North Auckland Street Skills - NASS

[Sly_guy]

Looking like a good night tonight

[p.dath]

I check my tyres often if I have 2 psi less the bike feels like shit and every bike I've ever owned does! Most bikes I have owned also have lost a psi or two over a week parked up so check it every ride when you gas up! Tyre pressures are the most important handling adjustment you can make ask any racer. Stick with your routine and start bagging the others for not noticing their wrong tyre pressures. "what can't you feel it!" LOL!!!

You have a couple of pretty serious bikes there I can see.

I would be very surprised if you can notice just 2 psi difference - your tyres will increase by more than this between cold and a normal road ride. If 2 psi really affected the handling that badly you'd bike would feel like shit everytime the tyres got hot.

[Beth Stewart]

Well I did the spit thing and no leaks there. But I will keep doing my checking - got me a tyre preasure gauge. And it gives me peace of mind too. Went up to Helensville yesterday and practised dropping down a gear into the corners. It was great! Hope to start riding with you all on a Wed soon.

[p.dath]

Well I did the spit thing and no leaks there. But I will keep doing my checking - got me a tyre preasure gauge. And it gives me peace of mind too. Went up to Helensville yesterday and practised dropping down a gear into the corners. It was great! Hope to start riding with you all on a Wed soon.

Beth do you know if your tyres are tubless, or if they have a tube in them?

[Reckless]

You have a couple of pretty serious bikes there I can see.

I would be very surprised if you can notice just 2 psi difference - your tyres will increase by more than this between cold and a normal road ride. If 2 psi really affected the handling that badly you'd bike would feel like shit everytime the tyres got hot.

I hear what your saying and i can't explain why I'm like this! I get on the SV it feels aweful go to the gas station lift the pressures from 36-38 warm ( the normal drop when it sits for a day or so) and its all good. Anything lower and the bike feels like it wants to fall into the corner and feels sluggish like I have a flatty. Was the same with the VTR and even on the old Z1. Took my mates 996 for a blat on the 05 coldkiwi, it felt aweful had to stop in Turangi and pump them up then it was great. I must say one of my better swap rides awesome bike! Same with my mates 08 VFR800 anniversary and there is no more rock solid bike than a VFR! I dunno why? I actually get pissed of with the hassle of having to do it!
Only thing I can think of is I've spent a lot of years karting where 5mm in the axle width or 2 psi in the tyres (hot or cold) makes a difference?? I'm to old and senile to remember if I was like this on my 84 GPZ1100 and other bikes before I started karting? I do like to push a bike along a bit, like to feel and hear it every time i ride even if its slow, absolutely hate Ipods, ear plugs and lots of luggage etc when you ride, you ride. Just me my cross to bear I suppose??

[retro asian]

Due to laziness I pretty much rode all winter without checking my tyre pressure, but mainly commuting/cruising so wasn't a big deal to me. *Kids don't try this at home*

Have put air in them now, a difference of 8 psi (or more ) definitely can be felt...Hahahaha.

[fizbin]

good for a laugh after a shit day at work!
http://www.facebook.com/video/video....29927040374130

[Sharry]

That is just tooo funny

[Beth Stewart]

Beth do you know if your tyres are tubless, or if they have a tube in them?

Hi Phil, I haven't got a clue. Sorry to sound like a girl, but how do you tell?

[Beth Stewart]

I hear what your saying and i can't explain why I'm like this! I get on the SV it feels aweful go to the gas station lift the pressures from 36-38 warm ( the normal drop when it sits for a day or so) and its all good. Anything lower and the bike feels like it wants to fall into the corner and feels sluggish like I have a flatty. Was the same with the VTR and even on the old Z1. Took my mates 996 for a blat on the 05 coldkiwi, it felt aweful had to stop in Turangi and pump them up then it was great. I must say one of my better swap rides awesome bike! Same with my mates 08 VFR800 anniversary and there is no more rock solid bike than a VFR! I dunno why? I actually get pissed of with the hassle of having to do it!
Only thing I can think of is I've spent a lot of years karting where 5mm in the axle width or 2 psi in the tyres (hot or cold) makes a difference?? I'm to old and senile to remember if I was like this on my 84 GPZ1100 and other bikes before I started karting? I do like to push a bike along a bit, like to feel and hear it every time i ride even if its slow, absolutely hate Ipods, ear plugs and lots of luggage etc when you ride, you ride. Just me my cross to bear I suppose??

Hey Reckless, I too feel as if I have a flatty as I leave my place, heading up the hill, stop at the service station, pump up my tyres and off I go - my bike feels great again??????

[Beth Stewart]

good for a laugh after a shit day at work!
http://www.facebook.com/video/video....29927040374130

ha ha ha ha lmao

[p.dath]

Hi Phil, I haven't got a clue. Sorry to sound like a girl, but how do you tell?

Nails are pretty common in motorcycle tyres as well Beth. Have you tried rolling around your tyre slowly and closely inspecting it for something foreign stuck in the tyre?

If its a nail you can usually just see a small shiny spot maybe 3mm to 5mm. Imagine taking a nail and cutting the head off. It looks like that - you only just see the end.

Sometimes you can get a rusty nail, and they are a bit harder to spot.

[thehovel]

Hi Phil, I haven't got a clue. Sorry to sound like a girl, but how do you tell?

Check your wheel, if it has spokes and little nut holding the valve stem YOU GOT TUBES BABY.Keep taking the little pills. If you have ali rims (all one piece) and a rubber base on the valve stem .......Tubeless Usually if you have a slow leakand it doesn't go down compleatly ... tubeless regards Richard

[Big Dog]

Hi Toto, I have been given a bit of shit over checking my tyre preasure about every two weeks on my Harley. Other riders say that they never check their tyres and that there must be something wrong with mine. I ride at least once a week over winter. Cheers Beth

Hello Beth,

If you don't want to look uncool amongst people who think ape hangers are 0 degrees kelvin you could try some pressure sensing valve caps.

http://tirepressurealert.com/

http://www.pressurezone.co.nz/

Something to keep in mind when deciding if these are right for you is if you play radar blackjack these may not be a sensible choice. But if the vast majority of your riding is legal then these may be a good call.

[Big Dog]

Check your wheel, if it has spokes and little nut holding the valve stem YOU GOT TUBES BABY.Keep taking the little pills. If you have ali rims (all one piece) and a rubber base on the valve stem .......Tubeless Usually if you have a slow leakand it doesn't go down compleatly ... tubeless regards Richard

Not necessarily.
These days you can by kits to turn a spoked rim into a tubeless rim.
They are basically some epoxy and a gasket. They are popular in motard circuits and basically any where where performance is more important than structural integrity but they want the old school look.

Lots of modern choppers, and I hear but cannot confirm some models of "sporty" wear them so that modern rubber can be worn on old school rims.

If in doubt most tyre repair places will tell you free of charge.