Check those tyre pressures!

[Bob]

This morning, took the wife's Virago out for a spin (and to fill tank). The front loses pressure very slowly (inner tube was repaired, but still dribbles air out at a very slow rate), so I make a point of checking the tyre pressures on a regular basis. So with pressures exact, out we went for an enjoyable ride - always interesting making the conversion from semi-sporty to cruiser riding position and mentality... scraping the side of my right boot on the turn in to the petrol station testifies to that!

Anyway, got back home and thought "Well I've got the gauge out, so lets check the ER" (I'd been thinking it felt a little skittish, I thought the rear might be a little down on pressure). So I checked... and quite right, it was 2psi low at the rear. Then I checked the front... which was 2.5psi UP.

Realised with disgust at myself I've not checked the pressures since the dealers put them on. Got pressures sorted - and it feels like a different bike. Admittedly, after riding the Virago, intially it was like riding a MotoGP bike (SO much more taught), but once I got back into ER-mode, the front felt more stable and planted. Rear felt better as well, but a lot of that could be down to the front behaving.

Moral: Check your tyre pressures very regularly. Tsk, tsk to me.

[98tls]

Good thread,i dont use the bike much these days and when i do i am always amazed at how much pressure they lose sitting round for a bit.

[karla]

I did the same thing, bought a new bike and just kind of figured that the tyres wouldn't need checking because they were new. Found out one night in front of heaps of others that my back tyre was down to 10psi, {gulp!!}.

[325rocket]

i posted a thread like this a few months ago and i haven't checked them since.
cheers for the reminder.

[Guided_monkey]

Good reminder for everyone.

I check each time I refuel (twice/week). Rear has slow leak and can lose 8 psi in 4 days.

Tyre to be change in 1 - 2 mth's.

[TOTO]

will do it tomorrow.

I will actually make a reminder in my phone. Every saturday morning will be my tyre pressure checking time from now on


thanks fro reminDingDingDing us

[Steam]

I have no idea what pressure my tyres should be at.
I am running road-touring tyres on a dual-purpose machine meant for knobblies. So I have no idea.
And I'm not a good enough rider to know what feels better or worse in terms of the tyres being 10psi up or down.

[Bob]

I have no idea what pressure my tyres should be at.
I am running road-touring tyres on a dual-purpose machine meant for knobblies. So I have no idea.
And I'm not a good enough rider to know what feels better or worse in terms of the tyres being 10psi up or down.

Noted you have a KLR 250, so did a little digging around.

Hope this thread gives you some good advice

[CB ARGH]

Me old go kart had the same problem, except it was tubeless tyres. It went down about five PSI just over half an hour. So I had to take the pump with me whenever I went for a ride. Of course a go kart is more stable than a go kart. Everybody should check their tyres every day! Only a minuite long job... compared to a three week repair program or even a funeral... for the bike.

[nico]

yes amazing how much presure they loose i use bike every day rain rain and sometimes sun 90km per day much the same as above check every time i fill and find my self puting up 2 10 lbs a week in on good tyres i tend to read off the tyre wall saying 42lbs seems high but i ant a trye manafcature so they must no lol

[Owl]

I checked mine last night as my bike hadn't been ridden for about 7 weeks. Couple of psi down in the front and 5 in the rear! I expected it to be worse!

[TOTO]

Just did mine. was down 4psi front and 5 psi back for 2 weeks

[rocketman1]

All the bikes I have ever owned loose pressure in the tyres, every week I pump the tyres up to the correct pressure.
On the SV, I can tell as soon as I get up to highway speed if the tyres are down a few PSI.
At 32-34 psi it has a tendency to just move about a bit when changing direction, at 36psi as per the owners handbook, it is a different bike to ride, so precise and tracks beautifully, at any speed,.... huge difference.

[DarkLord]

I've done about 13,000 k's on my rear tyre, a Bridgestone Battlax BT45. Every time I have checked it over the past week or so the tyre pressures have been shockingly low, this morning it was down to about 7 psi. Last time I filled it up just a few days ago it was up to 42. I took it to cycletreads and they say there is no leak in the valve or anything, should I just take it back and ask them to check it again because I can't keep losing psi like this!!

[pritch]

I took it to cycletreads and they say there is no leak in the valve or anything, should I just take it back and ask them to check it again because I can't keep losing psi like this!!

Normally a tyre holds pressure pretty well. That's why there is the temptation to ignore them. A more thorough check sounds like a good idea to me.