who it was but

That was Scab!

Glad you caught it before it cause an issue. That tire must have been pretty stiff.

JW

 

[Cdogman]

I am done with digital gauges from China. Cheap pieces of shit, IMO. I have gone through 2 in less than 2 years, battery makes no difference, just plain failures. Second one was a real PITA with too many "features" that were useless, too much time between functions, etc. So . . . I went to 4 auto parts stores trying to find a good dial gauge with a right angle fitting that I can make work on my XX with the Carozzerria wheels that I can't get a right angle valve stem to work on. I have had a very good dial gauge for years and should know better than to switch to Chinese digital crap. Couldn't find exactly what I wanted at an auto parts store, though, so . . .
I went to Roseville Cycle center and had the guy get out his catalogue. Ordered one with the right range and single psi calibration for $22, a right angle fitting on end of short hose and a pressure release valve. I'm back in tire pressure checking nirvana. When I check tires, it's so easy that I do all three bikes. I just pump them up off my compressor past where I need to go, put the gauge on it and press the button until it deflates to exactly what I want. :yahoo:

**** Chinese digital!!!

I shall go on the hunt,,, Gotta clue??

 

[Fencer]

I remember hearing about a getoff last year or so and a guy found his tires at 70 psi or so and could not figure out how it happened since he was diligent.. he was riding with Ashe at the time and I cannot remember who it was but

That was Scab!

Glad you caught it before it cause an issue. That tire must have been pretty stiff.

JW

Took the wuds right outa my keyboard

 

[Knifemaker]

I have been using one of this Roadgear digital pen type gauge for a few years with zero problems.

https://tinyurl.com/yudo74

No buttons to push, and has a tread gauge. Fits in the glove box.

Checked it against several others and the so far, thing is accurate and never got a false reading.

(does help to read those instructions of course)

KM

 

[Art FJR]

I used to have the digital tire guage and the "sling" type. I couldn't get the same tire pressure reading twice.

I bought the Accu-Gage (non-digital, non-sling) at the recommendation from a friend. I got the fancy model at GetaGage.com (or somenthing like that). I think I spent $15 for the 0-60 psi guage and the extension hose and a rubber bootie for the guage in case I dropped it. It reads the same pressure every time. I checked somewhere on the web and the 0-60 psi guages are rated +/- 1 psi.

At Sears, I noted they had them on sale about a year ago (without the extension hose nor the rubber bootie) for like $5. I bought 6 for friends and relatives. I took them home and checked my tire pressure repeatedly with each of them. They ALL repeatedly read within 1 psi everytime.

You put it in the valve and push and it reads the pressure and the needle stays at the high pressure. And then you can look at it. In addition, if you want 32 psi in your tires and you accidentally put in 32.5 psi (or 33), there is a bleed valve that allows you to decrease the pressure really easy. It is the finest tire pressure guage I have ever owned. And it doesn't have batteries. And I got the fully dressed model for $15.

See this link https://www.getagage.com/DialTireGauges.cfm

I am not a fan of digital guages anymore. You don't have to spend alot of money to get a guage that can read tire pressure accurately and repeatedly.

Art

 

[7xray]

You put it in the valve and push and it reads the pressure and the needle stays at the high pressure. And then you can look at it. In addition, if you want 32 psi in your tires and you accidentally put in 32.5 psi (or 33), there is a bleed valve that allows you to decrease the pressure really easy. It is the finest tire pressure guage I have ever owned. And it doesn't have batteries. And I got the fully dressed model for $15.
See this link https://www.getagage.com/DialTireGauges.cfm

Art

That looks great. I like the idea of being able to bleed down to a desired pressure. What chuck type do you have?

Thanks for the tip

 

[Violione]

Cdogman,

Wow glad you found that little piece wisdom (Digital pressure gages). I have always be a pen stick gage type of guy. Whenever I loose faith in the gage or just plain loose the damn thing, I go to my local Auto Zone and start looking at their most expensive digitals. I get the salesman to let my take the digital and a couple of stick types and a dial type to see which one works best on the bike. (I tell him that it's because the air valve in in the center of the wheel and I need to see which one fits) But what I am really doing is finding the most accurate stick type they have, and whats funny is that 98% of the time, the stick types are just as accurate as the dial and EXPENSIVE digital unit. Plus the pen stick type fits nicely in the tank bag without taking up room.

BTW - What tires are you running? The stock OEM Metzler's Z6 that came on the '06 called for 39 front and 42 in the rear. However, I now running the Shinko's and I have found that 35-36 front and 40 in the rear feel good for that tire! Not to start another NEPRT mind you .

V

 

[exskibum]

I am done with digital gauges from China. Cheap pieces of shit, IMO. I have gone through 2 in less than 2 years, battery makes no difference, just plain failures. Second one was a real PITA with too many "features" that were useless, too much time between functions, etc. So . . . I went to 4 auto parts stores trying to find a good dial gauge with a right angle fitting that I can make work on my XX with the Carozzerria wheels that I can't get a right angle valve stem to work on. I have had a very good dial gauge for years and should know better than to switch to Chinese digital crap. Couldn't find exactly what I wanted at an auto parts store, though, so . . .
I went to Roseville Cycle center and had the guy get out his catalogue. Ordered one with the right range and single psi calibration for $22, a right angle fitting on end of short hose and a pressure release valve. I'm back in tire pressure checking nirvana. When I check tires, it's so easy that I do all three bikes. I just pump them up off my compressor past where I need to go, put the gauge on it and press the button until it deflates to exactly what I want. :yahoo:

**** Chinese digital!!!

I shall go on the hunt,,, Gotta clue??

Accu-Gage Air RA60X

0 - 60 psi

https://www.ghmeiser.com/dial.htm

G.H. Meiser & Co. P.O. Box 315

2407 W. 140th Place

Posen, Illinois 60469

www.accu-gage.com

'twas made in China, of course, but it ain't digital!!!

 

[Toecutter]

Sometimes, analog is better. SmarTire rocks too!

 

[SockMonkey]

Sometimes, analog is better. SmarTire rocks too!

Gunny + woof x 2. I carry a RoadGear "Ready-to-Go Hi-Tec" digital gauge and a Monkey Grip heavy duty mechanical gauge as a backup. Simple is good.

 

[Cdogman]

If anyone wants to know what it feel like to ride on that much air,,, it is alot like riding on a low tire,,, slippery... I doubt I would get the kind of warning of a washout on a overpressure I would on an underpressure.... I feel fortunate to have found this prior to having scratched my ass... No more digital

 

[Art FJR]

You put it in the valve and push and it reads the pressure and the needle stays at the high pressure. And then you can look at it. In addition, if you want 32 psi in your tires and you accidentally put in 32.5 psi (or 33), there is a bleed valve that allows you to decrease the pressure really easy. It is the finest tire pressure guage I have ever owned. And it doesn't have batteries. And I got the fully dressed model for $15.
See this link https://www.getagage.com/DialTireGauges.cfm

Art

That looks great. I like the idea of being able to bleed down to a desired pressure. What chuck type do you have?

Thanks for the tip

I got the Straight chuck, but the Swivel Angle or Right Angle look better for the FJR. But that will add $1.50 to the bill. But then you would have the Cadillac of guages (or should we say BMW)?

FYI, there are some "inline guages" that you can get that will read the pressure when you are adding air to the tires (when you turn the air off). With this arrangement, you can check pressure without removing the air and checking with the guage. The problem is that you need to get a guage with a higher pressure reading (0 to 120 psi) and these are +/- 2 psi if I remember correctly. And I believe that this arrangement needs to be connected to your air compressor. I didn't like the "inline" idea.

Someone else said they like the smaller "stick" guages. And some like the smaller digital guages. Easier to carry on the bike. I will agree. But that doesn't mean that you can't have a more accurate guage in the garage or in the glove box of the cage.

Guage accuracy came up years ago when my dad was researching the rear tire blowouts of the Explorers (he's a retired Chemical Engineer with too much time on his hands). A couple psi low and a load in the Explorer was generally the cause of the blowout. So we all got our guages (all of them) out and checked tire pressure. The readings were all over the place. My digital was reading 8 psi high (at 32psi). We destroyed it right then and there. Soon after I got the Accu-gage and since then other guages were destroyed because they weren't even close to being correct (and repeatable).

He concluded that there was nothing wrong with the Explorer nor the tires, nor with the way or frequency of checking tire pressure on the Explorer. Some guages suck and some people died. And didn't a tire company go out of business?

I have seen digital guages that seemed accurate and also stick guages. But how do you know unless you can check them against a known good guage? In these times of high gas prices (at least around here), I want my tire pressures correct all the time even on the riding mower and all my vehicles. A good guage pays for itself. Hopefully I am preaching to the choir.

 

[SMC]

:blink: Amen to having an accurate gauge.

I bit the bullet and went for an AccuGauge Analog Dial that has one of those guarantees to be + or minus 1/2 lb. Then I did comparisons to all my digitals and stick gauges and if they didn't match the AccuGauge, out they went.

Peace of mind knowing the digitals in the FJR and auto are accurate.

 

[HaulinAshe]

This weekend, we took Scab for a visit to his high-pressure get-off spot. You could see the ghost of an 05 floating along the roadside.

Robin, very glad you caught the error. I would tend to characterize the lesson as "when it doesn't seem right, assume it's not!". Any gauge can give bad readings. I certainly agree and understand the logic for purchasing a quality analog. But assuming that it's always right because it's analog could easily put you in the same situation again.

My advice is that if you check the pressure and it doesn't seem right, something doesn't make sense, grab another gauge and compare the two.

I have a digital gauge that does the same thing when you press the button a second time. I've developed a habit of pressing the button once and then never pushing it again unless the gauge does the auto shutoff. But you can bet that if I get a funky reading from it, I'll grab another one for a second opinion.

Glad your ride comfort is coming back. You need to come east and play in my backyard next.

 

[Lake Powell]

Cdog,

I'm beggin ya, ride over to my house. I have a brand new in the wrapper Accutire digital (in PSIG) gauge for you, very accurate as my gift to you.

Good to see you last month for dinner!

Hope all is well-