Using an automatic Tire Pressure Monitoring System has been interesting and enlightening. Its a little add on device, 2 sensors, one on each of your valve stems and a small waterproof display that mounts on your bike.
Been playing around with the tire pressures.
If I recall, the factory tire pressure recommendation for my motorcycle is 36psi Front & 41psi Rear
At those pressures I found the bike skittish, especially in some of the rural areas I ride where gravel is often scattered on corners and occasionally out in the road. Especially the rear tire, which, if inflated to 41psi would often climb to 45psi as the tire heated up. At those pressures the tire was rock hard and if it hit a rock it would typically "spit" it out to one side or the other, causing the bike to be slightly upset, instead of rolling over the rock.
I've now settled on 35F/35R and seem pretty happy with those pressures, the tires seem to stick better to the roadways, the bike is no longer "spitting"gravel and seems much more stable in the corners.
Much lower than those pressures and the bike also acts squirrelly in the corners, but doesn't bounce or spit rocks like at the higher pressures. When starting out at 35/35 psi for the front rears, the pressures typically increase to about 38psi as the tires warm up and stay at those pressure while out riding on normal summer days.
FWIW, when riding on hot/sunny days, the tires will heat up and the pressures will increase 3 to 5 psi. I noticed that when the tire pressure was about 40PSI the pressures could increase up to 5 additional psi. But at pressures in the mid-30's, I only notice the pressures going up about 3 psi. So I'm wondering if higher starting pressures = higher growth in riding pressure do to higher tire temperatures? This is observational, and could be based on weather conditions, as I've not been using the TPMS for very long.
Been playing around with the tire pressures.
If I recall, the factory tire pressure recommendation for my motorcycle is 36psi Front & 41psi Rear
At those pressures I found the bike skittish, especially in some of the rural areas I ride where gravel is often scattered on corners and occasionally out in the road. Especially the rear tire, which, if inflated to 41psi would often climb to 45psi as the tire heated up. At those pressures the tire was rock hard and if it hit a rock it would typically "spit" it out to one side or the other, causing the bike to be slightly upset, instead of rolling over the rock.
I've now settled on 35F/35R and seem pretty happy with those pressures, the tires seem to stick better to the roadways, the bike is no longer "spitting"gravel and seems much more stable in the corners.
Much lower than those pressures and the bike also acts squirrelly in the corners, but doesn't bounce or spit rocks like at the higher pressures. When starting out at 35/35 psi for the front rears, the pressures typically increase to about 38psi as the tires warm up and stay at those pressure while out riding on normal summer days.
FWIW, when riding on hot/sunny days, the tires will heat up and the pressures will increase 3 to 5 psi. I noticed that when the tire pressure was about 40PSI the pressures could increase up to 5 additional psi. But at pressures in the mid-30's, I only notice the pressures going up about 3 psi. So I'm wondering if higher starting pressures = higher growth in riding pressure do to higher tire temperatures? This is observational, and could be based on weather conditions, as I've not been using the TPMS for very long.
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