2006FJR
Administrator of Transportation
I am doing some riding tomorrow and I would like to start getting in the habit of checking my tire pressure. What do you guys run in front and back. I have a new bike with stock tires. Thanks.
Tire Pressure
- Thread starter 2006FJR
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madmike2
Shtirrenuppenmeister
OMG, NEPRT here we come. 
Run what the owners manual suggests. Everyone has an opinion.
The Long Distance guys run 42/42 because they are almost always heavily loaded and carry an extra fuel cell.
I run 40/40 in mine unless loaded for a trip when I'll raise them to 42/42. (I weight 280 lbs. nekkid).
You will have your own opinion and habit so do what you are comfortable with. It just isn't worth arguing about or discussing. Find what works for you. Your tires are a wear item (Excellent advice from BikeEffects), so experiment with pressure and brand. I normally toss mine @ 8500-9500 miles, not because I couldn't get more but because a long trip usually hits then and I start with a new set of tires.
Run what the owners manual suggests. Everyone has an opinion.
The Long Distance guys run 42/42 because they are almost always heavily loaded and carry an extra fuel cell.
I run 40/40 in mine unless loaded for a trip when I'll raise them to 42/42. (I weight 280 lbs. nekkid).
You will have your own opinion and habit so do what you are comfortable with. It just isn't worth arguing about or discussing. Find what works for you. Your tires are a wear item (Excellent advice from BikeEffects), so experiment with pressure and brand. I normally toss mine @ 8500-9500 miles, not because I couldn't get more but because a long trip usually hits then and I start with a new set of tires.
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Silverbullet
Well-known member
+1 MM, no kidding. I run 42/42 on my "Stones".
For me it seems to help with the "cupping", and overall tire life. But I suspect this thread will go quickly to the never ending-re-occuring pile. Everyone has a different opinion on this. Ride the bike and see what seems to feel best for your riding style/ preference for tires. It seems that there is really no "Right" answer.
For me it seems to help with the "cupping", and overall tire life. But I suspect this thread will go quickly to the never ending-re-occuring pile. Everyone has a different opinion on this. Ride the bike and see what seems to feel best for your riding style/ preference for tires. It seems that there is really no "Right" answer.
2006FJR
Administrator of Transportation
Thanks guys and I guess I was just looking for a baseline to start from so I can adjust what feels right and I had no idea this would open up Pandora's box. :huh: Thanks.
ionbeam
2 FUN
WellHell. One of the best ways to determine correct tire pressure is to measure tire pressure vs tire temperature. Tire temperature rise while riding is related to tire pressure -- too high tire pressure yields a small temperature rise, too low tire pressure leads to high tire pressure increase. A working pressure rise range for a street tire, under normal street riding, with normal ambient temperature, will see a 3-5 psi increase. Any less and you should decrease your tire pressure a bit (based on cold tire temperature, as in before you go riding). Too much pressure increase, you need to increase air pressure.
This does imply that with extreme ambient temperatures such as <40 degrees and >100 degrees you should compensate your tire pressures. You can verify this yourself by measuring tire pressures before leaving home and then again after a few miles of normal riding.
If you are going to a track day or plan to bomb the Dragon your tire pressures will go up because you are unnaturally pushing the tire and friction plus load will increase tire pressure.
This is an old racing technique. Racing crews will always monitor actual tire temperature and pressure to assist in correct setup.
I can't think of any topic that didn't have a little drama here in this Forum :lol: Tires and oil always gets a rise out of the regulars
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sprint_st
Well-known member
+1, I've used this method for quite a while. Start with what Yamaha says but if you change tires ask the tire manufacturer, it's usually on the web. If you really are planning some track daying or real twisty stuff, dropping the pressure a couple of pounds isn't a bad idea. If you're anal about this stuff, get a digital ir thermometer and chart pressure and tire temps across the tire.WellHell. One of the best ways to determine correct tire pressure is to measure tire pressure vs tire temperature. Tire temperature rise while riding is related to tire pressure -- too high tire pressure yields a small temperature rise, too low tire pressure leads to high tire pressure increase. A working pressure rise range for a street tire, under normal street riding, with normal ambient temperature, will see a 3-5 psi increase. Any less and you should decrease your tire pressure a bit (based on cold tire temperature, as in before you go riding). Too much pressure increase, you need to increase air pressure.
This does imply that with extreme ambient temperatures such as <40 degrees and >100 degrees you should compensate your tire pressures. You can verify this yourself by measuring tire pressures before leaving home and then again after a few miles of normal riding.
If you are going to a track day or plan to bomb the Dragon your tire pressures will go up because you are unnaturally pushing the tire and friction plus load will increase tire pressure.
This is an old racing technique. Racing crews will always monitor actual tire temperature and pressure to assist in correct setup.
I can't think of any topic that didn't have a little drama here in this Forum :lol: Tires and oil always gets a rise out of the regulars
James Burleigh
Well-known member
Tire pressure? I don't need no stinkin' tire pressure!
No, that's not right. How about...
Tire pressure? No, I don't get any. But I do get it from my work sometimes and from my wife when the chores don't get done. But not from my tires. They're pretty cool.
Hey! Speaking of tires, I just mounted a new set of Avons after putting >10K on the last pair. I run 36 and 42, just like the little sticker says. When I run the twisties, sometime I bring the front up to 39.
But I HATE checking my tire pressure. I do it about twice a week, 'cause I ride in every day (you HAVE all seen my new vid, right?--JB's new vid :yahoo: )
The reason I hate checking my tire pressure is because it's a self-fulfilling prophesy--viz., whenever I check it I let air out inadvertently and have to add, when usually it was spot on before. Damnit! I can't take the pressure of having to check the @#!$%*! pressure! On top of that, how hard is that to get to the front valve! Jeesh! :blink:
Jb
No, that's not right. How about...
Tire pressure? No, I don't get any. But I do get it from my work sometimes and from my wife when the chores don't get done. But not from my tires. They're pretty cool.
Hey! Speaking of tires, I just mounted a new set of Avons after putting >10K on the last pair. I run 36 and 42, just like the little sticker says. When I run the twisties, sometime I bring the front up to 39.
But I HATE checking my tire pressure. I do it about twice a week, 'cause I ride in every day (you HAVE all seen my new vid, right?--JB's new vid :yahoo: )
The reason I hate checking my tire pressure is because it's a self-fulfilling prophesy--viz., whenever I check it I let air out inadvertently and have to add, when usually it was spot on before. Damnit! I can't take the pressure of having to check the @#!$%*! pressure! On top of that, how hard is that to get to the front valve! Jeesh! :blink:
Jb
vectervp1
Well-known member
twowheelnut
R.I.P. Our Motorcycling Friend
SkooterG
Purveyor of Crooked Facts
42F/43R
James Burleigh
Well-known member
What's with all the 42 fronts?
madmike2
Shtirrenuppenmeister
Are you beginning to see why this post was destined for the NEPRT page?
Why 42#? Because, that's why.
Why 42#? Because, that's why.
James Burleigh
Well-known member
That's just wrong. You guys suck! This site blows! I'm gonna puke!
Oh... Sorry. For a minute there I thought I was commenting on a YouTube video.... :lol:
Bearly Flying
Well-known member
Ionbeam +1......
DucatiSSsp
Well-known member
All you guys don't know squat! :blink:
The professionals use nitrogen, I'm no professional.......so I use Helium..........makes the bike lighter.......lighter equals less tire wear, better mileage and make me squeak when I suck it out of the tire! :yahoo:
Other than that, 40/41, 39/40, 38/41, as long as it's close! <_<
Pressure-less in Seattle,
Bryce
The professionals use nitrogen, I'm no professional.......so I use Helium..........makes the bike lighter.......lighter equals less tire wear, better mileage and make me squeak when I suck it out of the tire! :yahoo:
Other than that, 40/41, 39/40, 38/41, as long as it's close! <_<
Pressure-less in Seattle,
Bryce
twowheelnut
R.I.P. Our Motorcycling Friend
Those folks never turn. They merely go, 'la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la', down the interstate.
Bearly Flying
Well-known member
The bulk of the heat generated by your tires comes from carcass flexing, the more the carcass flexes the more heat is generated. You have a fixed volume of air in your tire, the more heat in the tire the higher the pressure rise.
By checking your cold vs hot pressures you can determine if your tire is heating up too much. The greater the difference the greater the heat.
A rule of thumb is to maintain between 5% to 8% increase from cold to hot.
So if you ride with a School Marm or TWN maybe a lower pressure might work :yahoo:
Most of the other guy's have found somewhere in the 40 to 42 range seems to work for them.
By checking your cold vs hot pressures you can determine if your tire is heating up too much. The greater the difference the greater the heat.
A rule of thumb is to maintain between 5% to 8% increase from cold to hot.
So if you ride with a School Marm or TWN maybe a lower pressure might work :yahoo:
Most of the other guy's have found somewhere in the 40 to 42 range seems to work for them.
42R/40F, here. Never mind my nekkid weight. mg:
+1 on the stock Metz Z6 which I found sensitive to tire pressure. Like everybody suggests, I'll probably start there and play with pressures. I watch for how the bike handles nad adjust pressure accordingly. I'm not looking for great mileage in a tire as much as the safety of good traction. Your mileage WILL very
mg: +1 on the stock Metz Z6 which I found sensitive to tire pressure. Like everybody suggests, I'll probably start there and play with pressures. I watch for how the bike handles nad adjust pressure accordingly. I'm not looking for great mileage in a tire as much as the safety of good traction. Your mileage WILL very
2006FJR
Administrator of Transportation
We hit the twisty pretty hard today and 42/42 felt pretty good but I am not really that happy with the tires but hey, that's a thread for another day. They just seem to need a little help coming off center. I can tell you now I am going to be looking for a tire that can transition a little better. My buddy mounted a camera on his bike and we are editing a few hours of video to come up with something fun I will share later. I have never riden a bike as hard as I did today. The video caught every scrap as we went into corners. What a fun day of riding!
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