Tire Pressures

[Alfatango1]

What tire pressures do you guys run? When I go with the owners recommended pressures with the the current Dunlop 208's my front tire feels like it wants to slide away on turns. If I drop it about 4-5 pounds they seem normal.

Yes I know these tires are pretty sucky but I got a smoking deal when I needed a front tire a while ago. ($50 shipped) so I couldn't pass it up.

 

[konarider94]

is your suspension set up right? i was having that feeling when the rear had more preload than the front. basically my bike was nose diving in the corners and it felt like it wanted to wash out. I run 38psi f and r and it works good for me. They were at 30psi for a while and it just didnt feel right. Im running the dunlop qualifiers. you have prob seen the link below but if not its a good page.

suspension setup

 

[Jabaniz]

use the recommended pressure on the tire itself not the owner's manual

 

[Art]

The suspension is the main thing people don't take the time to set up. My friend whos been in the buell game for a while just set mine up, what a noticeable difference. But if the tire pressure is off, that will also contribute to the crapy handeling. Good luck

 

[xtremelow]

Like Kona mentioned check your susp settings, and also Jabaniz said stick to the recommended pressure.

Personally I run 40psi F/B, then I drop it to roughly 20psi at the drag strip the 3 times I have been there.

 

[Alfatango1]

Oh my setup is nowhere near what the manual recommends. For my size and weight the manual is down right scary.

I have the rear pre load very stiff, the front compression was stiff too but I just dialed it back a bit. I lowered the front tire pressure today to about 31 pounds and it's way better.

 

[Alfatango1]

Thanks Kona!

I'll check out this page to see how it compares to my settings. Like I said, factory settings made me freak on some twisty's. Mines much better now with lower tire pressure but when I added pressure two days ago the front got squirrelly...

 

[konarider94]

good luck. a poorly set up suspension can be dangerous. ive been slowly messing around with mine but im still very close to the aggressive setting on that page i sent you. when i first got my bike it was a chore to get it to lean in. now its almost effortless.

 

[twobuells]

You may want to check your tire pressure guage for accuracy. If you ride hard with that low pressure I bet your tires will flex resulting in some funny looking wear patterns on your tires.

 

[Jabaniz]

one thing to consider is tire pressure change with riding and road temps. its one thing to set tires at 50 degrees in the morning and ride in 95 degrees in the afternoon, if you live in an area where you drastic temp changes consider that on your tire, especially if you start working your tire in some nasty twisties , in fresno i would leave in the morning at 50 degrees, and by noon 1 o'clock it would be 110 in the mountain raods. i could feel the tire just sliding and peeling rubber off on corners

 

[xtreme6669]

I run mine at 38/38 but would be interested in what others run as well... only 2 people in this thread actually posted the pressures they're running?

 

[dallasb]

I run whatever the manual calls for. But then again I'm running stock tires. Jabaniz one thing that will help with expansion of the gas is nitrogen. I did some research at the last company I was at with nitrogen filled tires. On average the tires that were in the sun would be 3-5 psi more on a car tire that was originally filled to 35 psi.

 

[Alfatango1]

when i first got my bike it was a chore to get it to lean in. now its almost effortless.

Agreed, mine is a lot better today than before, temperature does fluctuate her quite a bit, by some 30 degrees the past week or so.

You may want to check your tire pressure guage for accuracy

Another good point, used the one built into my air pump. Read 38 rear 35 front. Back rides fine, front was washing out in an aggressive corner.

 

[konarider94]

the ones built into a pump are notoriously inaccurate. get yourself a decent gauge.

 

[Alfatango1]

the ones built into a pump are notoriously inaccurate. get yourself a decent gauge.

got 3 or 4 of them laying around but they always seem to be non existent when I look for them , need to pick up a mini one to put under the pillion for sure.

 

[redliner172]

I run 36 front and 36 rear for commute to work...(saving the rubber on the tires for the twisties)
I would run 26 front and 28 rear for stunting.
32 front and 34 rear for duh twistays.
36 and 38 for 2up riding.

I am real big on fine tuning my suspension and checking tire pressures. Two EXTREMELY important things that get overlooked by MANY sportbike riders.

 

[Midnight82]

Ditto to Redliner. 32-Front; 34-36-Rear