Tyre pressures

[fredc]

2 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

Jesus. I'm not putting nitrogen in my tyres. My bike doesn't have a nice warm garage to live in so the air it gets is put in at ambient plus the slight rise in temperature due to compression.

I checked tyres yesterday and they were quite low so pumped them up to recommended pressure. Turns out gauge on pump is reading high as when I started up this morning the TPMS had a hissy fit as the pressures were way too high and I had just backed out. Got a separate gauge and both tyres were about 20% over recommended cold pressures. Adjusted them accordingly and rode 297 miles to Northumberland without any further issues. Once they warmed up they were consistent and recorded as 39 psi front (36 psi cold) and 46 psi rear (41 psi cold). 

 

air is 80% nitrogen anyway

[Gerontious]

The owners manual for my bike has nothing to say about atmospheric/ambient temperature. It gives a single recommendation for the tyres on my bike and for the way I ride. (No pillion) That is what I follow. When on tour and loaded with luggage I treat that as a pillion and increase the pressure, again as recommended by Honda. Been doing it this way for decades and it’s never given me a problem. I’m a bit old fashioned. I have this outdated idea that the people who designed, built and tested these bikes know what they’re talking about.

[curlylegend]

2 hours ago, Gerontious said:

I have this outdated idea that the people who designed, built and tested these bikes know what they’re talking about.

I agree wholeheartedly !

[S-Westerly]

10 hours ago, Gerontious said:

The owners manual for my bike has nothing to say about atmospheric/ambient temperature. It gives a single recommendation for the tyres on my bike and for the way I ride. (No pillion) That is what I follow. When on tour and loaded with luggage I treat that as a pillion and increase the pressure, again as recommended by Honda. Been doing it this way for decades and it’s never given me a problem. I’m a bit old fashioned. I have this outdated idea that the people who designed, built and tested these bikes know what they’re talking about.

My thoughts entirely and in fact that's what I've been doing for years. Purely due to the new toy having the TPMS I can see what's happening in the tyre and made me wonder if there is any affect. 

Edited January 15, 2024 by S-Westerly

[RideWithStyles]

That t

 

Edited May 15, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[Steve_M]

13 hours ago, Gerontious said:

I’m a bit old fashioned. I have this outdated idea that the people who designed, built and tested these bikes know what they’re talking about.

When I had my VFR I tried a variety of tyres from different manufacturers. I did notice that the recommended pressures occasionally differed between tyre brands. I always went with the tyre brand recommendations - it was  a couple of PSI different as I recall, on the basis that they knew what they were doing and had carried out sufficient testing to ensure it was the best figure.

[RideWithStyles]

Really

 

Edited May 15, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[Gerontious]

6 hours ago, Steve_M said:

When I had my VFR I tried a variety of tyres from different manufacturers. I did notice that the recommended pressures occasionally differed between tyre brands. I always went with the tyre brand recommendations - it was  a couple of PSI different as I recall, on the basis that they knew what they were doing and had carried out sufficient testing to ensure it was the best figure.

If it works for you then I’m not going to argue. But it does seem doubtful to me that the tyre makers test their tyres on individual bikes - all of them. Their recommendation will be based on a per tyre and per size basis. You might easily have two completely different bikes. That take the same size tyre but are wildly different in weight. Yet the recommended pressure is the same. Both ways seem to be a one size fits all. I do think though that the maker of my bike will know what suits it. Rather than a tyre maker who might easily have designed their tyre before my bike even existed. Pressures are really just advice - they are not rigid. “This or you’re gonna die” a few pounds either way isn’t going to hurt and if a pressure works better with your specific bike, but is a tad higher or lower then that’s not going to be a problem  There is no right or wrong. I just go with what Honda recommends. Just as I used to with BMW.

Edited January 15, 2024 by Gerontious

[Steve_M]

2 hours ago, Gerontious said:

If it works for you then I’m not going to argue. But it does seem doubtful to me that the tyre makers test their tyres on individual bikes - all of them. Their recommendation will be based on a per tyre and per size basis. You might easily have two completely different bikes. That take the same size tyre but are wildly different in weight. Yet the recommended pressure is the same. Both ways seem to be a one size fits all. I do think though that the maker of my bike will know what suits it. Rather than a tyre maker who might easily have designed their tyre before my bike even existed. Pressures are really just advice - they are not rigid. “This or you’re gonna die” a few pounds either way isn’t going to hurt and if a pressure works better with your specific bike, but is a tad higher or lower then that’s not going to be a problem  There is no right or wrong. I just go with what Honda recommends. Just as I used to with BMW.

But, on the other hand, they will know about the tyres characteristics- eg. Sidewall rigidity - and can baseline it against their other products. 

[RideWithStyles]

Air

Edited May 15, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[jedibiker]

I will bet they just put some air in and didnt check it or the gauge they used isnt right. So you went over the amount needed but when you took some out it was to much. when i top mine up its suprising how a little air freeing can be 2-6 psi in a second.

if they keep going down then id go get the tyres checked for leaks.

 

I dont have the tpms and check tyres prior to every ride unless its back to back days, over 5 weeks they lose 2psi each wheel

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I don't have TPMS - but I now have a TPMS sensor fixing device courtesy of my brother who is bit clueless and gave it to me for my birthday.

 

I suspect it's crap anyway.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GERUI-Training-Pressure-Monitor-Learning/dp/B0BSC5HGZ9/ref=asc_df_B0BSC5HGZ9/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=658778180565&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7416190432672362821&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046503&hvtargid=pla-2212560693992&psc=1&mcid=680995b6c9d63882b6b15fc0e10978aa

 

The blurb says it should be used after every tyre rotation. That's going to make driving to the shops a bit of a faff.

[skyrider]

you will struggle touring then